Safe Speed Forums

Yesterday I went out in the heat (a mere 26 degrees and 80% humidity) for a pre-test assessment with an advanced IAM observer. This time I got into trouble for not using 4th gear in a 30 mph limit, using 5th gear below 50 mph and for leaving too large a gap between my car and the one being followed. I was told I had to be 2 secs behind (and this observer says "only a fool breaks the 2 second rule" rather too quickly). I didn't feel comfortable with this but I was told I would fail the test if I didn't comply. I also was told I was holding up 2 other vehicles at 70 mph on the motorway whilst overtaking and was told to pull back into lane 1 where I had to remain behind an HGV for miles at 60 mph whilst dozens of other vehicles went past. I was ticked off for pulling into lane 2 at 70 mph when two vehicles came down a slip road at 55-60, even though there was no following traffic in lane 2. I was also ticked off for slowing to 50 mph on an NSL road approaching a hazard known to me which would need to be negotiated at 40 mph. "If you didn't know the road you should have been travelling at 60 mph". The other big problem was too much indicating, for instance when no-one was visible to benefit from it.

On the plus side, he told me that if I explain everything I am doing to the examiner and why, then it will be alright.

I felt rather deflated at the end of the 75 minute drive but was told to practice more and put in for the test anyway.

I am not IAM, and was (obviously) not present, but many of these complaints are in my opinion wrong:

Indicating when nobody visible to benefit from it? Is he suggesting that if you don't notice another person who might be impacted by your manoevre that you should never use the indicator, but that if they appear you have to immediately put your indicators on in response? Surely it is better to assume that they might appear, and indicate at the correct time - if nobody shows, then who was hurt by a few flashes of light?

As for being "ticked off" for letting people out of a slip road, well that is absolutely ridiculous - I always do so when it is safe to move across. What would he rather have, the cars emergency braking at the end of the slip road? We need more consideration for other road users, not less.

The two second rule is a nice general guideline, but is impossible to follow 100% of the time, as long as in general open flowing traffic you were doing this, then I don't see the problem. What does he expect - emergency braking when somebody cuts you up?

Well I fell foul of the 2 second rule joining the motorway - I was told to accelerate up to 70 mph in the slip road, luckily there was a gap in the traffic between two vehicles but then I was travelling far too close to the vehicle in front and said so. So my observer said "what are you going to do about it?" Not wanting to cause the vehicle behind to have to slow down while I created a bigger gap, it was safe to pull out and overtake but that meant briefly exceeding the 70 limit, but I did it anyway. Not my preferred way of driving.

Why don't you invite him to come here and say that? If he has the right attitude (and Internet access) he'll agree...

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

If the original post is accurate your Observer doesn't even sound like a competent Observer, let alone an advanced one.

I hope he is not typical of IAM expertise.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Very odd mate!
Ask the guy to read this regarding the gear selection
www.iam.org.uk/Pressroom/Fact_Sheets/pdf/fac16001.pdf
The 2 second thing is a bit vague to say the least I mean this should be increased according to conditions and certainly the braking capabilities of the vehicle in front (i.e. B.M.W. stopping at 70mph = 2inchs/Meastro 1.3 stopping at 70mph= 2 days) but as a general rule of thumb create space to create time.
The overtaking at seventy bit- Tough make em wait! If you break the speed limit on your test it's all over.
As for freeing up the slip road you are quite correct and would suggest you point him in the direction of the nearest driving school.
If you are not happy with a speed such as the incident in the N.S.L. then slow down, screw him!
And yes look for a reason to indicate as this encourages awareness but if you are unsure bang it on.
Don't worry mate I get the impression you already know this and your examiner will not be the cabbage your observer plainly is!

IAM car groups are mostly odd.

I think most people who have done both the car and the bike test find that the bike IAM test is much more useful.

