Tag: IAM

MCN Success in December with TVAM

Posted on | by Mike Thomas

 

Alison Silcox claims to be the centre of the MCN universe as she’s the office manager and also a regular contributor to the weekly publication. Back in March when she decided to was time to improving her riding skills she turned to TVAM and Alie Ball, one of our National Observers, took her under her wing. Despite the distance from home Alison made it to a number of St Crispin’s over the summer and was taken out by other Observers, who contributed to the process. Alison successfully developed new skills during the course including how to build a rolling riding plan, giving her more time to react to hazards and spot opportunities to make progress, and also covering filtering, overtaking and slow speed manoeuvring.

Alison passed her test last month and so received her test certificate and green badge at the December St Crispin’s meeting. You can read her MCN article about her TVAM experience here

Congratulations Ali and well done Alie!

Think!

“Never Too Good” Episode 1: Back to School

Posted on | by Salli Griffith

The video  is part one of the Department for Transport’s latest “Think!” campaign. World Superbike Rider, Chaz Davies, joined comedian Alan Davies and eight regular riders to undertake further training to improve their riding skills on the road and prove you’re never too good to learn something new. More details available from think.dft.gov.uk

New THINK! campaign – Never too good (Trailer)

Posted on | by Salli Griffith

The video  is the trailer for the Department for Transport’s new “Think!” campaign. World Superbike Rider, Chaz Davies, joined comedian Alan Davies and eight regular riders to undertake further training to improve their riding skills on the road and prove you’re never too good to learn something new. More details available from think.dft.gov.uk

From the Chair (Slipstream August 2014)

Posted on | by Charon Willis

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Hi everyone

Leading a ride?

With the help of Charlie Nelson, we have updated the Run Leaders’ pack available in the website library under the ‘TVAM General’ file. A plea; Please share your runs and have them  published in the Slipstream diary. Social runs are an essential part of what we do, and we would prefer that you proactively volunteer your run  leadership skills so that others can benefit from the runs. To have them listed in Slipstream and in the web calendar email details to socialruns@tvam.org

The local teams have had a few opportunities to attend events for marketing purposes.  These are key to allow us to meet other bikers and offer the services and camaraderie of our club. The use of the H Café as a destination for the BikeSafe days has worked well, and the Oxford IAM group have started coming along too. The GNATs have also attended an open weekend at Brian Gray Powerbiking, High Wycombe with some very positive feedback. On Saturday 6th September we have the opportunity to help Blade Motorcycles, Reading, with their main theme of promoting safety and supporting local charities. This is their first open day of this nature and they have invited TVAM to ‘Promote Advanced Riding Skills’. If you want to get involved contact Jim or Rita on reading.social@tvam.org.

Please look out for further opportunities of attendance at promising events. Pick up a handful of the newly printed business cards at St Crispin’s and hand them out to motorcyclists you meet. Obviously you can still cut out or print off vouchers from Slipstream. An IAM price increase may persuade some people to purchase their membership early – Skills for Life cost will be increasing to £149 on 1st October 2014.

We recently had an interesting challenge from one group of young bikers who wanted coaching on how to ride in a group when they are out with their mates. What other coaching aspects could we consider for our club?

Do we have a meeting of minds between MAG and the IAM?

As many of you know, MAG publish the Network magazine that is diligently shared by Nick Vale. This month MAG has brought to our attention the launch of a new website on Motorcycle Guidelines, www.motorcycleguidelines.org.uk, compiled by the Institute of Highways Engineers (IHE). The objective is to raise awareness amongst transportation professionals of the specific safety requirements for motorcyclists. IHE’s Motorcycling Guidelines are a step in that direction. MAG are suggesting that you may use the documents to influence councils etc. over issues such as parking or the use of bus lanes. Of particular interest to note is that the update of these documents was supported by the IAM.

Charon Willis
Chair

 

From the Saddle (Slipstream April 2014)

Posted on | by Andy Wedge

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Hi everyone.

