My ramblings relating to my Recent IAM experience.

Daffy, was it Lee Fisher from Andover that did your mock test, rides a black K1300R (or used to)?

Top bloke, great rider, ex-Paratrooper, saw a bit of action during the Falklands conflict. Helped me improve my riding.

He was assigned as my observer when I didn’t ‘gel’ with the first one Solent provided, took his missus out as pillion on every observed ride.


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When i read that i had similar thoughts, back pedalling or what. Things like that and the differing
views of the instructors/observers gives rise to the thought that the whole thing appears to be a bit, can i say,
nonesensical. Everybody should either sing from the same hymn sheet or make it quite clear to the candidate
that what they are being told is the right way can change from instructor to instructor and not to take it as gospel :blast



Me too :thumb2

Last weekend i rode out with a group of very experienced and excellent riders of this parish and not one was/is IAM or ROSPA and
none have any interest in those organisations prefering to ride their own way using experience gained and good old common
sense which is, imho, what safe riding is all about really.

Question, as i get conflicting messages depending on who i talk to (no surprise there, considering the above) regarding
the Blood Bikes, am i right in thinking you need to be IAM or ROSPA accredited to be able to do it?
Seems to me that, if true, this excellent organisation is missing out on a raft of good riders that would offer their services if there
wasn't that requirement.
Of course, human nature being as it is, I can imagine it being said by those already in that, if you don't want to do it your not the right
type and therefore should be refused entry, so to speak. Needless to say, i would find that view very short sighted.

There is a few other courses also.

However the top and bottom is you have to have a recognised advanced riding qual.
 
There is a few other courses also.

However the top and bottom is you have to have a recognised advanced riding qual.

Ok. that's clear enough :thumb2

I did bump into a guy the other week who is a BB and lives in Cleveleys.
He said you only need the qualification to ride a liveried bike; you can do
deliveries on your own bike without one, at least that's how it is in his area :nenau
 
Ok. that's clear enough :thumb2

I did bump into a guy the other week who is a BB and lives in Cleveleys.
He said you only need the qualification to ride a liveried bike; you can do
deliveries on your own bike without one, at least that's how it is in his area :nenau

That's exactly how it is with NWBBLL, which covers the area you are referring to, that is why they have grown into one of the biggest groups in the country.
However, before you can ride for NWBBLL, using your own bike, you have to have an assessment ride.
 
When i read that i had similar thoughts, back pedalling or what. Things like that and the differing
views of the instructors/observers gives rise to the thought that the whole thing appears to be a bit, can i say,
nonesensical. Everybody should either sing from the same hymn sheet or make it quite clear to the candidate
that what they are being told is the right way can change from instructor to instructor and not to take it as gospel :blast



Me too :thumb2

Last weekend i rode out with a group of very experienced and excellent riders of this parish and not one was/is IAM or ROSPA and
none have any interest in those organisations prefering to ride their own way using experience gained and good old common
sense which is, imho, what safe riding is all about really.

Question, as i get conflicting messages depending on who i talk to (no surprise there, considering the above) regarding
the Blood Bikes, am i right in thinking you need to be IAM or ROSPA accredited to be able to do it?
Seems to me that, if true, this excellent organisation is missing out on a raft of good riders that would offer their services if there
wasn't that requirement.
Of course, human nature being as it is, I can imagine it being said by those already in that, if you don't want to do it your not the right
type and therefore should be refused entry, so to speak. Needless to say, i would find that view very short sighted.

Yes you need the qualification in order to ride blood bikes. It shows you have attained the level required to satisfy the insurance of the group for one. Rules is rules so to speak, if you don't have the paperwork.....
 
Our group, SSCBB (Staffordshire/Shropshire/Cheshire), require an up to date advanced ticket whatever bike you're riding, plus blood handling quals too. You also get a check ride from within the organisation.
 
When i read that i had similar thoughts, back pedalling or what. Things like that and the differing
views of the instructors/observers gives rise to the thought that the whole thing appears to be a bit, can i say,
nonesensical. Everybody should either sing from the same hymn sheet or make it quite clear to the candidate
that what they are being told is the right way can change from instructor to instructor and not to take it as gospel :blast



Me too :thumb2

Last weekend i rode out with a group of very experienced and excellent riders of this parish and not one was/is IAM or ROSPA and
none have any interest in those organisations prefering to ride their own way using experience gained and good old common
sense .

You can have different views about specific issues without being at variance over wider approach surely? In a way, that is probably the definition of advanced riding? Once a rider knows the basics of systematic riding and learns how to apply it to multiple road hazards then subjectivity is always going occur when it comes to prioritizing hazards and dealing with them?

I take your point about grizzled old veterans Tony but last night i took out a younger rider for a freebie check ride. Competent enough and confident enough but , for example, took a perfectly safe position for a normal right hander but for the presence of a junction and an suv waiting to join the main road. Us old hands would have backed off a little and equalized the danger posed by the different hazards. Teaching that kind of thing is what advanced riding lessons are about. Once the novice masters the system, then there's room for debate.
 
Question, as i get conflicting messages depending on who i talk to (no surprise there, considering the above) regarding
the Blood Bikes, am i right in thinking you need to be IAM or ROSPA accredited to be able to do it?
Seems to me that, if true, this excellent organisation is missing out on a raft of good riders that would offer their services if there
wasn't that requirement.

