Advice Needed: IAM or ROSPA ?

[Nigel]

I didn't do a course, but I did an assessment ride. It wasn't really for me, although the assessor said I was safe.

I found the assessment ride with Norfolk plod (hugger challenge)brilliant, now matter how long you have been riding there are still things to learn and having a copper watching your every move concentrates the mind somewhat hmy:
It wasn`t a case of you MUST do it this way and if you disagreed you could discuss it in an adult manner. Had to stick to the speed limit as the course is paid for by NCC but could still get a move on and "make progress" in fact the instructor said I really enjoyed that (thumbs)

[SteveW]

......he said I was safe, but I was trying really hard not to be a prick :laugh:
It was a mixed road circuit that took about an hour, I bet I could have done it in 20 minutes if I was with some of the other dickheads on this forum!! :whistle:

[Nigel]

......he said I was safe, but I was trying really hard not to be a prick :laugh:
It was a mixed road circuit that took about an hour, I bet I could have done it in 20 minutes if I was with some of the other dickheads on this forum!! :whistle:

There are dickheads on this forum? :silly:

[AndyB]

I'm with Steve because a lot of IAM observers can't cope with riders who ride at a decent enough standard without following the protocol that the IAM live by.

I was going to sign up simply because my wife was a member of the local group but they honestly didn't want me to do it. The only reason was that at the time I was riding in the UK Endurance Championship and had been out with one of their observers when the pair of us rode like tits then we all sat in a pub laughing and agreed that it was pointless me doing the training.

I'm sure that any new rider will learn from an observed ride but I'm equally sure that any rider with a number of years experience is as good as any IAM observer and will learn more from going out with a police trained rider than they ever will from an IAM one.

There are plenty of ex police officer who rode bikes for a living who will take others out and ride at different speeds and conditions then pass on better advise than the average IAM observer can because they've done it day in and day out under a lot more pressure and in my opinion have earned the right to tell other experienced riders where they're going wrong.

I'd like the insurance benefits from being signed off by the IAM but it's only a few pints so I'll not bother.

[bond_yzf]

I attended a Iam meeting in Northants it was like God's waiting room to many old folk for my liking

[SteveW]

bond.....brilliant (thumbs)

[Don1960]

There are plenty of ex police officer who rode bikes for a living who will take others out and ride at different speeds and conditions then pass on better advise than the average IAM observer can because they've done it day in and day out under a lot more pressure and in my opinion have earned the right to tell other experienced riders where they're going wrong.quote]

And nearly all of these ex police riders are now observers with IAM or ROSPA ...
I'm treasurer for our local IAM group so you could say I'm bias but I have been riding since 1981, never had an accdent but still learned a lot from riding to "the system" when I joined in 2010. Without taking any fun out of riding it made my riding more consistant and even faster while still within the national speed limit.
ROSPA or IAM ... I would say that depends on your local group, generally IAM groups cover a smaller area have a larger membership with an active social live within the group but it all depends what you are looking for.

[AndyB]

I attended a Iam meeting in Northants it was like God's waiting room to many old folk for my liking

You'd have upset them big style when you insisted on rolling a smoke before the debrief session after stopping :whistle:

[Nigel]

I am interested in doing more training but am not interested in joining a "group" agreed an ex bike cop is the best person to access your riding as they did it day in day out for a living, all of the bike cops I met at the training session at Norfolk police HQ ride bikes when not at work and it`s their passion. One lad on the course said the can on my R1 is not exactly legal :whistle: they said as long as it`s not ridiculously loud we don`t care, another guy said I have a dark visor again we don`t care as long as youv`e got a clear one with you.

[JumboSi]

I have started the IAM skills for life recently after many years of riding. Yes, some of it does appear a little stilted but my ex racer observer is very good and all the members I have met are very keen to help. I would recommend it just from the point of view that it is a rare opportunity to have someone skilled in doing so watch you ride and then give you feedback. That can only do any rider, from a new CBT pass to a John McGuiness or a Marc Marquez, a lot of good - in fact, that is exactly what pro riders do via video analysis and riding coaches all the time.

So, if you want to see how your skills level compares and get someone to comment constructively on how you ride, give your local IAM a go, it's a "no lose" situation and you might just enjoy it.

As an aside, it is interesting to note the detractors lumping the IAM (just about the largest post DSA training group in the country) and the Freemasons (who donate more to charity per year than any other UK organisation bar the National Lottery) together. Some people just hate to see organisations they chose not to associate with having success or being acknowledged as doing good. Heyho


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk