The LINK 314 July 2022

THE LINK

TheNewsletterof BristolAdvancedMotorists

The largest organisation dedicated to road safety in the Southwest Affiliated to: IAMRoadSmart

Registered Charity No 289807 Run entirely by volunteers Group no: 1009

Welcome Readers

From the Editor...

Welcome indeed to the high summer edition of The Link. As I write this temperatures are beginning to climb, no doubt by the time you read it they will have fallen again! Don’t forget though that air conditioning is only really cost effective above about 50 mph, otherwise open your windows and listen for hazards as well as look for them!

Talking of which… A tale of the barely expected. I’m trundling through Longwell Green in the shop van, just ahead of me on the left is an adult with a child who has a dog on a lead. All well and good. I’ve already clocked that the road ahead is bending slightly to the right with parked cars on the nearside, so stay in position two and ease off a tad until I get a view that tells me it’s safe to go to position five, and why in my peripheral vision is there an unrestrained dog running at full speed towards me? The brakes on a Ford Transit Connect turn out to be excellent, nevertheless there is a disconcerting “thump” from somewhere to the rear…

I get out, expecting to find bits of mangled mongrel splattered all over the van and carriageway, but no, said pooch is jumping up and down in front of his master on the pavement as if nothing had happened. “It’s all right,” says the bloke, “You didn’t hit him.” (Ididn’t hit him?! Ford have chosen to bless me with six forward gear ratios and one for reverse: none for sideways, sadly). “My stupid kid let him off the lead as you went past.” Well, obviously. But not, as I think my readers may agree, something at the top of the “what might reasonably be expected to happen” list. And the “thump”? Just the bricks we carry as ballast obeying a couple of Newton’s Laws. Then there was the one that wasexpected. It’s an example of what I don’t apologise for calling “Entitled B*tch Syndrome”, although it’s by no means gender exclusive. I’m at a set of lights on red, right-hand lane of two which is for straight ahead. The left-hand lane is exclusively marked for left turns and has only one vehicle in the queue. I, meanwhile, am third in a line of seven or eight, stopped just before a “Keep Clear” protecting the entrance to a petrol station on the nearside corner. Here she comes, in her nearly-new Volvo, sailing up the nearside lane to stop in the “Keep Clear” zone, well back from the car in front of her. Yep, you guessed it – the light turns green and in the second it takes me to check my mirrors and select first gear, she’s indicated right and pulled into my lane. I suppose 9/10 for progress, but minus several bazillion for lane discipline and manners.

July/August 2022

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

Editor: Martin Baker editor@iam-bristol.org.uk 0117 956 3664

37 Mendip Crescent Downend Bristol BS16 6UF

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From the Chairman

Hello everyone

At the AGM in April we managed to elect most of the available committee positions. However there is an important position that has not been filled and this is a request to any of our members who would like to become involved in the running of the group to consider taking on the role of Field Events Manager. There is a job description on our website which gives details of what the role requires. You can find the description here; https://www.iam-bristol.org.uk/index.php/iam-bristol-succession-planning/546-roleprofile-field-events-manager

Please don’t be put off by the lengthy description as I feel sure that most of us could be daunted if we were to read the job description for the job we currently do and think “I could never do that” but we do. Every day!!

We would like to find someone to help us attract new people into the group as we get back to normal activities after the pandemic and the committee feel that one way

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the LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

that we can do this is to get our name out there at various local events and shows. It’s worth pointing out that you wouldn’t be expected to attend all of these events as you would be able to draw on the support of other members to assist. You would be expected to organise and make the appropriate arrangements, again with the support and assistance of others within the group.

So, if you fancy giving this job a go, please email me and we can go from there

Best wishes Pete Davies

Introduce a new Associate: receive a £20 reward

For current Bristol Group Members and Associates: Refer a relative, friend or colleague, and when they pay and enrol on the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver Course with Bristol Advanced Motorists - you get a £20 bonus! And you can do that as many times as you like! For further information, call: 0117 256 5555

Terms and Conditions:

The referrer must be a current Bristol Group Member or Associate.

The referrer must notify the Group Associates Administrator with details of the person they will be referring before that person enters into the Advanced Driver agreement with IAM RoadSmart. Retrospective referrals cannot be accepted.

