Sunday, February 26, 2012

IAM - An Update.


I thought it was important to bring you up to date with my progress through IAM.

As many regular readers will be aware I have done a lot of KM's during the last few months.  My South Island trip. East Coast, numerous adventures on to gravel.  During all theses rides I am always trying to ride to the IAM standard.  Quite frankly once you are into and you realise the benefits of riding to IAM and its system you soon discover no desire to go back.  Once your in , your in, there is no going back.

My last observed ride with Phillip in December produced a mixed bag of crap riding and advanced riding skills. Simon Pampling one of the other observers who I have mentioned before contacted me late January to arrange another observed ride.  I was looking forward to this immensely.  I had certainly been putting a lot of work in and was keen to at least show that I had made good progress.  I  felt that my riding had improved a great deal from the months previous. 

We left from my work mid afternoon and headed through peak hour traffic south.  I seemed to handle all of the issues, speed restrictions and other issues reasonably well. Once south, we started on some country roads.   I was familiar with the roads and thought that if ever I was gonna get it right it would be today ....until........I came across a truck and trailer unit. It was to be the undoing of me as I executed a shocking and badly thought out passing manoeuvre. I knew the moment I had done it that I had well and truly screwed up.  I carried on with the ride trying hard to put it behind me.  That one passing maneuver saw me getting marked down considerably.  I finished with a D.  To say I was gutted would be a complete understatement.  Actually  I really did consider giving up.  It took me a few days to pull myself together and refocus on the bigger picture. I realised that regardless of the fact I had ballsed up on that particular ride, I am still a far better rider than I was at the beginning of the whole process.

So this Sunday I went along to the monthly ride.  As Geoff has pointed out IAM is really beginning to grow. It is exciting to watch and be a part off.  I hope in some small way to contribute to it's continued success and growth.  On Sunday 18 riders turned up, a mixture of Observers, members and associate members.

Once it was sorted who was going with who, I found myself with Phillip the Chief Examiner and my mate Andy, who in my opinion is an excellent rider.  I drew the short straw and was to lead for the first part with Phillip following and Andy behind him.  Earlier in the morning Andy, and our other mates Richard and Bruce had met up for an early morning ride.  This was mainly for my benefit and although that ride was a mixed bag it did help immensely in dialing in for the rest of the day.

When we stopped I felt that I had done pretty well.  I had had a few tricky things I needed to negotiate but over all I was happy......the big question was what did Phil think?

Andy had his go and showed his normal excellent technique, although the "hand on the tank" incident didn't win him any awards with Phil.  But overall it was a pleasure to ride behind two very confident and skilled riders. 

Then comes the DE-brief.   Much to my surprise I discovered it was in fact a check ride.  (A pre test ride to ensure you are up to standard and can go and sit the test) I passed....even got an A.....whoooo.   So some time in the near future I will be sitting my test.  Andy passed as well so we will be out together practising and honing our skills.  The key for me is getting out first and getting a few kms under my belt.  It seems to work wonders with me.   Trying to relax and ride my natural ride. 

So the journey continues, still have a lot more to accomplished, but it was a great feeling to see things clicking for me. The fact remains that I still have to continue to work hard, the standard of riding is high.As so it should be, if they gave passes out with cereal packets there would be no point.  Will go back and continue to read my copy of Motorcycle road craft as well as the rode code. 




26 comments:

  1. Good for you! You will have to keep us posted on your test date & results. I commend you because as a rider you stick with honing your skills and riding well everytime you are on the road. Sadly a lot of folks don't put in practice time in the parking lot or learning new skills to make them better, safer and competent riders.

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    1. Dar: Becoming a better rider will take forever, by that I mean I will always be working on it. Geoff said it best once when he said. "Advanced riders dont practise till they get it right, but untill they never get it wrong".

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  2. Rog mate!

    That was a superbly written and painfully honest post which actually speaks volumes about your character. You'll remember my early posts about whether I was good enough to make it and going through a period of self-doubt. It's something that most people will experience at some stage because the criteria are so tough.

    I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am because you're going to be a very fine instructor - and they're not empty words. Now that you're over that slight mental block and dialling in before the ride proper, you're going to enjoy it so much more and that will make a world of difference.

    Well done mate, I know how hard-won that was. You don't need wishing good luck for the test proper because luck has nothing to do with it.

    Oh, and thanks for mentioning Andy's slight lapse with the hand on the tank - excellent ammunition :-).

