link 272 2015 01

THE LINK

the newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

Circulation 450 no: 272 Jan 2015

the LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists Page 1

The Newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

Now that The Holiday is over, we hope you find this January 2015 newsletter interesting, as we move into a new year which will see a pof unprecedented change for the IAM (and for its local Groups).

graphic: kids.nifty.com

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Got something to say? Please don’t be shy. Members, feel free to contact us to talk about what your Club is doing, and what you would like to see it do. Contact Details on the

back page. Contact the Editor now – or any Committee Member.

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Secretary. 22 Highfields Close, Stoke Gifford, BRISTOL BS34 8YB Tel: 0117 979 8061 email: [email protected]

The LINK is produced every 2 months and is displayed freely on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk

Paper copies are printed, collated and despatched by Group volunteers.

Views expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors. Those views do not necessarily represent those of the Editor, the Committee of Bristol Advanced Motorists, or IAM Chiswick. The Group reserves the right to edit or otherwise amend original materiel submitted for publication. If you wish to reproduce any materiel in other publications or places, then please credit the LINK, Bristol Advanced Motorists, as the source.

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Jan 2015 Read this newsletter on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk

Help Wanted VOLUNTEERS NEEDED NOW

Thank-you, our 300 Full Members, for supporting us through your membership subscriptions – it is appreciated - and long may you do so - but it would be gratifying if a few of the 250 ‘armchair’ Members became ‘active’ in some form.

You will read on other pages of our need for help. For starters, our Observers are under strain, because the recent increase in Enrolled Associate numbers means the existing Observers are overloaded.

graphic: redtailarchery.com

To support our ongoing work, we need to make the public aware of our existence, so we are in need of people to help with Field Publicity and various other forms of advertising / awareness activity.

Behind the “Associates and Driver Training” activity, the Group in its present form and structure is essentially a Volunteer Social Club, which needs its social membership in order to sustain the Group and to support Driving Activities financially and encourage volunteering.

The programme of Social Meetings and Social Activities is a local Group’s Shop Window (as opposed to the IAM’s Shop Window of Driving Products) and is the best form of promotion to retain existing Members and attract new members.

However, we are in need of a Social / Activities Organiser. Even the basic Monthly Meeting is under threat because we are in desperate need of a Monthly Meeting Speaker Organiser. There are also other assistant roles available.

So, to help the Group, get volunteering! Contact the Chairman or any Committee Member if you would like to help the Group in any way.

Page 2 the LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

Read this newsletter on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk Jan 2015

Contents this Issue

page Editorial 1 Help Required 2 Recent IAM Test Successes 4 From the Chairman / From the Treasurer 5 Group News 6 £10 Recruitment Incentive 7 3-point-turn no longer to be part of the Driving Test? 8 Looking Back at the Driving Test – and early IAM days too 9 Other Driving News – the Counterpart 9 IAM AGM at Chiswick 10 National Groups’ Conference 13 How to Drive – by the Stig 15 FAD Course 2015 18 No Monthly Meeting in 2016 ? 19 Jan and Feb speakers / BAWA Map / EasyFundraising 20 CALENDAR – WHAT’S ON ? 21 Three-in-a-Car – Dates for 2015 22 November Speaker – Mark Lewis on IAM Standards 23 Clifton Suspension Bridge 150 24 Drive Safely Now – 50 years of Driving 27 Modern Street Lights and Vehicle Lights 34 Great Drives: Bristol 35 Be a Wheeler Dealer 36 Social Media - IAM and Group 37 Excess Books and DVDs for Sale 38 Interested in Advanced Motorbiking? 38 Course / Dates / Assessment / Refresher 39 CONTACT US: your guide to who does what 40

All content compiled by the Editor unless otherwise credited. Contributors: Geoff Bevan, Andy Cole, Martin Evans, Tony Gilbert, Mark Gollop, Paul Hodge, David Howard,

Paul Hunt, Clare Reeves, Mike Roberts. Thank‐you also to all people talked to during research.

Photos by the Editor and unknown sources, unless credited individually.

READ THIS NEWSLETTER ONLINE – OR BE NOTIFIED IT’S READY

The LINK will continue to be printed and mailed – in the short-term at least. For those who request it, we can delete you from the mailing list and instead send you an email notification that the LINK has been put-up on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk We currently have ten Members plus two Complimentaries on that list.




Recent IAM Test Successes by Clare Reeves

Congratulations to the following Bristol Group Skill for Life participants who have recently passed the IAM Advanced Driving Test. ASSOCIATE OBSERVER

GEORGE BARNES DAVE PENGELLY PETER BUSH GEOFF BEVAN STEFAN CEMBROWICZ TONY GILBERT STEFAN CHIFFERS ANDREW NICHOLLS SUE CLIFFORD DAVE PENGELLY RALPH COLMAR MARTIN BAKER ALAN DAWES MALCOLM COLES SERENA GRIFFITHS MARK GOLLOP

You will all be Upgraded to Group Full Member until the end of 2015.

We hope that in due course each of you will continue as both an IAM Member and a Bristol Group Member and support our efforts to help other people in the Bristol area to become better drivers.

above: Stefan Chiffers (left) is presented with his IAM Membership Certificate by one of the Bristol area IAM Examiners, Alan Hale, at a recent Group ‘Meet an Examiner’ meeting.

photo: Geoff Bevan



From the Chairman At the last Committee Meeting of the year, Chairman Andy Cole said, “As we end 2014, the Group is in a good position overall - although a couple of issues exist for us to address in the future. And we already have the prospect of over 20 Associates for our next Skill for Life course in January. To all the Committee, Helpers, and Observers, a big thank-you for all the hard work you put-in to run and administer the Group.” The Minutes of the December Executive Committee Meeting are now available to be read on the Group’s website www.iam-bristol.org.uk – or if you are reading this online, by clicking here . Indeed, all Committee Minutes are posted on our website for your information.

From the Treasurer HAVE YOU RENEWED YET?

Cheque/cash payers who haven’t yet paid will find a Renewal Reminder enclosed with this LINK. We hope you will renew with the Group to help our continuing efforts to make more Better Drivers in Bristol.

This is your opportunity to reconsider and to make a late payment. If you do not renew, this is the last LINK newsletter you will receive.

If you don’t intend to renew, please let me know NOW. This will save us a great deal of time and effort in following-up non-responders.

We apologise if you think you have already paid and yet you still find a Reminder. Our Membership is in flux at this time of year with the January renewal and we hope to have things sorted before the next LINK issue – although experience tells us it will not be until later in the year.

On a better note, we started 2014 with 103 Members who did not update their Standing Orders to the new £20 subscription. We have tried to contact all of them but amazingly we still have 9 who are not resolved one way or the other. This 2015 renewal is their last chance to get sorted. ARE YOU SIGNED-UP WITH THE GROUP FOR GIFT AID? If you are a UK taxpayer, you can sign-up, if you wish, to our Gift Aid scheme at no cost to yourself. We can then claim 25% extra (£5) from HMRC. With a reducing Membership and increased costs it is a very useful source of extra income.

Get in touch with the Treasurer – if not, he will be in touch with you soon!



http://www.iam-bristol.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=816&Itemid=63


Group News YOUNG DRIVER INCENTIVE REFUNDS It was back in mid-2010 that Alan Hale, Senior Road Safety Officer with South Gloucestershire Council, kindly gave the Group some funding to incentivise Young Drivers aged 17-24 to take the IAM’s Advanced Driving course and Test. The first tranche of funding was a joint venture with Bristol City Council, but their policy towards Young Driver Road Safety is more towards discouraging or delaying Young Drivers from taking-up driving. Bristol City Council’s Road Safety Officer, Mike Baugh, did however authorise us to use the remnants of the WST project fund to incentivise 4 further Young Drivers resident in the Council’s area.

The first Young Driver to take advantage was 22-year-old Fraser Riches, who passed his IAM Test in April 2010 and received a full refund of his Skill for Life fee. Since then, Young Driver passes and refunds to date total 47. This includes several passes at F1RST level, and several girls, including Beth Veitch, who passed at F1RST aged 18. Also of note for achieving F1RST with an “all 1s”, "perfect 27" score is Mike Garland.

Unfortunately in the same period 50 Young Drivers lapsed. Most of these dropped-out. Only 3 took the Test and failed. One of those tried again, and got a F1RST on the second attempt. Well done, Rebecca Dick.

The Refund Scheme continues, but we are now using the second tranche of funding, which unfortunately applies to only those Young Drivers who are living/working or studying in South Gloucestershire. Because we find ourselves in a geographical area where 5 Local Authorities hold fort, around half of our Young Driver Associates are not eligible for a refund. LOCAL OBSERVER Good News for the Group. Observer Mark Gollop has been verified by both IAM and IMI as the Group’s first Local Observer. Further, he is one of the first in the whole of the IAM too, because there are only six in total so far. Congratulations, Mark!

There is some confusion over the Local Observer qualification. It is intended as a qualification for new Observers on the ladder towards National Observer. But most of the Group’s existing Qualified Observers will be asked to re-qualify as Local.

There are now 800 National Observers. Bristol Group has several, better than the national average. 90% of Groups have at least one National Observer. The IAM’s target is 2 in every Group by March 2015.



WHO SHOULD GET THE GROUP CUP? At each AGM, the Group Cup is presented to “The Group Member who has promoted the Group with distinction” in the previous year.

Past practice has seen the recipient decided by a discussion at Group Committee. But this year the Committee has decided to open the decision process to all Group Members. So, if you have any suggestions, please inform Secretary Martin, straight away. TRUSTEES WEEK There are behind-the-scenes activities in running a Club/Charity. Treasurer Paul went to a Trustees’ Week event – a reception at The Chapter House, Bristol Cathedral, on the evening of Weds 19 November.

These events are organised to both celebrate the voluntary work Trustees do, as well as to provide a great chance for Trustees to get together to hear about common issues faced by Trustees, and to share experiences. This year talk was of the new Accounting Guide effective in 2015, and the difficulty of getting volunteers. Some small charities need model constitutions and Trustees guides – we are fortunate that the IAM provides these. The evening was hosted by Burton Sweet, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, hoping for business. But we are able to manage without.

The Great Bristol £10 Giveaway! REFER SOMEONE TO SKILL FOR LIFE AND RECEIVE A REWARD

Bristol Advanced Motorists is offering a £10 reward to its current Members and Associates for referring a relative, friend or colleague who signs up and pays in full to take the Skill for Life advanced driving programme with us. Terms & Conditions apply (they’re lovely - see below).

The offer currently applies only to current under-25 Associates who make a successful referral of another under-25 person, but Committee has voted to extend this to all Group Members and Associates as a publicity and recruiting initiative, from 01 January 2015 for a trial period.

Terms and Conditions: The offer applies to referees who take the Skill for Life programme exclusively with Bristol Advanced Motorists. Neither the IAM nor any other IAM Group is subscribing to or taking part in this offer. The referrer must notify the Group with details of the person they will be referring before that person enters into the Skill for Life agreement with the IAM. Retrospective referrals will not be accepted. There is no limit to the number of referrals any Group Member or current Associate can make – there is £10 for each referral. Bristol Advanced Motorists reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any time.

For further information on this offer, call: 0117 256 5555



3-point turn may be dropped from UK Test DVSA CONSIDERING MAJOR CHANGES TO THE L-TEST

The three-point turn and reverse round a corner could be dropped from the UK Driving Test under new DVSA proposals. And Test candidates may also be asked to use satellite navigation instead of following road signs.

A DVSA spokesman told the media, "We are carrying out research to explore how the Driving Test could better reflect real-life driving. 1,000 Learner Drivers will take part in a trial, but changes will be subject to full consultation. We consider that learner drivers should focus on realistic everyday manoeuvres, such as reversing out of a parking bay, or re-joining traffic from the roadside. But reverse parking - parallel or into a bay -would remain as manoeuvres candidates may be asked to perform. Some vehicle-safety questions are currently asked at the start, before the candidate starts driving. In future, one of these may be asked whilst the candidate is driving. For example, a candidate may be asked to show how they would operate the heated rear screen whilst driving along.”

The previous major change came in 2010, candidates having to follow signs to a destination, rather than being given directions – called independent driving. The publishing of Test Routes online was also ceased then – the DVSA “wanting to make the Test more representative of real driving". The now familiar separate Theory Test was introduced in 1996.

The Driving Instructors Association welcomed the plans. Its Chief Executive Carly Brookfield was quoted as saying: "DIA has been heavily involved in the scoping of this project and is enthusiastic about the opportunity it presents to evolve the ‘L’-test to a level where it more realistically assesses a candidate's ability to competently and safely manage road-based risk and driving in real life, on real roads."

The RAC Foundation was more critical: Director Stephen Glaister was quoted as saying: "We rely on SatNav but it is fallible; when it leads us down a dead end we still need to know how to turn around. It's fine to add some aspects, but we should be cautious about removing the basics."

Editor’s Note 1: Plans to raise the driving age and introduce graduated licensing were recently shelved by the UK Government as “unpopular”.

Editor’s Note 2: The 3-point turn, and reversing, are not ends in themselves. Both require Use of Controls, Observation, Planning, Space Awareness and Competency, which are the real things being tested. By contrast, using SatNav is not ‘basic’ and surely should not be in the Test?



Looking Back at the Driving Test – AND EARLY IAM DAYS TOO

An interesting old video from 1959 has recently come up on the Internet, showing the Driving Test (and the IAM viewpoint). It has been posted on the Forum on the IAM website by regular poster Mike Roberts. (Look for: GENERAL - THE TEST 1959 - DEC 21 or go direct to: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=690051301049704

Some wonderful phrases and attitudes are in the narration, and some lovely old ‘real’ cars too! Towards the end of the 8 minute film, the IAM Chief Examiner comes on, in his Sunbeam Rapier, and demonstrates Smoothness with the glass of water on the bonnet. This divides opinion today – some thinking that Smoothness is still important, whilst others favour progress, rapid acceleration etc. . . . Former IAM Bristol Examiner Paul Hodge tells me: “Fab video! And very relevant with the IAM currently considering re-defining its standards. Smoothness should NEVER be sacrificed except in an emergency or when escaping a dangerous-looking situation which requires very prompt action. Advanced Driving is about a lot of basic driving techniques 'coming together'. Moving with the times is very important and modern traffic scenarios demand a lot of attention, technique and expertise, but this does not mean sacrificing smoothness and lowering standards. There are those who will disagree, but 'speed' is not number one in the batting order, although we have to use it to make progress at the right time and under the right circumstances.”

Other Driving News DRIVING LICENCE PAPER COUNTERPART - STAY OF EXECUTION The DVLA has announced that the proposed withdrawal of the paper counterpart of the photocard licence as from 01 January has been put-back to 08 June 2015, apparently because they “did not want to effect changes over the busy festive season”.

When the counterpart is eventually withdrawn, you still need to keep your current photocard driving licence. Old, solely paper, driving licences (those issued before 1998) will remain valid, and should not be destroyed.

The decision to abolish the counterpart was part of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge – to simplify services and move them online.


https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=690051301049704


The IAM AGM by attendee Tony Gilbert

Lord Sempill, then IAM Chairman, speaking at the 1963 AGM. He said that the IAM had made steady progress. He praised the excellent work being done by the Groups, of which there were 29, and urged more IAM Members to support them. The chap to his right is disinterested, the one in front doing the 1963 equivalent of looking at his mobile.

Milestones, the Institute Organ, Spring 1964

Editor’s Introduction: The IAM AGM is a small, ‘suits meeting in a cupboard’ affair. Out of some 90,000 IAM Members, only a handful bother to turn up, so it’s still similar to the scene above. The IAM ‘suits’ sit round a table and outnumber the Ordinary Members attending, so there is little point in going there to express an opinion or to vote-down a proposal. In fact, the introduction of proxy votes from favourable supporters makes ‘attending to make a difference’ worthless. Furthermore, the Membership does not readily find out what is said because, for unexplained reasons, it is not reported in the Institute journal, Advanced Driving – those in IAM communications consider circulating the pre-meeting Annual Report to be sufficient.

This year, Bristol Group Member Tony Gilbert travelled to Ivory Towers in Chiswick and here follows his report:

The 2014 IAM AGM

Thursday 13th November saw the 2014 IAM Annual General Meeting take place at IAM House in Chiswick. Of the IAM’s ninety thousand current paid-up Members, just 15 of us made it to the meeting. The remainder of the 34 attendees were staff and members of the IAM Council, who also had a meeting on the same day. Chairman Alistair Cheyne opened the meeting, and talked about the challenges facing the organisation in the face of “rapidly changing driving and riding technology”. He thanked the charity's volunteers and called for them to go out and spread the word, and to emphasise the potential for



enjoyment in driving in the way that IAM Bike Groups already do. The decrease in membership of recent years slowed during 2013/2014, and has very recently flattened and started to rise slightly.

In the year to April 2014, all commercial divisions of the IAM “made a positive contribution to the balance sheet”. This includes IAM Drive & Survive and the more recent acquisitions - Professional Driver Services and The IAM Driver Retraining Academy. Simon Best, who recently suddenly left the IAM, was Chief Executive for seven years. Alistair said that Simon had balanced the books and laid the foundations for recovery, and thanked him for that. Until a new Chief Executive is appointed, Nick Stonard has taken the role of Acting CEO. Speaking in his former role as Finance Director, Nick described the evolutionary changes to the finances of the IAM over the previous year. He said the Accounts showed a £70k surplus in 2013/14, but that was unlikely to be repeated because of “commitments brought about by recent organisational changes”. Nick Stonard – in his role as acting CEO – talked about the present situation, and plans for continuing into 2015 and beyond. Although subscriptions are set to rise, a concession had been made (in response to request at the last AGM) that Membership subscriptions for Members of 50 years standing or more will be frozen at the current rate. [Ed. – Why not free? Probably because of the membership profile.] Membership numbers stood at 90,459 at 7:00am on the morning the of the AGM. (Apparently membership had been overstated in previous years because of database errors.) Surety Insurance is now used by 34k members. The Advanced Driving journal – now called a “magazine” - has been revised. There are fewer reviews of cars, etc, with the emphasis on pieces about enjoying driving (good roads, trips).

There will be more investment in “Group support”. [Ed. This probably means “more control and standardisation of Associate Training” rather than monetary or admin support for Groups in their current form. ] Throughout the country, there are now 800 National Observers, bringing a new consistency and quality in Associate course delivery.

