Category: CLUB VIEWS

From the Chair (Slipstream September 2013)

Posted on | by Charon Willis

From-the-Chair-571x480If anyone is having trouble trying to persuade their mates, colleagues and random motorcyclists in the street to get a bit of coaching and learn about this advanced motorcycling thing, and perhaps even join TVAM, try this; 97% of motorcyclists who passed an IAM test said ‘they enjoyed their riding more’.
Apparently us ladies are less likely to join under our own steam, and need friends and relatives to encourage them – what a fabulous excuse guys! I know that traveling at a maximum of 30 mph in towns can put a few off, but surely it’s got to be worth a try. Those people just might join the ranks of the 61% who agreed ‘advanced riding helped them avoid a specific accident’.

IAM Friendly

Do you own, work for, or know a business that gives IAM members discount or special products? You can get a free business listing at www.iam.org.uk/component/cddorgmap/map. OK, not the easiest of sites to find, but now you know it’s there.

Biking Kit

The key to a successful trip is having a puncture repair kit… and a mate with a foot pump comes in handy. This month, during a trip to Wales with some fellow motorcyclists, I managed to get a puncture. It wasn’t until I dug the offending article out of my tyre that we discovered it was a key! A choice of 4 different kits helped me get back on the ride without much delay. That was the second puncture my other half and I had collected in as many months. So keep those kits replenished.

Look out for a poll from the IAM asking if you think a safety score on motorcycle gear is a good idea.

Safe riding

Charon

What Not To Wear

Posted on | by Charon Willis

Hot summer days; I love them.  It must be five years since we had some repeatable dry, warm weather when we actually wonder whether we may be too warm with all this biking kit on.

But in the last three weeks I must have seen well over twenty riders with no gloves.  I agree wholeheartedly that comfort should be king.  I will consider swapping the leather trousers for some Kevlar jeans, but I will not go without my helmet, jacket (yes vents are good) and a decent pair of lightweight, vented leather gloves.

Think I’m being overly fussy?  Do you remember pulling grit out of raw-meat like hands when you fell-over running in the playground?  Well that was 10mph max.  Just imagine what 50mph would do!

Let’s  enjoy what’s left of the weather before we are all trying to work out how to plug in that heated kit.  So get those gloves on and have some fun.

Rick Gelaky

From the Saddle (Slipstream August 2013)

Posted on | by Andy Wedge

From-the-Saddle-574x480Hi everyone. I hope you’ve all been enjoying the lovely weather we’ve been having lately. These longer days and warm evenings are a fantastic opportunity to get out, explore new roads and see new places. I joined the Slough team on their monthly ride out recently and had a great time on some of the roads between Northampton and Banbury, and edging into the Cotswolds. Under ‘New Management’, the Slough team have opened their doors to all. So if you are in the area, I recommend you get along to see them. Just contact Adrian Needham or see Slipstream for more information.

This is my first opportunity to thank everyone who attended this year’s Observer Weekend and made it such a great success. Some great coaching sessions helped us to think a little bit more about how we operate as Observers and interact with our Associates. Wall-to-wall sunshine certainly helped and the extra riding time on Sunday morning was appreciated by all. The only downside to the weekend was that Dawn Armstrong had an ‘off’ just a few miles from the hotel at the end of the Sunday morning ride, which resulted in her being airlifted to hospital. It will take several months before Dawn is able to ride again, but it will give her plenty of time to line up another bike! I am sure we continue to send her our best wishes.

Unfortunately, the sunshine has also brought its fair share of two-wheeled nutters onto the roads again. My latest encounter was with a guy in shorts and a T-shirt, riding a Hayabusa.
Filtering at high speed through near-stationary traffic is maybe not the best way to enjoy a long and happy life. I thought perhaps he should have a sign on his back saying ‘Organ Donor’, because riding like that he could end up being one very soon! They are out there,  so keep a good look out for them. Remember to use all the skills you have learned to stay one step ahead of the game.

I was asked recently about ‘acceleration sense’, which is the ability to accurately use the throttle, and adjust the speed of the vehicle, in response to changing road and traffic conditions. It comes with experience and a feel for the bike you are riding, but also requires good observation, anticipation and judgement of speed and distance. Good acceleration or throttle sense will result in a nice smooth journey; poor throttle sense may often result in excessive use of the brakes. Don’t forget that bikes are very responsive to throttle changes and twins in particular can slow down a lot just by closing the throttle. Always be aware of what is behind you when slowing down, and consider if it’s also necessary to squeeze the brake lever just enough to cause the brake light to come on and alert the driver behind. Next time you have the opportunity, why not ride along a route you know well and try to use more anticipation and acceleration/throttle sense, and see how it affects the smoothness of your ride?

Ride safe everyone.

Andy Wedge
Chief Observer

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)

From the Chair (Slipstream July 2013)

Posted on | by Charon Willis

So two months into my role as your Chair, what’s happening?From-the-Chair-571x480

It’s the time of the year when many of us are able to spend some time, or even more time riding our bikes.

Some of our TVAM courses run throughout the year, some are seasonal, but all are key to delivering who we are and what our members need. They are designed to share knowledge and skills that otherwise take years, and occasionally a bad experience, to learn. Please enjoy them, and pass on thanks to those who devise and run them, or coordinate bookings. A couple of newer options have been devised for your enjoyment, the Pillion Course and the Class of Better Biking.

Communication from the IAM Region 2 Forum

The IAM has 92,000 members in 217 groups , of which 12,000 are motorcyclists, and 5,000 do both car and bike. The majority of members who stay in the IAM are 40+ years old.

Only 20,000 members (22%) are in groups like TVAM. Bikers are far more likely to stay on socially or actively supporting their club.

There were 4,000 test passes last year, spread across all age groups, but still dominated by the 45-55’s.

The full presentation for those that like detail is on the TVAM website in the library, general files.

One member of the Forum has agreed to collate all the rider report forms so that we can compare them. I’ve already seen the form from Oxford, and I think it could be an interesting exercise.

Portsmouth City Council have bought a set of Skills for Life packages and are offering them at half price. Slough Council do something similar. If you know anyone who could influence other councils then please see if they can help us, as this will make it cheaper and therefore help associates to join.

Do you want to improve your IAM assessment grades? Do you like tests? You can retake the test perhaps with the view on trying to get a ‘F1RST ‘pass, scoring a 1 in every category.

Communication in TVAM

Not getting what you need, not getting your voice heard, want to share a brilliant idea? Generally, it’s best to go to your team leader. Talk to them and your team, and they will then share concepts, solutions, issues, your activities and plans with the other team leaders every other month. Ideas, or issues that need funding, discussions or decisions then go on to the committee. Clearly, there are a wide variety of groups of people in TVAM and their views may contradict, so what is a solution for some could cause an issue for others, but just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be discussed.

Not in a group? Then consider forming one. Please chat to me.

Did you know?

There is such a thing as black ‘Hi-Vis’?  Have a look at the gilets from Two zero; interesting concept? www.twozero.co.uk

Got £100m to spare to help others in your club? Consider buying the Nurburgring and hold special bike days!

Charon Willis
Chairperson

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)