D
N E
The official magazine of Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists
JOHN F. BLACK
Tel: 01387 267473
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ADVANCED DRIVING OR RIDING - what’s different about it?
We advocate using the ‘Planned System of Driving or Riding’. Just because you don’t use our System doesn’t necessarily make you an unsafe driver or rider. What our method gives you is a means of driving or riding in a consistently safe and systematic way which leaves nothing to chance. Our method will not help you drive or ride through a hazard, say a bend, at the fastest possible physical speed but when perfected it should help you progress through it at the fastest speed consistent with maintaining stability and maximising safety. If you’re interested in improving your skills we can help you, why not find out more? E-mail or call the Secretary (07707 035518), or visit our web site - it’s a ‘Skill for Life’ DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY GROUP OF ADVANCED MOTORISTS & MOTORCYCLISTS Registered Charity in Scotland No. SC 023511
Dumfries NEW PARTS: 01387 269546 USED PARTS: 01387 264813 SALVAGE Cars: 01387 262888 Stranraer NEW PARTS: 01776 700444 USED PARTS: 01776 700888 www.daautoparts.co.uk
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Group Committee Members for 2007/08 This magazine was published Group President: Tommy Jardine Chair, Group Alan Jones Chief Obs
For more details of our activities see our web site at:
Vice chair, Graeme McColm Chief m/c Obs Secretary
Helen Cameron
Treasurer
Russell Wears
Minute Sec
Anne Lind
07707 035518
www.iamdumfries.org.uk Contact the Group Secretary: dumfries@groups.iam.org.uk
Assoc Coordntr Peter Dodds
Magazine comments and contributions to:
M/c Coordntr Andrew Bird Christine Donaldson News Dist. Committee
by the Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists.
editor@iamdumfries.f9.co.uk
Charlie Allman Alan Dalrymple Jamie Wood Stuart Murray Noel Kelly Kevin Copeland Andy Campbell
Disclaimer:
To e-mail any member of the committee, please in the first instance, use the group contact e-mail address: dumfries@groups.org.uk
The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Editor, Group or the Institute of Advanced Motorists, to which the Group is affiliated. Registered Charity No. SC 023511
What’s on? - check out the Events Section at www.iamdumfries.org.uk 27 March SENIOR OBSERVERS MEETING 7:30 10 April OBSERVERS MEETING 7:30 (H) 14 April RUNNING A CAR DEALERSHIP BMW/MINI Style 7:30 start. (H) A speaker from Crossflags will talk about running a prestigious dealership. 12 May ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 7:30 start. (H) 9 June Outdoor event yet to be finalised - check web site nearer the time. All meetings at Dalston House Hotel, Dumfries (H) unless otherwise noted. Our work including this magazine is supported by Dumfries & Galloway Council. For a full list of our many sponsors please visit the Sponsors Wall at: www.iamdumfries.org.uk
Supported by:
Š Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 1
Dear Members and Readers - Alan Jones Whether you are an IAM Member, one of our Associates, or someone who has picked up our Magazine out of interest, let me welcome you to this Spring edition. I hope you enjoy reading the articles, which we have tried to make as interesting and appealing to as wide an audience as possible. We are a charity dedicated to improving road safety, and whether you drive a car or ride a motorbike we can help you improve your skills. We are the top IAM Group in Scotland for numbers of Associates who prepare for the IAM Advanced Driving or Riding Test. We are rightly proud of the position we have achieved. Our work with young drivers in Dumfries & Galloway is exemplary and is setting the scene for the initiative recently adopted by the IAM in recognition that young drivers are a particular concern. We also recognise that the group of road users most at risk, in percentage terms, are motorcyclists, and particularly the “born again” bikers. These tend to be mature people, mainly men, who have not ridden for some years and who come back to biking, usually with a large powerful bike. The lack of experience and the power of the bike, as well as the lack of recognition by some car drivers that bikes are present, sadly all too often combine to present opportunities for accidents to occur. While this group represent a small percentage of road users they experience an unusually high percentage of the serious and fatal accidents. The focus therefore of this Group continues to be young drivers and inexperienced or “born again” bikers. However, like all the 200+ IAM affiliated Groups in the UK, we offer coaching to the IAM’s Advanced Test standard to anyone, young or old. In the case of young drivers (and riders) we will continue to offer the IAM ‘Skill for Life’ programme, which leads to the IAM Test, free of charge if public or private funding is available. If it is not available we will subsidise the IAM fee, as we do for inexperienced motorcyclists, by £10, which hopefully demonstrates our commitment, as a local charity, to the needs of these two groups of vulnerable road users. Of course, it would be good to be able to do more. Given that even Transport Scotland recognises that motorcyclists are at greatest risk it would be nice to think that the coaching we offer could be made available free of charge so as to attract more people. It is a fact that the greatest accident risk most of us face does not arise from the work we do, but in travelling to and from our place of work. Some enlightened employers, such as my own, offer free coaching to motorcyclists on the grounds that they believe in safety, both on and off the job. They recognise too that the cost to a company of an employee having an accident that keeps them away from their work can far exceed the cost of any training. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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Perhaps one day we will see public funding available for coaching motorcyclists, as is currently available for young people, but until that day we will continue to do the best we can for both groups. This will be my last introduction to the Magazine, as Chairman, since I intend to resign at the AGM in May and hand over to someone who will take our Group to even new heights. I have been your Chairman for the past 5 years and I am pleased to say that during this time the Group has grown from around 50 Members to a number that is fast approaching 200. This is a significant achievement and one which could not have been achieved without the support of an active committee and the dedication of a growing number of Observers, who all give their time freely to coach Associates to Advanced Test standard, whether they are drivers or riders. Your committee has nominated Jamie Wood for election as our new Chairman and I am pleased endorse this recommendation. Of course, any Member can either stand or be nominated as Chairman at the AGM so our Members will have the final say in who is to replace me in May. All I will say here is that Jamie, with his interest in both riding and driving, and his business experience and expertise is an excellent candidate, and one who will guide your Group to the next level of development. I therefore encourage you to support Jamie’s nomination at the AGM in May. Since my last report in the Winter Magazine I am pleased to tell you that our Membership continues to increase. We have trained more Observers, a growing number of whom are young drivers who this time last year were Associates. We are working with the Police in Stewartry to offer IAM Drive Checks to young people who have come to the notice of the authorities and, as the motorcycle season is beginning once more, we plan to repeat the advertising campaign on SouthWest Sound radio so as to attract the maximum number of motorcyclists to the IAM ‘Skill for Life’ programme this year. We have an interesting and exciting time ahead, with lots of objectives to achieve in promotion of road safety. I wish everyone, Members, Associates and those who are interested in the IAM, but have not yet taken the initiative to enrol, all the best for the future. For anyone reading this who is not an IAM Member, please remember that joining the IAM ‘Skill for Life’ programme could change your life forever!
Calling all Observers The next Observers meeting is scheduled for 7:30 pm Thursday 10 April at the Dalston House Hotel. Please make every effort to attend, apologies to Helen Cameron, if you can’t make it. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 3
Motorcycle Chief Observer’s diary - Graeme McColm Well it has been a quiet winter on the Bike Section front, hopefully things will pick up now that spring is just about here. As usual we continue to meet on Sunday mornings so if you are looking to get started on, or continue with a ‘Skill for Life’ course come and see us. If you have done the course and know of someone who has not yet tried it why not bring them along yourself? We meet up for 10 am at St Michael’s Services. If you are an Associate and you let us know beforehand we’ll try to ensure there is an Observer available. If you are a full member and want to come along for a run with other full members please do so, if you feel the need for a polishing session this too can be arranged, all you need to do is ask and we’ll sort something out. On the first Sunday of the month we hold a group ride-out, Associates are welcome to come along too but please let us know beforehand so we can ensure there is an Observer on hand. South West Sound will shortly be starting a road safety campaign which is to focus on bikers so you might want to listen out for it. The Bike Section will also be getting involved with this year’s BikeSafe campaign which kicks off in March. As the warmer weather comes those of you who have had your bike parked up for the winter make sure you check it over thoroughly before getting back on the road, especially the tyres. A recent survey showed that almost half of the riders did not check regularly their tyres for pressure or wear, don’t be one of them remember both you and your bike need to be in good condition to travel safely. When it comes to cleaning your bike St. Michael’s Services continue to offer free jet washes for Members or Associates who fill up there see further on in this magazine for full details of their offers. The Bike Section have organised a weekend trip to Skye on the second weekend in June. If you want to come along there is still some room on the ride but you may have to book your own accommodation, just check with Phil Sayers (philsayers1@aol.com) to find out what is available. Nearer to home, also on the social side, the last curry night was a great success so we’ll be looking to hold another one hopefully later in the © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 4
Visit to Crossflags Monday 10 March saw Members visit Crossflags in Dumfries. They were given a tour of the facilities at both the BMW and Mini dealerships, with an opportunity to see the cars, showrooms and workshops. The event turned out to be one of the best garage visits we have had being both great fun and highly informative so many thanks to Crossflags staff who gave up their free time to make it possible. The successful evening culminated in every member getting the opportunity to test drive either a BMW or a Mini.
Some of our members and Crossflag’s staff admiring a new BMW M3
IAM Drive Check Drive Check, and the companion, Ride Check, is an excellent start for a member of the public who wants to have their driving or riding assessed by an IAM Observer. The cost is only £25 and includes a 40 minute assessed drive and a 15 minute debrief, and £10 of this cost can be offset against the Skill for Life programme at a later date. The debrief is particularly helpful in identifying opportunities to improve the safety of someone’s driving or riding skills. In Stewartry, the Police and Procurator Fiscal have begun to use Drive Check as part of their drive to enforce safe driving habits amongst young drivers, in some instances, as an alternative to prosecution. We have received funding to carry out 40 Drive Checks and we hope this initiative will spread to other areas throughout the region, and beyond. This is another exciting initiative for which we, here in Dumfries & Galloway, are taking the lead throughout Scotland and possibly even the UK. Having just conducted my first Drive Check with one of these young people I have to say I was impressed with his driving skills, and particularly his obser© Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 5
vation, anticipation and use of mirrors. Unfortunately, speed, especially excess speed, needs more work and to that end I have recommended this young man enrols on the Skill for Life programme where he will very quickly reach a level of skill and competence to enable him to take the IAM’s Advanced Driving Test. I would then like to see him train to become an Observer as he will easily relate to his peer group and attract more young people onto the Skill for Life programme.