There is an ongoing review of IAM Standards, starting with the actual IAM Car and Motorcycle Tests and associated processes.



IAM Research will continue to “inform and influence” and a cost of £½ million was mentioned. Drive & Survive turnover was up £0.25m to £1.68m. It is the IAM’s intention to remain in the difficult “Fleet Training” field. Professional Driver Services is meeting expectations, whilst Driver Retraining Academy is set to expand operations into 5 new geographic areas in 2015. IAM “Internal Processes” are being streamlined. The DTE computer database/system is not perfect. It and the website will be improved. Increase in subscriptions The proposed increase was justified on costs/inflation reasons. The widening gap between Direct Debit / Card and the £36 cash price was said to reflect the cost of processing payments. [Ed. Not strictly true – the real reason is that Direct Debit has an inertia effect with direct action needed to cancel, rather than direct action needed to renew.] There were questions from the audience about why fees must increase every year – and a request for discounted subscriptions for pensioners, students, unemployed. The answer was they would be considered – but no enthusiasm was shown for the idea. Vote for Fee increase: For: 1388 Against: 415 Abstentions: 8 (In the room, 28:4 in favour, so more in favour than the proxy votes.) Other questions from the audience ► What can be done to retain newly-qualified members after two and three years? ► Why aren't Ordinary Members more involved in management? (This question came from person not involved with any local Group – in other words, one of the 80+% of “national IAM Members” – and also one who didn't use the Internet.) Answer: For example, the IAM Standards questionnaire is available when signed-in on the IAM website (in the Standards section). News Item: ► Agreed yesterday (Nov 12th) in the light of withdrawal of paper documents, there will be no future requirement for Observers or Examiners to check documentation of Associates. Instead, Associates will self-certify that their vehicle and documents are in order, and will remain so during the course. [Ed. - Exact procedure not yet agreed nor in place.]



The National Groups’ Conference – by the Editor

This time of year sees a lot of IAM ‘HQ Activity’ with the AGM (see elsewhere) mid November and the National Groups Conference, this year held at Aston University, Birmingham, on 1st November.

Rather than the normal ‘talking at you’ presentation, this conference was built almost totally around 5 ‘workshops’, to “provide information and insight about IAM key messages and strategic vision.”

above: Mark Gollop (left), our Group’s Training Administrator, pictured with Nick Stonard, acting IAM Chief Executive, and substantive IAM Finance Director.

photo: Tony Gilbert

Conference opened with an address by Chairman Alistair Cheyne. He said that the local Volunteers are important, and that we are “one organisation, not 200”. This is an admirable aim for co-operation, but straight away one wonders why the Saturday Conference was for Car Groups only, with a separate, near-identical event on the Sunday for the Motorcycle Groups. And we have little information on what the IAM’s three commercial organisations are up to. The various awards were made, including one to some outgoing volunteer Group Co-ordinators. These were unfortunately announced as being “redundant”. The reality is that they have been replaced by two paid Managers in each Region, so the boundary between paid people and volunteers is now right down at the Group level.

The rest of the day was spent in the ‘workshops’, at the same time the delegates being able to ‘read between the lines’ and ‘pick up the vibes’. There are certainly a lot of ‘paid suits’ at the IAM now. The peripheral activity, other than Tests, must be substantial. They are not actually suits – more, ‘Men in Black’. Some say the black trousers and black shirts look intimidating, especially if there is not a smile on the face.



It looked like an OAP Convention. Certainly Mark and Tony looked very young in the company. Two elderly delegates were hobbling on sticks. There was one wheelchair user and the Motorcycle photos show one black person. The attendance list showed 20% females, but it seemed much less. You can see the image of elderly white males, not widely inclusive.

The five workshops each delegate was able to attend were: Overall Strategy (Nick Stonard and Alistair Cheyne) It was said that Simon Best, previous CEO, had put the IAM on track for survival into the future, but the many changes he had made now needed a ‘period of consolidation’. No mention was made of why Simon had left so suddenly. Simon is, incidentally, still listed on LinkedIn as ‘between jobs’. IAM Group Structure (Mark Trimmer and Dave Shenton) The IAM is considering ‘remodelling’ over a 5 year period. This could mean merged Groups and a more consistent approach to the public. Group Committees are suffering from having no succession plans or possibilities. IMI Observer Qualifications A comedy double-act between Amanda Smith and Andy Bolton (Regional Mgr, Central), did not really succeed. It showed a slower than expected take-up and some confusion over the new Local Observer qualification. Driver and Rider Standards In truth, the only true ‘workshop’ of the day. Mark Lewis explained the thinking behind standardising the Test - and Guidance - nationwide – including the major area of Examiner inconsistency. 4 sub-groups went into corners of the room to discuss Steering, Progress, Commentary and Knowledge. When they presented their thoughts, a ‘heated debate’ broke out across the room concerning Steering. This illustrated how difficult Mark’s task will be to define standards to which everyone can agree. Communication Ben Schofield and Paul Woozley described the various communication channels used for Groups, Members and the public. Priority is being put on Social Media, which did not please all present. The various emails to Groups are being rationalised to one. Some ‘Driving Tips’ put out are seen as ‘not Advanced’. But these are aimed at the Public, not Members. Mention was made of the NRG and how that should fit into communication through the Forums to the Groups. Concern was expressed at the low level of information given to Members through the journal. The IAM regards it to be a “magazine”, not a “communication channel” - even though it is actively mailed to all Members. It is continued as “an obligation”.

In all it was a positive and useful day. Conference material and photos are on the IAM website. More of the detail will follow in the next LINK.



Review - New IAM Driving Manual by the Editor to replace both Roadcraft and How to be a Better Driver

Firstly, to avoid any confusion, I must explain that this is just an attention-grabbing headline, and there is no truth in the rumour - yet.

At this time, with both the IAM and the Driving Standards Agency (DVSA) making noises about updating the Advanced and ‘L’ Tests respectively, it is interesting to see what other people are promoting – this new book is surprising in what it says and worthy of consideration.

“Welcome to the next chapter of your driving education”

Ben Collins is of course the man who was the Stig on BBC’s Top Gear for eight years before ‘revealing himself’ a couple of years ago, resulting in him being replaced. His driving skills have been gained and wisdom-refined over many years as one of the best drivers in the world – from Le Mans Series racing to Formula 3 and NASCAR, through car tv commercials to piloting the Batmobile and stunt driving for James Bond. He’s presented on a variety of TV programmes including Fifth Gear and he was in the military – including some time spent as a special forces driving instructor.

So, you would expect this book to be all about racing and speciality driving. OK, admittedly the last 30 pages cover stunt driving techniques, but the other 239 pages are devoted to sensible, safe driving on the road.

It is not a text book, but instruction mixed with humour and anecdotes from Ben’s experiences and philosophy, to help make a point - including the excellent prologue, which describes a road crash Collins was involved in.

Collins says: “It only takes a little effort to make a big improvement in your driving, and the benefits last a lifetime. Whether you’ve been behind the wheel for the best part of thirty years or you bought your ‘L’-plates ten seconds ago, this is the stuff your instructor missed, your dad forgot and your mates pretend to know . . . but don’t. I hope you enjoy the ride. Welcome to the next chapter of your driving education.”


http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LB89OPW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00LB89OPW&linkCode=as2&tag=thedivlin-dsp-21&linkId=GLC6ANZ5F74JBOWM


Collins sets the scene by saying that, “Driving is the most pleasurable thing most of us do, but the most dangerous.” Proportionally, less training is needed to pass a Driving Test than for other mundane activities – being a Starbucks barista for example – and the Driving Test covers a limited syllabus, ignoring areas a driver will meet regularly. Despite this, well under 1% of drivers receive any extra training after the Test.

Whilst Government and Greens concentrate on reducing speed (and making vehicles “safer”), Police crash statistics reveal that the real killer is poor driving. Failure to look properly is the main cause of most crashes and losing control of the car is the cause of most fatalities.

“Vision. Avoid the Diaz moment - when you give something an elongated fixation – it leaves you vulnerable”

New Insurance emphasis on Telemetry confirms that jerky driving is a high risk. Smooth drivers are less likely to crash, because smooth driving requires both proper control and good forward observation.

Collins describes at length the introduction of the UK police driving method, the System. He says it served its purpose in dramatically reducing crashes and found its way into the Driving Test too. He acknowledges some think of it as the holy grail and that questioning it is tantamount to heresy. But, he says, “It’s not just obsolete - it can be dangerous”, especially with the emphasis on speed. But overall, the Police ‘Roadcraft’ concept is “impeccable”, he hints in the acknowledgements.

“It’s not just obsolete - it can be dangerous”

Keeping things separate in the System was needed in 1935. Steering was heavy, with a large wheel; Tyres and suspension were barely able to deal with cornering – let alone multiple forces at the same time; Changing gear needed double de-clutching using the clutch and throttle pedals so that you could not use

the brake pedal at the same time. Today, power steering, good tyres and suspension, synchro gearboxes and power disc brakes call for a rethink.

“Cottenham wouldn’t have expected his 1935 methods to remain unchanged any

more than an RAF pilot would expect a Spitfire manual to be used for a modern jet”

Much of the book bears an uncanny overall resemblance to Roadcraft and HTBABD, although there is a different emphasis on topics. Control basics of Seating, Smoothness, the mechanics of Gearchanging, Steering, Braking and Cornering are covered first, followed by a lengthy section about



Driving Considerations – Avoiding Crashes, Junctions, Overtaking, Motorways, etc. Much coverage is then given to Thinking and Planning, the Mind, Living ‘in the moment’, Attitude, Emotional Clarity, Vision and - Distractions.