Offer applies to referrals who enrol on (and pay for) the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver Course exclusively with Bristol Advanced Motorists.

Bristol Advanced Motorists reserves the right to amend or withdraw the offer at any time. Neither IAM RoadSmart nor any other local IAM Group is subscribing to or taking part in this offer.

Recent Test Passes with Bristol Advanced Motorists

Congratulations to the following Bristol Group Associates who have recently been successful in the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver Test.

Thanks also to their respective Observers for helping, guiding and assisting them to achieve the Advanced Driver standard.

We hope that all Associates who have become Full Members over the last year will renew membership, both with the national Institute and with the local Bristol Group, to continue your commitment to Advanced Driving and to support your local Group as we continue to guide more Associates.

July/August 2022

SUCCESSFUL ASSOCIATE OBSERVER

11/06/2022 Shaun Brown

Hugh Raynor PASS 16/06/2022 Faysal Hussain Bob Hawksley F1RST 14/06/2022 Chris Mair Andrew Nicholls PASS 15/06/2022 Udoyon Bhaduri

Steve Carlin PASS 20/06/2022 Willem Pietersen

Richard Olpin F1RST 30/06/2022 Evangeline Eskins Alan Dunn F1RST

Entry in bold denotes a perfect score of 23/23 – well done Faysal!

Three-in-a-Car – 2022

These are informal, social driving events, to help Members maintain the high standard they achieved on their original Advanced Driver test – and also to offer Associates some extra guidance input before their tests. Dates agreed so far for 2022 are as follows -

Saturday 13 August 10.00am Wishing Well, Codrington

Sunday 04 September 10.00am Ashton Way Car Park, Keynsham

Saturday 01 October 10.00am Easter Compton Farm Shop

Club Sundays – 2022

These informal events run from about 10:00am to whenever you want to go home (usually about 1:00 or 2:00pm). A fun driving event, all members, associates and guests are most welcome. Any car is suitable, especially old, classic or interesting!

Club Sundays for the remainder of 2022 are:

Sunday 24 July Burrington Combe

Sunday 30 October Venue TBA

Contact Pete Goodman: meetings@iam-bristol.org.uk for updates.

Advertise in TheLink!

Do you have something (motoring related) to sell? A business to promote? A vacancy to fill? Advertise in TheLink, and reach the Bristol Advanced Motorists community!

Prices per edition – Full page £30.00, Half page £20.00, Lineage £2.00/line.

40% discount for full BAM members and “6 for the price of 5” offers. Contact the editor for more details.

Read this on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk Page 6

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Full Course Refunds available for New Associates

Bristol Advanced Motorists holds two funds which allow us to refund an Associate’s course fee upon passing their Advanced Driver Test to those who fulfil the following criteria: -

South Gloucestershire Road Safety

The Associate must live, work or be in full-time education within South Gloucestershire, pass their Advanced Driver Test and be under 30.

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Fund

The Associate must live, work or be in full-time education within Bristol Local Authority or North Somerset, pass their Advanced Driver Test and be under 25 or over 60.

Please contact Vee Boobyer – associates@iam-bristol.org.uk prior to the start of the course, as retrospective claims cannot be accepted.

Monthly Meetings: Reminder

Our Meetings, Associate courses and some other activities are held at the BAWA Club, 589, Southmead Road, Filton.

It is one of the Bristol region’s venues of choice for conferences and events. It is easily accessible by car with ample car parking adjacent to the buildings. The venue offers a modern, pleasant environment with reception/security, staff on duty and wheelchair access.

The next monthly meeting will be on 26th July – see page 8 for more details.

Arrivalat7:15forapromptstartat7:30pm.

Group Monthly Meetings May/June

It’s not every meeting that’s opened by a saxophone solo, but that’s exactly what happened in May. Blind sailor Mark Austen serenaded us with his rendition of Rod Stewart’s “Sailing” before launching (ouch!) into his fascinating story.

Mark’s full and active life was significantly restricted after a collision with an articulated lorry in 1992 which left him with severe leg and head injuries, the latter resulting in an almost total loss of sight. Before that he had had a flourishing career with Apple Computers and an interest in competitive sailing, racing worldwide by the age of 18. Rehabilitation after the accident took two years, and Mark returned to college to learn new skills. Something he had to learn quickly of course was Braille, relying heavily on self-teaching to so. Luckily, advances in technology e.g. talking phones, have helped him to overcome his disadvantages.

