AA are going to be introducing PRACTICAL defensive driving courses!!!

[WildBoarMouse]

About bloody time! A practical defensive driving (driver training) course that the average joe can afford and arrange without difficulty!!! :banana:

I couldn't find this subject elsewhere so I'm hoping it hasn't already been posted.

I've wanted to do a practical defensive driving and/or skid/slide control course for some time but had never had much luck in finding anything other than that $500 odd holden/ford course that moved around the country.


I just rang up AA to inquire about sitting the defensive driving course to reduce my restricted bike license period. After asking about the standard course ($120 over two weeks for a total of 10 hours) I got curious and also asked if there was a practical version for cars. It turns out that in April, the AA are hoping to introduce exactly that, a practical defensive driving course! By all accounts all the managers are spending vast amounts of time arranging it and they're hoping to offer it for around $160-220. I was told that this will be the same as the 10 hour course but with the addition of practical training. I don't know if will still be 10 hours, but it will (apparently) serve the same purpose as the current 10 hour course.

So, I put off taking my course (I couldn't have got my full until April anyway) and will hold off until then! If it's still not out I can just take the normal course.

Anyway, I just thought people would like to know! In my book this is fantastic news as a practical course is many many times more useful than sitting down and watching videos.

Does anyone else know any more details???

[bugjuice]

dunno any more on it, but if it's a goer, then make it bloody mandatory!!!

[Sniper]

Im with BJ, Make it compulsary, and let the foriengers (sp) be made to do it before getting their licenses.

[Fishy]

Bout bloody time IMO!. Make it mandatory!!.

[KLOWN]

the AA are a bunch of morons. Thier driver instructors are morons, the defensive driving theory is a bunch of shit the practical would be worse. The AA used to be for the motorists now the only thing they are out for is money. I went to a defensive driving course given by a man called wayne price, he had come over from the uk where he used to teach the army and police force how to drive defensively. It took him ages to be approved by the AA cause they were being dicks and every cert he gave out he had to give money to the AA they are just parasite blood suckers who are an extension of the ltsa.
I could crap on for ages and ages and ages and ages about how much i hate the AA and thier monopoly and thier exorbitant prices

[Ixion]

And you think they'll have a bike version? Dream on. Actually, what we OUGHT to do , is harrass the gubbernmint to have the BRONZ Ridesafe thing approved as a defensive driving course (which it certainly is) for licence credit purposes.

[Colapop]

The staff at the AA aren't the morons - they're just hamstrung by inadequate legislation and lack of competant leadership. I'll ask my wife (who works for AA) about this course and report back.

[KLOWN]

The staff at the AA aren't the morons - they're just hamstrung by inadequate legislation and lack of competant leadership. I'll ask my wife (who works for AA) about this course and report back.

no offence, just don't like the AA, more the men up top and the crappy driver instructors that ride the reputation of the AA which they got when they started and were actually there to help motorists instead of rape them and take thier money and thier policys rather then all the workers. My bad.:Oops:

[WildBoarMouse]

And you think they'll have a bike version? Dream on. Actually, what we OUGHT to do , is harrass the gubbernmint to have the BRONZ Ridesafe thing approved as a defensive driving course (which it certainly is) for licence credit purposes.
Of course not! :) Still, if it makes cage drivers better, then that helps us out as well in the long run.

[WildBoarMouse]

Look at it this way then, even if their teachings aren't the best, a practical course is still going to result in a better driver than the current defensive driving course approach.

[TygerTung]

I have done the defensive driving course, I didn't actually really learn anything, I spose it would be good if you didn't really know what you're doing in the first place.

[Colapop]

no offence, just don't like the AA, more the men up top and the crappy driver instructors that ride the reputation of the AA which they got when they started and were actually there to help motorists instead of rape them and take thier money and thier policys rather then all the workers. My bad.:Oops:
S'ok. A point to note is that the testing officers are not AA. And half of them are dirty scumbags - even towards the AA staff mostly women. Had one guy who was so bad that the staff at one branch threatened to quit en mass if he wasn't removed.

[Rashika]

I have done the defensive driving course, I didn't actually really learn anything, I spose it would be good if you didn't really know what you're doing in the first place.
I did it when i very first got my car licence ...quite a few years ago now.
The I did it when I got my bike licence, also a number of years ago now. I learned pretty much nothing from both courses and the courses varied by bugger all over the 8 or so intervening years. But hey...it halved my licence time for a mere $50 at the time, so i wasn't complaining :wari:

A PRACTICAL course would at least be a step in the right direction...better than feeling that the course is simply a way to make the AA (or whoever) money and halve the licence time for us, and yet learn almost nothing.

[Lou Girardin]

It doesn't sound like it'll be an advanced driving course with skid pans etc. But if it is, that'll be all good.

