Author: Steve Dennis

Reading Toy Run 2014

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

This article has been copied in its entirety from The Reading Toy Run blog written by Rev. Sean Stillman (he’s the one with the long hair, leathers, Harley and a dog-collar).

2014 Toy Run Success! Thank you!

The 2014 29th Annual Reading Toy Run proved to be more memorable than ever this year. Thank you so much to everyone that took part in what became a world record setting occasion.

World records aside, Barnardo’s High Close school have the privilege of distributing several thousand toys and gifts across a vast network of their own Barnardo’s projects and also dozens of other local children’s services. Your participation and generosity is greatly appreciated – as was everyone’s patience as the queing took a lot longer this year.


Thanks for your patience

That World Record….What’s the story?
As the 2013 Toy Run entered Wokingham, a gentleman commented, “wouldn’t it be great if this run could be entered into the Guinness World Records”. That man was Sandy, who had for many years been the principal at High Close School. He was the one who many years previous, had opened the school to a bunch of bikers to bring their gifts and enthusiastically saw the occasion grow and set up the distribution of gifts around an increasing number of projects. Sandy retired from High Close some years ago, but continued to support the event but sadly he passed away in recent months. This year’s world record setting attempt was to honour his memory and show our appreciation to Sandy’s family. Quite simply the Reading Toy Run would not be what it is without Sandy’s openness and welcome all those years ago that led to an ongoing partnership with High Close School.


From 2003, Sandy with Ben (centre) and Sean (left)

We know there will be bigger Toy Runs going on in the world, in fact in the past our own event has seen bigger numbers on occasions. But no official record had ever been set and we were able to set up a meticulous process, which did mean it did take a long time to log everything, and we are pleased to be able to report that the first recorded Toy Run entry is 1735 participants!
That’s 1735 who took part in the whole ride who presented a toy. This doesn’t include the further 592 who were accompanying others, or brought other gifts such as football shirts, vouchers, iPods or other gadgets – all of which are needed, but for the purposes of the record it was specifically toys that counted.

Reading Toy Run thrives on a network of sincere relationships, as an organising group, with Barnardo’s and among the thousands of those who turn up on the day. It also is about a generosity of spirit and gifts. If we lose either of those it ceases to be what it set out to be. 2015 will be the 30th anniversary of the event – don’t necessarily expect to see another world record attempt, the amount of logistics involved is huge, but do come with the same commitment to the cause and generosity of spirit that will benefit many many children.

In the same way the Toy Run is based on relationships and gifts, we are reminded in this Christmas season the heart of the Christmas message is based around relationships and gifts.

The connecting and sometimes reconnecting of our own relationships and the mystery of God connecting in all the frailty and vulnerability of the human experience in the form of a baby can be the centre of our own celebrations. As we share time and gifts with one another, may we also find those moments of definition and maybe surprise, as we peel through the layers of wrappings, to expose the ever present gift of God’s grace and mercy amid the busyness of this Christmas season.

God bless you and your loved ones this Christmas and on behalf of all the organisers and those who will benefit from your generosity, our sincerest thanks and deep appreciation of your support of this event.

…and that folks, says it all.

Ben receives the certificate


Thanks to Garry and the 140 Marshals

Thanks to Denis and the Road Crew

One hour before departure and already 1000 waiting. By the time we left both other parking sections were full!
Thanks also to the local media, Foster Wheeler, sponsors, residents and well wishers along the route and all the other unsung heroes that provide pa, refreshments, logistics, insurance, publicity and a safe event.

Advanced Driving Magazine

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

IAMbuttongreen300Good to see that the IAM Chairman, Alistair Cheyne OBE is checking out his member groups’ websites (or at least his media and marketing people are…)

Quote from the “Welcome” section of the Winter 2014 magazine:

… we can learn a lot from our motorcycle groups. Take a look at the Thames Valley Advanced Motorcyclists website. You’ll see a group of 900 members, with plenty of social, sports and activity motorcycling.

Shame he got the name wrong but nice to be recognised for the work that goes into designing and maintaining this website.

Unfortunately, this mention seems to have no measurable affect on the website visitor numbers. Maybe nobody reads his column (?)

Castle Combe Track Day Now Booking

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

castle_coombe300Come and join us for a TVAM exclusive track and training day at the fabulous Castle Combe circuit on Tuesday 20th May 2014.

