Pete Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Sorry if something similar has already been posted. I want to start an advanced course as soon as possible, but don't know whether to join a RoSPA group or IAM. What're people opinions and experiences with the different training and qualifications? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korben Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Hi Pete... Good question mate. Not done either myself, but from what I have seen more people head towards IAM than Rospa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 Oh, I've been leaning more towards RoSPA because I thought that's what people went for more Just been looking into a few local club's websites and on the IAM site and it does cost more but looks very similar (very, very) to the RoSPA set up. Confusion alert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korben Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Hehehe... Dunno then mate... Someone who has done one or the other will be able to let you know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I have been thinking about the rospa one but what IAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korben Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I have been thinking about the rospa one but what IAM Rospahttp://www.rospa.com/IAMhttp://www.iam.org.uk/(Institute of Advanced Motorists) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rennie Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I'd go for rospa myself, but any training is good training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I have been thinking about the rospa one but what IAM Rospahttp://www.rospa.com/IAMhttp://www.iam.org.uk/(Institute of Advanced Motorists) Not that I am new to all this or anything Still lots to learn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 There is a local IAM group in Redditch (www.ramg.co.uk) who meet up at Oakenshaw McDonalds every other weekend.The husband of a friend at work who passed his restricted last week is on about doing the Bike Safe training, and has asked if I wanted to join in. This also looks like a good start, and an opportunity to get 2 full days of training/advice.Not sure how many attend each course - but if we can match up available dates - could go as a group.Horness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rennie Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 bikesafe is good! I'd say you needed to have been riding about 6 months first,rospa/ iam about another 6 months after that.rough guide and only my opinion! I'm sure others will disagree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 There is a local IAM group in Redditch (www.ramg.co.uk) who meet up at Oakenshaw McDonalds every other weekend.The husband of a friend at work who passed his restricted last week is on about doing the Bike Safe training, and has asked if I wanted to join in. This also looks like a good start, and an opportunity to get 2 full days of training/advice.Not sure how many attend each course - but if we can match up available dates - could go as a group.Horness Sounds good to me mate, I'd be well up for that! I think it costs about £100 for the two days, must be subsidised. I've seen a few of them lazing around in their leathers at McDonalds with the odd McFlurry before. Just thought it was a middle-aged Happy Meal get together...shows how wrong I was! Rennie that's interesting that you say that about the 6 month thing. I've been riding since August last year but I've managed to knock up close to 6,000 miles in all (remember the snow and ice?!!) and feel fairly confident in moving on to advanced lessons. However I do know other people who passed before me and only get the bike out on a weekend for the odd five or ten mile trip who probably wouldn't be ready for advanced stuff (touch wood and prepare for abuse!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 ...I've been riding since August last year but I've managed to knock up close to 6,000 miles...I got my bike in November, but have only managed about 1500-ish so far. If I'm honest with myself, a full on IAM or ROSPA course would be too much right now as I feel I don't have the miles and experience under me to appreciate it. However a couple of days spent on a sort of "post-test check-up" should point me in the right direction. ...(touch wood and prepare for abuse!)...That could lead to so many different off-topic replies on this forum... (But that's what makes the place so great!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest akey Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 I have ridden with groups from both organisations, and it really just depends on the local group, some IAM groups are really good, the W Mids lot are good and the Middlesex lot are good as well, fun to be around and make riding really enjoyable, but some are not so good. Same goes for the RoSPA groups and instructors.My advice would be to pick either one and go to a few meetings to see what the group is like, if you dont seem to click with them then try to the other one.To be honest they both run along the same principles as they all use "roadcraft" which is the police riding handbook as a basis, so I would say go with the group you get on with, unless the finances or distatnce dictate otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Nice one akey. I was looking at the West Midlands RoSPA group yesterday and noticed they have about 350 members (or am I thinking of West Midlands IAM...they're both based at Sutton Coldfield Fire Station, I think ) so I'm sure I could find someone there that I get on with!I've noticed that IAM ask for the test fee on joining a group whereas with RoSPA you pay the test fee later on...so the cost of training for both balances out in the end. If I get along with both groups I suppose it'll be flip a coin time to see who comes out tops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojobanana Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Hiya, there's also a DSA enhanced rider qualification you can get. I did it myself recently with BSM but lots of others do them. The instructor has a qualification from the DSA as anyone can set themselves up as an 'advanced' instructor. I'm not suggesting for a minutes that IAM or RoSPA people aren't qualified, I really don't know anything about it because I've never looked into them.Might be worth a look and it gives an insurance discount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod York Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 The DSA ERM using instructors that are qualified by the DSA is the best option. IAM- you take your chances with instructors- some are really poor. ROSPA- much better AND you get tested every 2 or so years...but no insurance discount!ERM is the way foward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojobanana Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 The DSA ERM using instructors that are qualified by the DSA is the best option. IAM- you take your chances with instructors- some are really poor. ROSPA- much better AND you get tested every 2 or so years...but no insurance discount!ERM is the way foward.I did that! Two day course and left with a certificate