[Rosie]

I have done the defensive driving course, I didn't actually really learn anything, I spose it would be good if you didn't really know what you're doing in the first place.

I did defensive driving through my school. We had a room full of 16 year old girls making up incredibly stupid answers to the questions about potential hazards and generally taking the piss out the entire course. And we all passed. It was a lot of fun, but I don't think I learnt anything.
I've kept the certificate, so I'm wondering if I can recycle it to spend less time on my Motorbike restricted.

[myvice]

Can’t believe that it’s all theory, be like teaching someone to read over the phone!
I wonder what sort of tests they will set up?

[Rashika]

I did defensive driving through my school. We had a room full of 16 year old girls making up incredibly stupid answers to the questions about potential hazards and generally taking the piss out the entire course. And we all passed. It was a lot of fun, but I don't think I learnt anything.
I've kept the certificate, so I'm wondering if I can recycle it to spend less time on my Motorbike restricted.
not if they stick to the same rules now...you need to do it within the period of you licence...that annoyed me a bit, but wtf its only money and when it halves your waiting period anythings good. :Punk:

[Streetwise]

Hello all. Just wait a while there are some changes comming through. I believe that there will soon be a motorcycle theory and practical based course to reduce the licence period,

[Colapop]

As far as my missus knows (Manager at AA) the practical defensive driving course is only being offered in Auckland.

[WildBoarMouse]

Hey colapop, do you know if there was a definite date as to when it was going to start? :) Thanks mate!

[Lee Rusty]

The Defensive driving course is the same the last session is a practical
lesson where you have to demonstrate that you can put the lessons into practice.

I am surprised to read so many people here say they learnt nothing - means they must know everything all ready - and I doubt that that is true,

The practical can be done in either a car or motorcycle - if you want to do on a bike I am certified to do that.

Got to say most people including bike riders do it in a car. Maybe not willing to test skills on a bike - although if they know everything already Im not sure I would want to take them on the road anyway.

Since this was brought in I have done very few riders.

[Sanx]

I am surprised to read so many people here say they learnt nothing - means they must know everything all ready - and I doubt that that is true,

The alternative explanation for a number of people on here saying they learned nothing is that the course is a load of crap. I've done two defensive driving courses in the UK, and they were tripe from beginning to end. Classroom-based nonsense that went on about the "awesome responsibility" we have when driving a car, fact-free diatribes on the dangers of going faster than the speed-limit, and a bunch of other stuff that should have been self-evident to all but the thickest people attending. There was no practical, no training in emergency braking, no skid control or hazard avoidance.

Compared to the IAM rider training - which is 90% practical based and generally taken by ex-police riding instructors - it was laughable. If the courses being offered by the AA and other organisations here are similar to the defensive driving courses I attended in the UK, then they are a complete waste of everyone's time; nothing more than a money-making scheme for the AA whilst lulling those drivers stupid enough to take the course seriously into a false sense of security.

[disenfranchised]

So the information is fairly crap?
And even if going for a full bike license you can still sit the practical part in a car?
As an over 25yo rider, who's had a full car license for 14 years, it really doesn't seem worth it

Anyone know if the other approved course StreetTalk (http://www.drivinginstructor.co.nz/streettalk.php) is equally bad?

[Nagash]

So what? There's actually a defensive driving course for motorcycles being offered in Auckland?

I've been searching for one for a few months though but all the people i've contacted in the phone book have either stopped operating or they're not offering that service anymore. I rang AA a couple of months ago and they told me they didn't have anything then so i'd be real keen if they did now.

I coulda got my full by December 1st if I had actually found a course..

[sweetp]

This sounds great, have to say I am not looking forward to my 10 hours of learning about how my emotions effect my driving. I am a robot for goodness sake I don't have emotions.

I certainly cringed when my partner came home and shared the fun he had with a bunch of 16yr olds when he did his course last year. He didn't learn any practical stuff (like scanning) till the very last session. Really how good is theroy for a practical thing - it is like learning surgery from a text book.

As an aside I wonder what the results would be like if they did a practical assesment prior and post course - would it show an improvement?

[more_fasterer]

Given the AA's history of not requiring drivers to sit their practical, full license test, I fail to see how this will be of any benefit to the already pointless (apart from the $$) defensive driving course.

I for one can see the practical component having fewer practical requirements than the Basic Handling Skills Test:
"Sit in the car. Now look ahead. Now look further ahead."
"Start the car"
"Drive in a straight line at 20km/h"
"Stop"
"Perform a U-turn in this deserted car park. Be sure to indicate once you've begun your manoeuvre."
"Congratulations, here's your certificate. Remember, the slower you drive, the safer you are."