This is a road bike only event for those riders wishing to explore the full capabilities of their bike in a safe and controlled environment.

There will be 4 groups of 15 riders, with session of 15 min duration.

There are strict noise limits here, your bike will need to pass the limit of 105db static at half a meter and three quarters of your rev range. You will need leathers, either one or two piece that zip together.

We have 60 spaces available at the very reasonable price of £120.00.

For further information contact Dave Hepworth at tracktraining@tvam.org

To book your place go to the TVAM Webshop.

Website Refresh Summer 2013

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

Updates_illus

Welcome to the (slightly) newer TVAM website

Wider pages

There’s a change to the look in that the “industry standard” webpage now caters for an audience that has larger screens. Statistics show that although 50% of users had screens that were 1024×768 or smaller (2011), this now accounts for less than 20% of users – the vast majority using screens that are 1366×768 (most laptops) or 1920×1080 (desktops). The original site was beginning to look a little narrow on the larger screens so we have adjusted the baseline to a width of 1250 pixels. This has also allowed use of a slightly larger font (14pt from 13pt).

Latest Views

This has been available for a few weeks now. It represents a “TVAM Blog” and is designed for comment rather than “news”. Contributions should be sent to committee@tvam.org for inclusion. This content is public.

Testimonials

These appear on the Home Page and are selected from the feedback that we receive from our courses and events. The content is selected at random from the list – if you hover over the text it will freeze to allow reading of the longer entries. This content is public.

7Ws

This is brand new and we welcome the 7Ws team to the website. We have incorporated the content from the www.7xws.co.uk site and included Lou’s blog. This content is visible to TVAM members only.

Your Committee (Mugshots)

New in the Members’ Area is a page containing photos of the members of the committee.

TOb Blog #5: The Final Chapter

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

tobtraining1I was happy to be back from my job abroad, with the prospect of improving weather and at least the next six months working in the UK, so it was time to get back in to my Observer training. So far, I’d completed all the key stages and progressed onwards to my first Observed ride with a real (as opposed to stooge) Associate. Previously, the role had been played by a Senior Observer.

Part of every TOb’s mission, as we take on increased responsibilities, involves organising our own training rides. This is no mean feat, as I’ve said before. So, at the risk of making a right nuisance of myself, I started to email all and any of the Observers I knew and many I didn’t in the hope of finding rides with Observers and their more intrepid Associates who were prepared to brave the cold, wet and wind of last spring. They say that the squeakiest wheel gets the most oil, so what had I got to lose?

My first TOb outing of the New Year was with Paul Wassall and his Associate, Stuart Russell. Off we went down to Littlehampton for an Observed ride and a fish and chip lunch. It was a very enjoyable run with such nice people and a great coaching opportunity. I hope Stuart took some useful observations away with him. A couple of weeks later, Di Woodcock, who is also acting as my mentor during Observer training, kindly emailed to suggest an outing with her Associate, Rita Alexander, who needed coaching on her cornering. That sounded like a great opportunity for TOb training, and I hope our run was one of those which helped boost her confidence for her recent IAM test pass. Well done Rita. Bob Harrison’s Associate, Jeremy Weaver, was already a full IAM car member and a trained VIP chauffeur with evasion skills. Thankfully, I’d remembered to ask him about his previous experience during our pre-ride briefing, so it was no surprise when we set off for his Observed ride. That was my ‘Coaching a Progressive Associate’ box ticked then!

With each successive ride, I gained a little more experience and confidence. Meeting new people, observing different riding styles, trying to tailor feedback to suit an Associate’s needs during the run and at the run report form stage, is what it’s all about, and I’m starting to relax a little and enjoy it more.

Every Observer has a slightly different perspective, and their feedback to the TOb is, without exception, invaluable. Taking all the advice on board and finding a happy medium is definitely the way forward. Each TOb Training Report Form (the feedback on how we’ve done) is a snapshot of what we did well and what needs to be improved upon. They build up into a very useful reminder of just how we’re progressing. Just like the Observed rides we’ve all been on, every Observer spots different details in our riding, coaching skills and report form completion that need polish.