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    1. Geoff: You more than anybody knows how hard it is, and how much I have personally struggled. Self doubt...well I think I still posess abit of that. I know what i need to do, just need to show some self belief.

      Dialling in, is diffinitely the key for me.

      Thanks for the best wishes on the test, i faintly remember me saying the same thing to you.

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  3. Roger,

    Well done on this achievement. You have comeback from an earlier setback and proved to yourself, and others, that you are capable of nailing the test.

    Mark
    [Rider of MP3]

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  4. Mark: Thank you very much for the kind words. when I set out to record this I promised to be honest, I have done that. and I hope it encourages other people like yourself.

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  5. So Rog what exactly was wrong with the botched overtaking maneouver or are you not allowed to over take other vehicles under IAM training? Or did you cross double yellows or something.

    Congrats on the hard work you put in to improve your skills.

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    1. Hi mate, there are issues to overtaking, how you go about it is the important thing, certainly you cannot overtake on Double yellows. In my case it all became to tight and it required on coming traffic to move left to give me enough room. Simple didnt put enough thought into it. I know we have all done it from time to tom, but the standard is high with IAM it certainly was not what I would call a safe pass.

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  6. You have come a long way from that Monday afternoon in the car park, and that one leg dangling just above the ground. Well done roger.

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    1. Thanks Tricia, Yes my riding is far different from what it was when I first came and saw you, still consistancey is the key for me, and that is what I am really working on.

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  7. I am glad that you didn't let the D keep you from your goals. Just think of it as a speed bump. You surmounted the obstacle. Good job on the A for the pre-test.

    I find putting a few miles under me before hitting the twisties is a good thing. It always takes me a bit to get my groove back and I notice I ride with better form and skills as the day wears on.

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    1. Brandy: always hard to pick oneself up from a hit like that. I am the same often takes me a good forty minutes to get myself keyed in.

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  8. Hey mate, Andy here!! Well done and was awesome to ride with you. Clean lines and great progress. Just like always. Thanks for mentioning my casual attitude toward maintaining control of my machine at all times. You'll keep. Andy

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    1. Hi mate, no need to thank me....always willing to help! Has been excellent getting out with you, it has really healped me a lot. WIll make sure we get a few more in before the big day.

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  9. Roger:

    Awesome that you recovered from the duldrums. I keep thinking about a passing maneuver I did a few years ago. It could have been bad if traffic was coming the other way. Luckily you are safe and it will never happen again, esp with an IAMs instructor observing.

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. Bob: I knew the moment I had done it I had screwed up, was kicking myself. Like yourself it could of ended in disaster. Learn from it and move on is all you can do.

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  10. Agreed mate, will look forward to getting out again real soon. Hopefully we can get our reclusive coromandel mate out as well

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  11. Reclusive, cough, choke... If you guys sneak out without telling me, hehe.....

    I'm really sorry I missed last weekend but the spit-roasted whole lamb and seafood at my mate's 60th birthday helped to make up for it, even if the hangover didn't!

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  12. No way you would chuck it in. You've gone too far and you still have it all going through your head. You would have seen this to the end no matter what. But I'm glad that you know that now. :)

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    1. Lori as per usual you are right! I wont give in I will never give in. But hanks for reminding me, it is what i have come to expect.

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  13. Glad to know I'm not the only one with a well developed self-hating critic...and, that you didn't listen to it. I'm in Lori's camp. I'd been astounded if you had listened to it.

    Passing maneuver. Hmmm, I wonder what it is like to pass someone?
    ~k

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    1. Keith: You just need a good down hill run to overtake! Seriously though, it took a bit to pick myself up, but then I am never one to turn away from a challenge.

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  14. Excellent self judging and criticising post Roger...obviously of the right mindset to go on pass the big test and join Geoff to becoming an excellent IAM addition as a Qualified Observer. Putting a bif FU behind you takes a heap of doing but remember the examiner will be looking more for your advanced riding style than one poor judgement.

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    1. Dylan: Thanks for your encouragement. When I read the road craft book, I realized that if I don't have the right mental approach then I wont even get to chapter 2. One FU doesn't not make me a bad rider, once I accepted it I realized that consistency is the key. Overall I think I am riding to a good standard. Thanks for your support and encouragement, it means a great deal to me, and sharing my struggles I hope it will encourage others to carry on even when it doesn't all go well.

      Quite frankly Dylan, i really could never pull out now, I know better.

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    2. That is why Philip has given you the 'A'...

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