Advanced driving: IAM or RoSPA?

egyptiancotton

I'm looking to become a safer driver by improve my driving skills and enrolling on an advanced driving course. The two main groups I know of are IAM and RoSPA.


Between the two, which is better? I'm looking at factors such as costs for training and testing and recognition. Which group would be preferable and more recognised than the other?

I'd also appreciate any comments from anyone that has completed IAM or RoSPA training regarding their personal experience

DUTR

Years ago, one of my friends done the IaM, all it appeared to do was make him a nervous passenger.
By all means be aware of hazards and be able to respond to them, some of it just comes with driving experience.

mgfvvc

Possibly the biggest difference is that IAM is a one off test, ROSPA requires a retest every 3 years to ensure you are still current.

I have also seen insurance sites that ask for IAM on licence status, but not ROSPA.

Other than that I would suggest that the convenience and quality of the local groups might be the deciding factor.

almillar

IAM is great, I've no experience of RoSPA. Most of what you learn in the advanced test is common sense, concentration and observation, and just thinking a bit more about your driving.

all it appeared to do was make him a nervous passenger.

If that's in relation to your driving, maybe you should consider it!

bigjl

IAM is probably the better of the two.

Others opinion may vary.

There are lots of ex and serving Coppers in IAM. I don't know if Rospa can say the same.

Quentin

All ROSPA examiners and assessors are serving or retired police officers


ROSPA is the better value - they include a 3 yearly retest in their annual fee (currently £25). To take the test initially ii will cost £45/£55 depending in your age.


IAM charge £99 for the test (includes one years membership if you pass) then £32.50 a year and you must pay extra if you want a retest (around £60)

vansboy

When my then wife bought her first ever brand new car, for her Christmas present, I bought her a days driving/training/assessing day with a private company...name like drive survive, but cant find it at moment...

Lots of people thought it would be an unwelcome gift...not at all!! She loved it!!

The day was spent with active Police Class 1 officers, who had shared their skills and knowledge, by taking her on a mix of public roads, in locations they actually used for their own training exercises.

It was much more worthwhile, she felt, than what may have been a more conventional days tuition. Think it was about £150ish.

VB

Minrich

vansboy wrote: »

When my then wife bought her first ever brand new car, for her Christmas present, I bought her a days driving/training/assessing day with a private company...name like drive survive, but cant find it at moment...

Lots of people thought it would be an unwelcome gift...not at all!! She loved it!!

The day was spent with active Police Class 1 officers, who had shared their skills and knowledge, by taking her on a mix of public roads, in locations they actually used for their own training exercises.

It was much more worthwhile, she felt, than what may have been a more conventional days tuition. Think it was about £150ish.

VB

Are you around Suffolk as a Driving School used to be run by Greig Ward called Drive to Survive. Don't think he still does it .
There is alot more to learn ahout driving than people really know , extra tuition from Ex Police Class 1 drivers are well worth it imho.

londonTiger

it's OCD. traffic cops see road fatalities day in day out and they have a very skewed grasp of reality. So they put together RoSPA in order to make "safer" drivers.

Pretty sure a nurse in the bacterial infection ward will be a clean freak, a orthoepaedic surgeon will stretch and take all sorts of bone supplements etc.

bigjl

londonTiger wrote: »

it's OCD. traffic cops see road fatalities day in day out and they have a very skewed grasp of reality. So they put together RoSPA in order to make "safer" drivers.

Pretty sure a nurse in the bacterial infection ward will be a clean freak, a orthoepaedic surgeon will stretch and take all sorts of bone supplements etc.

And you base this opinion on what exactly?

Do you think it is easy to drive on the wrong side of the road at speed every day is easy?

Police, Fire and Ambulance staff get automatic IAM membership aswell as Rospa Gold.

londonTiger

bigjl wrote: »

And you base this opinion on what exactly?

Do you think it is easy to drive on the wrong side of the road at speed every day is easy?

Police, Fire and Ambulance staff get automatic IAM membership aswell as Rospa Gold.

But that's not the point is it, it's safe driving geeks who DONT drive emeergency service vehicles who do these advanced driving courses just because it gives them a silly sense of achievement.

I remember reading on here that someone was doing an ADC and part of the test is that you have to know at any given time what the colour and make of the vehicle behind is. The instructor will test you randomly and ask what vehicle is behind and you have to answer without check your mirrors.

And how does that make you a safe driver exactly? You try driving down 4 hours of the m4 and try and keep tabs on all cars behind you at any given time.

It's just !!!!!!y, you have a peripheral vision that alerts you to danger when it's imminent. You will notice a car driving up dangerously close to you from your mirror.

This IS OCD the only way you'll have that sort of awareness when drivig is if you're checking your mirrors every 3 seconds and each time you check your mirrors that's less time you're looking at the road in front of you.