Other very handy tips come out in the de-brief conversations. The root cause  will always boil down to IPSGA. An Associate could be having difficulty spotting the Information early enough and, as a result, be in the wrong Position, at the wrong Speed, or in the wrong Gear, or not be using appropriate Acceleration. That’s been drummed into us from the very start, but thanks to Andy Smith for the timely reminder.

Pre-Validation

It seems like it’s been a long and winding road, but finally, with all those rides ridden and all those boxes ticked, I find myself asking for a Senior Observer to be assigned to my Pre-Validation. It’s the last stage before my final validation as a Local Observer for TVAM. I’m back to the ‘stooge’ ride format again and John James had kindly offered to take me out. We met at a very civilised garden centre cafe on the A4 near Wargrave. John’s stooge character was that of an occasional rider who would like to be able to keep up when out riding with his more progressive mates.

The forecast wasn’t too promising and of course it started to rain almost as soon as we set off, but the ride went well, even though we had a thorough soaking on our way round. We de-briefed near Benson and John was kind enough to let me know I’d reached the required standard for validation almost as soon as I’d finished the Associate Run Report Form. So, one last hurdle to overcome.

Validation

Louise Dickinson emailed to say that I should now get in touch with David Jacobi, who was Andy Wedge’s predecessor as Chief Observer and one of just a handful of Validation Observers, to arrange my final validation. I was due to leave for France on a family holiday, so the validation ride was arranged for the end of July. We got home from our travels on the Sunday afternoon before Monday’s ride, and I thought I’d take the bike out for a quick spin to get a bit of practice in for the following morning. As I tried to wheel the bike backwards out of the garage it quickly became clear that all was not well. I had a flat tyre, with the offending self-tapping screw right in the middle of the tread – good job I checked!

I got it fixed (I thought), and made it to my meeting with David the following morning. Just to be sure, I bought another can of sealant and went through my notes one last time while I waited for him to arrive.

We started with an informal chat, talked about TVAM and TObbing, and then moved on to the validation proper. David’s stooge character was a born-again biker who spends his working life driving a car all over the country visiting clients. He says he’s had his bike for around a year and ridden about 800 miles. Working my way through the briefing, I remember all the key questions. As we headed out I could see that the tyre was well on its way down again, so it was time for a full can of sealant!

The ride went well. It poured with rain, but I made mental notes of the key points I wanted to bring up when we stopped. I was keen to let David know what I’d spotted, but found out at the de-brief that I’d laboured the points a bit too much here and there – we want our Associates to come back! Just at the point where I’d convinced myself I had failed and the suspense was getting too much, David held his hand out and said ‘Congratulations, you’ve passed’. I’m in no doubt at all that it was by the skin of my teeth and that I will always have a huge amount to learn, but a pass is a pass!

Why did I do it? Because I’m proud to be a TVAM member and try to offer what I can in return for the support and friendship of the many great people I feel lucky to have met and ridden with.  Thank you to everyone – Observers and Associates who let me out with them. You all make our club what it is.

John Rodda (Observer) – August 2013 (first published in Slipstream September 2013)

TOb Blog #4: The 2nd Stooge Ride

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

JohnRNew for 2013 is a second ‘stooge’ ride. It’s the last stage in our Pre-TOb training. I met up with Senior Observer Nigel Taylor, who’d be playing the part of my Associate, at Oxford Services. Service stations are a good meeting place, because they’re a safe and neutral location, with petrol, cafe, loos etc.

This is the last opportunity for me to practice my skills in a fairly controlled environment before I’m released into the wild. After today, any mistakes I make will be made in front of a real Associate, and I could look daft – or worse. There’s a lot at stake now and I will be taking on considerable responsibilities in the months ahead.

The information gathering before the ride starts felt a little easier than my last attempt, as I asked Nigel about his riding history, and chatted about what he wanted to get out of our ride together that morning. I remembered the all-important ground rules, and got Nigel to confirm that his bike was taxed, MOT’d and insured before we headed off towards Thame. A Pre-TOb has to arrange their own route, and I’d tried to build a mixture of roads into my plan for today’s ride.

Finding fault was hard. Nigel was very much in control of his bike, and apart from a couple of ‘safety bubble’ moments I didn’t really spot too much wrong. But then, as he explained to me later, ‘You’ll get all sorts’. He wasn’t wrong, as I was to discover, but more of that soon.