First off, I’d like to thank all those who attended this year’s AGM, and for giving me the opportunity to remain as Chief Observer for another 12 months, which look to be as busy and challenging as ever. This will be my 5th year as Chief Observer and under current club rules, it will be my last. I hope to make it a good one.

Last year provided us with some interesting challenges as we got to grips with changes in the Observing qualifications through the introduction of the IMI (the Institute of Motor Industry) programme. The National Observer qualification is reasonably well established now and, to date, we have 13 Observers who have passed that test. Recently though, the IAM confirmed that the Local Observer programme has been suspended following an initial review of the process and feedback received. A further review is due to be completed by June 2014, so hopefully we will get another update after that. In the meantime, we will continue to validate new TVAM Observers along the same lines as before.

On the subject of new Observers, we held another successful induction day recently. This course has been completely revamped over the past year or so, with a new style, new content and better alignment with the National Observer programme. Jon Taylor and Amanda Smith also attended and I’d like to thank them for their assistance with some of the practical exercises, and their feedback at the end of the day. In order to emphasise the change in focus for this day, we have renamed it the Core Skills Day. I would encourage all Observers to get to know the latest Trainee Observer guidance and coaching information as soon as possible. TVAM has always tried to have the highest standards for its Observers and I think that recent changes have taken this to a new level. Particular thanks go to Iain James and Howie Pyett, who both spent countless hours putting the final touches to the material in the days leading up to the course.

IAM Price Increases!
The IAM have confirmed that from the 1st October this year, the Skills for Life package price will be increased from £139 to £149. Some of the reasons given for this are: the expenses paid to the Examiners are being increased (the first time in 15 years) and removal of qualification fees for things like the National Observer test. Additionally, the IAM membership fee is being increased by £1 for those that do not pay by direct debit. It will be interesting to see how the Skills for Life price increase affects take-up and we will be monitoring this closely.

Observer Weekend
This year’s Observer Weekend will again be held at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells on the 7th and 8th June. All Observers and Trainee Observers are invited and places are filling up fast. This is a great opportunity to get to meet Observers from different local teams over a beer and enjoy riding with them on some great Welsh roads – all with guaranteed sunshine of course! If you haven’t booked your place yet, you can do so online via the web shop in the members’ area of the website.

Safe riding everyone.

Andy Wedge
Chief Observer

 

Andy Wedge

From the Saddle (Slipstream February 2014)

Posted on | by Andy Wedge

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Hi everyone. Where is the time going? Already we are into February and it only seems like yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas and the New Year.

TVAM is a great club, with lots of members covering a large geographical area, so one of the challenges is communication, and ensuring that everyone is aware of what’s going on and how to get involved. We have the website, forum and Yahoo groups, which really help, but sometimes finding out which teams are where and what other opportunities there are within TVAM is not as simple as it could be – until now! This weekend we are releasing the TVAM Passport.
The TVAM Passport lists details of all riding-related activities that are available for TVAM members. From initial Associate rides, through to taking the Advanced Test; social rides and the 7Ws; courses such as Look Lean Roll and BikeCraft; other training opportunities like the Enhanced Advanced, through to becoming an Observer. It’s all in there with space for you to keep your own personal record. Printed on high quality card and supplied with a neat plastic wallet, it’s designed to be easily stored in your tank bag so you can keep it with you. The TVAM Passport will be issued to all new TVAM members from this weekend, and is freely available to all existing members too – just see Steve or Alison on the Membership Desk.
TVAM’s Annual Ball, held on the 26th of January, was a great success, and raised around £1,000 in support of the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance. As I write this, we are still totting up the money but hope to have a total figure to announce at St Crispin’s.

We are planning for all Observers who are currently radio validated to be re-assessed under the new IAM guidelines. We have 60+ re-assessments to conduct, so this will not be an overnight task, but I would like to see significant progress on this before the end of year. In addition, we have a growing number of National Observers, so we will soon be in a position to start validating our own Observers under the new Local Observer framework. The Local Observer status and framework is still in pilot stage with the IAM, so we will see how it develops. Amanda Smith and Jon Taylor from the IAM attended an Observer evening in December to discuss the National and Local Observer programmes, and I will provide a summary of all the comments I received to the IAM shortly.