Fancy a day out at a skid pan? It is not too late to register your interest in attending the visit to Knockhill Racing Circuit where you will be able to practise controlling front and rear wheel skids in the safe confines of a skid pan. We expect the event to go ahead in May and the cost will be subsidised to approx £50 per person (normally around £100) but it does depend on having sufficient numbers. There is a link on the Group web site Events Section where you can view a short video showing a car in action on the Knockhill skid pan. To take advantage of this offer you’ll need to ring or e-mail Helen Cameron, it is open to Members and Associates.
Monthly events Every second Monday of the month (except in July and August) the group arrange a members event. These events are varied and may for instance take the form of talks from an invited speaker, games nights, quizes, treasure hunts, garage visits and the like. There’s always room for more to support these events so why not give it a try and come along - the list of events is available on the group web site or on page 1 of ADVANCE the this magazine. There’s no charge for the events which are open to Members and Associates.
The route to safety begins before you switch on the engine
It starts with your attitude of mind! © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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Annual General Meeting NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by order of the Group Committee that the Annual General Meeting of “Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motor- ists and Motorcyclists” will be held at 7:30 pm on Monday 12 May 2008 at Dalston House Hotel, Dumfries, to enable the Trustees of the Group (Registered Charity No. SC 023511) to present their Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 April 2008 for approval by the Group Members and to conduct an election. Issued by: Secretary: Helen Cameron; Contact: 07707 035518; Group No 6071; e-mail: dumfries@groups.iam.org.uk - 12 March 2008. All Members, Associates and Friends are invited to attend but only Fully Paid Up Members of the IAM and of the Group may vote. A Member entitled to vote at the General Meeting may appoint a proxy to vote in his stead. A proxy need not be a Full Member of the Group. CURRENT OFFICERS: All Officers retire annually and may offer themselves for re-election. (Group Rule 3.4) Chairperson: Alan Jones - retiring at AGM Vice Chairman: Graeme McColm - Offering to stand for re election Secretary: Helen Cameron - Offering to stand for re election Treasurer: Russell Wears - Offering to stand for re election COMMITTEE MEMBERS: One third of the Committee (excluding Officers) must retire annually and may offer themselves for re election. (Group Rule 3.4) A. RETIRING BY ROTATION AND STANDING FOR RE-ELECTION: none B. RETIRING BY ROTATION AND NOT STANDING FOR RE-ELECTION: Anne Lind C. COMMITTEE MEMBERS NOT RETIRING & NUMBER OF YEARS REMAINING: Andrew Bird(1 yr), Christine Donaldson (1 yr) Jamie Wood (2 yrs), Andy Campbell ( 2 yrs),Charlie Allman (1 yr) NOTE: The total number of Committee Members including the Officers must not exceed twenty. See the Nomination Form (available from the Secretary) for details, which must be returned by 5 May 2008. Group Rules and the Minutes of the May 2007 AGM are on the Group web site or via the Secretary. Jamie Woods has indicated that he would be willing to stand as Chairperson. IMPORTANT The Group belongs to its members and it will benefit from your input at the AGM and/or your participation on the committee, if you are able to help. Any full member of the group wishing to help the group by volunteering to be a member of the committee should let the Secretary know in advance of the date for return of nomination papers so that a Nomination Form can be raised. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 7
Forewarned is forearmed - maximise your observation Provided your eyesight is up to scratch then the central area where you are looking will be in focus and sharply defined. The areas to the sides will be within your peripheral vision and what you see will not be in such sharp focus. The detail you see when focusing on a particular area enables you to make fine judgements especially in regard to identifying the risks related to hazards and planning your approach to them. The peripheral vision area is useful for sensing your lateral position and speed. It also is good at identifying movement but in order to act on any potential dangers, your eyes register in this area, you need to shift your centre of focus into this zone to pick up more detailed information. You also need to shift your focus here to spot dangers which your peripheral vision can’t pick up effectively. These principles apply whether you are in a car or on a bike. You ability to take in information in the near distance ahead decreases the faster you go so on the open road you need to raise your observation further up and out to give yourself more time to identify, plan and deal with hazards. Shifting the centre of your focus is known as scanning and must include the your mirrors as well as the area to the sides and ahead. You can find out more about effective scanning by looking at the Information Phase article in “Your guide to preparing for, and passing, the Advanced Diving Test” available in the Guidance Pages of the Group web site.
PERIPHE R
ISION AL V
AL VIS I
When focused ahead then vision to sides is only peripheral
R HE RIP PE
ON
Shift your focus up and out scan to include the peripheral areas
Scan by moving your eyes and head to maximise your observation © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 8
Calling young drivers - interested in driving and road safety? The Scottish Police College are planning a series of Tuesday evening events for young drivers during the spring and summer 2008. This could be your chance to participate and get some guidance from police driving instructors on advanced and safe driving techniques. The exact detail of the events will be determined nearer the time but expect them to include demonstrations both on the road and on a skid pan given by driving instructors from the college. There will be no charge for attendance at the event. The event will be held at the college in Tulliallan, Kincardine. We will get full details in due course but the event will be open those of you under 26 years of age who are drivers and a Member or an Associate of our Group. Places are limited but there is still time to register your interest, just call or e-mail Helen Cameron, the Group Secretary.