It was all going a bit too well. Having taken Nigel through a mid-run de-brief and demo ride, I suggested we try a junction or two on the M40. I headed us towards junction 7, where I’d planned to join the motorway and head north. Some of you will already know what I’m going to say next. There is no slip road onto the M40 northbound at junction 7! I won’t forget that one in a hurry. We turned around in the nearest lay-by while I hastily re-planned our route.

Nigel took it really well. We abandoned the idea of a motorway section and headed back to the services for the debrief. The run report form went pretty well. My ‘associate’ went home with a very well deserved ‘A’, and I went home with a red face.

TOb Rides

Having completed both ‘Stooge’ rides, I moved on to the next stage. My training card is gradually filling up with ticks, dates and signatures showing my progress towards becoming an IAM Local Observer. I’ve got my yellow TVAM membership card and am known as a TOb. The Trainee Observer itinerary comprises eleven stages. Each TOb is encouraged to work their way through the process at their own pace. ‘It’s not a race’, as Louise Dickinson told us all those months ago.

The 11 stages each have to be signed off by a different Observer on a separate coaching run. The only exception is slow riding skills, which can be signed off on the same ride as any other observer training ride. The stages are:

  • Introduction and Information Gathering
  • Observing Skills
  • Demo Ride
  • Coaching Skills
  • De-brief and Run Report Form
  • Coaching a Progressive Associate
  • Coaching a Cautious Associate
  • Coaching 2 Associates
  • 1 Run at St Crispin’s all at A Standard
  • 1 Run elsewhere all at A Standard
  • Pre-Validation
  • Validation
  • Slow Riding Coaching

These are live runs, managing a real observed ride with an equally real Associate – a lot like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach whilst attempting a hand-stand.

At St. Crispin’s we’re all there and ready for a ride out. There are dozens of Observers and usually more than enough Associates to go round. Getting all the elements together for a TOb ride between our Wokingham meetings can be hard. Observers have their own coaching agenda with their Associates, and most of us have work commitments, so getting three people together for a three or four hour session is a challenge.

Safety is my first priority. These rides are all about polishing the key skills expected of us, whilst an Observer follows on, watching for points to be discussed at the de-brief. The TOb writes up a run report on the Associate, and the Observer writes up a separate TOb training run report form on me.

My first TOb ride was from St Crispin’s on 12th December, the same day we were to receive our yellow badges. I’d ridden down to Wokingham early to try out my planned route. Dave Worker was my shadowing Observer and I was taking Chris Handy out on my first observed ride. Chris works as a dispatch rider and was very close to achieving his Green Badge, so I didn’t have too much to worry about.

Dave’s feedback was simple and clear – a good start but I’d need to extend my route and maybe have an alternative loop or two depending on the coaching needs of individual associate. Dave signed off my first task, the Debrief and Run Report Form.

But then came the coldest winter since the last ice age, and I was working abroad for three months. TObbing was put on hold until spring.

John Rodda – July 2013 (first published in Slipstream August 2013)

TOb Blog #3: TOb Induction

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

JohnRLong gone are the days when you could pass your IAM test one day, and be out as an Observer, with your very own shiny, new Associate, a couple of weeks later. So, as it can’t all be fresh air and motorcycle riding, we were back to the classroom for the next stage of our training – The TOb Induction Day.

Having recently undergone major re-structuring, TOb Induction takes the form of a very full course which is constantly being tweaked with improvements to maintain the TVAM Training Team’s leading position within the IAM. Not knowing quite what to expect, all of the Pre-TObs met in Basingstoke early one Saturday morning in October for our induction to begin.

First up, we were confronted by a man in a full-face crash helmet and dark tinted visor.

“Right, I’m going to take you out and watch you ride for a bit and then tell you all the things you’re doing wrong” were his words by way of a greeting. This was most definitely how not to do it, we soon learned as Simon Rawlings revealed himself!

All morning, presentations and role play continued with Observers playing the parts of Associates. We were given the task of finding out more about them. How better to build a picture of an Associate’s coaching needs than to find out as much about them as possible? Tell me about yourself, your biking history and what you’d most like to improve in your riding was our starting point as we practiced our introduction and briefing skills. Then we ran through the various logistical points we must make clear to Associates before we hit the road. We learned about how to keep the ride safe, legal, under control and hopefully fun.