and I did get a reduction in my insurance. Taught me more about road positioning, using the width of the road, advanced techniques for manoeuvring as well as counter-steering. Would recommend, particularly as I had only been riding for 3 or 4 months when I did it and it really helped my confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest akey Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I like ERM and the post test stuff, but a 2 day course is never going to be as good as either IAM or ROSPA which both take a lot more training to get through. I do agree with Rod though that there are some not so good IAM observers out there, which is why its worth having a look around and seeing what your local groups are like.I have been lucky, both IAM groups I have been involved with have been great (Wmids and Middlesex Advanced Motoryclists) both have police riding instructors as chief instructors and have been really friendly with good social events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC1474 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Although this thread is now quite old, I am a new boy, so I thought you might find it beneficial if I gave you my perspective as both an IAM and RoSPA examiner and as someone who has been involved with the DSA, DIA and BMF regarding post test training and instruction.The two recognised advanced bodies are RoSPA and the IAM, RoSPA being the oldest by about a year and both are coming up to 50 years old.Both bodies use Police qualified class 1 riders such as myself, but the IAM is a simple pass or fail whereas the RoSPA test is graded bronze, silver and gold. There is a retest requirement for RoSPA riders every three years maximum, there is no such requirement for the IAM.Both groups use Roadcraft as their bible simply because it has stood the test of time with the most recent re-write bringing it bang up to date (which I was involved in for my sins) as opposed to the old blue book.When the new definition was agreed about 9 years ago between RoSPA, The IAM, BMF, DIA and the DSA, it was accepted by all that most organisations would have difficulty competing with RoSPA and the IAM simply because of their wealth of experience and knowledge, but it was also agreed on a minimum standard, namely that the RoSPA bronze grade would be the equal of the IAM pass, although there would be riders with (and there are|) capable of holding the higher gold were they to take the test.It was also agreed that the RoSPA gold is the civillian equal of a Police class 2 and is therefore universally recognised as being the highest riding qualification outside of the Police service.The RoSPA test is also somewhat more intense than the IAM test, but the procedures are more or less identical.With regards to instruction, as with all types of teaching there is good and bad.14 years ago I was tasked with setting up, writing and running the RoSPA diploma for advanced instructors which I also had accredited by Btec. The aim was to produce instructors who were recognised as having proved themselves not only in their riding, but their knowledge, presentation and instructional skills.Over the first couple of years of running the course I and my team learnt many lessons and it developed very quickly, but it has become accepted by the DSA and others as one of the major advanced trainer qualifications.The IAM were fairly slow off the mark and it has taken them a while to catch up, but they are slowly getting there. Unfortunately they relied for a long time on downtraining within their groups and so the quality of their instruction was only as good as their chief instructor which in many cases was appaling, but again this is slowly changing.However, as with all groups there are good and bad, but with a RoSPA diploma holder they are subject to a three yearly retest of their instructional ability as well as their riding so they are kept on the boil.The DSA decided that they wanted control over all training which included post test training, so they sent two of their examiners to Devizes to the Police advanced course so that they had an understanding of what we are about. My contacts at Devizes told me that they lasted about 10 days as everything went straight over the top and they never completed, but they felt they had sufficient information to be able to devize their own advanced qualification. I am told by many that what the DSA is doing is simply providing an enhanced DAS training facility and is nothing like the recognised perception of advanced training.Bikesafe was set up about 6 years ago as a PR excercise in Thames Valley (who have now dropped it) but was taken up by many other forces.Initialy it was very encouraging, but many of the riders used do not hold a class 1 ticket just a standard (class 3 or 4) so they are not advanced, and many bikesafe instructors openly encourage excess speed on open roads and it will not be long before there is litigation for a bad crash.The biggest problem however is that many riders do a 1 or 2 day course with Bikesafe and believe they have been trained when in fact all that is happening is that they are being introduced to the principles of advanced training and you are not going to learn everything in a few hours.BMF, DIA and the like offer post test training, but by their own admittance they are limited in many cases because they don't have the background or training at advanced level and their examiners are non Police trained, however, there is some usefull information that can be taken away from these courses providing it is the right information.I will post a couple of items up later to help you decide how to ensure your instructor is suitably qualified, and as a matter of interest you might be interested to know what we examiners look for and how we conduct the advanced riding test.The bottom line is that some training is better than no training, just make sure that you have the right instructor or group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I've done IAM, check out a local group, they normally have a monthly meet and will give newcomers an assessed ride, go for it see how you go, and make a decision of whether they're right for you.. cost me the test fee, and had a good few evening rides with a local instructor.. if you don't like it, then give ROSPA a try..did mine Thames Valley AM.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 DSA's ERS is very thorough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 The DSA decided that they wanted control over all training which included post test training, so they sent two of their examiners to Devizes to the Police advanced course so that they had an understanding of what we are about. My contacts at Devizes told me that they lasted about 10 days as everything went straight over the top and they never completed, but they felt they had sufficient information to be able to devize their own advanced qualification. I am told by many that what the DSA is doing is simply providing an enhanced DAS training facility and is nothing like the recognised perception of advanced training.The bottom line is that some training is better than no training, just make sure that you have the right instructor or group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.