Penalty Points and Convictions Pending There have been a few instances in the past where we have been asked whether someone who had points on their Licence or a conviction pending, could take the IAM Test. The answer is, it all depends on the following. In the case of a someone who is still within the 2 year probationary period after taking the DSA Test then, if that individual has 3 or more penalty points, they cannot take the IAM Test. If they reach 6 points during this same period they will also lose their Licence and they will have to re-take the DSA Test. Having penalty points doesn’t mean that an individual cannot enrol on the IAM’s ‘Skill for Life’ programme, become an Associate and be coached to the Advanced driving or riding standard. It just means that they cannot take the Test. What we as a Group usually do, when an Associate makes us aware of such a situation, is to commence their coaching somewhere towards the end of the two year probationary period. For someone who is already out of the probationary period then IAM rules dictate that anyone having 8 or more penalty points cannot take the IAM Test, and of course, gaining 12 points means they lose their Licence altogether. Overarching both these requirements however, is the question of a person with a conviction pending. If any Associate had a conviction pending the IAM rules do not allow the individual to take the IAM Test. The conviction must be discharged first in Court and any penalty awarded. Once the penalty is known then the ‘3 or more’ or the ‘8 or more’ penalty point rules are applied. If anyone finds themselves in this position it is worth seeking advice from our Secretary, Helen Cameron. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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St Michael’s Services, Dumfries is offering Group Members and Associates a free basic car wash, or two jet wash tokens, when you fill up. All you need to do, when you’re low on fuel, is fill it up and let the staff know you would like a free bike/car wash before you pay for your fuel. You will need to take along your membership card or, for Associates, the letter you get from the IAM once you have signed up. There is no minimum purchase but please play fair and don’t expect to be eligible for a free wash if you just ‘top up’ your tank - the offer may be withdrawn at any time. Another member offer (aimed primarily at bikers on cold Sunday mornings but open to all members) is hot drinks priced at 50p for IAM members instead of 85p.
Common causes of motorcycle crashes The causes of crashes are many and complex and depend on the individual circumstances surrounding the event however did you know that the four most common types of crash are: A) Failure to negotiate a bend on a rural A road B) Collisions at junctions C) Collisions while overtaking D) Loss of control The first category is often related to poor observation, judgement and excessive speed. Riding on the open road demands alertness and skill. Collisions at junctions are often caused by errant drivers who just don’t see a bike coming. Being aware of the risks and planning for them is useful here. Overtaking is one of the most risky manouevres you can take, not only are you relying on your judgement but also to a large extent on the action of others. Overtaking includes passing stationary vehicles as well as those taken at speed. Recognising and planning for the risks will improve your safety. Loss of control encompasses a myriad of problems from riding too close and failing to react or stop in time to not reacting effectively to weather conditions, getting caught out by diesel spills and problems caused by debris on the road or slippery manhole covers and painted road markings. Learning and using advanced techniques will help you identify and deal with the risks, giving you time to deal with the hazards. So if you have not already taken a ‘Skill for Life’ riding course contact us or get down to St Michael’s Services, Dumfries any Sunday morning before 10 am to find out more. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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They're black, they're round, they cost you eighty pound... IAM Driving
Although most tyres are made to very high quality standards, there are still variations in the thickness of the rubber, the steel belts and the radial webbing that form the structure. One consequence of the variations is a slight weight difference around the tyre. This is well known and easily cured by balancing the wheel and tyre. A less well known effect of the variability is something called run-out – a measure of how straight the tyre will run if fitted to a wheel and allowed to roll along a flat level surface. Some will run straight and true, others will veer to the left or right in varying degrees. You will see an indication of this on most new tyres – have you ever noticed coloured lines running around the tread on your new tyre? Some of these are to give the tyre distributors easy to read information about where the tyre should be shipped to, but one of them will be a run-out indicator – usually red or blue, and the extreme left or right hand line. The nearer to the centre it is, the straighter the tyre will run, and which side of the centre it is denotes the direction of the run-out. A steering problem can arise if both tyres on the front axle happen to run out significantly in the same direction. Ideally, when you’re next buying new tyres you should select two with run-out of about the same amount, but in opposite directions – in other words, with the coloured lines both to the inside of the centre of the tyre, or both to the outside. That way the two will cancel each other out and you’ll get straight steering. Regardless of the tyre combination, a regular weekly check of the tyre pressure – when they are cold – is the best way to avoid premature wear. You will feel the improvement in the fuel consumption as well. And a quick check for condition (no cuts, bulges, or screws sticking out of the rubber!) at the same time is good practice, too.
Ideally the tyres should be fitted with the coloured run-out bands both outside of the tyre centre or both to the inside. This may not be an option for tyres which can only run in one direction, then choice of individual tyres will need to be more selective to find well matched tyres.