Mark told us that he returned to sailing in 2012, this being a team sport where the entire crew have some form of visual impairment. Navigation is achieved with the aid of buoys marking out the course, each with its own unique sound. As part of the Great Britain world cup team he won a silver medal in 2017 and the gold in 2019.

Away from sailing Mark gives guided tours of Westonbirt Arboretum, which allow sighted people to engage with space, and has recorded audio descriptions for the SS Great Britain. All in all a very inspiring evening.

Mark Austen plays us in to the May meeting

In June we decamped to our summer venue (but not in July! See page 8.) of the Wishing Well at Codrington. We would have to state that the turnout was a little disappointing, but those who did attend enjoyed a drive or two with some enthusiastic associates. This was followed by some anecdotes from Chief Observer Geoff Bevan regarding his early career in the music business, and his slightly more dodgy youth which seems to have been spent illegally accessing railway property and occasioning mischief once thereon! One can only be grateful for the statute of limitations

Group Monthly Meeting

at

BAWA Southmead Road Filton

Tuesday 26 July 2021

Meet 7.15pm for 7:30pm.

You are invited to the July meeting of Bristol Advanced Motorists when Alex Payne, Secretary of the Cotswold Alfa Romeo Owners' Club, supported by Andy Bowden, a member of IAM Bristol (and currently owning his 9th Alfa), will give a presentation on Alfa Romeo cars and the history of the marque.

Additionally Alex, a highly skilled model car maker, will exhibit a small selection of his models.

All members of the group owning Alfa Romeo, or friends with Alfas, are encouraged to bring them to the meeting.

Sounds like another very interesting evening so please make a date in your diary and come along to this ‘all cars’ meeting. As always, entrance is free, raffle tickets will be on sale and there will be coffee available at £1 a cup. We look forward to seeing you all there.

the LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

Social Meeting Wishing Well August 23rd

On August 23rd we return to the Wishing Well at Codrington for one of our informal meets that proved so popular last summer. Come and have a chat, bring an interesting car, perhaps have a drive, some refreshment etc. all in a very convivial atmosphere. As always a 7:30 p.m. start.

Just another driver – Part 2 Words & Pictures by Des Costello

In 2009 the Driver CPC was introduced. Driver CPC is an on-going requirement to complete 35 hours of training within a five-year period. Wells Drivers who need to do their CPC training have to commute to either Bristol or Bath. New drivers undertake their CPC as part of their initial driver training program. A day of CPC could be classroom based or on the road and sometimes a mix of both. For a couple of reasons First West of England drivers tend to do one day each year for five years. Buddy drivers have to attend regular workshops.

All type training used to be carried out by driver trainers based at Lawrence Hill. Because Wells is 25 miles from Bristol it was decided that for efficiency I would undertake this function at Wells. I accompanied a driver trainer on a training bus for a week to bring me up to speed. As a Buddy I would facilitate a depot / site induction which included everything from Health and Safety (H&S had not been invented in 1984) the “First user Check” which is undertaken on every bus before going out each morning, and at least once in any 24 hour period, how to read timetables, running cards (what the drivers run by), the drivers rota and blocks of work (duties).

They then undertake Type training on the different types of buses that operate out of Wells. These included Leyland Lynx, Volvo’s B10B and B10M, Dennis Dart, Dennis Lance, Volvo B7 and later Wrightbus Streetdeck, Streetlight, and Scania Enviro. We had several buses of one type, but all these buses had their own idiosyncrasies, e.g the steering being a bit stiffer, the brakes a bit sharper or a bit slower on a hill. There is a difference how a double deck handles compared to a single deck especially on bends and open sections of road.

of Bristol Advanced Motorists

Streetdeck in Wells depot

Until 2015 all buses at Wells were single decks; DDs had not been in regular use in our area for almost 30 years. With the introduction of Streetdecks® all existing drivers undertook type training. The main issues here were the extra height and handling of these new double decks.

One of the most high-risk manoeuvres is pulling into bus stops. With these new Streetdecks having mirrors that protruded to the front of the bus and with passengers standing on the edge of the kerb, the risk of head and mirror contact was a possibility, and indeed striking a bus shelter is not unknown; then there is also the problem of low branches to think about. The difference between SD & DD might only be four feet but those few extra feet can make all the difference.

