Advanced Driver Qualifications

[Incitatus]

I'm a Senior Observer in the IAM and also taught on our skidpan. Red Robin is correct in that with the IAM you may get someone who is very rigid, but when you sign up for a course and you contact your local group, you can suggest that you are an 'enthusiastic' driver and you would like your observer to be someone more, um, progressive I can assure you the IAM is full of us little rebels and my policy is maybe more progressive than most, but then I've never had an associate who's failed yet!

The track day and the IAM really go hand in hand, but are quite different things in that the track day shows how to control your car when things go a little wrong, whereas the IAM uses roadcraft to prevent things from going wrong in the first place. Any fool can drive quick and go off at the first corner, that requires only luck as guidance and it's only a matter of time before that runs out, the real skill is to be able to drive quickly and smoothly within the conditions and your vehicles capabilities.

As a free plug if anyone in Shropshire fancies the IAM course have a look at our website and I may see you shortly www.advancedmotorists.org   

[RedRobin]

....Really good to have your valuable input, Incitatus

An additional good idea is to also read "Roadcraft - The Police Driver's Handbook". It doesn't tell you how to drive like a Policeman/woman but confirms and teaches the principles of good roadcraft. Personally I think that money spent remapping your driver brain should be a priority over remapping your car's ECU brain.

I'm gonna check out that Shropshire link!

....Hey!! You've got a pic of a red Mk5 GTI on your site!

[Komenda]

I did my ARDS test for National B and progressed to National A through 10 race finishes. That allowed me to compete in Europe but I had to take an IMSA and FIA test to drive sports cars in Endurance events.

[Incitatus]

....Hey!! You've got a pic of a red Mk5 GTI on your site!

There's one on the news pages too, I wonder who could be responsible for the website...   

[colb666]

Well worth giving the IAM a go cos my wife did it a few years ago as she got pissed off at me always moaning about her driving. ( I hold licence's to drive anything on the road)her driving improved so much and her confidence went sky high afterwards.I even let her drive my cars and will travel as a passenger with her nowadays 

Also I know a young lad up here who promotes the IAM to folks of a similar age to himself.He now works full time for the IAM.He's a "real" driver and not what anyone would think of as an IAM teacher.He drives a heavily modified Ibiza Cupra and likes nothing better than to give it some beans 

[monzablue16v]

The track day and the IAM really go hand in hand, but are quite different things in that the track day shows how to control your car when things go a little wrong, whereas the IAM uses roadcraft to prevent things from going wrong in the first place. Any fool can drive quick and go off at the first corner, that requires only luck as guidance and it's only a matter of time before that runs out, the real skill is to be able to drive quickly and smoothly within the conditions and your vehicles capabilities.

Well put. That's what I was trying to say!
I see a fair few guys who have the " I drove a Ferrari round Silverstone, so I'm an awesome driver" attitude, usually this is closely followed by "Watch out for the blue Saxo, he nearly killed me/them/someone/himself" been spread around the pits.
I still maintain that it's not what you drive, it's how you drive. Just look at White van men fastest thing on the roads!
I Will take your advice about the less progressive instructor

[monzablue16v]

Robin just bought the new version of that book from Amazon, I've never even heard of it how bad is that! Only a tenner

Amazon Link

This looks good as well might buy that too 
Mind Driving

[RedRobin]

Robin just bought the new version of that book from Amazon, I've never even heard of it how bad is that! Only a tenner

Amazon Link

This looks good as well might buy that too 
Mind Driving

....My edition of "Roadcraft" is 2007. I paid about £15 and am still reading it. It's really well illustrated too. I haven't heard of the other book but it looks like it may duplicate a bit.

[SO8]

The track day and the IAM really go hand in hand, but are quite different things in that the track day shows how to control your car when things go a little wrong, whereas the IAM uses roadcraft to prevent things from going wrong in the first place. Any fool can drive quick and go off at the first corner, that requires only luck as guidance and it's only a matter of time before that runs out, the real skill is to be able to drive quickly and smoothly within the conditions and your vehicles capabilities.

I still maintain that it's not what you drive, it's how you drive. Just look at White van men fastest thing on the roads!

The worst things for speed are van drivers who carry all their speed into hazards .... you look silly trying to catch a van when, driven by the right nutter they are more difficult to catch than a GTi driver who whilst speeding still loves their car !

I've done 10 weeks driver training at work courtesy of my job (Traffic Police  ) and loved every minute of it .... the thing is, as it's road based I am now probably slower than I ever was - but hopefully safer    Put me on a track and I would be lost - but have a feeling I would enjoy it 

[RedRobin]

I've done 10 weeks driver training at work courtesy of my job (Traffic Police  ) and loved every minute of it .... the thing is, as it's road based I am now probably slower than I ever was - but hopefully safer    Put me on a track and I would be lost - but have a feeling I would enjoy it 

....I saw a TV prog not long ago where a group of experienced Traffic Police drivers were assessed by a track specialist instructor and they were lost at first. But naturally they picked up the different techniques after some instruction. The Police guys seemed very surprised at how poorly they did to begin with but they clearly enjoyed it.

I did a bit of white van driving for a while. Unmarked and overnight from South Coast to London and back and a lot of pressure to deliver fast and get back to base. I blame the employers for pressurising drivers. Those Merc vans can really shift! I got fed up with the unreasonable pressure and told them to stuff it!! I'm not going to risk my life and others on the road just for some fat cat sat in an office.