When I eventually get my driving license back (and it looks as though I will have to take them to court) and I can actually get my body well enough to get on and off a bike, I am thinking of doing my IAM test again. I did pass about 40 years ago but... although my last accident wasn't my fault (the Police agreed and prosecuted the driver - she pleaded guilty and always accepted blame - their may of been a mobile 'phone involved but nobody could prove it) I am thinking of doing my IAM motorbike test again. Mainly to give me a clear conscience when I have to ignore family opposition to biking. It can't be a bad idea, can it? Oh, and when I am mobile enough to get on a horse (which gave me my last but one serious accident) I am thinking of going back to horse riding. Oh, and gliding! I haven't crashed a glider yet!!!
Do it(IAM) your not going to make your riding worse. Plus it will give you a confidence boost having been through a tough time.
Two of my mates have recently done their IAM one passed the other failed. I think you’ll find things have changed in 40 yrs PL. But if it gives you and the family some confidence, go for it.
TBH, I don't know how the hell I passed before. I think that I was followed by a copper either on a Police BMW or not but wearing Police gear. I didn't do any training and just read up on it. It was quite an extended test and I got lot of help and tutoring (including being told to speed up! BY A COPPER!!!). I would expect it to be a bit harder now and have no problem taking any lessons (if I can get them). I just need to be careful with timing. I'll have to wait until my claim is settled because if the other side get wind of me doing extra training, or I was to fail the test, they would be bound to use it against me. My sol is so paranoid that she is getting me to relate a crash that I had in about 1985 during a production 250 race at Brands Hatch! I did spend the night in hospital with concussion that makes every road accident that I have for the rest of my life, my fault appentley! Really she is just being fecking thorough and wants all bases covered when we go to court!!!
I must of passed on an RD250, or possibly a Honda CX500! I may of been trying to persuade my parents that I was safe and responsible, so lend me the money for a Ducati!
The only way anyone would find out about you taking an IAM test is if you tell them. Anyway to fail is not an issue, you passed your driving test so are at the same level as the vast majority. Maybe look for your local IAM or ROSPA group for further training to take the test? If you’re near me I will gladly help out( I am N London)
When I was working in London last, I lived in Crouch End. But I am now in Gloucestershire. I think that there is an IAM group in Gloucester. When I get mobile, I will go and meet them and see if there is any training going. It will all help because my insurance will probably go through the roof when I get going again. I have told my solicitor about this because it looks as though I'll be uninsured for at least two years when I do get going, finally.
The only problem is that if I can persuade my sol to go chasing after loss of NCB from the other party and she grasses me up to my family then there may be some difficult conversations! I'll have to ask as I will of lost all NCB on cars but I said that I am not going to get another car. I lost out car-wise because I want to work one day and never came home. I gave my car back to Mitsubishi to get them off my back on loan repayments but I lost out big time!
If it makes family happy.. I looked at it a good few years back. Too sanctimonious for my liking and gained much more (but no certificate or peace of mind for family!) from riding with some ex track day riders and also a couple of very smooth ex Police bikers. Amazing how they were never left behind on “out of date and slower” machinery. Well, at least until my riding became much better!
I took the IAM test after we were knocked off a new BMW R100RS on the way to work, ironically it was by a doctor from the local hospital!. I was fairly nervous about getting back on a bike again, especially as my wife sustained injuries which I blamed myself for, although unjustly. The IAM training and test restored my confidence and made me a better rider, certainly much more aware than I had been previously, go for it I say.
The "awareness" thing is important to me. I seem to remember reading somewhere that a Police motorcyclists view is that any accident is your fault. Although the other driver always admitted fault and the Police accident investigator put all of the blame on her and none on me, this is something that I never ever want to experience again. Even if I end up getting a good wedge in the end, I am still the one who can't walk through an airport scanner without setting it off! No doubt, if I asked my GP for an opinion on should I ride a motorbike, or even a horse, again, then the answer would probably be, "No!" as I've used up my share of luck and can't afford any further injuries - especially to my left leg that I came within a gnat's cock of losing!
The consequences of getting it wrong on a bike far out weigh the mistake more often than not. You have to take responsibility for everyones actions on the road and apply that to your plan. That theory would be because after self analysis there could of been something you could of done prior to the incident/impact, that would of given a different outcome. But of course idealistic doesn't always work.