Then ticket training (Ticketer®), something that most new drivers would find daunting. It’s fair to say some drivers were quicker than others at mastering the machine, some picked it up in three hours, and others needed many more hours. After Induction, type and ticket training had taken place (usually this was completed in two days) out into the big wide world.

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Volvo B7 at Wincanton terminus

Old and new - Setright and Almex ticket machines

I was lucky that in Wells I could pick what I thought was best suited to a particular driver.It’simportanttochallengebutnotscare,sousuallyanearlytriptoBristolon a 376, this would often see fewer passengers, less traffic, and with the A39 / A37 being mostly straight and wide this would be less stressful, and helped building their confidence.

On their first journey as a driver I would be close by, watching their every move and giving directions in plenty of time so that the position of the bus on the road was correct at the right time. Anyone following a bus does not expect it to just pull into a bus stop at the last minute. I would also be giving advanced warning of hazards that might not be expected, and locations of bus stops yet to be seen further down the road. Not all bus stops are prominent - the sooner you see a stop the more time you have to plan what action is needed if any, depending if there is anyone to get on or off.

We would then move on to other routes, all having their own challenges. I would save the best till last - service 126 Wells to Weston, a myriad of different challenges.

The role of the driver trainer is to teach someone to drive a bus safely, my role as Buddy was to develop Busmanship.

In Wells I was just another driver, and would normally drive buses on all our routes. When new drivers arrived I was “taken off” for Buddying duties. When buddying I would wear a red Hi-Viz with Training Academy on the back which I hope gave our passengers confidence and reassurance. Over the years I’ve had many comments from passengers on my style, with such comments as “ I feel I could drive this bus now”, “I didn’t know you had to know so much or I could never do your job”. If you’re good at your job it looks easy; to be good takes effort, but in the end it pays dividends.

I had two very pleasant experiences while on the buses. In 2002 I was seconded to First Manchester to work on the 2002 Commonwealth Games driving Athletes, Officials and the Press to various locations around the city.

In 2012 I worked in Weymouth on the 2012 Olympics as a Passenger Assistant. It was a pleasure to meet so many people not only from around the UK, but also around the world.

Firstbus are continually reviewing, monitoring and updating their training techniques, procedures and materials and keeping up-to-date with relevant legislation.

In the 1980s all Inspectors / Managers started as drivers, now bright young things join the company from outside and are very keen to tell us where we are all going wrong. Experience is a wonderful thing, and quite often it’s hard earned.

In my time I have worked under 14 Managing Directors, in my humble opinion some more suited than others. In 1984 we had a Depot Manager now called Business Manager, Traffic Superintendent now called Staff Manager, and Foreman now called Shift Supervisor. But a driver will always be a driver. For as long as I can remember there have always been vacancies for drivers, and currently that situation is no different.

It has to be said that being a bus driver does not suit everyone - 04:30 starts, 01:30 finishes, Saturday, Sunday and Bank holidays are a part of a driver’s normal working week, allocated holidays, these are not popular but are unfortunately necessary. It’s not practical to accommodate 60 drivers from one depot that all want their holidays on the last week in June and the first week in July. In 2013 our Union Branch in Wells introduced a system where drivers could ask for certain weeks, up to a set limit of six drivers being off in any given week. This was more time consuming than the practice of allocated holidays, but went down well with drivers. From 2013 I administered this new system for all 65 drivers based at Wells.

Like everyone I’ve had times that have been more trying than others but overall I have enjoyed my time as “just another driver”

The black, the white and the grey Nigel Albright

This is an item I have long felt the need to write. It’s basically about the range of road driving skills, the scale of differences and why they are significant. But also, why most people never move from the bottom end of the scale.

THE DIFFERENCE

As I look back on my driving experiences, which in this context really started in 1973, some ten years after passing my driving test, I reflect with a sense of pride how immensely fortunate I have been to meet, and often to know, people through what is really the complete range of road driving abilities in the UK. By chance that first experience was a group visit for a day to the Metropolitan Police Driving School, Hendon. This included a skid-pan demonstration and a high-speed demonstration drive under commentary, both from Advanced Wing Instructors. These were people at the absolute top end of the scale whose sole concern was to know and to teach how drive safely in all circumstances and at the total range of speeds which could be done on the roads. There was no other agenda. There were none better anywhere in the world and the likes of which are, in my view, and very unfortunately, already fading into the mists of time.