Same principles, you can just explore more of roadcraft in the test (i.e. overtaking)

Hmm - IAM and selves were advocating third gear not so long ago for urban driving. Most modern cars are more "comfortable" in third than fourth in such conditions. Depends on vehicle though. As you know, belong (via Wildy:neko:) to large family of enthusiasts and they have some classics between them - and find the old cars are happy in fourth and the new ones perform better in third when in town.




Surely it depends on circumstance of traffic condition in any case. Tend to use 5th gear at 45 mph in my car but that's me and my car.

He must have been looking fro anything to criticise ... scraping the barrel if you like.



Have to say - I do not see much wrong in what you describe here. I often leave a three-four second gap, and give courtesy to traffic joining motorway by moving to L2 if safe to do so - and you were at limit in any case. If common sense dictates a slower speed - then nothing wrong with this at all.


Comes across to me as if he is just looking for something to criticise.






Do NOT let this bother you - if he said put in for the test, then it means he thinks you would pass it. Carry on paractising and reading "RoadCraft" and look at my COAST tips.

Guy comes across as a right pillock though...

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

Surely not. After all, he's an 'expert' isn't he?

Best wishes all,
Dave.

He's caught the numbers disease hasn't he - probably one whose eyes are glued to the needle. "Exactly 2 seconds behind, no more no less" "Exactly 60 no more no less". Driving by numbers - no out-of-box thoughts. Just a few other little observations:
I've driven the manual version of my 2.4 Accord. Although it is very long legged (<2,500 rpm at 70 in top), 4th at 30 is not laborious at all and would still spin the wheels on snow. Same with 5th at 50. Time and place I guess.

On the indicator front, I must confess I am not an "automatic" indicator. I tend only to use them if there's sometone who might benefit. I noted the argument that a pedestrian may appear and you then have to indicate. If s/he does, and if you do, the pedestrian will benefit as s/he'll actually see your observation and response and be able to believe it. If as a pedestrian I render myself visible to a car already winking, when the car has no other reason to signal, I never trust it.

It wouldn't surprise me if his accident record is mediocre. As Paul says, show him the entry door to SafeSpeed.

Well I use 4th gear at 30mph and 5th gear from 35mph in traffic and the car responds fine to acceleration and I am an automatic indicator user.

AFAIAC the indicator should be a lizard brain function so that you NEVER forget to use them. Who cares if you are the only person on the road. Over here the rule book says you MUST indicate x metres before doing y and says nothing about other vehicles or pedestrians.

As to moving over to ensure smooth progress for all on the motorway, what a complete jerk.

2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds who cares! As long as you are not obstructing other vehicles what difference does the gap make. They can pass you can't they?

If this is the IAM standard then I would not even consider having anything to do with them.

_________________
Ross

Yes I'm a hoon, but only on the track!!!!

I'm an IAM member, and a senior observer in the local group is a good friend of mine.

The whole tenor of this advice seems pedantic and placing too much emphasis on precise speeds and following distances. I can't see my friend ever explaining things to you in those terms.

The IAM examiners I have met are looking for a "good, safe, progressive drive" and wouldn't be put off by trivial technical factors.

Are you doing commentaries? Some people are put off by the idea of commentaries, but if you do a commentary, you can make it clear that you know what you are doing and there is a good reason for it.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

The observers haven't asked me to do commentaries but I do them when out on my own.
I was talking to a friend on Saturday who is a member of another group and he says that IAM groups can be a bit cliquish so observers tend to remain in post ad infinitum. He offered to arrange for me to go out with his friend, who is also a senior observer.
The thing that bothers me, based on my experiences, is that there seems to be too much inconsistency between indvidual observers' interpretation of the rules.
In the gears and speeds case, less than 50 in 5th is not allowed because instant acceleration isn't allegedly available, but leaving a 30 limit in 4th really requires a change down to 3rd to get that acceleration. The fact that I know what my car is capable of is totally ignored, e.g. keeping it in 4th up a long incline at 55 mph is done for a reason as changing into 5th at that speed in those conditions would clearly demonstrate.