Is this what they mean by a regional roadsign?
© Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 11
The Secretary Reports - Helen Cameron It has been a very busy year trying to keep track of associates and observers young and old. We have had quite a few passes through the winter months which is very encouraging. We have had a varied programme of meetings but sadly the attendance has been poor, which is disappointing, when we invite someone along to speak to our members. If you have any ideas for interesting topics or speakers or any suggestions to help entice our members along, on the second Monday of the month, then PLEASE let me or Russell Wears know. We have been challenged to a quiz night at Carlisle on Wednesday 9 April at 7.30 against the Carlisle group. The event is not intended to be serious but fun and I expect there will be motoring related questions as well as general knowledge ones. Carlisle group tell me there will be supper on offer too so I am looking for volunteers to come along and help represent our group. Please let me know if you wish to attend so that we can arrange transport. Congratulations to you all these candidates who have recently successfully passed their advanced tests. Do let us know the outcome of your test as the Examiner is not allowed to tell us. Associate Scott Beattie Campbell Cheyne Jenni Bell Laura Howison Robert McQuiston Robert Leadbeater Harold Tweedie Alistair Baird David Booth Ryan thomson Emma Mundy John Black Michael Loch
Date passed 24/11/07 24/11/07 24/11/07 1/12/07 15/12/07 22/12/07 15/12/07 15/12/07 2/2/08 1/3/08 25/11/07 9/02/08 09/03/08
Observer Peter Dodds Alan Jones John Dalrymple Anne Lind Stuart Murray Stephen Craighead Peter Dodds Stuart Murray Mark Ranshaw Garry Head Motorcycle team John Black (commercial)
Stewart Cameron
Congratulations also to our new trainee observers, Campbell Cheyne, Neil Whitelaw, Linzi Parker, Paul McQuillan, Ben Hallam and also congratulations to Stuart Murray who is now a qualified observer. Š Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 12
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What’s that driver doing? If you were riding or driving in this situation how would you react? Would you use your observation skills to look for further evidence to help assess the risks to you? Could this scenario be an example of road rage or merely friends waving at each other? Whichever applies the situation merits further scrutiny because in either case the oncoming driver’s attention could be distracted. We can never tell you what to do, you have to assess individual situations and decide for yourself. At the very least you should look for evidence about the demeanour of these drivers. You’ll also want to check your mirrors and decide if you need to slow and/or adjust position in accordance with the System. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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Lawrence gets a ‘Skill for Life’ Lawrence Smith, keen rugby player and a member of staff at our sponsor, The Buccleuch Arms Hotel, Moffat, recently undertook our Skill for Life course. We asked Lawrence what motivated him to get involved with the course. This is a little of what he told us: “A number of reasons led to me signing up to the course. My father, Dave Smith, was one of the main driving forces in me making the decision. Over the years he has seen too many youngsters killed in car accidents and for some strange reason the younger the person is the greater the tragedy seems to be. I believe he was already happy and comfortable with my driving, but since this course was available, my thoughts were “nothing ventured nothing gained”. The absolute worst that could happen would be I came out with a few new skills. Seemed like a ‘no-brainer’. I think anyone would be crazy to rest on their laurels and say they know everything. I also hadn’t driven solidly while I was at university and found that I was not as confident in a vehicle as I should, or would like to, have been. Another major secret I can let you into is the subject of parallel parking. In © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 15
Zimbabwe, where I used to live, there was hardly ever the need to parallel park - on those rare occasions where the manoeuvre was required, the gap was invariably about twice the size of the space usually found here in Britain. I had only ever parallel parked for my driving test and that was it. My eyes were like saucers coming to the UK and seeing the tiniest parking spaces I had ever come across. The result was to avoid parallel parking like the plague, which often became quite an inconvenience. These factors made me come to the conclusion that I needed to be sharpened up. It’s not enough to be able to drive, you have to be confident to enjoy it. I often make this analogy to people who enjoy driving fast. Imagine you were sitting in a bubble, the likes of that we see on the O2 advert. Would you be comfortable moving along at say 70 mph especially on a rural road? This is really what we’re doing, but most people seem to forget that when they’re in their own safe little enLawrence receives his pass certificate on the vironment behind the wheel. steps of the Buccleuch Arms, Moffat At the beginning I thought it may turn out to be a bit of a waste and that ‘oh well I’d just get my certificate and everybody would be happy’. I had the impression that the course would simply iron out bad habits such as crossing hands rather than teaching anything. My first observed drive was obviously quite nerve-racking. No commentary necessary and no major talking from Charles made me fairly comfortable and confident thinking I was sailing through. Until we came to a stop and Charles started going through my drive with a fine tooth comb. What a shambles! I soon realised I had a lot of work to do. The one thing with driving is it becomes second nature and we start becoming blasé about the decisions we make, changing gear, clutch etc. So now when you have to change the way you’ve been subconsciously functioning it becomes so difficult and almost unnatural. This is coming from me who is still a relative youngster so I can’t even imagine what it would be like for an older person. All of a sudden I realised that I had started consciously making better decisions. The prospect of actually learning things and seeing the results became enjoyable and ticking all the boxes became a personal challenge. Charles Allman, my Observer, also made it an enjoyable time. I take my hat off to the 16
