Driver Training in Vic

[Jalapeno]

Hi Guys,

Pretty new to Pajero's, this forum, and to 4x4's. In about 5 weeks time my partner and I are heading off around QLD/NT/WA for four months touring and doing some offroad trails.

As I'm new to it all I want to do a bit of driver training. I realise the Pajero club runs training days but couldn't find dates online and time's running out! Does anyone have any feedback on other training providers? Has anyone done any training with Adrian from fourwheeldrivetraining.com.au?

Cheers guys...I think this will be the first of many questions ahaha

[GOSSAMER]

4wd vic

http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/upload/training/2015%20-%20Jan-Sep/4x4Proficiency.jpg

[Old Paj]

4WD Training

To participate in the Pajero Club driver training you need to be a financial member of the club ($130.00) then a fee ($120.00) to participate in the training.

Next courses are as follows:
Proficiency - Theory - Fri 12 Jun 15, Practical - Sun 14 Jun 15 at GWBC, Werribee.

Then they will be conducted in Aug and Nov 15.

[fazza513]

I can recommend 4wd Vic. I did their proficiency course at the start of the year and learnt heaps in a controlled environment that enables you to try stuff out. I joined the Paj club before the course, and you then get a cheaper course fee (so you end up with the training and the club membership for the same price). Cheers, fazza
PS. I did not do the training through the club as I was a new owner and impatient!?!?!

[Jalapeno]

Thanks guys. Joining the Paj club and doing the training course with 4WD Vic was my first thought - but unfortunately it looks like their next course dates are after I will have left to travel Aus.

Anyone else done training through another provider?

[OnPatrol]

Thanks guys. Joining the Paj club and doing the training course with 4WD Vic was my first thought - but unfortunately it looks like their next course dates are after I will have left to travel Aus.

Anyone else done training through another provider?

Try Jim Kennedy @ Safetrek. He can probably run a one-on-one course for you so that it fits within your timeframe.

http://www.safetrek.com.au/html/s01_home/home.asp

[Jeffwatkins]

To participate in the Pajero Club driver training you need to be a financial member of the club ($130.00) then a fee ($120.00) to participate in the training.

Next courses are as follows:
Proficiency - Theory - Fri 12 Jun 15, Practical - Sun 14 Jun 15 at GWBC, Werribee.

Then they will be conducted in Aug and Nov 15.

The club I belong to the training is free.

[OnPatrol]

The club I belong to the training is free.

That's nice to know

[fazza513]

The club I belong to the training is free.

Hmmm. I think a big chunk of the fee is for insurance, so I would wonder if it is an insured activity...

[OnPatrol]

Hmmm. I think a big chunk of the fee is for insurance, so I would wonder if it is an insured activity...

It's not really a matter of insurance. It's a matter of different methods of covering costs. Clubs manage their funds in different way. Some clubs offer training at no further cost to the member, but there is a cost to running training, so somehow/somewhere the cost of training is taken care of.

Then some clubs charge a fee to cover the cost of training. Cost of training will be different between clubs. Some clubs have access to their own property which is great; obviously there is a cost to that as well. Some clubs use public tracks/sites.

The Pajero Club of Vic, like other clubs in Victoria hires the 4WD Proving Ground to run Proficiency Courses. It's an expensive venue to hire, but it's a fantastic facility that enables us to run a quality course and to cover different terrain in one area. We run a lot of courses in the Paj Club, so it makes more sense to have a user pays system.

In terms of insurance, the Paj Club Instructors are required to instruct to the standard provided by FWD Victoria ETU. Instructors are also required to keep their knowledge/skills up to date and there are guidelines on how this is done as well.

By the way, the Paj Club has an excellent training team

[Dicko1]

There is a mob here in Cairns who do a great training session. Why not do the training whilst your away? You,ll meet some different people who I am sure can point you in the right direction for a good holiday experience. The training ground is on the Tablelands near Kuranda.
Details are...

Paul O'Neil
Pro Drivesafe 4wd Training
0438 337 904

DriveSafe4WD <[email protected]>
NATIONAL PROVIDER

NUMBER 30813

http://www.drivesafe.net.au/

[Jalapeno]

Well everyone thankyou for all your advice and feedback! I ended up going to http://www.fourwheeldrivetraining.com.au/ as they were running a course at a time that suited me.

