ADAM's ( IAM )

Well I have gone and done it now !
I purchase a skills For life course today £139 money well spent I think
So any hints and tips from all you experts would be gratefully received .

Wish me luck I will need it .

Steve

Steve.
That's the greatest thing that you've ever done. Apart from the hefty price,
you'll be able to save that on insurance.
You'll be able to improve on safety and anticipate what other drivers are going to do,as well as read the road miles ahead.
Well done!

Good for you Steve.

For anyone thinking about doing the same, I would suggest contact Grant Massie @ ADAM. I believe ADAM still arrange observed rides, then sit your test when you are ready. It was £10 to join and observed rides were free, things have gotten a lot more expensive since I did my test ???

Discounted IAM is usually available @ Ingliston and Alford bike shows.

Quote:
"Skill for Life" is the IAMs most popular membership option, giving you - in one payment of £139.00 - everything you need to pass your Advanced Driving Test and become a full Member of the IAM. The package includes:

•The IAM book "How To Be An Advanced Driver/Motorcyclist"
•"Advanced Driving" the IAMs tri-annual Members magazine
•An initial assessment (carried out by your local IAM Group)
•All Test preparation work (undertaken by your local IAM Group)
•Entry into the Advanced Driving/Motorcycling Test
•IAM Associate status, with an automatic upgrade to full Membership of the IAM (upon passing the Advanced Driving/Motorcycling Test within 12 months).
•Access to the "Members" area of this website (with details of Members' Events, Membership Services and Special Offers).
Preparation for the Advanced Test is conducted by volunteers in your local IAM Group. On completing your purchase online of "Skill for Life", you will receive a Group Directory covering all local IAM Groups for you to contact the one nearest to you (or the most convenient).

Each group organises their "Observed Runs" locally. Most people can achieve "Test standard" after 6-8 observed runs (typically a fortnight apart), so you could be "Test ready" in 12-16 weeks.

For more information and to purchase a "Skill For Life" please visit the IAM's "Skill For Life" page.
Please feel free to get in contact with us at ADAM if you have any questions:

Chairman - chairman@iam-adam.org
Secretary - secretary@iam-adam.org

To enquire about training or if you have any issues regarding the website please contact us at web@iam-adam.org

I personally would spend my money on private tuition where you get a professional instructor who knows his stuff.

Remember the hidden extras - add on £10 per session to give observer for fuel up to maximum £100.

I train people for both IAM and RoSPA tests - IAM Skills for Life is not the only route to the test. You can train with anyone and apply for the test direct to IAM.

I also use radios (IAM don't) and I am a fully trained advanced instructor - the IAM are very careful to point out they do not train but just 'observe'.

As an IAM and RoSPA advanced examiner, I don't test those I train, but I know I coach people to a higher level than either test requires and this enhances folks ability.

Its surprising how many 'observers' have come to me for training so I must be doing something right!!

One big disadvantage of this way is Keiths Jokes . Hate seeing him blow his own trumpet .
But must agree as i passed my IAM no problem at all after going with Keith.
My choice was made becuase i was unsure that i would get the same observer every time and i thought if it was diffrent observers i might get diffrent opinions from various observers.

Does not matter any way as Steve has already booked it and the end result is he will gain extra safety for himself and others around. Good luck and enjoy your experiance Steve.

Keith H wrote:

I personally would spend my money on private tuition where you get a professional instructor who knows his stuff.

Remember the hidden extras - add on £10 per session to give observer for fuel up to maximum £100.

I train people for both IAM and RoSPA tests - IAM Skills for Life is not the only route to the test. You can train with anyone and apply for the test direct to IAM.

I also use radios (IAM don't) and I am a fully trained advanced instructor - the IAM are very careful to point out they do not train but just 'observe'.

As an IAM and RoSPA advanced examiner, I don't test those I train, but I know I coach people to a higher level than either test requires and this enhances folks ability.

Its surprising how many 'observers' have come to me for training so I must be doing something right!!

Benefitting massively from my time with Keith I'm probably not the most unbiased person.

I do recall an IAM observer suggesting I take instruction from Keith, to finish off what the IAM started.

For those who think it immodest of Keith, then I'll happily blow the trumpet for him.

Any more trumpet-blowing and that man's head will become so big it'll free up more room for his jokes, and then God help us all!

However, I have to back up this thread, Keith instruction is the solid way to go forward. My time with ADAM was fraught with different observers (8 in total) but at that time it was only a further £5 a session, and membership was about £80. This was back in 2007 when the group was run by a different committee. Now a new committee is making some way towards correcting the challenges they had I believe, perhaps then reducing the number of observed rides necessary and therefore the overall cost.
Good luck with it all Steve, in the end we all want safer riders out there.

To clarify , as I understand it , the additional contribution expected by an IAM Observer for each ride.

I believe that most of the Observers are only accepting £ 5.00 per session (some are not accepting anything).
This can be increased to £ 10.00 if the session and milage are significant so it depends on the number and length of the sessions (Upto a maximum of £ 100.00 unless the individual Associate offers to continue contributing to the Observers costs once the £ 100.00 has been reached).

I am not currently an IAM Observer so the above would need to be clarified/confirmed by the current ADAM Committee.