“Whoah! Is that Cameron Diaz

driving that BMW MINI ?” photo: Universal: The Holiday

Another section covers extra subjects like Night Driving (including what to eat and drink!), Limits of Grip, Driving in the Wet, in Winter, in Mud, and ‘Worst Scenarios’. There’s also a bit on Skid Control and Cadence Braking - now ‘theory’, which is irrelevant in ABS and ESP-fitted cars.

Some advice is not workable – such as heel and toe for pulling away – or just wrong – dangerously close following distances, “sit as low as possible”, “ice below 3 degrees C” (try 6). But there is a lot of good advice – such as the ‘ECU getaway and short shift into second’, learn the limits of capability, learn normal braking and emergency “stab, squeeze, feather”. And the controversial overlapping, trail braking and, “rotational steering except sharp turns and in car parks”. Near opposite to IAM thinking, but workable. Should we drive by ‘Outcomes’ or ‘Inputs’? Or maybe a balance of both? And “be masters of technology not slaves” which is opposite to IAM and DVSA thinking. Definitely worth a read and consideration.

“Overtake? I need a plan that passes muster .… I don’t want to become

an organ donor”

“Whoah! Is that Cameron Diaz ?”

right: Yes. She tries to reveal the identity of the Stig (Collins) on an off-screen photoshoot at possibly the best-ever Top Gear “Star in a Reasonably-priced Car” gig - in 2010 when Cameron (and Tom Cruise) were the “Jedward replacements.”

photo: BBC photoshoot, this snap credited to carthrottle.uk

How to Drive: the Ultimate Guide, from the Man Who Was The Stig Ben Collins ISBN: 9781447272830 Publisher: Pan Macmillan £20


http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/search_results.jsp;jsessionid=B8B0B79E6DECCFAE0C7F11AD0CFF7749.bobcatp2?author=Ben+Collins&otherbooks=true&authorOp=AND

http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/search_results.jsp;jsessionid=B8B0B79E6DECCFAE0C7F11AD0CFF7749.bobcatp2?publisher=Pan+Macmillan


FAD COURSE 2015 – ROOM FOR MORE PEOPLE! by the Editor – based on materiel from Mark Gollop

Bristol Group has 25 Observers – but that is not enough, and we need more. So we are encouraging Members to take training to become Observers with the Group.

Some new Observer candidates are existing Full Members, but most are ex-Associates who have recently passed the Advanced Driving Test with a standard and enthusiasm above the norm.

Observer training is free, but the annual Further Advanced Driving course, which is run annually to lead into it, costs £39.

So, Members, volunteer. And Observers, nominate suitable ex-Associates. Let’s aim for at least 10 on the 2015 course.

The FAD Course is open to any Member of the Bristol Group, subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-course driving assessment to ascertain their driving standard and overall suitability. However, any Member with a F1RST distinction will be accepted onto FAD without the need for the driving assessment.

FAD involves theory, based on Roadcraft (the Police Driver’s handbook), the Highway Code and Mind Driving (by Stephen Haley). Practical driving sessions, with our experienced National Observers, aim to achieve a driving standard well above the IAM Advanced Driving Test, fluent in System and Commentary. There is a written (multiple choice) test, and a practical driving test.

If you would like to be considered for the 2015 FAD Course, then please contact Mark Gollop, Training Administrator, at [email protected] or phone 01454 773234

Classroom sessions will be on Wednesdays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th May, at which we plan to have ‘professional presenters’, and there will be flexible arrangements for on-road practical elements.

The course has a fixed latest end-date of 31st August, some time soon after which an Observer course will be held.




No Monthly Meetings in 2016 ?

2015 will kick-off with a speaker from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau followed in February by a delegate from a local diabetic group speaking on the problems that diabetes can cause the older driver.

Highlight of 2015 – surely it will be the Inter-Group Quiz in September. Once upon a time it was the winning Group that hosted the following year, but that is now more diplomatically arranged to circulate around the local Groups and 2015 is our year.

We also have lined-up for 2015: ● Martin Baker - Great Western Society ● Tim Hills - Uganda project http://www.fingerprintsinuganda.org/ ● Driver Trainer from Avon Fire and Rescue ● IAM Drive and Survive (Driver Education Courses) ● Territorial Army presentation on Drink-Driving ● Group Members’ DriveCheck Evening (Summer)

BUT NOW WE RETURN TO THE HEADLINE: POST-HOLDER CLARE HAS RESIGNED and the Group is in real need for someone to take over to organise speakers for 2016. ARE YOU THE NEW MONTHLY MEETING SPEAKER ORGANISER ?

Anyone interested in contacting possible speakers, sending a reminder, a thank-you email and liaising with the Group’s Editor and Publicity Officer – the job is yours.

Contact the Chairman or any Committee Member.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY (SHORT TERM?)

REPORTER NEEDED to write a SHORT IMPRESSION of the presentations at Monthly Meetings for placing in the newsletter. Interested? Contact the Editor or any Committee Member. Act Quickly – there may not be any Meetings or Newsletters in 2016.


http://www.fingerprintsinuganda.org/


JANUARY and FEBRUARY SPEAKERS Join us at BAWA on Tuesday 27th January for our first meeting of 2015, when Paul Ryman-Tubb of the Motor Insurers' Bureau will talk to us. We understand he will cover various issues affecting Insurance premiums, such as uninsured drivers. BAWA Pavilion 7:30pm for 7:45 start.

And join us on Tuesday February 24th to hear our speaker Sandra Tweddle of Diabetes Support. More details will follow by email circulation (if you are registered) and will be on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk

BAWA Location and Travel Directions

Bristol Group holds Meetings at the BAWA Club, in Filton, in the north of the city.

The BAWA Club is the social facility of British Aerospace. Modern rooms and ample secure car parking space.

Use our Charity Cashback Scheme by the Editor

SHOP ONLINE via Easyfundraising.org.uk – the UK’s leading good-cause shopping site - and registered retailers will make a donation to us, at no extra cost to you. It's really simple – all you need to do is register. Our 31 registered members have raised £45 this quarter - £600 since we started – and the 11 who use the handy prompting Toolbar earn even more.

MAKE INTERNET SEARCHES via iambristol.easysearch.org.uk and click on one resulting option - and you will raise half a penny. It soon adds up - members have raised over £200.

UNSURE WHAT TO DO ? Use this link (if you are reading this online) to sign-up and Easyfundraising will donate £1 to us. Or the Group’s Geoff Bevan or Martin Evans will advise you. See the Contact Us details – on the back page.


http://www.iambristol.easysearch.org.uk/

http://easyfundraising.org.uk/iambristol/


http://easyfundraising.org.uk/iambristol/

http://iambristol.easysearch.org.uk/

http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/invite/3TH5Y4/2CJN5L/


CALENDAR for Bristol Advanced Motorists Next Club/Social Meeting Topic – January 27th

Speaker: Paul Ryman-Tubb - Motor Insurers' Bureau BAWA Pavilion Room 7:30pm for 7:45 start

JANUARY 2015 Wed 21 January Advanced Driving Course - Seminar One BAWA 7:30pm. Pre-booking required – see page 39 Tue 27 Monthly Meeting BAWA Pavilion 7:30pm for 7:45 start Paul Ryman-Tubb - Motor Insurers' Bureau Wed 28 Advanced Driving Course - Seminar Two. BAWA 7:30pm

FEBRUARY Tue 10 Exec Committee Meeting - second Tuesday of each month. If you wish to raise an issue, contact the Group Chairman. Sat 21 Copy Deadline for LINK newsletter, March edition Tue 24 Monthly Meeting BAWA Pavilion 7:30pm for 7:45 start Sandra Tweddle - Diabetes Support MARCH Mon 09 Newsletter Collation at BAWA 4:30pm until 7:00 approx To volunteer – contact Andrew Nicholls Wed 11 Advanced Driving Course - seminar 3 – Meet an Examiner BAWA 7:30pm ALL CURRENT ASSOCIATES WELCOME Tue 24 Monthly Meeting BAWA Pavilion 7:30pm for 7:45 start Sat 28 Three-in-a-Car (see page 22) at Keynsham 10.00am Bath Hill Car Park note: no loos on site

APRIL 2015 Tue 28 Looking further forward – date of the Bristol Group AGM Make a note in your diary now! NOTE: A programme of 2015 Three-in-a-Car dates has been arranged for you. See page 22 for details.

DON’T BIN IT – PASS IT ON for publicity When you have finished with your LINK, don’t throw it away. Please pass it on to a relation, friend or work colleague - or take it to a Surgery or Dentist’s waiting room (if allowed under H&S rules), company rest room, or similar. It gets our name out there – and maybe attracts a new Associate.