guy, he is totally dedicated to the course and extremely passionate about driving in the safest way. His enthusiasm is definitely contagious and I even feel I found a long term friend in the man. He was sitting on my shoulder when half way through my course I went on Holiday to Kefalonia, a Greek Island that has left hand drive cars driving on what I consider to be the wrong side of the road. I was amazed that instantly I adopted all the things I had learnt which helped me cope with this new, weird way of driving. It actually gave me such a good feeling to be in an uncomfortable, awkward situation but have the tools to deal with it. Eventually things did start to kick into place. Behind the Buccleuch Arms Hotel, which my family own and run, there is a fairly awkward parking lot. Of course I have bad habits and I’ll admit after a coaching session I would sometimes revert to them, but over the weeks of the course I noticed that when I got into tight spots or difficult situations I would start using the correct techniques which were so much safer. Slowly the correct techniques have become easier and easier and are now more or less my style of driving. I tend to be a rather systematic thinker anyway so I adapted to the whole systematic approach to driving fairly easily. What I did find though was that although my thought process was there, sometimes its application was out of sync. Slowing down too late or early, as well as checking mirrors after the hazard rather than before! We have systematic decisions to make all day every day. The problem is sometimes because of either, laziness, overconfidence or oversight we tend to miss out steps. This System teaches you that the more prepared you are, the more information you can take in advance, the better you will deal with the actual event and similar events to follow. I absolutely would recommend this course to anyone and actually everyone. It does give you that little extra bit of confidence. Not many people admit or believe they are a bad driver, but if the only thing they could improve was their observation skills they would soon identify more hazards including the risks other people take, and this in turn would lead to they themselves starting to drive in a very different way.” You can find out more about what other drivers say about our ‘Skill for Life’ course by visiting our web site, look for: ‘Read about the experiences of our Associates (drivers)’ in the navigation panel.
Senior Observers meeting Just to remind the Senior Observers (car) that the next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 27 March. Meet up at Stewart and Helen Cameron’s house. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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AB&A Matthews LLP
Solicitors & Estate Agents Offer a comprehensive range of Legal Services and Estate Agency
www.abamatthews.com Newton Stewart Office 37, Albert Street Newton Stewart Tel: 01671 404100 Fax: 01671 404140
Dumfries Office The Old Bank Buccleuch St. Bridge Dumfries Tel: 01387 257300 Fax: 01387 257333
Stranraer Office Hunter & May 25 Lewis Street Stranraer Tel: 01776 702581 Fax: 01776 702524
O B S E R V E R’ S C O R N E R
This section is intended to help when considering the best course of action. It is up to every driver to actively assess each scenario.
ESCAPE ROUTES - when all your other advanced techniques fail! Driving or riding within the speed limit and being able to stop comfortably on your side of the road in the distance you can see to be clear is best practice. Unfortunately it is not guaranteed to get you out of trouble every time. When your array of advanced techniques fail there may be one more available to you - a situation exit strategy aka an escape route. Slowing right down every time you approach a junction - just in case a hidden vehicle pulls out - or as a lorry approaches you - just in case someone hidden behind him may pull out to overtake - could lead to frustrated road users behind you, in itself another hazard. Being aware of ‘escape routes’ as an alternative if things don’t turn out as expected uses observation and positioning skills and is an extension of the art of creating and maintaining space. Sometimes drivers and riders involved in situations may claim “There was nothing I could do - he just suddenly came out without stopping” or maybe “he just pulled out to overtake straight towards me”. Indeed the ensuing consequences may be the fault of the other road user but often, not always, good use of observation, anticipation and planning may allow you to deal with such a situation in a better way - often there are clues to what another road user may do, you just have to observe well to find them, then act. Where a small element of risk remains after using your first line of defence, (I.e. observation and planning) looking for an escape route ‘just in case’ may enable you to minimise the effects of a collision or better still avoid the crash altogether. Try asking yourself “Where can I go if that stationary car, whose driver appears to looking straight at me, does pull out into my path? If you couldn’t stop in time your only chance of avoiding a collision might be evasive action. In a crisis there is a tendency to steer towards where you are looking so you have to look away from the potential point of impact and look in the direction you want to go towards, something easier said than done. In the event that you do have to take emergency evasive action there’s little benefit in just yanking the wheel and swerving since you are more likely to lose control. If you © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 20
have identified a potential viable route on approach you have more chance of making it work. The lack of any suitable escape route e.g. a narrow road with no verges should highlight to you the need to take a more cautious approach to an area with significant potential hazards. So what sort of areas can become escape routes? Well High hazard area & lack of escape route means a they are numerous and varied very cautious approach here, holding back until no and could include verges or oncomers and side-road is clear in case horse bolts footpaths (without pedestrians), maybe even a hedge (avoid the trees!), the road itself if wide enough (including hatched areas), a side road or entrance, even scraping along a crash barrier could be better if it avoids a head-on collision. Bear in mind though if your route leads you off the road surface control of your vehicle will be difficult, even ABS will struggle to help on a verge so if you can you’d be better off braking hard on the road then pulling off. Your vehicle may well be damaged and the errant driver just drive on unhindered but compare this to the price of getting seriously injured. Don’t forget how advanced driving techniques, if used properly, will put you in the best position to deal with the situation, e.g. if you ensure you have both hands properly placed and gripped on the wheel at all times including going round a bend you have at least got a chance of being able to apply extra lock swiftly. Likewise the Planned System of Driving should also put you at the right speed and in the Taking evasive action here will be limited as steering wheel grip is compromised right gear at the start of the emergency. There are of course many opportunities to plan for possible use of escape routes in day to day driving rather than in true emergencies. Take for instance where you are waiting to turn right, in a car, from one road to another; by keeping your front wheels pointing in the straight ahead position and the car in first gear or D you might be able to drive off and escape the approaching vehicle from behind who may not be able to stop. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 21
On motorways, in heavy traffic do you join the bumper huggers in lane three? In some situations you could make just as much progress legally using lane one which gives you the option of using the hard shoulder in the event of an emergency - it can be a useful escape route. Planning for escape routes in true emergencies is a skill which you can’t practice on the road but you can rehearse in your head by identifying suitable escape routes and maybe imagining yourself driving into them, if nothing else this may help you realise the benefit of having a good grip on the steering wheel at all times. The escape route for an emergency technique involves going one step further than just considering the ‘what-Ifs’, where there is still a small element of risk, then consider actively identifying and considering the practicality of potential escape routes.