The IAM’s F1RST grade is gaining more recognition within TVAM, and we have a growing number of F1RST passes, which is fantastic news. In my last column I mentioned that I had emailed a list of all our members who had passed their test during the retrospective qualifying period to the IAM to see how many were eligible for F1RST membership. They confirmed one other, but sadly the IAM claim not to be able to find or read 25% (19 in total) of the test reports. I’ll be contacting those concerned to see if they have their own copy of their test report so we can check ourselves.

Thanks Amanda Coneley for all the time and effort she put into the Cross Check position over the previous year, and to Rick Watson for stepping forward and taking this on.

I have held the position of Chief Observer for 4 years now, and it continues to provide interesting, challenging and rewarding times. Subject to my re-election at the AGM in March, I look forward to continuing in this role and working with you all to ensure that TVAM continues to deliver the highest possible standards of coaching for our Associates.

Andy Wedge
Chief Observer

 

From the Saddle (Slipstream December 2013)

Posted on | by Andy Wedge

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Hi everyone.

At a recent St. Crispin’s Sunday, I talked about the IAM’s F1RST grade and the standard required to achieve that.

The F1RST was introduced in March 2011, and there was a retrospective qualifying period of 2 years. That means that anyone who had ridden at the required standard on a test from March 2009 on was entitled to be included on the F1RST register. Typically, the IAM did not feel it was necessary to go back and check their records to see who had qualified in that period. When I asked them to check which TVAM members may have qualified, they refused on the grounds that they would have too many records to check. So last week, to make it easier for them, I emailed them a list of 109 of our current members who passed their test between March 2009 and March 2011. We’ll see what response we get this time, and what support they are prepared to offer their members, some of whom are potentially entitled to a F1RST.

If you have your test report from that period and feel you should be included on the F1RST register, please let me know.
Those of you who have a F1RST may wish to consider the Masters test, the replacement for the old Special Assessment. It’s a separate offering from the IAM, described as the ‘ultimate recognition for a civilian driver or rider’. The grading for this test is measured against the Police Response Riding standard – the pass mark is 70%+, with a distinction achieved at 80%+. Our local Staff Examiner, Jon Taylor, tells me he has only ever graded a small number of riders at 80%+, so the Distinction level is a tough nut to crack. This special test comes with special prices and special mentors, and is not something that TVAM Observers are in a position to help you achieve at this time.

More details on the Masters can be found on the IAM site at www.iam.org.uk/masters. Sadly, the concept of proof reading does not seem to have reached some areas of Chiswick, and the Masters Standards document that you can download from there contains a number of errors.
Changing tack a little, Amanda Coneley has done a great job this year coordinating all our Cross Check rides, as well as making cakes for the Bike Maintenance course. Our Cross Check rides are a final quality check before going forward to take the Advanced Test, and coordinating these is an important part of the TVAM process. Other commitments now mean that Amanda will not be able to continue in this role next year, so we’re looking for another volunteer to step forward. In recent years, this role has been filled by an Observer, but it doesn’t have to be the case. If you think you may be able to help, please see Amanda or me and we can explain the role in more detail.

We already have an Observer Evening lined up on 5th December where IAM representatives are coming to give us their view on the Local and National Observer programmes. Also being arranged for early next year is a ‘Meet the Examiner’ evening, and the guys from Rapid Training will be along to talk to our Observers about our Aardvark rides. Look out for announcements very soon on the Forum and e-groups.
This is my last column of 2013 – Charon has the honour of kicking off the New Year in the January Slipstream. If I don’t see you at St Crispin’s, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support during the year. TVAM is a great club with great people and despite differing opinions at times, we continue to deliver high value coaching to all our Associates while ensuring that the fun side of riding is not forgotten; onwards and upwards in 2014. Have a good Christmas everybody.

