driving slow : your views ?

brat

The secret for me with commentary is to always refresh when you get a new horizon. Describe the relevancies from the horizon back, throwing in not only what you see, but plans, observation links, awareness and anticipation. I virtually always add "mirror check" at the end of each sentence or second sentence. It's also useful to talk about your lateral position on the road for safety, view and smoothness. I learned to talk about the four 'S's - Safety, smoothness, speed and (eventually) sparkle - but that safety should never be compromised for any of the other advantages.

In our advanced driver training (in the early nineties) we learned so many rules and definitions by rote, which tripped off the tongue come the final drives, so that, whenever there was a bit of a lull, you could throw one of the rules or definitions to keep the commentary momentum up.

We have advanced refreshers every couple of years, and have to fall back into commentary for a portion of it, but it's funny how it stays with you.

Richard53

IanMSpencer wrote: »

Not a comprehensive overview that.

While the core is the same, I expect there are some features that have changed in nearly 20 years. Time for a refresh?

OK, it's not mentioned on the website, and I haven't seen any mention of it in 20 years of their magazine. But if you say they now encourage it, I'll believe you. As I said earlier, I think it's a good idea.


As for a refresh, I wouldn't bother to be honest. If I do any further training and testing, it will be RoSPA Gold, which is a higher standard.

brat wrote: »

I learned to talk about the four 'S's - Safety, smoothness, speed and (eventually) sparkle - but that safety should never be compromised for any of the other advantages.

The examiner when I did my IAM bike test: "I want to see safe, smooth and quick, in that order. If it's safe and smooth, I don't mind it being quick, but never compromise safety. And any tickets you get are your own." He didn't mention sparkle. I would have worn some tinsel on my helmet if he had.

brat

Richard53 wrote: »

The examiner when I did my IAM bike test: "I want to see safe, smooth and quick, in that order. If it's safe and smooth, I don't mind it being quick, but never compromise safety. And any tickets you get are your own." He didn't mention sparkle. I would have worn some tinsel on my helmet if he had.

Different instructors will talk in different ways about what they want to achieve. This was at the end of 8 weeks of intensive training towards the police advanced driving qualification. Sparkle was the 'je ne sais quoi' factor that clearly appeared when all of the steps up in training over the previous weeks gelled together to provide the finest balance of the other three 'S's.

matttye

Can I just ask...how much of a difference does having an advanced driver award make to your insurance?

I know it's not really in the same league, but Pass Plus didn't make any difference to mine when I passed. Was good to get some motorway experience though.

brat

matttye wrote: »

Can I just ask...how much of a difference does having an advanced driver award make to your insurance?

I know it's not really in the same league, but Pass Plus didn't make any difference to mine when I passed. Was good to get some motorway experience though.

No difference. Most insurers don't ask.

bod1467

I have some FB friends who have taken the IAM test. One doing so on his bike didn't need to do a commentary (would be difficult unless connected via helmet radios) ... another doing so in her car was expected to give a commentary.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Richard53 wrote: »

As for a refresh, I wouldn't bother to be honest. If I do any further training and testing, it will be RoSPA Gold, which is a higher standard.

My observer was of the same opinion.

Having been through the process, it is interesting how much you can pick yourself up on slipping into bad habits (that hand wandering to the gear lever again). On the other hand, things like the cornering speed vanishing point are only just settling into routine rather than an effort.

The worst thing about advanced driving courses is how bad a passenger it makes you!

Nick_C

I learned to drive with the AA in 2006. Both my instructors taught me to do commentaries as a way of improving hazard awareness. Although it's not required in the practical test, it certainly helped with the PC based hazard awareness test.

almillar

I'm still not convinced that commentary is part of the test, seems to be a lot of inconsistency across the country, which is a bad thing.

I think the other little thing along those lines is "don't signal unless you can see someone who might benefit from your signal."

This gets argued about till the cows come home. I see you say that it works for you, and that's great, stick with it. I've done it and I prefer to indicate anyway, there's a chance, however small, that someone could appear and catch you out. It's people who try to make it absolute that's the problem and try to tell you you're not ALLOWED to indicate because no-one's there! It's not an excuse to be lazy, but the opposite, having to decide whether to indicate or not makes you look around you.

NBLondon

nobbysn*ts wrote: »

Ok, the opinion is obviously once the car behind has committed to overtake, by pulling out, I shouldn't accelerate until he's safely past, as I should enable the overtake.

In the situation you originally described; the guy is clearly not reading the road (hasn't seen the speed limit change coming up) and if you were reasonably close to the lower limit he's 100% responsible for his own failed overtaking manoeuvre.


I think it depends how much you were aware of the likelihood of him starting the overtake. Plenty of people would accelerate on reaching the limit change without any idea (or care) about what was going on behind. Sometimes it's a judgement call of "What's this idiot doing - better let him in front where I can see what stupid thing he's going to do next" versus "I'm getting out of the way of this idiot". And like mattye says - if you can see better than the overtaking idiot can; you make a call as to which is the safest way of getting him out of danger, without putting yourself or anyone else in danger.