Observational links The recent wet weather gave rise to some poor road conditions. Consider the road here, as you approach you see a sprinkling of gravel on the road in the distance as the road curves to the left - but it is in the centre of your lane. How did it get there and what is its significance? The colour should tell you that it is likely to have come from the road surface itself and location in the centre of your lane that it has been swept there by the passage of previous vehicles. This means that there is likely to be defective road surface on the nearside so proceed with caution. As you get closer you spot the cause, a pothole on the apex of the bend! The clues are often there you just have to observe, identify and plan to deal with the hazards safely.
Quick tips Braking - protect your rear. When you slow, plan to brake in a single application of the brakes. This allows you to get your foot off the brake and onto the accelerator to perform a matched rev (aka sustained rev) gear change just as correct use of the System demands. If you don’t brake for the hazard in one go when you release the brake, drivers behind may assume your speed will increase, then get caught out by your second application of the brakes. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 22
Queues - When you stop behind vehicles in a queue leave a gap such that you can see the rear tyres of the vehicle ahead and the road surface they are touching. This will give you the option of an escape route if the vehicle in front suffers a breakdown and may just give you a little extra room if a following vehicle can’t quite stop in time. It can also help if the driver in front makes an error and rolls back. Parking - When stopping in a car park consider using a space where you can drive in and through one bay to allow you to park facing out, alternatively think about reversing into a bay. It is usually safer to reverse in rather than out since on the way in you can more easily assess the risks whereas when reversing out you may have less opportunity to have a clear view of a rapidly changing situation. It is also likely to be more eco friendly since when moving away you aren’t involved in manoeuvring with a cold engine. On the down side it might make loading your boot with shopping more difficult. Roundabouts - On approach to a roundabout plan to stop at the line in a single application of the brakes but look for the opportunity to go. If you get the opportunity to go before you stop only then change to an appropriate gear. Remember ' Only if it's clear - change the gear'.
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Turning left - If the vehicle in front is turning left slow down and allow it to make its turn. Don’t be tempted to steer around a left turning vehicle, he may change his mind or allow another road user out of the junction, one which may be hidden from you by the vehicle in front as he turns off. Anticipate the driver may stop as he enters a side road to allow pedestrians to cross. Just move on straight ahead once the road is clear.