The site was great with steep and rutted muddy tracks, water crossings, rock hopping, etc. The course is a single day, there was one instructor who spent his time changing between the three cars in the group, while we communicated over UHF. The practical sessions were really good and gave me a much better understanding of the capabilities of the car, I felt like I could really push it in some challenging terrain although I would have liked to spend a bit more time on recovery techniques and equipment. The theory sessions were okay - most of what was taught I already knew from reading a little bit online, it was nice to solidify that knowledge but the information seemed very unstructured and off the cuff.

Over all, I would say if you have the opportunity to just go find some challenging terrain and do some 4x4ing there with a friend who has some experience then that (in combination with a bit of reading) would be just as good and save you a few bucks. I did not have that option as I don't know anyone else with a 4x4 but anyway hope that feedback is useful for someone else looking at courses in the future.

[Bogger]

Yes nothing beats bum on seat and as you say is ideal if you can hook up behind an old gun that has years of experience. They make the hard look easy and you soon come to realize that it's as much about technique as it is about your vehicle.
Come up to Inskip Point and the Barge skipper gives free lessons ? He has to as many can't even get their vehicle onto the barge This includes his voice over the load hailer instructing "driver please select 4wd" but then soft deep sand is probably about as demanding as it gets
Enjoy

[Jalapeno]

Will probably come up to Inskip point in the next month or so, I'll be new to driving on sand so I'll probably be one of those fellas he's helping get onto the barge

[OnPatrol]

Well everyone thankyou for all your advice and feedback! I ended up going to http://www.fourwheeldrivetraining.com.au/ as they were running a course at a time that suited me.

The site was great with steep and rutted muddy tracks, water crossings, rock hopping, etc. The course is a single day, there was one instructor who spent his time changing between the three cars in the group, while we communicated over UHF. The practical sessions were really good and gave me a much better understanding of the capabilities of the car, I felt like I could really push it in some challenging terrain although I would have liked to spend a bit more time on recovery techniques and equipment. The theory sessions were okay - most of what was taught I already knew from reading a little bit online, it was nice to solidify that knowledge but the information seemed very unstructured and off the cuff.

Over all, I would say if you have the opportunity to just go find some challenging terrain and do some 4x4ing there with a friend who has some experience then that (in combination with a bit of reading) would be just as good and save you a few bucks. I did not have that option as I don't know anyone else with a 4x4 but anyway hope that feedback is useful for someone else looking at courses in the future.

You missed out on a public course run by FWD Vic today (Saturday). I'll be assisting the Paj Club in a club course tomorrow (Sunday) - both ran a 3 hour structured theory session during the week. These days, I'm surprised that someone is running a course with an unstructured theory session - so based on your experience I can understand your summation that you may as well keep your money and gain the experience from an experienced friend.

However, in my experience I wouldn't necessarily agree. An experienced friend may not be a good teacher or coach, and if you make a mistake, then you are making a mistake in a real world situation, rather than a controlled environment. It's like saying to my teenage child - now that you have read the road rules and now that you passed your learners exam, you can drive my car unassisted, but I'll follow you in another car to make sure that you are ok. I wonder how that will end - I know that this is an extreme analogy, but you get the picture.

By the way, 5 years ago I was a newbie too - in Motorcycling. Fortunately, the authorities would not allow me to just ride one on the road unless I completed a course and passed a test. Before this I was already driving a car for over 25+ years, but not all that experience necessarily translates to being able to ride a motorbike safely on the road. Keep that in mind, when you're using your 4WD in new terrain and remote terrain. 25 years of road driving experience doesn't necessarily translate to the same experience when offroad. For me; I have made a commitment to attend a motorcycle course at least once a year, so far I have kept to this commitment and I'm a much better rider for it.

In the same manner when I was learning to four wheel drive. I attended many courses (driving in different terrains, learning about recovery techniques, learning about navigation, learning about chainsaws, learning about mechanical repairs, etc). Today, I'm still learning.

Have a great trip and be safe.