Three-in-a-Car by the Editor

The October 19th event at Keynsham attracted over 20 Members and Associates – and Examiner Andy Poulton – to round-off a successful year.

above: Most of the attendees, pictured at the start of the event at Keynsham’s Ashton Way car park – excluding photographer and latecomers. Chairman Andy Cole takes control (front centre) with official-looking IAM clipboard. photo: Geoff Bevan

Invitation to FREE 3-in-a-Car sessions 2015

Sat Mar 28 Keynsham 10.00am Bath Hill Car Park note: no loos on site Sat May 16 Old Sodbury, Cross Hands 10.00am Thu Jul 02 Thornbury, Leisure Centre 19.30pm Sun Aug 09 Gordano M5 Services 10.00am Sat Sep 12 Old Sodbury, Cross Hands 10.00am Sun Oct 25 Keynsham 10.00am Ashton Way Car Park

Whether a Member or an Associate of Bristol Advanced Motorists, this is your opportunity to catch up on a few Advanced Driving tips. Even if you’ve never been on a TiC you’ll be most welcome.

Advanced Driving is a perishable skill – your standard will drop off unless you do some maintenance – and Three-in-a-Car can be seen as a form of free Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to help you do that. So don’t drop-out: ► Keep Active ► Keep involved. ATTEND IN 2015 – even if it’s only once - especially if you haven’t been assessed since took your Test a few years ago.



November Group Meeting – Mark Lewis

Mark Lewis – IAM Director of Standards – journeyed down to Bristol, giving us a great local chance to share our opinions with the man himself before the next version of HTBABD (or whatever it becomes) is finalised.

We were lucky in that Mark was able to get to Bristol a couple of hours before the meeting. One of our National Observers went for a drive with him, which provided an opportunity to discuss driving matters. The Observer said afterwards, “It was a pleasure to watch an expert driver in action. “Discussions en-route revealed a lot of common ground, and Mark seemed prepared to be open to considering some quite radical ideas.”

The meeting started with a version of Mark’s recent Groups Conference presentation (you can see a video of it on the IAM website). Of course at the start was the Pit Stop analogy video. (Put ‘Formula 1 Pit Stops 1950 and Today –YouTube’ into a search engine of your choice.) Mark then went into more detail about the discussions the Standards Committee has been having over various topics, including: ● How important is a moving brake test? ● How much manual control is required of an automatic gearbox? ● Should commentary be an essential part of advanced driving? ● How do you define ‘progress’, and just how much is expected? ● There are big Regional variations in what Examiners expect on Test.

All-in, the presentation and questions lasted 90 minutes, and by the end the feeling in the room seemed pretty positive - that the case for a thorough review of standards had been made, and that the concerns that were raised would be considered. Mark has a tough task, in that, whatever the results are, they won't please everybody, but we were reasonably reassured that it's being done by the right people for the right reasons.

Mark spoke very well and was generally well received, although some Members were a little concerned that changes would be made to the wrong areas and detract from the original aims of the IAM and the Test, and a few thought that Chiswick office-wallahs would not take enough notice of the Observers, working at the sharp end of Skill for Life delivery.

Visitors from other local Groups were at the meeting, along with Bristol ex-Examiner Paul Hodge who came from London. Mark indicated he would be pleased to speak at other Groups’ meetings to widen the participation.

Editor’s note: This piece is a compilation of a couple of Group Members’ postings from the IAM Forum, and comments of Members at the meeting.



Suspension Bridge 150 by David Howard and the Editor

Monday December 8th saw the 150th anniversary of Bristol’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, which has been the cover subject of our LINK newsletter since 1971. In a modest replication of the original 1864 ceremony, there was a music performance, after which at 3:00pm North Somerset Community Brass Band led a parade of dignitaries consisting of the Lords Lieutenant of Bristol and Somerset, the Lord Mayor of Bristol and the Chairman of North Somerset Council, the Master and members of the Merchant Venturers, members of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Bridge Trustees, etc. over the bridge. The 1864 opening, at 12noon on Thursday December 8th 1864, involved a 2-mile long procession from Old Market with 150,000 spectators and a large grandstand holding 1,400 at the Clifton end of the bridge. On that evening a light show of dim electric lamps and magnesium flares (badly affected by the wind) ended the day. By contrast 2014’s elaborate and somewhat vulgar firework display on the evening of December 7th was of the greatest appeal to today’s audience.

photo: Jon Kent, Western Daily Press

The public opening was on the following day, Friday December 9th 1864. The first across was 21 year old Mary Griffiths from Hanham, who picked up her long skirts and raced a young man, from Clifton across to Leigh Woods, and beat him by a few yards. Mary paid a one penny toll to cross.

Traffic (and toll revenue) was minimal because the bridge was more a vanity project than a vital transport link. When Sir Abraham Elton, of Clevedon Court, laid the foundation stone in 1831 he called the bridge “the ornament of Bristol and the wonder of the age”. Indeed, the bridge has become the symbol and icon of Bristol. Traffic and toll revenue increased after 1920 with development, and the motor car.



The survival and excellent condition of the bridge today owes much to the fact that construction was delayed for 33 years. The bridge was Brunel’s first solo project (at age 24) but remained unfinished when he died. Meanwhile, he had completed his other famous railway, engineering and maritime efforts; including a pedestrian suspension bridge across the Thames at Hungerford – opened in 1845 and little-known . . . . .

Project history: In 1753 Bristolian merchant William Vick left a bequest in his will of £1,000 to build a bridge. Forward to 1831 and one of Brunel’s designs was eventually chosen. The first compromise was made – the judges said the gorge was too wide for one span, so the design was altered to include a 110 ft (34m) abutment away from the Leigh Woods cliff edge.

A ceremony to mark the start of the construction works was held on 21 June 1831 but a few days later work was halted by the Bristol Riots, which badly affected commercial confidence in Bristol; subscriptions to the bridge company ceased, and work stopped. Work re-started in 1836, but investment was insufficient and with just the towers built, the project was abandoned in 1843. In 1851 the ironwork on site was sent for re-use in Brunels’ Royal Albert railway bridge at Saltash. Proposals to demolish the unsightly towers atop the gorge came to nothing.

After Brunel’s early death in 1859 his colleagues in the Institution of Civil Engineers decided to complete the bridge as a memorial. Distinguished civil engineers John Hawkshaw and William Barlow modified the design with a wider, stronger iron deck, different chain anchorages, and triple chains instead of double – with stronger hangers. Actually the chains from Brunel’s short lived Hungerford bridge, taken down in 1860 to be replaced by a railway bridge, were re-used at Clifton with some new additions.

Although the finished bridge lacked Brunel’s proposed ornate appearance, it looked, and was, much stronger. Brunel’s basic design was still there, and at 702 feet (214m) it was one of the longest spans in the world, distinguished by the great height of 245ft (76m) above high water. It was load-tested at 500 tons, so although intended for pedestrians and the occasional horse and cart, it is capable of carrying modern traffic. By contrast, Brunel’s 1852 600ft Tubular Suspension Bridge on the South Wales Railway at Chepstow (right) was the prototype for the 1859 Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash, which is still in use. The Chepstow



bridge however suffered from high stress which caused partial failure of a plate girder in 1944. Repairs were made, but by 1962 the bridge had been completely rebuilt into an inverted box girder form. Similar reconstruction would probably have been needed if the Clifton bridge had been finished as planned in the 1830s. As it is, the initial private finance and tolls (levied from day 1) have allowed constant maintenance to be carried out. 99% of the ironwork is original. One hanger had to be replaced recently, and one link was destructively tested.

The bridge (and nearby cliff edge) is an unfortunate magnet for ‘jumpers’. Hundreds have fallen to their deaths, the last one only this November. Only 4 have survived, notably 22-year-old Sarah Henley, who in May 1885 “looked depressed in spirits and rushed to end her life by the fearful leap from the Suspension Bridge." It was a breezy day and air blew beneath her crinoline skirt and both slowed her fall and blew her onto the soft muddy riverbank. No bones were broken and she lived to reach 85 years.

Another type of ‘jumper’ first incarnated here on 1 April 1979, when the first modern bungee jumps were made from the bridge by members of the University of Oxford Dangerous Sports Club.

Other events to celebrate 150 years include ‘Walking the Chains’, a show in Brunel’s Passenger Shed at Temple Meads Station (11-25 January) combining Bristol’s Show of Strength Theatre Company and contemporary circus performers, Circomedia. Early in 2014, ‘Human Harp’, a project run by ‘creative performance artists’ to use sounds from structures to produce music, planned to stage a performance on the bridge. Nothing heard since? Apparently, the bridge has “a rich, sub-sonic droning sound”. Brunel was also an ‘artist’ and conservationist. He was aware of rare plants and ordered workmen to carefully remove them from the work site and take them to a safer, less accessible location. He had a remarkable eye for proportion and form. The bridge has a slope on it, three feet lower on the Leigh Woods side, to counteract an illusion that would otherwise make it appear non-level. The towers are not identical. Few original plans exist so the reason is unclear. It was only in 2002 that engineers discovered that the Leigh Woods abutment is not solid, but 12 large vaulted chambers. Visit the new, Heritage Lottery-assisted, Visitor Centre to learn more. Perhaps a Group Visit for the new organiser? image: popperphoto/getty images (dated 1856 )



50 Years of Driving by Paul Hodge

On 9th October 1964, on my 17th birthday, Dad drove the family Commer van to Greenway Boys' School, Doncaster Road, Southmead. With a set of ‘L’ plates in place and my provisional licence in hand, I drove home - not that far, actually, as we lived at the other end of the road at number 29!