Stopping for nothing (other than lunch, regular coffee breaks and chocolate hobnobs) we talked about the Observer’s position on the road, what we should be looking for from our Associate on the ride, how to spot the key indicators, root causes, and the importance of keeping ourselves safe.

The intimate details of the Run Report Form and how it is structured were next on the day’s agenda, including tips on how to involve an Associate in their coaching for lasting results.

The induction day is clearly about interpersonal skills and how we can develop a positive relationship with our Associates. We’re given a structure to help us get going, but encouraged to make it our own.

The next St Crispin’s would be a milestone for us as we were to be presented with our yellow Trainee Observer badges.  

Stooge Ride 1

Chris Brownlee, the GNATs TOb training coordinator, emailed details of the next stage. I should get in touch with Martin Cragg, one of the Senior Observers, to arrange a date for my first “Stooge” run.

This is a first attempt at sitting in the hot seat and running an Observed Ride. We’re assigned a reasonably tame subject who will provide instant feedback on how we’re getting on, as well as helpful suggestions for improvements.

We got together at Thame Services on a damp Saturday morning and now, suddenly, it’s my turn to go through the pre-ride briefing so effortlessly delivered by TVAM’s corps of seasoned Observers. ‘Tell me about yourself, your bike and what you hope to get out of today’s ride’ I hear myself say, as I work my way through the stages of the Pre-ride briefing. Martin’s answers come easily. He tells me he’s an occasional biker having passed his test about five years ago, and can’t understand why he gets left behind when he’s out on weekend runs with his mates. I completely forget to ask what he does for a living, so Martin kindly offers that his character is a truck driver.

As we get to the end of the pre-ride briefing I remember to tell Martin that he should wait until I’ve got my helmet and gloves on and we’re both ready to ride off together before pulling away. He later admits that a favourite Observer sneaky trick is to ride off leaving a TOb standing there if they forget to mention this in the pre-flight checks. Can you imagine? I reckon you’d only forget that once!

Out on the road the pressure is definitely on as I try to spot each of the deliberate mistakes Martin is incorporating into his ride. After a few miles of this, I think I might be ready for my first attempt at de-briefing, and find a point where I can slip past my Associate and lead us into a lay-by. This is where we get to try out Richard Tickner’s ‘open question’ training from our TOb Induction day. ‘How did you think that went?’ I ask, hoping for his own reflections on his riding style. ‘Great’ Martin replies with a broad grin, ready to get going again!

On we go, and I hope that the short discussion about his road position has had an effect. Now I should reinforce my points with a demonstration ride and show Martin what I’d like him to consider putting into practice.

Finally and mercifully back at the services, the debrief and Run Report Form phase of our session was a complete blur. I hope I didn’t show my panic too much. Can this possibly ever get easier with practice? 

John Rodda – May 2013 (first published in Slipstream June 2013)

TOb Blog #2: The Riding Skills Check

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

JohnRHaving passed through all those theory tests, quizzes and questionnaires, it was now time to get back out on the road. My group of six hopefuls from the October intake had become PTObs (Pre-Trainee Observers).

Next on our journey towards becoming a full TOb (Trainee Observer), and being issued with the yellow membership cards you may have seen round necks at St Crispin’s, we’ll have to successfully complete an assessed, extended ride with a Senior Observer. We have to demonstrate our ability to ride at or above IAM pass standard for over three hours, on a wide variety of roads. If we fail this check, we’ll have to take a six month break before we can re-apply.

Richard Tickner was assigned as my Observer for the Riding Skills Check. We arranged to meet at a Reading McDonald’s, just off the M4, for pre-ride introductions, briefing and document checks. The weather forecast was pretty poor for the morning, but it looked like conditions were improving out to the west, so that’s where we headed.

The first section of the trip was a town ride, with all the hazards you might expect of a busy, damp Monday morning. Things seemed to go pretty well. Through the urban scene we rode, negotiating junctions, thirty and forty mile-an-hour limits, traffic lights, mini-roundabouts and pedestrian crossings – all there to make sure you maintain your concentration. Richard and I were using his bike-to-bike radio, which helped enormously in taking the pressure off that “missed turn signal” anxiety.

As we left Reading behind us, we headed up along the bank of the Thames towards Pangbourne, and on out into open countryside. Stopping briefly, Richard asked why I hadn’t taken a particular overtake. I explained about the car I’d been following, the driver’s level of concentration and why I’d chosen to hang back along the narrowing roads until a better opportunity to pass came up or they turned off our route.

