I am just starting to do the Institute of Advanced Motoring training programme and want to pass their test

Buy a Fabia 2.0 and you'll be a driving god

Buy, read and digest Roadcraft. Get as many drives with advanced drivers as possible. Practise like mad

Oh, and don't forget to practise your manouevres

Chris (RoSPA silver)

ps www.advanced-driving.co.uk is an excellent resource also

Congrats on the silver Chris

Not quite a gold though, is it?

Well done Chris

I really should get round to turning up for that first meeting

Not quite a gold though' date=' is it?

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The guy said my forward driving was "Gold-standard", but my 3-point turn was a bit of a disaster!

Chris

That's what the handbrake is for :haha:

Did you feel miffed? I did last time when I "only" got a silver due to excessive speed on an overtake

I did feel miffed but mainly because I'd convinced myself I was doomed to fail Sadly he said turn around using forward and reverse gears so handbrake wasn't an option :( Next time I'll be doing it in a small car with better rear visibility

And how excessive was your speed?

Chris

About 70-75 in a NSL. All safe and I did discuss it with him after. Tried the minimising the TED but he wasn't having it. Said it showed a lack of respect for the law and that if I felt the need to go that fast I shouldn't have done the manouever

He did say it was safe that I did it, but that rules are rules :(

Thanks all I'll try to remember all you suggest

He did say it was safe that I did it, but that rules are rules :(

It sounds similar to the stop sign rule that you have to come to a complete standstill and apply the handbrake. The trouble is there are so many stop signs round here where visibility is good enough that you have clear vision on the approach so it can be treated as a giveway.

Oh, and I did 80mph on the motorway part of the test, but he didn't mention it. I guess with all traffic around us moving at the same speed, it was pretty subtle

Did you find you had to adjust your driving style from HPC to RoSPA to DIAMOND? The HPC guy who gave me a demo drive seemed to do a couple of things differently like BGOL and using the full width of the road where IAM encourages you to only do this where there are no centre/lane markings and RoSPA frowns on it, but it is tolerated....

Reminds me - must look into joining the HPC and moving my driving up a level

Chris

Full width of the road up to the white line, or across it? (obviously only where dashed)

Full width of the road up to the white line, or across it? (obviously only where dashed)

The full width of the tarmac, where the lines are broken and where it is safe to do so.... In fact I was impressed just how much tarmac he found!

IAM/RoSPA frown on straying over (any) white line, although the examiners who are PC1's may tolerate it....

Chris

Interesting. I always thoughts going on the wrong side of the road was a big no no.

My father-in-law was stopped by some coppers in remote Lancashire for straying over a (dashed) white line on a deserted road. He got away with it, but I think the officers were ready to do him for DWDC if he had been at all confrontational in his response.

Where I can see to do so (and I don't see any Police in my rear view mirror) I like to use as much of the road as possible for visibility and progress

Interesting. I always thoughts going on the wrong side of the road was a big no no.

Safety is the number 1 priority so straying over white lines should only be used a) to improve on already good vision, to anticipate a hazard, or c) to maintain stability (ie straightlining).

One example where I would use it would be when driving down a straight single carriageway road with houses on the left hand-side, I could move onto the opposite carriageway to anticpate car noses poking out of a driveway....

Chris

I am just starting to do the Institute of Advanced Motoring training programme and want to pass their test

Thanks Steve,

My observer says something similar to your advice, he also says to drive IAM at all times so I am doing so. Unfortunately driving at 30 in a 30 limit gets right up the nose of many following drivers! I am also doing the commentary whilst with my good lady

You guys that have taken, or are taking, advanced driving courses, how did you get on with the no brake/gear overlap aspect?

This is the one thing that I am really struggling with. (To such an extent, I may cheat and use my Auto tranny Octi for the test.

BGOL was one thing I had real problems trying to avoid, but I found leaving my clutch foot on the floor as long as possible and only dipping the clutch just before the stall point really helped. I could then coast a short way until the vision opened up, then select a gear and go.

I went out with an HPC driver who talked me through it and I found it was much clearer after that. Remember, though, that it's perfectly acceptable to BGOL in some circumstances and, as safety is a priority, you also have to drive in line with other road user's expectations

Chris

Provided there is a reason for BGOL then it is fair play.

"Because I always do it" is not a reason.

Straightlining roundabouts is a bit of a no-no, unless you explain what you are about to do in you commentary and that the commentary is good on the approach and through the execution.

I remember struggling with it a lot! The key is to focus on having two hands on the wheel under braking - then you can't overlap!

Why is braking and changing gear simultaneously frowned on, I don't understand the reasoning. Is there a reason, or is it one of those things that gets passed on and nobody asks why?

Cheers Gibbo