Within 4 weeks I had passed the test, impressing the Examiner with the way I corrected my initial attempt at reversing around a corner after mounting the kerb with the rear wheel! This very fair and reasonable attitude, endorsing common sense and true ability judgment, remained with me throughout my driving career, as I later conducted 1341 advanced driving tests for the IAM and, between 1975 -1981, I was a Police Driving Instructor for 43 courses: 16 in-force and the other 27 at the Regional Driving School, Devizes. I joined the Bristol IAM Group the following year, so I have now completed 32 years.

So! At 17 years and 1 month, I drove to school and gratefully accepted the parking space allocated alongside those for the teaching staff. When the time came for 5 of us to go to nearby Pen Park Girls' School to complete our A-Level French studies (after our French master was promoted and moved to another school) the Commer and its column gear change was commissioned for transport duties and I, of course, was the nominated driver. Thus, my CV shows that I attended Pen Park Girls' School, and not many males can include such a wonderful experience on their own CV, it has to be said!

50 years later, I can happily report that I have never filled in an insurance claim for an accident (no doubt ‘collision’ in today's terminology), but I have had two incidents of note, the first being when I reversed a Morris



1000 Panda car into a wheelbarrow, which was unbeknown to me placed behind the vehicle by a workman, resulting in one of the rear lights being broken when I was trying to drive off in Bower Ashton.

The second incident in the early 1970s caused exactly the same damage to the policewomen's car I was driving, though loss of memory forbids a reason as to why I was entrusted with it that day. As I slowed down for the Old Market roundabout, applying the footbrake smoothly but with the degree of firmness required (you learn so much on these courses! ), the following driver failed to do the same, misjudged the distance and brought about that most irritating sound for motorists - the breaking of glass! "No other damage to report, Your Worships," I hasten to add at this juncture, neither privately, work-wise or IAM-wise, apart from the dented grille of the Commer one day in the winter snow when I slid into a lamppost in Kingsholm Road in Southmead. This required quick thinking to conjure up a foolproof plan to put things right before Dad got home from a day's duty as a bus conductor at the Muller Road Depot. Brother Philip and I returned home and drove into our garage, then tied a rope around the grille and attached it to the central leg of Dad's bench - his pride and joy.

Such initiative deserved success but .. er .. um .. perhaps I should have reversed a little slower and given the rope a fair chance of straightening the grille because all of a sudden the bench came away from the wall and all the shelves and tools aplenty came crashing down. Suffice it to say that it tested Dad's character that day but the three of us did laugh a lot ... eventually!

During my driving career I have only ever had one parking ticket, which I challenged and won, and a PCN for a box junction offence in London in June 2014 (my 50th year - nearly made it! ) is now going to a tribunal and will be the subject of another article, as and when.

I have only owned 10 vehicles: an Austin Cambridge, a campervan, a Toyota Carina, a Ford Escort, a Cortina 1600E (now, there's a very nice car), a Peugeot 405 left-hand drive automatic, a Renault 5, two BMC minis and a Land Rover Discovery which I've happily driven for the last 14 years and which has my own personalised number plate P999 DSN. This was bought for £250 using my initial P, the 999 is obvious and the letters of the 3 words Drive Safely Now which I opted to use many, many years ago to help promote and support my enthusiasm for all matters relating to road safety, including education, training, projects and initiatives.



I have been so fortunate to have assisted, and been assisted by, members of the Bristol Group by way of demonstration drives, lectures and talks, starting and supporting the 3-in-a-car sessions, organising driving competitions, devising the road route for the Lorry Driver of the Year for a number of years and encouraging members to be part of it all as marshals, scorers and helpers. Great team work, I have to say, and thanks to all concerned.

I've also experienced the process for becoming a qualified ADI, though to this day I have never agreed with the Examiner's decision to fail me for not using an indicator when stopping by a post box. A matter of opinion, but he had the pen in his hand, so despite nearly 50,000 miles as a Police Instructor, and numerous successful candidates for the basic driving test beforehand, I failed at less than 15mph in a residential road. I later qualified but chose to 'retire' from being an ADI when the rules changed due to new legislation. No real complaint on my part - just part of the reality of life.

Driving has provided so many great experiences, too many to list in total in this article, but some do come easily to mind, such as sharing driving duties from Miami to Wisconsin with a friend covering 2,500 miles in 5 days for a new nursing contract, two trips to France, the first being to meet my school pen-friend from 1959, Janine, and a trip for 4 of us to the truly delightful countryside of Southern Ireland.

My daughter, now aged 40, was in fact named after one of the most scenic and beautiful regions of the country: the Ring of Kerry. I wanted to name her ‘Ring’ but her mum insisted on choosing ‘Kerry’. That said, just 12 hours before she did indeed enter the world in May 1974, courtesy of the excellent staff at Southmead Hospital, we made the decision to stop and arrest the driver of a stolen car whilst Pauline and I were on our way to the hospital from Keynsham.

A memorable moment! A media moment! We appeared on television and also featured on page 7 of The Sun (I still have it) with the Formula 1 star James Hunt appearing on page 3 and Brigitte Bardot looking lovely on the centre pages to celebrate her 40 years. Sometimes life is simply about 'just going for it' and hoping you make the right decision - hero or villain … a very thin line!

Enchanting though Ireland may be, the joys of motoring were 'seriously challenged' when we broke down twice before getting anywhere near the ferry. The first required a sleepover on a garage forecourt. In the



morning we needed some milk for our cereal so Margaret and I made our way to the milk float around the corner. We paid for a pint but just as the milkman was driving away we realised that we had both taken a bottle, so Margaret tried to put hers back, caught her bracelet in a 20-pint crate and it crashed onto the road smashing all 20 pints! Apologising most profusely, we quickly helped clear up the mess and paid for all the bottles we had broken before rather sheepishly returning to the campervan to continue with our breakfast.

"Great," said Ray, "you've got some milk! That was lucky the milkman was passing by just at the right time." But then it dawned on us - we had both put our bottles of milk in other crates on the float when we started to help mop it all up. True, we had paid for 21 pints but ... we still did not have any milk for our breakfast that morning, though trying not to laugh aloud was not an option here, I do assure you.

Laughter has also featured many times during my Police driving career; for example, when I was crewed one night shift with Alan Hale, the road safety officer for South Gloucestershire and a much valued supporter of the IAM.

Alan was driving when we were tasked with taking a small dog to the Bristol Dogs' Home. So, with the little fella sitting quite comfortably on my lap and enjoying the constant stroking and attention I was giving it, Alan could not resist one of the main reasons for our very existence on road traffic duties by electing to follow a 'speeder' along the Portway, under the Suspension Bridge and out onto the Long Ashton by-pass. We were getting ready to stop the offending vehicle when the dog reacted to the speeds involved and was understandably sick all over the front of my tunic. Alan laughed, and did not stop laughing as I got out of the patrol car with the dog tucked safely under my arm. I walked quite boldly, and with as much professionalism as I could muster, towards the errant motorist who was waiting patiently wondering what lay ahead. I spoke to him in a calm and reasoned voice. "Sir, if it wasn't for this dog under my arm and the state of my uniform, I would be reporting you for speeding." We both laughed at the same time, and no doubt the dog was having a good chuckle as well, so we shook hands and left it at that. Job done! Great days! Fond memories!

Then again, being part of a group of officers working nights at Broadbury Road when the 'older members' chose to attach a big ‘Just Married’ banner to the back of the large police sign on top of the Panda car used by the newly promoted Sergeant to weave his way in and out of the traffic



en-route to an alarm call in Totterdown, surely merits inclusion in the anecdotes of driving, or perhaps not if the reader takes a dim view about lack of professionalism, but it did work wonders for bonding the Sergeant and his troops together for future incidents involving the Police and the public. Always good to look for the positives in life!

It is often said that 'simple is best', so whilst appreciating the huge advances made with today's modern technology, it is important not to forget how far Police technology has advanced from a few decades ago, as evidenced around midnight one shift when we were instructed to go to the Tax Office next to the Colston Hall to search the files for the owner of a particular vehicle. The key was held in the Control Room on the 4th floor of New Bridewell (now sadly demolished). This meant parking, going up in the lift, collecting the key, coming back down in the lift - and all taking up very valuable time.

So! Applying the maxim 'simple is best', we positioned ourselves below the window of the Control Room and waited ... until the window opened and the said key was lowered on a piece of string. Again, job done! Move on!

The list goes on but one of my favourite stories of all is .. er .. only loosely connected with driving and is now very unlikely ever to be repeated due to the closure of Police Stations all over the country. On duty as the Station Sergeant one night at Redland Police Station (which has recently sold for £1.4 million) with my colleague Ian, there was a tap on the sliding windows at the counter. When Ian opened them we were greeted by two very lovely young ladies with two of our traffic cones on their heads and both were um .. er .. topless, actually. They very calmly and politely said: "Can you please tell us how to get to so and so?"

Ian turned and looked at me for some supervisory guidance so, upholding once again the dignity and integrity as befits the rank, I instructed him to give the young ladies the directions they needed whilst they continued to keep our cones model-like on their heads. Ian started to do the best he could but it wasn't long before we all started laughing aloud. "OK, girls, what's it all about then?" I said. "We're students. We've done it as a dare. Hope you guys don't mind."