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Action Plan for a safer journey With better weather just around the corner maybe you’ll be attempting some longer drives, perhaps going off on holiday. A little bit of prior planning can go a long way towards improving your safety. Planning the journey: Plan your route, consider alternative routes in case you need to use one. Identify where you can take breaks. Don’t be over optimistic about progress, factor in for breaks and delays. Plan to avoid driving when you would normally be asleep. Plan not to start a long journey straight after work. Consider booking overnight accommodation. Identify if you are in an ‘at risk group’ and plan accordingly (see ‘’Are you fit to drive at night?’ - page 25) · Recognise the at risk times of day · Plan to share the driving if you can. · Consider getting your vehicle serviced. · · · · · · ·
Before you leave: · Carry out final checks on your tyres, lights and fluid levels. · Load the car evenly especially if you have a roof rack. · Ensure you are in good condition; well rested and free from the effects of drink and drugs. · Check your route for delays (listen to the radio and/or find out online). · Leave in plenty of time, don’t let the clock rule your drive. On the journey: · Take rest breaks, at least every two hours. · Be patient, getting frustrated by delays isn’t going to make you safer. · Don’t eat a heavy meal or consume any alcohol, you are more likely to become drowsy - 2pm - 4pm is particularly a daytime ‘at risk’ period. · If you have an RDS radio use it to listen for problems, maybe you could switch to your alternative route to avoid delays. · If you start to feel tired stop as soon as possible - see ‘Are you fit to drive at night?’ - page 26 for help about what to do to counteract tiredness. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists
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Are you fit to drive at night? Around 2 out of 5 of all crashes happen during the hours of darkness, that equates to over 1600 motorcyclists and more than 6300 car occupants killed or seriously injured every year. As a driver you should also be especially aware if you fall into one of the at risk categories. Around I in 5 of serious nighttime accidents on motorways and monotonous roads result An empty road with little activity to stimulate the driver increases the risk from someone falling asleep at the wheel. Young drivers (especially males under 26) are particularly at risk of falling asleep when driving at night. Other groups too are particularly at risk including night shift workers, commercial drivers (especially long-haul drivers), business drivers who spend many hours at the wheel and people with sleep disorders who are undiagnosed or untreated. Before you drive, consider whether you are: · Suffering lack of sleep or tired (6 hours of sleep or less triples risk). · Driving when you would normally be asleep (greatly increases your risk). · Suffering from insomnia or poor quality sleep. · Driving long distances without proper rest breaks (you should stop at least every two hours). · Driving through the night (driving mid-afternoon increases risk too) . · Using medications with a potential sedative effects such as antidepressants or even cold remedies). · Working more than 60 hours a week (increases your risk by 40%). · Working more than one job and your main job involves shift work. · Drinking even small amounts of alcohol. · Driving alone or on a long, rural, dark or featureless road. So what can you do to reduce your risks? The best way is not to drive at all, at night, but that may not always be practical so if you do have to drive plan your journey in advance, including your rest breaks which should be at least every two hours. If you can share the driving and if you do start to feel drowsy stop as soon as you can. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 25
You will usually get some warning that you are becoming at risk of falling asleep so if you notice any of the following you need to take urgent action to avoid putting yourself or other road users at risk: Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids. Daydreaming, wandering/disconnected thoughts. Trouble remembering the last few miles driven, missing junctions or signs. Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes. Trouble keeping your head up. · Drifting in your lane or across white lines. · · · · ·
Don’t ignore these signs but find somewhere to pull over and stop as soon as you can. The only way you can counteract the symptoms of drowsiness is to take a nap and or consume a caffeinated drink such as coffee. For best effect do both but since it can take up to half an hour for the caffeine to get working it’s best to consume the drink before taking the nap. Bear in mind that caffeine may not have If your glass is dirty, it’s wet and/or you are tired it much of an effect if you regular- will be harder to stay alert and safe on his road. ly drink coffee or other caffeine rich drinks. If that does not do the trick you’ll need to sleep for longer or find yourself a bed for the night. As far as your vehicle is concerned, with reduced visibility, you’ll want to be sure you can see and be seen. Particularly important are checks to ensure your vehicle is up to the task, are the lights all working, are the lights and windows clean and are the wipers in good condition? Of course all other elements of your vehicle need to be in a satisfactory condition including the tyres. Don’t forget the driver too - if you need to wear glasses make sure they too are clean. Clean glass everywhere inside and out will help reduce eyestrain.
Time for a clean sweep? - IAM Driving Tip A recent innovation has excited some in the car design business – a move that could see the end to windscreen wipers. Apparently, using “nanotechnology”, Italian car designers have come up with a self-clearing windscreen. It uses a special oxide to repel water and minia© Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 26
ture nozzles which blast out water and air to get rid of dust and dirt. The windscreen uses super-thin layers of ‘nano-particles’ on top of the windscreen. Each layer is a couple of atoms thick, meaning they can work simultaneously on water and dust. And it does appear an attractive idea – after all, even the best windscreen wipers don’t reach the whole screen, which means that drivers have to put up with a permanent “film” that restricts vision at the extremes. Windscreen wipers also get frozen to the glass overnight in winter – a major cause of call outs for the emergency services, when fuses blow as a result of drivers starting the car without first freeing up the wipers. Whether the new wiper-free technology could cope with UK road salt and grime has yet to be seen. It’s certainly been a while since windscreen wipers were on the drawing board: in 1969, the first intermittent wipers were introduced. A year later, Swedish car manufacturer Saab introduced headlight wipers. So what’ll we need to do to look after the existing technology until the world changes? The Institute of Advanced Motorists recommends that as spring starts to make the morning routine easier, have a look at the condition of the wiper blades. Quite often, polish from the car body finds its way onto the windscreen blades, producing a smear or a less than clean sweep – or pimples of tree resin that leave a line. It’s tempting to replace the whole wiper when this happens – but actually, a thorough wipe-over with a bit of kitchen roll can extend the life of the blades considerably, take away those lines, and stop the smearing effect that destroys vision so effectively. When the rubber blades finally do give up the ghost, consider just replacing the rubbers themselves – there may not be a need to replace the entire wiper blade, depending on your car.
DA Autoparts is offering all IAM members and Associates a 10% discount on purchases made from its New Parts stores in Dumfries and Stranraer. Take along your membership card or this voucher (no need to cut it out) to take full advantage of this offer. This discount offer will continue until otherwise stated. Please ensure you mention to staff, prior to purchasing, that you are from the IAM. See their advert inside the front cover for contact numbers. © Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists 27