Ding, Ding (ThanksDesforaninterestingmini-seriesofarticles,oraswesayinBristle–ED.)

To understand what it took to be an instructor at that level one needs to know that, for example in the Met, there were three driving standards to go through before even getting to the instructor level. Those were the Standard, Intermediate and Advanced courses, each of three weeks residential at driving school with about a year on normal operational and patrol experience between each. An instructor’s course was 9 weeks - a 3 week repeater advanced course but, with a pass rate of at least 90% instead of 86% for a Class 1 or,75% for a Class 2, then 3 weeks instructor course and finally a 3 week course with first students and under supervision.

Now, just imagine being an advanced course instructor for 20 or 30 years, doing drives with three students at up to 120mph (as it was then) on open roads, covering around 300 miles per day and bringing all back safely over all that time. There were no so-called safety gizmos or anti-slip devices on vehicles then. That is why they were the very best and their safety standard reflected that. When I last visited Hendon in 1982 the accident rate in the Met. force area was 1:60,000. At driving school it was 1:230,000 miles – including Advanced, Standard and Intermediate courses, which was an incredible standard. You can understand why police instructors from all over the world came to Hendon to study their way of doing things.

At the diametrical opposite end of the scale is The Driving Test which, by reference, is a basic test. It’s the lowest level of competence for driving on UK roads, which also presumes a basic level of safety. That is why I feel it would be better called The Basic Driving Test because that would then point people towards gaining higher levels of competence and safety, which would in turn mean lower vulnerability to crashes. Those qualified to teach people to pass this test are called ADIs or, Government Approved Driving Instructors, commonly referred to as ADIs. Qualifying as an ADI involves three parts. The first is theory, including the Hazard Perception Test, the second is a driving test and the third is on an ability to teach. The really interesting bit is that ADIs are periodically re-tested on their ability to teach, but never again on their standard of driving. So, what does Part 2 involve? As I understand it that is more or less a tighter version of the basic driving test, and that’s it, literally.

Between these two extremes sit all the other driving courses and advanced driving courses in the UK.

The other aspects to be aware of are the debrief, or drive review in the case of advanced courses and the marking system in the case of the basic driving test. They are very different animals. The former is very broad based and will involve both positive and negative in-depth observations and feedback with much encouraging comment where possible. The DVSA approach for the standard driving test is, understandably, more narrowly based, merely deciding whether an individual has, at a basic level, racked up sufficient major and/or minor faults to fail, otherwise they pass the entry level standard for driving on UK roads.

The important thing to understand is that the whole DVSA/ADI ethos is orientated purely to that fault addition type assessment and nothing more. That is part of their essential DNA and reflected in the whole scale of their work and whatever they influence. Also, the DVSA does not like positioning, which is a key element in reducing vulnerability and enhancing safety in advanced work but, obviously, is not really suitable at the basic level. In my book those are the main reasons why any

course or test which is DVSA/ADI orientated would not be in the frame as far as any proper advanced test or training goes. Advanced driving courses originated from the police driving schools and not from the DVSA/ADI route although, with the demise of the former the latter, again most unfortunately, is becoming more prevalent.

THE SCALE

Many will know that I grade drivers according to their vulnerability to crashes. It’s ultimately about safety, but to quantify this it’s about vulnerability. I use a scale of 1 to 100 where a lower rating means a higher vulnerability. An advanced wing police driving instructor, such as I knew, would be in the upper nineties – there is no 100% rule, and therefore no 100% safety for anyone. By comparison, the standard driving test would be around 20. Given that most drivers, if spot tested today, would almost certainly fail the standard test and that most are unwittingly like the next crash waiting to happen, that would actually place them below the 20 mark. The top of the normal civilian advanced driving courses (RoSPA Gold and IAM Masters), would be in the 50s range. You can see that there is still a massive gap between those and the standard of advanced course police driving instructors I knew. I accept that these are my subjective opinions but, apart from my own experiences, when talking amongst my peer group there seems to be a broad agreement, so these views are probably not too far off the mark.

