Very largely yes I do. I also took an HGV course, I learnt a lot from that as well. I also used to run a motorcycle training scheme and instruct on that.
But the basic tenet of the IAM course is applied automatically all the time now, and it works. IPSGA: Information, position, speed, gear, acceleration. It enables you to process every hazard safely and avoid getting into awkward situations in the first place. It also allows better analysis of crashes that people have and the mistakes that were made.
I had been a pretty safe driver before, but the courses refined that even more.
It's not evident from their driving. Whenever I see a vehicle doing something that brings all other traffic to a halt AKA "causing an obstruction" it's a taxi/phv.
If the examiner on a test asks the candidate to cause the car to proceed in the opposite direction, do they pass if they do the 3 point right there and then on the busy A511? Or are they supposed to turn into the next quiet side street do the 3 point (or reverse round a corner) and then turn out of the side street?
Or how about stopping facing oncoming traffic so the passengers alight into the carriage way?
Parking so as to cause a hazard or obstruction. They even acknowledge they know they are causing a dangerous hazard and obstruction by putting the Hazard lamps on. Rule 116.
Quite. They seem to have the idea that it is fine to stop in the middle of the road and block traffic flow to disembark passengers even when there is a parking space nearby. It's obviously difficult to teach basic courtesy.
A builder's truck delivering bricks etc may well have to block traffic while unloading. The only excuse for a taxi doing this might be if it were carrying disabled passengers.
There is no national standard; each council decides their own assessment.
As an aside, the delivery company Ocado sets some of the highest standards for its drivers, and they have a camera on the driver as well as externally. The driver has to hand in the SD cards at the end of each work period, and they are randomly checked.
Back in the day when folk who had completed IAM training used to have a badge on the front of their car, that flagged up to me as someone to avoid. I'm sure that for many people it introduces a feeling of superiority that ultimately makes them less safe.
I hear that the update to the driving test is to drop the 'reverse around a corner' while adding in 'how to operate a sat nav' Stupidest thing I have heard in a long time.
That's where the non-fancy models had an advantage as you could give it a little pedal boost when pulling away or on a particularly steep hill.
Why did you think they were safer OOI? I can't remember ever having issues with the pedals (as I came from cycles) and found you could lift the inner pedal if laying over hard or to help avoid a high kerb etc. They also allowed you to move your legs a bit ... but only forwards on the NSU Quickly as back pedaling applied the rear brake. ;-)
That's true. On the P50 it was traditional cycle (handlebar brakes).
This has reminded me I still have a Honda Express (NC50) which was a bit different because it had a clockwork starter 'motor' and it was quite effective. ;-)
A Travis Perkins lorry did just that the other day in the middle of (what is effectively) a 200m half duplex section of local back street and whilst offloading about 8 pallets of bricks and blocks (I felt quite sorry for him as it was also chucking it down).
We stopped well short before the narrow bit and because we weren't in a hurry and just tucked ourselves over to the left (to give him room to back past if he couldn't get out forwards) and waited and watched.
Several cars turned up behind us, did three point turns and went another way round but some sat behind us.
When he had finished (maybe 5 mins) he started to creep off forwards and because there was a good chance that the road in front of him would be cluttered with cars coming up the narrow bit from the other direction, I thought I'd just wait a bit longer to see how it all panned out (as it was obvious no one was going to be going anywhere fast) before moving off ourselves. However, as soon as the truck started to move, those cars behind us overtook and followed the truck into the mealy (like 'ambulance chasers' ... you could see cars and vans in front of the truck going up the pavement and into peoples drives to try to clear the way). ;-(
At that point we did a 3 point turn and beat the lorry and all it's followers onto the high street. Ha! ;-)
Most of the sideroads round here have parking both sides and simply ain't wide enough for two cars to pass. Most are used to this and dodge into the nearest space rather than trying to bully their way through. But some will overtake you after you've pulled in. Like whitevanman did the other day. Only to be met with whitevanman 2 coming the other way - the reason I'd pulled in. And by this time all the spaces behind me were full too. So whitevanman 1 had to back up a long long way.
I reckon safer simply because the two sides are equal and you can stand on either pedal without the other one moving and the 'footrests' were in a more natural position, the brake pedal and foot shift also made the transition to a real motorbike easier. We had an occasional Honda express turn up on the training scheme, also a BSA Ariel 3, now that really was peculiar.
I'm not sure I'd ever want to stand on just one pedal. ;-(
Is there such a thing? I often miss the footpegs on her XV 750 Virago (cruiser) because they are (comparatively) so far forward and likewise, the footpegs seem so far back when I get back on the old Airhead.
Ah, that point I agree with ... except on my REB 350 (Madras) where the gears and foot brake were swapped over and took a lot more consideration than any other combo (inc left hand-operated gear change on the Lambretta and NSU or back-pedaling rear brake on the NSU).
Can you remember what sort of top speed they made MrC? I mean were they woefully slow (mine was the last time it was on the road and even ridden by someone smaller and lighter than me). ;-)
That was indeed! And talking of possibly less weird 3 wheelers:
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... and talking of bikes and licences ...
"Piaggio Mp3 LT can be ridden in numerous countries with a regular passenger car license. These include Italy, France, the UK and Spain, and certain other European Union member nations where permitted by European Directive 2006/126/EC, provided that the rider is at least 21 years of age, the vehicle is used solely within the country of registration and that any other applicable regulations are observed. Contact your local dealer for information on specific legislation in your country."
(Only the 125cc models presumably because I believe the (narrow) spacing of the twin front wheels makes them a scooter not a trike)? [1]
There is even a hybrid one:
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Cheers, T i m
[1] I guess it's the same narrowly spaced twin wheels that makes the MP3 a scooter not a trike and the Isetta / BMW bubble cars trikes not cars?
And you can soon get an electric bubble car apparently:
Good ... (even if he wasn't a local his driving position should have given him a good view of the situation).. ;-)
Exactly the same round here where the 'locals' know the crack and in many cases know the 'my side is clear so I have right of way' doesn't really work. In fact it really needs a token system like they used on the old single track railway where without the token you can't enter the narrow bit. ;-)
Funny, you only have to have a non-local park in one of the known 'gaps' at either end of the long narrow bit and the (otherwise workable) system very quickly falls to bits.
Yeahbut there is the std congestion and the unnecessary type, like when someone pulls across your path exiting a side road.
Now I know there are some places (at some times) where you nearly have to do that or you will never get out but those places are often 'known' by the locals and so quarter is generally given.
There is a fairly local T junction where people on the main road often let out people from the side road (sometimes they will be turning into the side road themselves) as they know how difficult it is to get out otherwise.
I was taught that you should be able to just extend your legs and rise off the seat, if the riding position was correct, too far forward or back precludes that.
I was heavilt influenced by trial bikes, so standing on one footrest was , sort of, natural to me when needed. Having footrests that move when stood upon seemed horrible!
There is a set max distance for twin wheel arrangements below which the two are regarded as a single wheel for legal purposes (16 inch IIRC for motorcycles, don't know about trikes)
IIRC the Honda express was hard pressed to exceed 20mph.
I'm surprised that they aren't a lot more popular as city bikes over here. See a lot of them abroad but not many in the U.K.
The twin front wheel arrangement must greatly increase braking ability and stability and make a front wheel skid much less likely. The fact that they stay upright without rider assistance must be a boon when stopping and parking too.
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