IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

Anyone done this?

I'm doing ROSPA training at the moment, and the group are great, they go about it in the right way, and even as an experienced rider I'm learning some good stuff.

You do have to take away from it what you want to take away from it though.

I was a fairly advanced rider before I started (certainly not dangerous and very rarely have dodgy 'moments' when I'm riding - the more of these 'moments' you have, the more likely that one day soon, one of them is going to develop into an accident)

So I'm now at the stage of being past all the basics and just getting my riding 'refined' for the test.

There's a fair bit of stuff which I just don't see the value in, and you think, this isn't about safety, I'm just doing this to please the guy riding along behind me.

Stuff like exaggerating your head movements (nodding dog) so the guy behind can see that you've checked your mirrors. So long as I've taken a good view in my mirror and got all the information available from that, what does it matter how much I've moved my head?

I'm also finding very difficult and frustrating to deal with not exceeding the speed limits, at all, ever. For instance not being able to overtake a car that's doing 58mph. Again, I'm only doing that in order that I pass the test.

I'm also struggling with 'Sparkle'. Yesterday I was told that to get Gold level on my test, I need to show more 'Sparkle' and the example used was the observer was leaving me behind out of corner exits, because he was going in with a lower gear, and so getting more response when he cracked the throttle open on corner exits. I was quite happy with the progress I was making, I don't care if somebody else is quicker than me, and 'Sparkle' does nothing to improve my safety. It's just vanity, and 'looking good for the examiner'.

I rode home from my ROSPA ride yesterday, wondering whether I should tell them that I'm doing the training to make myself safer, and I'm not bothered about the badge, and have decided that I'm never actually going to do the test.

That way my observed rides can just be about ironing out anything I'm doing that's dangerous or bad practice, they will still be at the speed limits, just not pedantically so, and I won't have to bother with whether or not what I'm doing will please an examiner.

'Your examiner won't like that', isn't really the feedback I'm looking for, it's not why I'm doing it. I'd rather the observer was only concentrating on things that make me safer.

Any thoughts?

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

+1

I'm considering joining an advanced group for exactly the same reasons as you Ralph, not interested in doing the test, getting a certificate or whatever, I just want it to help me become a better safer rider.

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

I know how you feel Colin. I did the IAM thing to make me a better safer rider. I use what I learnt in my own way, actually find doing exactly 30 in 30's is more dangerous that doing 33 or 34 mph so I'll stick to what keeps me safer. Always found cars will hound you if you sit at the speed limit.

I found the test was ok myself. I can switch into full IAM mode and keep to speed limits without looking at the speedo. But Now I just use the things I learnt to keep me as safe as I can. I'm certainly not @nal about it like some of the guys that were in the IAM...

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

No bit of paper is ever worth making your life a misery.
Give the test a go.
Your likely as any to pass.
If not then its no big drama.
You should ride for yourself.Stick to the limmits if you can without putting your safety at risk.

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

Anyone know how much the insurance discount is? Is it worth playing the game and doing the test just for that?

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

I joined up to the IAM as I am a Police motorbike rider which meant I didnt have to do the IAM test. I think the membership fee is around £30 a year which is not too bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Ralph- (Post 2733561) Anyone know how much the insurance discount is? Is it worth playing the game and doing the test just for that?

If your with the IAM you get a insurance though IAM Surety run by www.adelaideinsurance.com with them you normally get to ride other bikes (3rd party extention) Business Use and free protected no claims. Also covers you to take part in training others if you wanted too.

While shopping around this time the next cheapest quote was £1800 more expensive than I paid.


As far as the test goes treat it like your driving test do what you need to pass then do what you want after. :cool:

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

Further to what ch00 said, my insurance for bikes didn't go down by much but my car insurance went down by a large chunk... Enough to justify the test fees in the first year after passing.

As far as sparkle is concerned, it is about putting the skills you've learned into practice as effectively as you can. The tutor in your example was in a better gear than you for the maneuver you described, even though you felt no need to progress faster than you were doing, because in another case you may have needed the extra pace or engine braking for an unseen hazard. As far as moving your head is concerned, it isn't only important for the test itself to allow the examiner to see that you are looking, but also because your eyes-forward vision is more effective than your peripheral vision on details.

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

What the hell is sparkle? i have never come across it is it a ROSPA version of IPSGA?

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

I think its more like va va voommm!!!

or panash :smt081

Re: IAM or ROSPA - Did the training but not the test?
 

No, it's a sign of proper implementation - depending on who you ask, the hallmarks of an advanced ride should have the 5 Ss as signs:

• Safe
• Smooth
• Systematic (IPSGA)
• Speed (as in correct and legal)
• "Sparkle"

Defining Sparkle is probably as hard as trying to get associates to display it, I've found...