Richard said he thought things were going pretty well and that I should relax a little and enjoy the open roads ahead of us – “as if I was out for a spin with a friend”.

There then followed about fifteen miles riding through some of the most challenging roads I’ve ever ridden, as we threaded our way out on the ‘B’ roads of Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire towards Newbury, Wantage and Lambourn. It was tough but very rewarding riding. Richard told me later these roads are often used by police drivers to hone their skills.

I’m not surprised either – twists, turns and gravel strewn junctions by the bucket load posed tricky combinations of IPSGA decisions throughout. I was expected to demonstrate an ability to make good progress while maintaining a high standard of safe riding. All the while, Richard tootled along behind me, apparently without very much effort at all!

The autumn weather had improved by now, and the tarmac was drying very nicely as we found ourselves barreling progressively along the clear, straight stretches that lay ahead of us. My big, heavy BMW R1200RT had risen to the challenge, responding well to the sheer pleasure of it. “This is why we ride bikes”, I thought.

A final stretch of motorway followed, and when we pulled into Reading services, we grabbed coffee and snacks, and I waited for the de-brief and run report. If you know Richard, you’ll know he has a relaxed and friendly style. Yes, I could think of plenty I could have done better, but that’s what keeps us interested in what we do and on the path of continuous development.

The de-brief started at the beginning our ride, and Richard took me through the preceding three hours, explaining the strengths and weaknesses he’d spotted. Boxes were ticked and a few comments written, and with his big beaming smile he congratulated me with a welcome to Observer Training.

John Rodda – April 2013 (first published in Slipstream May 2013)

TOb Blog #1: So, What’s Next?

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

John-&-BikeI recently returned to biking after a twenty-five year break, and I can’t begin to say how glad I am to be riding again. I joined TVAM in April 2012, and have loved every step of my progress, from becoming an Associate, through my observed rides and coaching with Peter Dowlen, to taking the IAM test and getting my green badge. I don’t want it to end here because I’m really enjoying the journey – I don’t want full IAM membership and the green badge to be the final destination.

So, what’s next?

It’s time to give something back. Because I’ve learned a lot (most important of all being that I have a lot to learn), I want try passing on some of these new skills to others. So why not train to become an Observer? Simple as that…

Most months at St. Crispin’s there’s a “TOb Talk”. Louise Dickinson gives an informal chat about the standards required of Observers within TVAM, and what’s involved in becoming a Trainee Observer or “TOb”. TVAM is proud of its reputation for having amongst the highest training standards in the country, so each stage of this process is understandably rigorous.

There are quite a few hurdles to overcome before you can start training. I guess that’s partly to make sure you’re suitable for the responsibilities of the role, and also to make sure you’re aware of the level of commitment that will be expected of you. I went along to a TOb Talk not knowing what to expect, and left with a growing certainty that Observing is the way I wanted to go – if I can pass the numerous tests involved.

A few days after showing interest and attending the TOb Talk, I got a quiz and questionnaire for prospective Trainee Observers in an e-mail from Louise. The idea behind it is to get you thinking, it says, and as we all know, a thinking rider is a safer rider.

Examples of the questions asked include

  • Why do you want to become a TVAM Observer? (fair enough).
  • Which foot should you put down when you come to a standstill?
  • Is it okay to stop the bike with just two fingers on the front brake lever? 

As I said, the quiz is to get us thinking, and as far as I know, it’s not a pass or fail test. As I worked my way through the questions sitting at my kitchen table on a drizzly Saturday afternoon, the words of Peter, my Observer, rang in my head. “It depends!”

With the questionnaire and quiz sheet filled in and posted off to Louise, I waited to hear how I’d done. And waited… There’s no score for this quiz, but it gives us a flavour of the sorts of questions we should all be asking ourselves. Why do we do what we do? Is there a way we could improve our skills and our approach?

Finally, I got an e-mail invitation to take the TVAM/IAM theory test. I realised I’d better read and re-read Roadcraft and the Highway Code so I won’t make too big a fool of myself when we get back together again, early in the morning before the main proceedings at the next St.Crispin’s.