THE GREY

Jane Stewart-Smith was a remarkable lady. Born with one lung and one arm that did not stop her achieving amazing things. But the other thing about her was her wonderful attitude. As one example she would drive sedately though built up areas at night time so that the vehicle noise would be a minimal intrusion to residents. But, Jane also had a gentle way of bringing you down to earth, if necessary. On one occasion we had an exchange of views on some topic or another on driving, as we often did. Generally we were in agreement but, on this occasion, perhaps because she felt I was being a bit pedantic she said, ‘Youknow,Nigel,theinterestingthing aboutdrivingisthatthereisblackatoneend,whiteattheother,andanawfullotof greyinthemiddle,andthatmostofourdecisionsaremadeinthegreyzone’.

Like myself Jane had also done the British School of Motoring’s High Performance Course so we were normally talking from the same page. In those days being an IAM member allowed immediate access to the Course, and the Course itself was four intensive stages over three full days of driving. Jane had spent the additional two years or so working at it, with extra HPC drives, to progress through Honours and Silver to achieve the coveted Gold level. By comparison, I had merely achieved the Honours level. But, Jane’s comment about the grey zone indicated a possible range of options to a situation rather than just this or that so, a fluidity of thinking. Indeed, the further up the scale of knowledge and ability you go the wider the grey scale becomes and, therefore, the greater the options develop for the safe handling of situations, but also the greater the responsibility to make good decisions in relation to the prevailing conditions.

THE BLACK AND THE WHITE

The introduction of the idea about the grey scale is interesting because at the entry level that does not really occur. At that end things are largely black and white. They have to be because the test is dealing in basics and the UK national standard for starting to drive on the roads, which has to be seen to be scrupulously fair across

many thousands of people and also many different cultures so, understandably, there is little or no room for flexibility. If you work with that on a day to day basis it is inevitable that it will become firmly imprinted on your psyche. My work with ADIs has shown just how difficult it is for most of them to move out of that black and white zone and be thinking in a more fluid way which is important in proper advanced work. That key point, plus the marking system, are primary reasons why I have never gone down the ADI route.

No, I don’t have a downer on ADIs. I retain good relations with a number of them but, outside those involved in advanced driving groups, which is the vast majority, I just wish many of them would take more pride, or even just pride, in the fact they are the only cadre of professional driving instructors in the country and also that they generally did not get defensive when anyone suggests there is more to life than Part 2. It’s very much a head in the sand job, almost as though anything over and above Part 2 is an attack on its status. No, the world does not finish at Part 2; in real terms that’s just about the starting point. Contrary to that, ADIs in general should be recognising where they are in the scale of things and be recommending their pupils to subsequently move to higher levels of competence, lowering their vulnerability to crashes and therefore increasing their safety level. This should be supported and reenforced by the DVSA, but for proper advanced driving courses.

Unfortunately, for most ADIs that will not happen because, essentially, they are running a business and it’s primarily about income; beyond the basic driving test there may not be any real money in it for most of them. Therefore, their income, and professional credibility, is normally based purely on the number of people they can get through the basic test. Also, a key ADI support organisation, The Driving Instructors Association, (DIA) is not going to recommend anything outside its own framework because it is a business, part of Graham Fryer Associates (GFA). It is membership based and naturally, as part of a commercial mindset, wants to keep its membership internally focused. There is no commercial profit in pointing people outside its own to products or services. For so called ‘advanced’ work it will naturally recommend the Diamond Advanced Test, (a company within GFA) which sits nicely within the DVSA/ADI DNA. This means that ADIs essentially do not have to move outside the comfort zone of their existing knowledge and skills envelopes.

To put the situation into perspective happily there are some ADIs who are not stuck in the general DVSA mindset and have a broader scope of understanding. For example, former police officers who are on a pension and may not actually need the income per se but, are keen to pass on to learners the keys of safe driving, such as Drive Alive UK (https://www.drivealive.co.uk/) which is staffed purely by former police traffic patrol officers.