As an observer I am accepting a £10 contribution from associates for each session.
Not sure what other Observers are accepting.
Each session I attend is on average 2 hours long and usually covers upwards of 50miles.
With petrol costing £5.26 per gallon an observer would be ''out of pocket'' on fuel cost alone(let alone wear and tear/servicing/tyres etc) if only accepting £5 per session.
No associates so far have queried the £10 contribution,but I would be interested to hear any feedback from club members.

Cheers, Ali

Per Alli's request for comments:

I am very greatful to the IAM for helping me achieve the bike (and car) test.

I was fortunate to have one observer for the duration and he refused my offer for expenses. Later on, I was pleased to be able to offer my time as an observer and did not accept payment.

Unfortunately, petrol has become much more expensive and IMHO £10 per session seems very good value.

As a newbie with the club, this is my first post.

I have also signed up for skills for life. IAM have taken the money but I am yet to hear from them. I hadn't accounted for extra cost of the observer but it sounds fair enough. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Dave S wrote:

As a newbie with the club, this is my first post.

I have also signed up for skills for life. IAM have taken the money but I am yet to hear from them. I hadn't accounted for extra cost of the observer but it sounds fair enough. I will let everyone know how it goes.

It has been two weeks now and like Dave I have not heard anything from the ADAM observers . I was aware of the extra cost to cover the fuel of the observer .

I would also like to thank everyone for the positive and NEGATIVE comments or should I say honest . And not forgetting Keith for his
impartial input . LOL

Have I waisted my money ??? not sure I have gone the correct way about this .

Cheers
Steve f

I signed up on Sunday 23rd May at the AIM caravan when it was in Braemar. I could have done it online but fancied the run. I now think it was a mistake as the form had to be taken away and input into their system which probably delayed things. I would suggest to others contemplating the course to sign up on line to save time.

I have still to receive my workpack which I believe you get before an observer calls you. Meantime I'm reading the very boring Police Motorcycle Roadcraft book and trying to practice it when out on the bike.

I did some training with Keith a couple of years agowhich was excellent but thought I would try AIM. I have spoken with others who have done it and said they benefited from the experience and enjoyed their time.

Dave S

An observer will call you when the club co-ordinater allocates you to him.
Until that happens the observers ore oblivious to the people/number of people waiting .
I suppose club committee members are privelidged to that info so if any ADAM committee members are on this forum they may take notice.

Have any of you new guys tried registering on the ADAM forum?

Google IAM-ADAM.ORG

Good luck, Ali.

Hi Ali
I have tried to log to the web site but I was not successful , I have not tried the forum .

Thanks
Steve f

steve f wrote:

Hi Ali
I have tried to log to the web site but I was not successful , I have not tried the forum .

Thanks
Steve f

Steve

Contact web@iam-adam.org. Grant used to be the webmaster and once you had paid your fee he set the system up for you to get on to the Forum etc .

Steve, I got my information pack through today. I have since been able to register for both web site and the forum.

Dave S

Dave S wrote:

Steve, I got my information pack through today. I have since been able to register for both web site and the forum.

Dave S

Hi Dave S

I received my skills for life pack over two weeks ago , sent the relevant forms to Keith Milne in Bucksburn for him to forward to IAM .
Keith told me I should hear from an observer soon , like I said that was nearly two weeks ago . I have spent £139 and have nothing to show for it . ( getting impatient ) .

Cheers
Steve f

ALI B wrote:

As an observer I am accepting a £10 contribution from associates for each session.
Not sure what other Observers are accepting.
Each session I attend is on average 2 hours long and usually covers upwards of 50miles.
With petrol costing £5.26 per gallon an observer would be ''out of pocket'' on fuel cost alone(let alone wear and tear/servicing/tyres etc) if only accepting £5 per session.
No associates so far have queried the £10 contribution,but I would be interested to hear any feedback from club members.

Cheers, Ali

Hi Ali

I would love to find out how much an observer would charge to cover his running cost .


Cheers
Steve f

An observer is not allowed to 'charge'anything .
He/she according to IAM national groups committee can 'accept a contribution of £10 up to a maximum of £100 from individual associates(total for all sessions) After that the Club committee will have to arrange/discuss further expense contributions.

Hope that helps.
Cheers, Ali.

Steve.
Give them another day or two until you're allocated an observer.
You won't regret it. One of the best things that I ever did.
Nothing stopping you having additional tuition from elsewhere.
That is as well as thru' an observer.

steve f wrote:

I would love to find out how much an observer would charge to cover his running cost .


Cheers
Steve f

According to RAC April 2008 figures a bike over 1000cc costs 62p per mile to run
And thats at fuel costing 109p per litre!

That's just for you flash boys with your expensive new/nearly new bikes.
It includes over £1000 of depreciation and £800 of maintenence and insurance a year. If you can live without a late plate and work a spanner you can run more bikes and still be quids in.

I remember when I were a lad, we ran the courses that Cecil and Bob took part in over a Friday evening, all day Saturday and all day Sunday. As observers, we got our meals. After the course, we did the observed runs with the folk on the course. Cost for weekend?- £40 which included meals and rental of office space to hold proper talks on road craft.

I did the lectures on advanced techniques and systems, then we took folk on the road. We used radios and we trained (not 'observed' as they do now) the riders.

We didn't even tell folk to sit the test. It was about rider improvement.

Observers were put through their paces by me with 2 training weekends for them a year.

Most observers at that time were bike instructors for training companies.

Those were the days............

Those weekends were great fun.