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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

2524.0. "Driving Courses?" by GEOFFN::BARKERA () Wed Jun 12 1996 17:54

    Hi,
    
    Has anybody out there been on a driving course of some kind?
    
    A driving course could be, a racing school day at Silverstone,
    an advanced driving course, a winter driving skills course etc., but
    NOT the good old driving test, because hopefully we've all done that.
    
    I'm thinking of doing one of the above, and would like to hear
    some experiences of them. Here are some questions:-
    
    What course?
    Where?
    How much?
    What was included?
    What you did?
    Funny incidents? ;->
    Has it improved or changed your driving in anyway?
    
    Cheers,
    
    Alan.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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2524.1VANGA::KERRELLsalva res estWed Jun 12 1996 20:3935
2524.2Sounds GoodGEOFFN::BARKERAWed Jun 12 1996 21:0722
    Re: .1
    
    Dave,
    
    Sounds like you've done quite a lot.
    
    I recently got the brochure for the Silverstone courses, it's good
    to get some feedback about them. The skid control course sounded really
    good fun. 
    
    What sort of car(s) did you pick to do the race school in?
    Which was most exciting?
    
    Where I asked ,"Has it improved or changed your driving in anyway?" 
    Has the course(s) made you a more careful and responsible driver or
    has it turned you into a bit of a "boy-racer"?
    
    And don't worry I'm not doing a survey or anything, just interested. 
    
    Cheers,
    
    Alan.
2524.3GuffawWOTVAX::GILLILANDPI've been mad for ******* yearsWed Jun 12 1996 21:245
    >>  has it turned you into a bit of a "boy-racer"?
    
    Dave a boy-racer? You're not a regular in here I take it then Alan?
    
    Phil Gill.
2524.4I'm not regularGEOFFN::BARKERAWed Jun 12 1996 21:3211
    Re: .3
    
    Phil,
    
    You're right. I'm not a regular. I'm quite new to Digital really, I've
    only been here a year.
    
    In my opinion it's quite hard to get to know people in conferences,
    especially this one, as it isn't that active really.
    
    Alan. 
2524.5WOTVAX::GILLILANDPI've been mad for ******* yearsWed Jun 12 1996 22:016
    Hmm, I'd disagree about this conference not being that active, but
    anyway, for an insight into Dave's professed driving habits, have a read 
    of 2425 - the Road Rage topic (I'm never sure whether he's winding us up 
    or not).
    
    Phil Gill. 
2524.6VAXCAT::GOLDYThat tears shall drown the windThu Jun 13 1996 11:423
    Dave a windup merchant? You must be joking!
    
    Goldy.
2524.7VANGA::KERRELLsalva res estThu Jun 13 1996 12:3116
re.2:

At the racing circuits I've driven single seaters and salloons - check with the
circuits to see what they use now.

>Where I asked ,"Has it improved or changed your driving in anyway?" 
>Has the course(s) made you a more careful and responsible driver or
>has it turned you into a bit of a "boy-racer"?
 
I was trying to avoid judging myself but here goes...

My driving became very smooth. I am able to judge traffic better and make good
progress without excessive speed. I can make good progress and still negoitate
hazards safely.    

Dave.
2524.8Bending of the truth?GEOFFN::BARKERAThu Jun 13 1996 13:1811
    re.7
    
    Dave,
    
    Thanks for your reply about how it has affected your driving. But
    your judgement of your driving does not seem to match that of
    what others seem to imply. 
    
    Are you bending the truth a bit? :-)
    
    Alan.
2524.9contactsVIVIAN::GOODWINSTN PCi Technology ConsultantThu Jun 13 1996 13:285
Can anybody give me the address or phone number for the courses at
Brands or Silverstone so I can get a catalogue?

Many thanks
-Dave-
2524.10Silverstone Driving School Number.GEOFFN::BARKERAThu Jun 13 1996 13:5311
    re.9
    
    -Dave-
    
    The number I've got for the Silverstone Driving School is:
    
    01327 857177
    
    Regards,
    
    Alan.
2524.11Or perhaps not!CHEFS::CROSSAOpel Manta for sale - Call 7830 2919Thu Jun 13 1996 13:567
    Perhaps Dave means he now has the ability to scream up to the
    opposition, put full braking on, and skid (in a controlled fashion)
    around them!
    
    
    
                 	Stretch.
2524.12COMICS::CORNEJWhat's an Architect?Thu Jun 13 1996 19:4822
    I had a birthday present of a day at Brands Hatch last year.  I don't
    know what it cost but IMHO it was good value :-)
    
    A full day including initial tuition in a fiesta with instructor for
    maybe 15 minutes on the road time,  followed by about 10 laps in a
    single seater F-????.
    
    After lunch more laps with a real "instructor" and then 10 timed laps
    in a single seater again.
    
    Includes several laps at "race speed" in the fiesta - almost brown
    trousers at the end of the straight and dropping down the hill - it
    looks a lot steeper close to the ground!
    
    I can recommend it as a good day out.  I don't have the phone number
    here but I expect someone else does.
    