There are also those who, first and foremost, as keen drivers, started in advanced groups and then moved on to a career in driving instruction. However, in my experience, those in these categories are remarkably few out of the 40,000 odd ADIs in the UK. For most the prime teaching motive is the test criteria. And for the DVSA everything seems to relate back to the standard driving test mindset, so we are back where we started. It is therefore somewhat incongruous, and very worrying, that the DVSA has set itself up as an arbitrator of advanced tests. Therefore, also, having the epithet ‘DVSA Accredited’ is certainly not one I would want attached to any advanced course I might organise. This is not to say that doing any DVSA/ADI orientated

better driving course would not improve a person’s driving to some extent but, in my view, it should not be confused with what, from my experience, would be a proper advanced driving course.

HILLS AND VALLEYS

Now, you may think that I have laboured unduly on the difference between the two extreme ends of driving abilities. Forgive me, but I stand by that in order to illustrate the real range of difference and the scale of things. The scale looks at the relative positioning of different levels; the hills and valleys concept points to the differences in perception and understanding at those levels.

If you are down in the valley all you can do is look out either horizontally or, upwards. Your horizontal view might be open, so you can see further up or down the valley or, it might be impeded by houses or trees but, one way or another, that is your range of view and the understanding of your situation.

Now, if you view from the top of the hill you can look down and see all that the person in the valley can see, but also much more. Additionally, you get a much better idea of the various elements in the valley and how they relate to one another, which the person in the valley will not even be able to grasp. The one in the valley will obviously have no idea of the view from the top unless they actually go there and there in is the rub, because it takes effort and some huffing and puffing to get up the hill. I can tell you what the view is like from the top but, (ignoring iPhone cameras and the like) you will have no real idea unless you go there yourself. In driving terms, most people are not prepared to make the effort and, they might say, ‘why should they?’ Good point, and a pivotal one.

WHY?

The answer lies in what might be best described as an unhealthy state of delusion which can lead to unintended consequences which, in turn, can be fatal or, permanently disabling.

Ask most drivers whether they are safe and the answer will almost certainly be that since they haven’t had a crash, they are safe. However, I believe safety is on a scale of vulnerability which is quite different. So, most sit in their comfort zone at the bottom of the valley and have absolutely no motive to do anything more than that. Very unfortunately that also involves many people in the road safety industry. But, by inference, being in the bottom of the valley also means a potentially higher level of vulnerability. Now it only takes the wrong fraction of a second for generally at least two parties to be involved in a crash. That doesn’t ignore the single vehicle crash; that is still going to be a moment of wrong judgement one way or another. But, that fraction of a second is normally all it needs; and a fraction of a second at precisely the wrong time simultaneously for those two parties. That can result in fatality or serious injury and often being mentally scarred for life; not only for those directly involved but also for family and friends. That could happen today, tomorrow, in a few years’ time, or even never. Too many will pass very close to such a fraction of a second at some time or another and not even realise it, and that’s the really worrying bit. But the main thing is that the vulnerability is there, and few will want to recognise and deal with it in advance so that if, in a sense, the wrong fraction of a second should ever occur, they are not going to be part of it. Remember, that around 98% of crashes involve human error and that 98% of those involved will almost

certainly say, ‘It wasn’t my fault’. The unpredictable and/or unforeseeable crash is almost non-existent if a driver is properly trained has his or her wits about them. That is exactly why moving up the scale and reducing vulnerability is so vitally important.

So, yes, go climb the hill; climb the mountain. Work up a sweat, start huffing and puffing. And, if you are part way up the hill, go further. Your family and friends, as your passengers, may never know what you have done to help keep them as safe as possible and, quietly, satisfyingly, it will have been well worth it.

(A version of this article has previously appeared in the newsletter of Wessex AdvancedMotorists).

Advanced tips from the CO Geoff Bevan

The latest in the series of advanced tips taken from the Chief Observer’s publication ‘An Associates Guide’ which he has made freely available on the Group’s website. In this issue he deals with –

Parking Brake (handbrake) – Long stay or Short stay (manual handbrake vehicles)

Apart from an emergency (i.e. if the brakes have failed) the purpose of the parking brake is primarily to secure the vehicle when it is stationary and for this reason it should be the first step in your ‘Cockpit Drill’. However, once you are on the road it would usually be applied before selecting neutral after the vehicle has come to a stop. Selecting neutral before securing the vehicle with the parking brake leaves you vulnerable if another vehicle comes into the back (or front) or if you have stopped on a slope or are manoeuvring on a steep camber, for instance performing a multi-point turn in the road.