There are other qualifications that are valid too, not just Rospa and IAM. Such as Police Class 1, Military motorcycle quals, and a few more that I can't remember.
There is a valid reason that these organisations cannot just accept, what you describe as a raft of good riders, who no doubt DO have a wealth of experience, but nothing on paper to prove it, and that is that the Blood Bike Charity has a duty of care towards their riders, etc. Just letting anyone in off the street leaves them wide open should the wheel fall off.

Not only do we have the rider checks, but we are also goverened by what could reasonably be called, "riders-hours", due to the duty of care involved.
HTH
ps Every group operates under NABB, but all interpret the rules in their own way
 
That's exactly how it is with NWBBLL, which covers the area you are referring to, that is why they have grown into one of the biggest groups in the country.
However, before you can ride for NWBBLL, using your own bike, you have to have an assessment ride.

Yes, i neglected to add that a check ride is still needed. If you are in that group you may have come across the guy i spoke with, John Chantry.

You can have different views about specific issues without being at variance over wider approach surely? In a way, that is probably the definition of advanced riding? Once a rider knows the basics of systematic riding and learns how to apply it to multiple road hazards then subjectivity is always going occur when it comes to prioritizing hazards and dealing with them?

I take your point about grizzled old veterans Tony but last night i took out a younger rider for a freebie check ride. Competent enough and confident enough but , for example, took a perfectly safe position for a normal right hander but for the presence of a junction and an suv waiting to join the main road. Us old hands would have backed off a little and equalized the danger posed by the different hazards. Teaching that kind of thing is what advanced riding lessons are about. Once the novice masters the system, then there's room for debate.

I do indeed take your points Peter and training of this nature i don't deny is an excellent way for new riders to gain insights into safer riding, quickly; i always advise anybody coming to me for advice on getting onto a bike to not just go for the DA then nothing more but carry on and take advanced training where ever that is. Where i do depart from this is where it's held up as the pantheon of safe riding when it isn't plus of course when i meet up with one of the types that thinks it's for everyone or you are an inferior rider, these types really do get on my tits :D

By the way, the guys i was with, i'm sure, will rail at being classed as grizzled old veterans as they will consider themselves, to a man, remarkably young and good looking chaps, for their ages :D :D

There are other qualifications that are valid too, not just Rospa and IAM. Such as Police Class 1, Military motorcycle quals, and a few more that I can't remember.
There is a valid reason that these organisations cannot just accept, what you describe as a raft of good riders, who no doubt DO have a wealth of experience, but nothing on paper to prove it, and that is that the Blood Bike Charity has a duty of care towards their riders, etc. Just letting anyone in off the street leaves them wide open should the wheel fall off.

Not only do we have the rider checks, but we are also goverened by what could reasonably be called, "riders-hours", due to the duty of care involved.
HTH
ps Every group operates under NABB, but all interpret the rules in their own way

And that's where it falls down a bit, all of it really, (certainly when applied to training) different people and groups interpreting the rules differently which, as said before leads to differing training techniques being employed throughout the system. The rules are rules and should be applied evenly throughout or it leads to confusion which in the case of training should be avoided.

I understand the insurance thing but the piece of paper to prove it statement? Well, i'll leave that there :thumb
 
I'm glad I don't suffer having this treatise in my bonce each time I swing a leg over.:blast. Ignorance is bliss.;)

Well I think your coming along a treat, ever since you completed the Ronnie Reckless advanced course and we took off your stabilisers I've admired your style. I'm very impressed at the way you nicely coloured in those pictures in 'Roadcraft' with all colours within the lines, a ROSPA gold in the making :thumb :D
 
Well I think your coming along a treat, ever since you completed the Ronnie Reckless advanced course and we took off your stabilisers I've admired your style. I'm very impressed at the way you nicely coloured in those pictures in 'Roadcraft' with all colours within the lines, a ROSPA gold in the making :thumb :D

I never was a good learner. To me this stuff is like reciting the nine times table. I could never remember the words but I always knew the tune.:D
 
Yes, i neglected to add that a check ride is still needed. If you are in that group you may have come across the guy i spoke with, John Chantry.

No, I haven't met John (I don't think), we are such a large group with over 350 riders.

Bob
 
SERV Wessex require riders and drivers to hold an advanced qualification, Rospa, IAM, Police are all acceptable, that gets you in the door so to speak.

The ticket needs to be < 3years old.

You have to complete ten runs before you can apply to have a check ride to use the marked vehicles.

There may well be excellent drivers/ riders out there without the accepted qualification, if they wish to drive/ride with us they need to provide the right qualification, if they are that good its not going to be too difficult to achieve the standard.

I would add to that I have seen plenty of so called advanced drivers/riders who in my opinion are not good enough, mainly those who have the Skill for life qualification and have not had regular training or testing since, further I have not met one rider yet who could not improve. Anyone who thinks they are beyond improving is waiting for the inevitable.

All my opinion, not that of any organisation.
 
Hi Adam,
yes it was Lee fisher and he did have his missus with him, I'm not sure what he was riding but he did come across as a really nice guy.
 


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