The Theory Test

Along with my invitation came a list of ground rules covering what we’ll have to achieve if we want to move on in the process. The theory test is the first formal step to becoming an Observer. There is an 80% pass mark. If I fail, I get one chance of a re-test, after which I would have to wait six months before I could re-apply.

We all arrived bright and early at St.Crispin’s and gathered in the library for the torture to begin! Pencils and question papers were handed out, and we had around forty minutes to complete all three sections of the test. There are fifteen questions on Roadcraft, ten questions from the Highway Code, and seven questions on the IAM. Much head-scratching and quite a bit of gnashing of teeth followed. Within five minutes of completion, Louise came back to us with our results.  I managed 87% in Roadcraft, 80% on the Highway Code and 100% on the IAM , so I got an aggregate score of 88%, – and I got through to the next round.

John Rodda – March 2013 (first published in Slipstream April 2013)

Special Christmas Membership Offer

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

IAM Skills for Life Christmas Offer

Thinking of joining our great biking club? – The Skills for Life package normally costs £139 including all the training, books and your test fee – but we have a special offer if you sign up before Christmas.

The discounted price for sign-up before Christmas is only £125 – a saving of 10% on the normal price – and, what’s more, you will get 18, not 12, months membership of the IAM and still all the coaching, the books, the ride outs and an annual membership of the most active biking club in the UK! – TVAM.

We have a limited number of these special offer packages from the IAM – so don’t leave it too long –the offer expires at Christmas.

Why not print this off and leave it lying around as a hint for that Christmas present!

And – you get free RAC membership too!!  You can donate that membership to someone else in your family – another Christmas present sorted!!

There’s more information at www.iam.org.uk/about/membership or contact us for more information.

IAM Skills Day at Thruxton 2013

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

The IAM are arranging a Skills Day at Thruxton Racing Circuit next year.

Bike and Car Skills Day on Monday 22nd April 2013

We now have more details about the day and can confirm that TVAM has been allocated 17 places at the event. The cost will be £129 and places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

To book your place, please go to the TVAM Webshop. You will be able to pay via the website using either PayPal or a credit/debit card.

There will be two groups, level 1 for complete novices who have never done any kind of track work before or who consider themselves cautious riders. Level 2 is for those who are more experienced riders who may have done a track day before. We have 5 spaces in level 1 and 12 in level 2 so when you book, please make sure it is in the correct purchase area as there will be two sections for this event.

For information on the probable format of the day, please see the IAM website

Times Past 2

Posted on | by Steve Dennis | 2 Comments on Times Past 2

Another BAM (Basingstoke Advanced Motorcyclists) photo for you to ponder. This has come via Robin Crane:

Basingstoke Advanced Motorcyclists

Click on the image for the full-sized version.

Robin Crane up front and centre with his “Chief Observer’s Notepad” (do we still have these?).

Who are the others and what was the occasion? (Use the Comments section below)

Times Past… (Update 29-May-2012)

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

As the recently appointed “Club Historian” (OK, all I did was volunteer to gather and write up the history of TVAM for the “About Us” page on the website), I have here the first of many (I hope) contributions and am looking for info on this picture.

Basingstoke Advanced Motorcyclists Beech Hill Village Hall 1991

Kindly provided by Tony Roper, it shows a meeting of the “Basingstoke Advanced Motorcyclists”, sometime in summer 1991 at Beech Hill Village Hall.

If anyone recognises themselves, their friends, their bikes or their friend’s bikes, please let me know at webmaster@tvam.org or post a comment below.

More old photos and anecdotes required please!

 

Update: 29th May 2012 (from Robin Crane)

The Red Laverda RGS1000 that you can see in the drive (albeit obscured by someone admiring it!) is mine. I think the person who is obscuring it (back to camera) is Jan Janiurek, and it’s his Ducati (750 sport) which is parked tail to nose with my Laverda.

Just to the right of Jan, and to the right with purple-y top and hands in rear pockets I do believe is Jane Janiurek, Jan’s wife.

They were both Observers whilst I was Chief Observer.

The silver BMW “brick” on the left was Ian Garrard’s and has Bob Pearse leant over it looking at a map (black/red/white jacket) – and I think that’s Ian (that you can’t see!) next to him – I remember the grey top section of his jacket, which you can see . Bob was my assistant Chief Observer for a while…….