Quickly moving on ... and the experience of hanging-on one-handed to the wooden frame used for glass on the side of a van, which I had commandeered in full uniform, with a handbag and lady's shoe in the other, is something not to be forgotten. But it happened, and in true Keystone Cops mode, after an interrupted raid on a nearby shop, I was able to



shout, "Stop at East Street Police Station, driver, and let me off, please," as we passed startled members of the public on both sides of the street - and the guy who came into the same station one night with blood pouring from his leg claiming to have been in a road accident was duly 'found out' when we followed his bloody footprints to Lombard Street where they stopped at the 'kicked-in' doors of Woolworths, is also something which readily comes to mind.

Not everyone can say that they have had the good fortune to be in the pace car one weekend at Brands Hatch. For this very special treat I am indebted to the late John Hutchins, a genuinely nice guy and staunch supporter of the Bristol Group. John looked after me very well that weekend, and the sight of the late Formula 1 icon, Ayrton Senna, leaving the pits to start his demonstration laps was a joy to behold.

Driving the coach from Horfield Prison to the courts in Swindon with some of those arrested following the 30-month Operation Julie investigation for the production of LSD worth £6.5million, and the high-speed escort by colleagues in patrol cars and on motorbikes down Muller Road and onto the M32 was quite thrilling, it has to be said, plus the chance to utilise all the skills and training acquired was not likely to be missed that day, particularly as I had received some expert mentoring and guidance from some of the very best, and more senior, officers from the Road Traffic Department.

My most recent driving adventure was in May this year when my friend for decades, Bill Naish ( Willie Nelson look-alike ) and I decided to do the A66 because we were not able to do the famous Route 66. It was my wife's idea to complete the 115 miles from Middlesbrough to Workington in the Land Rover. Helen thought it would be great fun for two 66-year olds but it had to be done before Bill made 67 in June (October for me) - and fun it most certainly was for the entire 1053 miles from and back to Bristol. We agreed not to moan or groan, talk politics or try to put the world to rights, so we kept laughing the 6 nights we were away enjoying the absolute freedom of it all and the great hospitality from the B & Bs we had booked before leaving.

Richard Littlejohn from the Daily Mail would have been proud of us as we had the words: 'BOTH 66', 'Travelling the A66', '21-28 May 2014' and 'Having Fun Whilst We Still Can!' printed on the back of our yellow hi-viz tabards, thus ensuring that we met up with some lovely people along the way, including the fun-loving group of pensioners from Bristol who were in



the famous cafe in Holmfirth when we dropped in for a cuppa knowing it was used for filming in the Last of the Summer Wine series.

Finally, having had the chance to address 350 magistrates and two groups of CPS staff regarding the introduction of the speed cameras 22 years ago, and not many people can claim to have done something similar, and also having had the pleasure of passing on knowledge, experience of life, useful tips and helpful advice to a whole variety of drivers and other road users, may I respectfully suggest that my belief (and agreed by others, I know) of having fun, and creating a most enjoyable and friendly atmosphere for teaching. learning and discussion, should be encouraged and fully supported.

My time has come and gone! I've enjoyed it all from the Commer van to the Land Rover - 50 years. True, I am still driving, and a new generation of drivers is here in 2015, but if the Common Sense, Road Sense and Sense of Survival ethos is used, and the Police and other agencies adopt a fair and very reasonable attitude when dealing with the enforcement of speed limits, for example, and revisit the original 1993 enforcement policy, then many accidents will continue to be prevented whilst maintaining an even better relationship with many members of the public. Well, that's one of my opinions on matters relating to road safety - and after 50 years, and as a Prince Michael of Kent Road Safety Award winner, I do believe I have earned the 'right' to express it!!

DRIVE SAFELY NOW!

Editor’s Footnote: Paul ceasing his IAM involvement is the end of an era. Many Members will have memories and anecdotes concerning him. For example, Paul Hodge was the Examiner in Bristol who tested me when I was one of the first to take the ‘new’ Senior Observer Test in 1994. Some of you may even recall the time when Paul was Editor of this LINK newsletter. We may still see him – he came from London to attend our November Meeting!



Modern Streetlamps and Vehicle Lights Editor Paul says: As a result of the piece in the November LINK, a few Members have spoken to me in agreement. The comments all relate to: 1. The new side-road streetlamps dazzle at close quarters, and make it difficult to see in the dark patches between lamps, and 2. Why do modern headlamps and day running lights dazzle so much?

LED LOCAL STREETLAMPS – SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE STYLE They dazzle close-up because no diffusers are fitted. A driver can cut-out direct light from overhead (and also screen reflections) by dropping the sun visors, but this is not advisable because vision will be restricted and high–mounted signs and traffic lights can be obscured.

Modern cars seem not to have the 1980s built-in translucent coloured sun-band at the top of the screen, which would be ideal. Aftermarket semi-translucent plastics-strip items are available from Accessory shops but will only adhere to plain glass – not the black-speckled shield now popular around interior mirrors. Solid obscure “motorsport” bands are of no use on the public road – they have the same danger as sun visors.

CAR HEADLAMPS The ubiquitous 55watt Halogen bulb has been with us for years. The usual warm, orangey light is well-suited to night vision. However, modern units tend to use whiter, blue-er lamps and some have High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps, also blue-white. Replacement upgraded (e.g. +100%) bulbs are also white, but the filament may not match the old lamp unit reflector, causing dazzle. The whiter brighter light may give a little more visibility in dry conditions, but in the wet they may seem duller than standard bulbs – because of the different type of light and the poorer surface reflection. Brighter bulbs however cause glare and dazzle to oncoming drivers. If you have an older car, it’s best to stick to standard original-equipment bulbs. Dazzle also comes from bright dipped lights and DRLs behind you – you can use your dipping mirror, but you then cut-out all the other detail as well.

DAY RUNNING LAMPS (DRLs) These are Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which are point-sources and can dazzle. EC regulations seem laxly applied, some lamps appearing brighter than others. And brightness-per-watt of LEDs is ever-increasing. There are safety issues – maybe obscuring indicators, and no rear lamps required. Some owners may fit aftermarket DRLs or aftermarket LED headlamp units, but quality is probably poor and so will cause dazzle. Upgrading with LED or HID bulbs fitted to existing headlight housings is a legal no-no, although once fitted these are very difficult for an MoT Tester to detect.



Great Drives: Bristol – [ George Ferguson style ]

Take a look at your IAM glossy ‘mag’, Advanced Driving, before you toss it into the recycling bin. The IAM news and advanced driving content is now padded-out with general space-filler stuff on the lines of “Great Drives”.

The Chiswick hierarchy thinks that IAM Members actually like this stuff, so I thought, “Let’s do the same in the LINK”. So here is a “Great Drive” based in the Bristol area, inspired by the thoughts of Bristol’s current anti-car Elected Mayor, George (red trousers) Ferguson.

The first thing of course is to put away your car keys, because you won’t be needing them. Then you need to buy the guide book – so get on your push bike or use the bus to get down to Cabot Circus or Cribbs – but that’s likely to be an epic adventure in itself and take too long, so maybe order it on the Internet. You also need to get hold of a local train timetable.

Select your desired route from the guide book – there are sixteen given, in detail. Then, on the day, get up bright and early and again use your bike or the bus to travel to Bristol Temple Meads or maybe a local station on the Severn Beach Line. Board the train - get off the train at the correct station – and then, get walking! Walk fast enough to ensure you get back to the station in time to catch the last train and maybe the last bus home.

The guide book details 70 public houses, so drink, food and shelter is available, whether your walk takes-in the Dings, Lawrence Hill, Clifton, or even the old Aust Ferry site. The Severn Beach Line is maybe one of Europe’s top scenic rail routes, with extremely diverse surroundings - so also maybe ride the whole line to see Georgian and Victorian suburbs, relics of Bristol’s industrial past, the Avon Gorge, and ending at a strange “seaside” resort on the riverbank.

The guide? Newly published, Walks from Bristol’s Severn Beach Line , by Andrew Swift. Available from good booksellers in Bristol and Bath, or from www.akemanpress.com ISBN 9780956098955 £15

Oh, and by the way, the book has a foreword by red trousers himself!


http://www.akemanpress.com/


Become a Wheeler Dealer

One of the concerns around the IAM Advanced Driving Qualification is that IAM Members and Associates have an insufficient appreciation of how a car works – not necessarily the complex engineering details, but in general how operation of the controls transfers to movement along the road, and the physical processes and limitations. If you know nothing of that, then surely you can’t be considered an “advanced” driver?

So, Members and Associates - view some television as homework! Wheeler Dealers – Freeview, Quest channel 37 (formerly on Discovery).

Ostensibly about buying cars and selling them on for a profit, each one–hour programme sees cheeky-chappy car dealer Mike Brewer buy a 25-year-old ‘modern classic’, and mechanic Edd China (and various specialists, and just out-of-shot mechanic Paul Brackley) wield the spanners to bring it back to tip-top condition. You soon realise that

there is more to it, and that really it is an ‘education’ programme. Every car featured has its faults – miraculously, different faults – it is TV after all and the cars are doubtless ‘set-up’ somewhat beforehand. Edd not only ‘does the repairs’, but describes in simple terms how the parts work and what they do – and the importance of keeping them in serviceable condition. You don’t become a mechanic, but at least you understand some of the basic workings.

