Prefer, yes I agree.

On road and track are very different set of skills.

Being a track god certainly does not make you a good road driver.

 

It certainly doesn't.

I've been in with a couple of guys I'd consider very good race drivers who made appalling road drivers.
Conversely I've been in with some excellent road drivers who couldn't translate their driving into track driving at all.

Driving on the road is about hazard perception, looking ahead and never getting yourself into a situation you can't recover from safely. Racing (and to a lesser extent trackdays) is about throwing all that out of the window and being fastest (while maintaining some semblance of safety, unless you race in BTCC).

I was sent out with the IAM when I was 17 and just passed my test, I didn't like being told what to do by a buch of old buffers, but my dad made me go and I'm glad he did (in hindsight). I learned a lot quickly and at an age where it made a lot of difference to my driving. The IAM can be a bit stuck in their ways and the average age does seem to be quite high, but if you really want to improve your driving they're a useful way to learn. I've kept a clean licence for 21 years and I'm sure it's thanks to the training I got at 17.

Alternatively (and for anyone under 60 I'd reccomend this) have a course with Ride-Drive, it's more intensive and focuses on 'making progress' safely and anonymously. They're retired Police instructors in the main, and they don't advocate push-pull, pull-push or any other form of BSM driving techniques.....

 

I looked into doing an advanced course years ago ... I thought that the RoSPA course was better than the IAM, the idea of the restest appealed. Nevere did follow it through though.

I did spend one day with MAC when I bought my Type R a few years ago ... one of the things that Honda dealers don't tell you when you buy a Civic Type R (I presume that they still offer this?) is that you qualify for a free, 1 day, advanced driving course www.macdrivertraining.co.uk

Spent a whole day one to one with an ex police instructor hooning round the B roads of the Peak District and Cheshire, came away from that a much more aware and confident driver.

 

No, but it has to be said that the vast majority of people on the road have little to no car control or any idea what to do if the were to end up in a skid. The trackday driver would probably be able to keep it on the road, whereas the majority would certainly end up in an accident.

A good bit of airfield training would do most people good, and it doesn't mean that they can't also be good at observation and hazard perception. A good driver should have both; I'm not sure the IAM would agree.

Anonymously?

Serious question: When they talk about "making progress" as they do, does that mean they do encourage you to break the speed limits where appropriate, or is it a case of you break the limit once and you fail?

 

That is a particularly specific situation, mainly single car accidents where tbh most don't give a shat if you crash your car (so long as 3rd party property is fully insured).

Would an track god with poor road driving skills be able to avoid most accidents-no. Indeed he may cause accidents he is not involved in.

I kind of expect typical male responses to track and road.

 

not on IaM.

I did ask this question, on one occasion where I was sat behind a car doing about 57 (indicated speedo) in an NSL. We stopped and had a chat about it. I seem to remember that technically he wanted me to remain behind, but person to person he would have been happy for the overtake.

 

There's no test with Ride-Drive and my current policeman instructor was perfectly happy for me to exceed the limits with the proviso that it was my fault if I got caught whilst on the course. I actually preferred to go a bit slower than usual as it's much easier to apply what you are learning at a lower speed.

I'm pretty sure the IAM does not like you exceeding speed limits and certainly that's the impression that Roadcraft gives.

The Car Control method I learned - essentially only do one of brake, change gear using block changes, turn, accelerate using "positive power" - is very good on the road, allowing very smooth progress. It's an excellent way to drive the S2000 quickly in the wet as the car remains very balanced. I use the method, combined with some track techniques like heel and toe when I'm pressing on, but for everyday driving it's excellent.

 

I tried the online driver skills assessment here

Not surprisingly it recommended some Driver Training

One of the assessments I found interesting was:


As there aren't any motorways in Cornwall its not surprising that I spend most of my driving time on roads other than Motorways

Interesting test though if you have 15 minutes to spare.

 

I don't wish to sound like a broken record, but RideDrive can vary immensely depending on instructor.

Mine didn't want me to break the speed limit, and he was an advocate of push-pull.

For me, it was

 

[QUOTE=WRumbled,Sep 10 2008, 10:21 AM] I don't wish to sound like a broken record, but RideDrive can vary immensely depending on instructor.

Mine didn't want me to break the speed limit, and he was an advocate of push-pull.

For me, it was