Behind and to the right of the Ducati is Nigel Fowler (in shirtsleeves) holding a notepad, with his son Mark and I’m pretty sure that’s me with dark glasses that he’s talking to (with the flash of blue/white something around neck). This is probably taken at a time when Nigel was still Chief Observer.

 

Site Update: 3rd April 2012

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

The first of a series of updates to the site took place today. This was mainly a “behind the scenes” update with new versions of WordPress (v3.3.1) and half a dozen plug-ins. As these are mostly bug-fixes, you won’t notice anything different.

New in 3.3.1 is an updated admin-bar (the dark grey menu bar across the top of the screen). This shows your name and login status with a drop down menu to update your profile or logout. If you registered with a gravatar, this will also show up here. If not, you get the default little blue button. The big black “Logout” button on the left hand menu has been removed.

An RSS Feed button has also been added in the main navigation menu bar. This will allow you to subscribe to the “Latest News” page and get notification of new posts:

RSS in your browser:

Click on the RSS button and add it to your browser subscriptions.

Outlook RSS Feeds (2007 on)

Paste the following link into your Outlook RSS Feeds folder (right click and select “Add a New RSS Feed…”) https://www.tvam.org/feed/

Notifications are delivered to this folder as “emails”

Apple Computers

On an Apple computer, if using Mail, you can subscribe to the rss feed by using the + and choosing add RSS feed and inserting the url above.

 

 

Watch out for future functional updates

 

Lois Pryce – Adventure Motorcyclist

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

April 4th 2012 at The Masonic Centre, 7 Reading Road, Wokingham, RG41 1ED.

“I can’t quite remember how it all started, but back in 2000 the combination of itchy feet and a recently acquired motorcycle licence had put ideas in my head. Initial investigations soon pointed me firmly in the direction of Chris Scott’s Adventure Motorcycling Handbook and thus, my plan to motorcycle from Alaska to the tip of South America was born.” 

And subsequently, Lois Pryce’s Lois on the Loose adventure travel book about her epic solo journey on a 250cc motorcycle. You heard about this motorcycling adventure on her last visit to us two years ago.

Not content to stop there, on October 14th 2006 Lois left the UK to ride the length of Africa. She’d always fancied the challenge of motorcycling across the Dark Continent and it certainly turned out to be an adventure. Ten-thousand miles and four months later she rolled into Cape Town, just about in one piece! Red Tape and White Knuckles is funny, chilling and inspiring! Lois will be relating the adventures of this trip on April 4th (see Slipstream for details or visit the online calendar).

Lois is still thrill-seeking these days with her husband Austin Vince of Mondo Enduro fame on a Ural sidecar motorcycle.

Lois has also partnered with Horizons Unlimited, the motorcycle adventure travel resource people, to create a Ladies on the Loose video interviewing many women who are adventuring around the globe.

She and Austin are also busy with the Adventure Travel Film Festival, now being held in two venues in the US and also in Australia and the UK.

Find out more about Lois on her website Lois on the Loose.

See you there on the 4th April – 7.30pm doors open – 8.00pm kick-off.

TVAM New Year Ball Auction and Raffle

Posted on | by Steve Dennis

held on Saturday 21st January 2012 at The Wellington, Stratfield Turgis

We would like to thank all those who donated prizes for the Auction and Raffle. Without your participation we would not have been able to raise £935 which goes to support the work of Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance. 

Auction

Hot Air Balloon Flight for Two
– up and away with balloonist Peter Dowlen

Silver Torque Bangle
– a unique item of jewellery, designed and made by Gary Peacock

Raffle Prizes donated by:

California Superbike School, Rapid Training, GS Motorcycle Tyres, Bahnstormer Motorcycles, Hughenden M40, Hein Gericke (Reading), Hein Gericke (Slough), Pro Bike (Newbury), Hatfields of Crowthorne, Berkshire Motorcycles, Bulldog Triumph, Reading Honda, Ultimate Ear, Norman Larkin (Ultraseal), Poppy Bowler, Helen Gardom, Nigel Taylor, Richard Tickner, Andy Wedge, Richard Clauson, Central Studios, Nesta Livesey, Geoff Norman, Steph Monger, Guy Lipscomb, Salli Griffith and Amanda Coneley.

Other miscellaneous gifts were brought on the night so a big thank you to those who donated them.