This is my first “From the Saddle” article since being elected as Chief Observer by the membership at the AGM. I’d like to start by doing two things. Firstly, thanking you for your vote of confidence in me to serve this outstanding Club as your Chief Observer. Secondly, thanking Adrian Ellison for taking the reins as Chief Observer in 2023. Adrian’s workload in his day job meant that he didn’t have the capacity to continue the role as Chief Observer and we thank him for his efforts last year.
TVAM has had a succession of outstanding Chief Observers since the Club was formed. My passion for seeing excellent training delivered across the board will hopefully stand me in good stead to be mentioned in the same sentence as many of my predecessors. I hope that I can support and deliver on the membership’s expectations and do it in a light-hearted and fun manner. The late, great, Dave Jacobi was a true advocate of making TVAM a fun place to be. After all, we do this for pleasure above anything.
We have a great calendar already starting to take shape for 2024. Look Lean Roll is starting back at Benson in April and BikeCraft is also being delivered. These are both outstanding courses for Associates on their journey to passing their IAM RoadSmart test. They’re also great for Full Members who may have just purchased a new motorcycle and really want to get to grips with it. Castle Combe Skills Day is also in the web shop for Tuesday 21st May. This is a TVAM exclusive day, and our own TVAM Track Guides are available throughout the day to assist you in developing your skills in cornering, acceleration and braking on a fantastic surface without anyone coming the other way.
Our two premier training weekends, 7Ws and 3Rs are heading to Wales in May and June respectively. 7Ws, focuses on Associates, and 3Rs, focuses on Full Members, and are great weekends to combine training and socialising over three full days on the best roads Wales has to offer.
On 20th February, many of you will have seen an email from IAM RoadSmart about course price increases from 1st April ’24. The Advance Rider Course (ARC) will rise to £215 from £175 and various other courses are also rising in price significantly. If you know anyone that is considering the Advanced Rider Course, then get them to join TVAM before the end of March to benefit from the current rate. How the IAM choose to price their products is beyond the control of TVAM, however it’s hugely disappointing that we had no prior knowledge of this increase coming in. Some members have taken to groups.io to share their
thoughts on the situation and the Committee are actively considering an appropriate and measured response to the IAM.
TVAM Observers are renowned throughout IAM RoadSmart as some of the finest Observers within the IAM. It is down to a combination of our training regime, and willingness of our Observers to continually push themselves to be the very best that they can be, that ensures we maintain the highest possible standards. We demand a huge amount from all of our Observers and not one of them is paid a penny for their services. It’s therefore been difficult to read on the Observer group that Observers are struggling to get reasonable rates of insurance for carrying out their voluntary role within TVAM and IAMRS. “Don’t we get discount from the IAM’s preferred insurance provider?” I hear you all cry. Well, apparently not everyone gets a great deal. I have read experiences where insurance has doubled, or an Observer’s company have pulled away from insuring Observers whilst carrying out their duties for TVAM and IAM. This leaves the Observer trying to find alternative cover, often at greatly inflated prices.
My greatest concern is ensuring that our Observers are adequately insuring themselves. If you are insured through Cornmarket Insurance or Surety, the IAM’s
preferred insurance broker, as long as you have informed them that you are an IAM Observer then it is noted on your insurance and you should be covered for observing whilst riding your motorcycle. If you are with an alternative insurance provider, it is important that you explain this when purchasing a policy and it may be prudent to look at the IAM dashboard and download their ‘bike observer insurance letter’ document and share this with your insurance company. Please see Tom Peck’s post of 27th February on the Observer section of groups.io for a direct link to the document. Please check your insurance and ensure that you are adequately insured for Observing.
That’s about it from me, other than to say I am happy to come out to meet with you in your social teams and happy to discuss my role as Chief Observer if you would like to invite me along. Kevin, our Chair, is also very happy to come along and chat to you all.
Have fun, stay safe and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on a training course or out on the road socially.
Barrie Smith
TVAM Chief Observer