Mike Brewer (below) and Edd China (left) sitting in a VW T2 van project

photo: Quest TV



For example, the 1988 Lancia Delta Integrale seemed to be packed with faults – perhaps unsurprisingly - and you learnt about the alternator, disc brakes, steering joints, radiator, a mini-service, bodywork mopping and polishing – and a couple of other obvious faults went un-mentioned!

20 or 30-year-old cars are chosen for a reason – they are relatively-easy to work on, and for the camera to see the components - compared with a modern vehicle’s tightly-packaged complexity and mass of electronics.

The programme is not just for the benefit of IAM members – it is one of the most popular programmes on TV – running for 11 years or more. It also reflects the changing nature of motoring. Back in the 1960s and 1970s your Editor did many repairs on the driveway – things such as cylinder head gaskets, suspension re-bushing, as well as full servicing. Evening classes in car maintenance covered such things. Nowadays, a car maintenance class only covers checking the levels, which every motorist regularly did of a Sunday morning, but is a mystery to modern drivers. Even changing a wheel is nowadays considered too advanced and difficult.

So tune-in to Wheeler Dealers - and get learning!

Un-Social Media - IAM and Group

“Facebook and Twitter are the future, the only way.” “Everybody is on Facebook.” (so says IAM Communications)

IAM Chiswick is moving to “a greater focus on social media” to “improve its ability to both inform and influence”. ‘Like’ the IAM on Facebook, ‘follow’ the IAM on Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+, subscribe to the IAM’s YouTube channel. Also, IAM Drive & Survive has its own Twitter account.

Bristol Group is not so heavily involved – but look at our presence, on both Facebook and Twitter. DON’T DO IT WHILST DRIVING THOUGH ! ! !

Both are ‘open access’. So no need to be a registered user. View our ‘open’ Facebook page. www.facebook.com/BristolAdvancedMotorists

See all tweets on our Twitter account. @iam_bristol


http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=171078605914&ref=ts

http://www.twitter.com/iam_bristol

http://www.twitter.com/iam_bristol


‘Excess Stock’ Clearance

ROADCRAFT 2007 edition: Now superseded by the 2013 edition, the 2007 edition is still the basis for Masters, and an interesting read beyond Skill for Life. SPECIAL (less than cost) PRICE £7.50. CHRIS GILBERT’S ULTIMATE DRIVING CRAFT 2 - DAY & NIGHT ( DOUBLE DVD )

Reduced price because the Group Shop no longer carries this DVD as a stock item. SPECIAL PRICE £20 for the double DVD. [ The second of Chris’ excellent DVDs. Expands in detail on his first DVD. Covers cornering in depth. Much footage of commentary. Also covers ‘Friendly Follow’, Night Driving and advice for Women driving alone. ] A small number of each are for disposal. To purchase, please contact the Group Treasurer. We must move these items on. Be a wheeler-dealer and make him an offer !

Interested in Advanced Motorbiking ?

Bristol Advanced Motorcyclists is a separate IAM Motorbike Group, providing Advanced Riding guidance for newcomers, at SUPER SUNDAY events, and acting as a club for existing Members in Bristol.

Newcomers, just turn up at 09:00 on the FIRST SUNDAY of any month (but NOT January) at Kings Oak Academy, Brook Road, Kingswood, BRISTOL BS15 4JT.

Get a taste with a free assessed ride, and maybe sign-up for the Motorbike Skill for Life course. Grab a bacon buttie and a cup of tea, meet like-minded people, and maybe attend the various presentations. Use the link on our own website to access the Motorbike Group’s website. Or go to the Motorbike Group’s website direct: www.bamo.org.ukOr phone 01275 372637 or email [email protected]


http://www.bamo.org.uk/



Know someone who could be a better driver?

Word-of-Mouth is one of the best publicity methods – so tell people about the IAM Advanced Driving Course - which can help a driver be more confident, safer - and make driving more enjoyable. For £149, the IAM Skill for Life package contains the IAM Advanced Driving Test itself, with in-car driving guidance, and three seminar sessions to prepare you. A six-month commitment is needed to complete, with ideally one drive a week. Age is no barrier. Beth (pictured) was 18, whilst Doris was 80 when she passed. South Gloucestershire resident young drivers could have the £149 refunded.

Every Skill for Life course now comes with 12 months FREE RAC roadside and recovery cover (£106 RRP) so there has never been a better time to become an Advanced Driver!

Advanced Driving Course Dates (PRE-BOOKING REQUIRED )

JANUARY 2015 Seminars on Wednesdays. Jan 21st, Jan 28th, Mar 11th. APRIL 2015 Seminars on Wednesdays. Apr 22nd, Apr 29th, Jun 10th. JULY 2015 Seminars on Wednesdays. Jul 15th, Jul 22nd, Sep 02nd. OCTOBER 2015 Seminars on Wednesdays. Oct 21st, Oct 28th, Dec 02nd.

Know someone who doesn’t want a full course? Then mention our one-off DRIVECHECK ASSESSMENT – cost £35. An Observer will give the person one structured 90-minute Assessment of their driving, at a convenient date/time, and give a written report about the main points of the driving displayed, with advice on how to improve.

Getting Rusty Yourself? Try our Refresher

The Refresher course is for existing Bristol Group Members. You need to be a current national IAM and Bristol Group Member. You share the three classroom seminars of an Associate course, and your Observer will give you six driving guidance sessions, tailored to your needs. There’s no Test, but you get a Certificate upon completion. Cost: £39.

For details of Course, Assessment or Refresher, contact: 0117 969 1746 or [email protected]




CONTACT US: Your guide to who does what

TO ENQUIRE ABOUT SKILL FOR LIFE OR A REFRESHER email [email protected] phone direct 0117 969 1746 NEW ADVERTISED PUBLIC ENQUIRY NUMBER: 0117 256 5555

Executive Committee, Bristol Advanced Motorists Chairman Andy Cole 07714 992 639

[email protected] 619289 Vice Chairman Marlene Baker [email protected]

Secretary Martin Evans 0117 979 8061 [email protected]

Treasurer Paul Hunt 0117 960 8494 [email protected]

Database Administrator James Rowland 07817 152 405 [email protected]

Associates Administrator Clare Reeves [email protected] 969 1746

Young Driver Advocate Barnaby Ellis [email protected] 960 8494 Newsletter Editor Paul Hunt [email protected]

Publicity Officer Geoff Bevan 01453 860365 [email protected]

Field Publicty Organiser Gary Nunn 01454 851 984 07557 765 946 [email protected]

Membership Development Tony Gilbert 07973 730 498 [email protected]

Other Post Holders

Committee Minute Taker Clare Reeves 0117 969 1746 [email protected]

Monthly Meeting Organiser vacant Ideas for speakers? Tell Martin at [email protected]

Social Events Organiser vacant contact the Secretary 01453 860365

Chief Observer and [email protected] Bevan Web Administrator [email protected]

Training Administrator Mark Gollop 01454 773234 [email protected]

Group Display Boards & LINK Collation organiser Andrew Nicholls 01749 860321

[email protected]

If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Group Secretary.

PHOTOGRAPHY NOTICE: Please note that by attending the Meetings and Driver Guidance Sessions of Bristol Advanced Motorists, you agree to your image being captured and used to promote Bristol Advanced Motorists and its activities. This may include in our newsletter, on our website or for general promotion. If you wish to withhold your permission, please contact the Group Secretary. [email protected] or phone 0117 979 8061






















EXTRA - The Cover of the hard copy version

The LINK is primarily distributed as a hard-copy A5-size paper version. The current cover (above) continues the tradition first started in about 1971 of having a cover image of Bristol’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.

The traditional IAM button logo is used as a distinct recognition feature, rather than the bland new IAM ‘letters logo’ which would become ‘lost’.

For the benefit of non-Members who look at the LINK, the back of the new cover incorporates a strap-line and a brief text about the Group, with a QR code which directs suitably-equipped Smartphones to our website.

Cover photo by photographer: www.TonyGilbert.co.uk

Cover printed by:

Print & Stationery Management Co Ltd 103 Farendell Road, Emerald Park East, Emersons Green, BRISTOL BS16 7FF

0845 126 6600 [email protected] www.prism-ltd.co.uk


http://www.tonygilbert.co.uk/


http://www.prism-ltd.co.uk/


EXTRA – Associates and Observers Needed

Despite it becoming increasingly difficult to reach Members of the Public with publicity due to the ‘Market Fragmentation’ of media channels, Bristol Group has maintained its Associates numbers in recent years, and this trend looks to continue at least in the short term.

left: Chief Observer Geoff (on the right) talking to that valuable commodity the Group needs - a Member of the Public who is interested in signing-up for the Skill for Life course.

In time we need to convince him to become an Observer himself, to continue the cycle. photo: Barnaby Ellis

So our appeal for Members to act as salesmen is now changing course and asking instead, “Can you be an Observer for the Group?”, because the number of Observers on our books is reducing. The number in recent years has steadily reduced from 50 to the current level of around 25,

photo: IAM

which means that many Observers are dealing with 3 Associates at the same time, which is rather too much of a time commitment.

So by all means continue to be a good ‘Sales Persuader’ for the Group, and continue to promote our YOUNG DRIVER REFUND SCHEME available for South Gloucestershire residents. But also consider becoming involved with the core activity of the Group – OBSERVING.

Information about Skill for Life can be obtained from: [email protected] 0117 256 5555 or 0117 969 1746

Information about becoming an Observer can be obtained from:

[email protected] or 01454 773234




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