IAMs

[Proteous]

So, any advanced riders among us? Blood Bikers maybe?
I have my mock IAMs test today, my observer says im one of the safest riders he has seen in years.. (LMAO he hasnt seen me on a sunday..)
Looking forward to that insurance discount and various other benefits.. The main one being able to 'correct' other road users when they piss me off 

[Blubber]

There were definitely some blood bikers on the old org....but cant remember their names 

[Mick_J]

I took my IAM test a while ago, really enjoyed it so I became an observer.  Did quite well at that and was invited to take my senior observer test which I passed and was a senor observer for a few years but I moved house/job and work got in the way but it's a good thing to do but you don't get that much insurance discount but it might keep you alive longer.

[KiwiCol]

What's IAM & a blood biker?

[lil4399]

What's IAM & a blood biker?

IAM Institute of Advanced Motorist/motorcycle 

Blood Bikers deliver Blood around the country keeping blood stores up in hospitals.

[Kiwifruit]

Thought l would do the ACC subsidised  Ride Forever, Gold Training Course again. It only costs $50 and my insurance will give me a $50 discount. Its as great course and a good day out with other bikers.
They do Gold, Silver and Bronze Course's along with scooter and beginners licence training.
They also do an accident scene management course.

[gsxbarmy]

Personally I find RoSPA training better than IAM, RoSPA are the guys who train the police and other services riders so speak from experience rather than theory

[Notty]

Personally I find RoSPA training better than IAM, RoSPA are the guys who train the police and other services riders so speak from experience rather than theory

Mrs Notty bought me a training package for Christmas - haven't booked yet - so RoSPA are national Dave? 
@gsxbarmy

[gsxbarmy]

Personally I find RoSPA training better than IAM, RoSPA are the guys who train the police and other services riders so speak from experience rather than theory

Mrs Notty bought me a training package for Christmas - haven't booked yet - so RoSPA are national Dave? 
@gsxbarmy

Sure are Geoff - here's your Welsh options - apart from North Wales all other groups in Wales offer motorcycle training 
https://www.roadar.org.uk/groups/wales/index.htm

[VladTepes]

What's a blood biker?

Maybe that's what we call a  'squid' ? :D

[Proteous]

Personally I find RoSPA training better than IAM, RoSPA are the guys who train the police and other services riders so speak from experience rather than theory

Oh Dave, i must correct you there..  Actually the tests for both IAM and ROSPA are almost the same. And its a myth that police are trained by ROSPA, actually most IAM testers are advanced police motorcyclists.. buck for buck IAM is a far better deal too. With ROSPA you have to requalify every 3 years (not a bad thing) However IAM is for life.

IAM also offer a far greater support network to their members with groups in nearly every major town in the UK. ROSPA is spread much thinner and support groups for some can be much harder to find. BOTH organisations use the roadcraft system so there is very little difference between them..

I spent many many weeks researching and speaking to both groups before i decided to go with IAM, i have been preliminarily accepted as a blood biker and dont want to loose my job in three years if i dont have time or fail to re-certify for some reason. 99% of blood bikers and groups are IAM for that very reason.

Oh and discount wise i am getting 30 quid off just for being a member and i havnt passed yet. It depends on the insurance company with discounts. Can be as much as 20 - 30% most 10 - 15

[gsxbarmy]

Tried IAM Jay, and didnt get on with them. A few on the old org found the same. Maybe it's local groups and the instructors there, but personally not for me.

Like I said before, it's my PoV - it was suggested (when this was discussed before on the old org) that IAM experience varies by local/regional groups - which is possibly why I had such a poor experience.

It's whatever suits you at the end of the day. Neither is bad, anything which i proves your awareness and riding ability has to be good. Just find a group you get on with and which works for you before signing up to them is my advice. Sounds like your local IAM group works fir you.

[Mick_J]

As a senior observer in the Telford area of Shropshire I was invited to ride out with the local RoSPA group and the police.  The training environment there was all about safety but also enjoying the ride and having fun.  When I moved to the Bristol area the fun side of things was sucked out of it, everything was about the "system" and enjoying the ride or having fun was almost frowned upon.  Work pressure intervened and I had to give it a rest as I could not put the hours in but I did not really miss it, I think I would have missed it a lot if I was still in the Telford area as I used to go out every weekend and some evenings.  The standards for both groups vary over the country so find a group you like and get on with, it should be fun after all.