Andy Wedge
Chief Observer

 

From the Chair (Slipstream November 2013)

Posted on | by Charon Willis

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Hi everyone, time for our latest update. Our key objective is maintaining our club; listening to all the stories, seeing the testimonials on the website, and looking at the statistics shows that we are doing just fine. But what else is happening?

External awareness and marketing

Whilst personal recommendation from members will always be our most successful method of recruitment it’s important that we embrace other means. The endorsement by the Bikesafe team has proven very successful recently, particularly when TVAM members are on hand to greet the riders at the end of their Bikesafe day to explain what we do – thanks for your support on these.

We have also been focusing on the website in an effort to improve our search engine ratings. An initial draft of the revised home page content is undergoing review. Meanwhile we have a volunteer actively searching for appropriate videos and clips to help explain what we do and refresh our public face. Another volunteer is working to improve contact with one of the local councils with a view to getting websites linked to offer rider training. The IAM regional manager is supporting us with this and has agreed to lobby them directly on behalf of TVAM.

Controlling expenditure

So far, despite the networking, it seems that an alternative, local ‘Look Lean Roll’ site is not possible. We do, however, have a few more ideas, plus the promise from our local IAM manager to try to negotiate a better rate – we are a Charity after all! The digital version of Slipstream has been on offer since February, and thanks to all of you that have signed up, but two-thirds of the Club still receive the paper version, can you reduce this and help costs? All other Club expenses are being reviewed and debated.

Internal support for activities, fun and communication

As you will see from Slipstream and updates on the forums, the local groups have been very active supporting our members through meetings, rides, team days, fun days, socialising and providing bike-related advice. We are also planning to roll out a ‘Passport’ for new Associates to help track their early progress through the opportunities provided in the club. Andy and I will be reporting on the recent IAM Conference on the forum and to eGroups.

Safe riding

Charon

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)

Speaker Evening – The Boys from Rapid

Posted on | by Salli Griffith

Motorbike-accident

Being held on Wednesday 13th February.

Rapid Training has been delivering advanced motorcycle training since 1997 and has a long and close association with TVAM, providing an independent assessment and validation of the Observing Team. Come and join us for an evening of irreverent comment on matters around advanced motorcycle riding, bring your own pinch of salt,  plus an insight into the shadowy world of crash investigation.

See you there for an interesting and entertaining evening. Bar available.

Masonic Hall, 7 Reading Road, Wokingham, RG41 1EG

Doors are open at 7.30pm and we are due to start at 8pm.

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

Skills for Life this Summer?

Posted on | by Salli Griffith

rac-circle-01

 As the name suggests, better riding is not a one-time benefit but a real skill for life.

Recognising that the majority of collisions are caused by driver or rider error, the IAM Advanced Driving Test has the specific objective of significantly improving driving standards and is accredited by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The Advanced Riding Test is not exclusively about safety, but encourages the rider to feel confident on the road, to make good progress, and to get greater enjoyment from the experience.

To date, over 400,000 people have taken the Advanced Test, the pass rate is around 75%, and we currently have over 100,000 active IAM members.

The IAM Skill for Life package contains everything you need to get your riding skills up to speed.

  • An initial assessment with an IAM Observer from an IAM group local to you
  • As many rides as required to get you to ‘test ready’ standard
  • The definitive guide to advanced riding techniques ‘How to be a better rider’
  • Membership of your local IAM bike group, with invitations to group events
  • Full preparation for your Advanced Riding Test
  • Your Advanced Riding Test undertaken with a qualified examiner
  • An IAM Advanced Riding Certificate on passing the test
  • 12-month membership of the national IAM, which includes:
    • Our award winning membership magazine ‘Advanced Driving’
    • Access to a host of membership benefits, privileges and discounts
    • Special insurance discounts and policy cover once you have passed – Click here for more details.
    • Access to the members-only area of this website (for special events, services and member offers)

PLUS every Skill for Life course now comes with 12 months FREE RAC roadside and recovery cover (£106 RRP) so there has never been a better time to become a better rider! 

As a charitable organisation, the whole Skill for Life package is available for only £139*.

To find out more –  contact us