    
    
    Jc
    
    
2524.13VANGA::KERRELLsalva res estFri Jun 14 1996 12:0318
re.8:

>  Thanks for your reply about how it has affected your driving. But
>    your judgement of your driving does not seem to match that of
>    what others seem to imply. 
>    
>    Are you bending the truth a bit? :-)

I can't see any difference between what I said in this topic and any other topic
in this conference with regards to my driving.

re.12:

Brands is more fun than Silverstone. Paddock with the inverse camber, then flat
out and down the hill - bottom out before hard on the brakes for Graham Hill
bend. 

Dave.
2524.14CBHVAX::CBHMr. CreosoteSat Jun 15 1996 01:227
>    In my opinion it's quite hard to get to know people in conferences,
>    especially this one, as it isn't that active really.
    
for an inactive conference, it's been quite impressive in that it has 
accumulated 113,728 blocks of disc space since 1990!

Chris.
2524.15VYGER::GRAYJPresident of the worldMon Jun 17 1996 00:049
    Sorry to interupt your conversation but I was just wondering if
    anyone knows of any off road driving courses?(where they give you
    a four wheel drive and tell you to drive up and down muddy hill sides)
    
    
     	Or anything rather than motor-racing courses.
    
    
    		cheers Woody. 
2524.16TRUCKS::BEATON_SI Just Look InnocentMon Jun 17 1996 16:145
As a passenger, I have been round the 4x4 course at Brands Hatch. I thought it
was pretty good for the money, and my chum who was doing the driving maintains
that he learnt a lot from the instructor.

Stephen
2524.17 Now we all KNOW that this is true, don't we? CHEFS::POWELLMOn 101457.2636@compuserve.comMon Jun 17 1996 16:398
    Re.13
    
    	We all know from previous replies in this Conference, that DaveK
    never exceeds 40MPH on the road!  As a result of all the courses he
    has attended, he is such an expert driver, that he doesn't need to
    exceed this speed in order to keep up with all the "boy racers."
    
    				Malcolm.
2524.18Don't be sexist! ;-)VAXCAT::GOLDYWorry about it laterMon Jun 17 1996 19:223
    And girl racers, Malcolm!
    
    Goldy.
2524.19 Always trying to be helpfull. 8^) CHEFS::POWELLMOn 101457.2636@compuserve.comMon Jun 17 1996 20:304
    
    	Goldy,  I don't use sexist terms ever.  You, like me, are part of
    mankind.
    				Malcolm.
2524.204X4 Courses.CHEFS::BETTS_CMon Jun 17 1996 20:3425
    RE: 4X4 Courses,
    
    It's best to trawl through the pages of one of the 4X4 Magazines such
    as Landrover Owner etc.
    
    I'll look some addresses/phone no's for you if you don't have access to
    said magazines.
    
    The course I attended was at Greenham Common Airbase, and was hosted by
    Thames Valley Police. The morning was spent ploughing through axle deep
    mud, climbing steep inclines, fording water etc in an unmarked
    Discovery, on the whole informative, useful (if you want to learn the
    full potential off road of your vehicle) and great (often hair raising) 
    fun . 
    
    Also thrown into the bargain was skid control (in a Cavalier) and high
    speed manouvering ie slalom, 180 degree turns Sweeney style etc 
    (in a Senator 24v).
    
    The course was laid on as a bit of a special, following the untimely
    death of my father, who was an advanced driving/motorcyle instructor
    for the TVP.
    
    Rgds
    Chris
2524.21TERRI::SIMONSemper in ExcernereTue Jun 18 1996 12:4512
Wild Track	01638 751918 Suffolk (includes cieftain tank)   :-)
Devils Pit	01582 563856 Bedfordshire
Off Rd Centre	01947 880371 Whitby
Fresh Tracks	01920 438758 Bristol, Manchester, London
Lakeland	01229 716943 Cumbria
Newton Hill	01382 542513 Crawford


And a page of Driving school too many to list
photo copy to anyone who mails me.

Simon
2524.22"SCOTTISH OFF-ROAD"VYGER::GRAYJPresident of the worldWed Jun 19 1996 03:536
    Does anyone know of any in Scotland?
    
    
    
    
    		Woody.
2524.23Scotland Off Rd driving schoolsTERRI::SIMONSemper in ExcernereWed Jun 19 1996 13:0614
The Barony College, Dumfries and Galloway 01387 86251
Colzie Hill Recreation, Fife 01337 827075
Graham Clark (HD), Tayside 01350 728700
Don Coyote, Lothian 0131 443 2881
Glentanar Adventure Centre, Grampian 01339 886465
Glentarkie Off-Rd Driving Range, Fife 01337 860 528
Highland Drovers, Highlands 01479 831329
Highland Off-Rd Adventure Centre, New House, Plot 3
            Strathnacro, Glenurqart, Invernesshire.
Landwise, Highlands 01479 810858
Newton Hill Country sports, Fife 01382 541460
The offroad experience, Aberdeenshire 013398 86625
Ronnie Dale Off-rd Adventure Driving School, Borders 01361 840244
Shandon County Pursuits, Strathclyde 01436 820838
2524.24VYGER::GRAYJPresident of the worldFri Jun 21 1996 04:054
    Cheers Simon,I will give some of them a call next quarter.
    
    
    			Woody. 
2524.25On-road advanced drivingCMOTEC::JASPERStuck on the Flypaper of LifeFri Jun 28 1996 17:009
    ..Lets not forget the 2 excellent driving schools :
    
    ROSPA & IAM.
    
    These will definitely change your habits/attitude/ability for the
    better.
    
    
    Tony.