Summer Issue May 2014
Driving Safety Home The newsletter of the Stratford upon Avon Group of Advanced Motorists (3127) Registered Charity #1016119
Spring Skill For Life Course Associates Here are the current members of the associates group. If you know of anyone who would benefit (please be diplomatic) from the Skill for Life Course - and let’s face it, everyone could - then please ask them to contact Mike Page email secretary@stratfordiam.org.uk or phone 01789 763732 - for more details. And of course remember to tell them what fun it is!
The following have taken their Advanced Driving Test and satisfied the Examiner that they are of a standard to be accepted into the IAM: Dave Fenton, Bethany Evans and Sarah Brooke-Taylor. Congratulations to you all and welcome to the world of Advanced Motoring!
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Summer Issue May 2014
ANNUAL QUIZ NIGHT Our Annual Quiz evening was held on the 28th February, 2014, and was attended by 43 members and friends - a record turn out. Dave Cowell, our enthusiastic Quiz Master, posed some tricky questions, especially in the first round, and there were a lot of puzzled looks as team members struggled to get the answers down. However, our brains very quickly got into gear, and when he read the answers out after each round, there were cries of triumph as different teams realised that their answers were correct. Dave’s wife Kathy was her usual efficient self, and corrected the answer sheets in record time. A tasty meal of steak and ale pie and trifle was provided at half time, by John Wyllie, our usual caterer, and at the end of the evening the winning team, led by IAM member Isobel Grundy, were presented with their prizes. We are very grateful to Dave and Kathy for coming to support us each year, and a donation was made to them for their chosen charity.
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Summer Issue May 2014
DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL The visit to Donington Circuit for the Historic Car Festival as only attended by 3 members, which was a pity, as it was a fun day. We got there early which was lucky as there was so much to see, in company with many hundreds of other old car enthusiasts. We wandered around in the morning, mesmerised by the beautiful, gleaming old cars on display. While we sat outside eating our snack lunch, a row of 1920 models were opposite us, warming up for their race, emitting loud throaty roars w i t h occasional coughs and hiccups, and tended by overalled young men anxiously peering under bonnets. We then wended our way towards the pit lane, where we met our friendly Marshal, Keith Madderson, resplendent in bright orange overalls, and were taken in to the holy of holies, the Pit Lane, where we gazed into the busy garages housing the cars being prepared for their races. Keith explained the system of pit stops, accompanied by the roar of the passing cars taking part in the qualifying races. Leaving him to call up cars for the first race of the afternoon, we made our way to the tall grandstand on the other side of the track, where we watched 2 noisy races, the pre-1966 tourist cars, and then a very exciting, 100th anniversary race, (9 cars) for Maserati owners. Keith told us later that by leaving after this race, we missed the excitement of a car on fire in the pits, which he had to extinguish. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable day.
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Summer Issue May 2014
NEWS MOTORISTS STILL SAY ‘NO’ TO ELECTRIC CARS The most important factors deterring motorists from buying an electric vehicle were recharging (40 per cent), the distanced travelled on a battery (39 per cent) and cost (33 per cent). Currently, less than one per cent of drivers already own an electric car or van. Five per cent said they were thinking about buying an electric car and eighteen per cent had thought about purchasing an electric vehicle but later changed their mind. However, not all motorists are put off the idea of an electric vehicle. Thirty-seven per cent said that lower cost would encourage them to buy an electric vehicle as well as the distance travelled (20 per cent), widely available recharging points (17 per cent) and environmentally friendly (16 per cent). With costs, the most important cost stated was the purchase cost, followed by fuel and recharging costs, maintenance, insurance and vehicle excise duty. IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “It is clear that the government have a long way to go to convince drivers that electric vehicles really are the future. On the positive side drivers are not worried about safety or comfort issues, but range anxiety and charging infrastructure remain real stumbling blocks. For the good of the environment the IAM want to see quicker roll out of charging points and long term guarantees that the current £5000 subsidy will remain in place. 4
Summer Issue May 2014
NEWS GROUP
OBSERVERS WANTED As you all know, the people who sit alongside new associates are called Observers, and these Observers are volunteers, giving up their time for no reward other than the knowledge that they are helping to make our roads safer by encouraging better driving techniques. Unfortunately we don’t have enough of them. This means that the Observers we have are being asked to attend every Sunday and sometimes to carry out 2 check drives each Sunday Morning.
To reduce the demands placed upon our dedicated Observers we are asking for more Advanced Drivers to step up and join our merry band of Observers. With more Observers to call upon each Observer will be asked to carry out fewer check drives - spread the load! If you are interested please contact Pete Thornett by email observer@stratfordiam.org.uk - or why not drop in on a Sunday morning and speak to him in person? You can now find out which Sundays the course is being run by checking our Events Calendar on our website www.stratfordiam.org.uk.
Wait! There’s more … We require a willing person to take over the role of Membership Secretary. It requires access to a PC with Microsoft Access 2007 or later (if you don’t have the software we can provide it for you). If you would like to find out more about becoming a Committee Member contact Mike page by email secretary@stratfordiam.org.uk - or phone 01789 763732
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Summer Issue May 2014 Upcoming events: June 21st Saturday
National Memorial Arboretum. Entry free. Visitors Centre rides in buggy or train, £4.50
September 19th Fri. October 11th Sat..
Tour of Mini Factory Minibus during tour or take your own car. £12.00 To be confirmed Toddington Steam Railway with fish and chips on board. £19. To Cheltenham and back. Special Carriage for wheelchairs. To be confirmed
October 25th
Walk to be advised
November
28th
Skittles with hot meal
PLEASE BOOK IN FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE EVENTS. Tel: (01789) 730276 Email Address: events@stratfordiam.org.uk
Position
Holder
Chairman
Don Rushton
Secretary
Mike Page
Treasurer
Dot Holtom
YDS
Phone
Email chairman@stratfordiam.org.uk
01789 763732
secretary@stratfordiam.org.uk
Jan Copson
07847 802711
yds@stratfordiam.org.uk
Events
Lindsay Rushton
01789 730276
events@stratfordiam.org.uk
Membership
Phil Vaughan
Observer Training
Pete Thornett
Publicity
Mike Heath
press@stratfordiam.org.uk
Newsletter
Keith Madderson
editor@stratfordiam.org.uk
Committee
Colin Upchurch
members@stratfordiam.org.uk
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