Quote Originally Posted by kdxgsxmt
I don't really agree but think I understand what your other half means. I've got a very good mate who has always been a biker since we were kids and has used his bikes as everyday transport for almost the last 30 years. He did his IAM test a few years back, achieved a very high mark then did advanced, then on to being an observer and recently completed his national observer badge. He's now looking at the 'masters' and it does seem to have become a bit of an obsesssion.
He persuaded me to do IAM last year (also after 30+ years of riding) and although I found it very enjoyable and learnt quite a bit I've not really caught the bug. Will do advanced in a year or two but need to fit in around my other biking time.
My mate analyses every ride, piece of road and feedback from his bike and sometimes I'm not sure he stands back from the detail. Mind you he loves the whole thing for him obviously an enjoyable obsession
Absolutely Trev.

Its perhaps difficult for some people to grasp what my husband meant unless you know someone such as your friend.

I must admit I struggled a bit at first to appreciate what he was saying, immediately jumping to defend the many benefits of advanced training, but that’s exactly where he was coming from.

He’s not challenging the merits of advanced training one bit.

What he was saying is that when people get so obsessed with training and spend so much time constantly seeking to ‘improve’ they are no longer riding for the same reason most of us do, or the very reason they did say when they started.

The ride is no longer just a ride on the bike; the basic fundamental enjoyment of riding a bike goes and it just becomes all about constantly striving for the perfect text book ride, never being satisfied that they have achieved perfection, analysing every situation and every aspect of the ride in detail. They no longer just simply enjoy riding a bike.

Of course it’s each to their own, but actually standing back, it may just be one of the things that deters some people from advanced training and joining IAM and RoSPA?