History

Our group was formed in 1957, just one year after the Institute of Advanced Motorists became a reality in 1956. At this time, we were known as the Glasgow and West of Scotland Group, affiliated to the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

The group met in the Black Bull Hotel in Milngavie, the first of many meeting places across Glasgow and the surrounding area. Currently, the Glasgow South group meets in Thorntree Hall in Thornliebank, in the city’s south side.

In 1969, we took the initiative to start the Scottish Groups’ Association (SGA) along with our fellow Scottish groups: South East Scotland, Kingdom of Fife, Dundee, and Aberdeen and Moray.

With membership numbers increasing, in the early 1980s it was felt that the time had come to divide the Glasgow and West of Scotland Group into several sections each looking after a smaller area, and consequently in 1982 it was split into three parts: two new groups were formed covering the area north of the Clyde (Milngavie and Bearsden, and Glasgow North), and our name was changed to Glasgow South.

2006 saw the creation of our motorcycle section, initiated by four enthusiastic bikers who approached us to set the wheels in motion. Our bike section has allowed us to bring our road safety activities to the attention of a new group of road users. The following year, we celebrated our fiftieth anniversary as an IAM group.

The main aim of our group has always been to promote better driving throughout our local area.  We do this by running courses, by preparing drivers for the IAM RoadSmart advanced tests, and by giving talks and presentations on advanced driving and riding, as well as on other related topics. At present, we have in excess of 130 members across both our car and bike sections, and we are always looking for new members to join us and help us make our roads safer.

The Committee

Membership Information

Subscription fees for the Glasgow South group are payable annually, and fall due on the 1st January each year.  The fee for full members is £10, which does not include your national IAM RoadSmart membership fee.  We do not charge a fee to associate members undertaking the Advanced Driver or Advanced Rider courses.  Full members and associates are invited to participate in all group events and activities, and full members are also entitled to vote at our AGM in accordance with the rules set out in our constitution.

If you wish to participate in group activities but do not wish to complete the full Advanced Driver or Advanced Rider course, you may become a friend of the group.  The fee for friends is £10.

Your subscription fee is used to cover accommodation and catering expenses at group events, and helps us to continue working to improve road safety in the local area.  Please note that your national IAM RoadSmart membership fee will be requested by IAM RoadSmart annually on the anniversary of your initial application.