However, there are two types of ‘stationary’or ‘stay’ as we sometimes say – these are longstayand shortstay. Long stay might be at a road junction waiting to turn right with a long line of oncoming traffic to pass - or where the traffic lights you are approaching have only just turned red and you know you’ll be there for a while. Short stay might be when you have just drawn up at red lights but you are confident they are about to turn green - or perhaps at a roundabout when you are waiting on only two or three vehicles before you can go. NB. You should adopt the short stay principle at pedestrian crossings!

1) Long stay (HBN): Handbrake/Parking brake before Neutral. Adopting the longstayprinciple immediately secures the vehicle from forces both without and within. It will also save wear on the clutch thrust bearings and linkage components such as cables and cylinder seals whilst reducing the fatigue of applying pressure on the brake pedal.

2) Short stay (GBH): Gear before Handbrake/Parking brake. Adopting the shortstayprinciple sets you ready to go with only the parking brake to release.

However, whichever principle you adopt for a particular hazard try to apply the parking brake without ‘ratcheting’the lever. Ratcheting is the malpractice of pulling up the parking brake without first pushing in the release button - thus invoking the all

the LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

2022 Read this on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk

too familiar click-click-clicksound which demonstrates a lack of knowledge or vehicle sympathy and which results in premature wear of the parking brake ratchet rack and pawl.

Remember that an advanced driver should not expect to use the parking brake every time they stop. Learner drivers are taught to apply the parking brake every time they stop because of the complexities of dealing with a multiplicity of considerations at an early stage in their driving career but for advanced drivers there are many circumstances where this is quite unnecessary. For example, you will usually apply the parking brake at traffic lights, on hills, waiting to turn right and always at a pedestrian crossing but not always necessarily when manoeuvring on level ground or when stopping briefly at a ‘Stop’ sign.

A penalty for saying “Thanks”?

Member Andrew McConachie has contacted us to point out something he had noticed in the ManchesterEveningNews.Obviously we can’t reproduce that here, but the article refers to Rule 160 of the Highway Code, which we can! This states –Oncemovingavehicleyoushould"driveorridewithbothhandsonthe wheelor handlebarswherepossible.Thiswillhelpyoutoremaininfullcontrolofthevehicle atalltimes.Youmayusedriverassistancesystemswhileyouaredriving.Makesure youuseanysystemaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions."

Andrew asks that with the prospect of a £1000 fine/3 penalty points for not having control of a vehicle, should we not be taking our (left) hand off the wheel to acknowledge the kindness of another motorist? Left hand of course, because that’s the one we use for changing gear, although with the rise of EV’s and other automatics that is becoming a dying art! Also, how does one give a courtesy signal when in a state of “short-stay handbrake” as described by Geoff Bevan above? I’m sure some of our readers will have a viewpoint on this!

Driving Questions

Do you have a driving question? We'll put the question to our senior team and print the answer in the next edition of TheLink.

Don't be embarrassed - any genuine driving question is fine...it might be as the result of a near miss or a complicated road layout or how to apply 'The System' - just ask!

Email editor@iam-bristol.org.uk <mailto:editor@iam-bristol.org.uk> or phone is good.

LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

By the way, did you hear what happened when the cheese lorry overturned on the M4? De brie everywhere! (I’ll see myself out…).

Seen at the Bath Festival of Motoring 19th June – Andy Poulton helps out on the Somerset & Wiltshire Advanced Motorists stand whilst (below) Peter Huntington extols the merits of IAM RoadSmart over the PA system from a 5-litre Mustang in the parade ring

Events Calendar

JuJ July 2022

Au Aug 2022

Sept 2022

2022

• Wednesday 20 July 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

RoadSmart Advanced Driver Course 3: Seminar 2 :: Courses

• Sunday 24 July 2022 10:00am - 02:00pm

Club Sunday at Burrington Combe :: Events Social

• Tuesday 26 July 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Group Monthly Meeting :: Meetings Group

• Tuesday 09 August 2022 07:30pm

Executive Committee Meeting :: Executive

• Saturday 13 August 2022 10:00am - 02:00pm

3-in-a-Car: The Wishing Well at Codrington :: Three in a Car

• Tuesday 23 August 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Group Monthly Meeting :: Meetings Group

• Wednesday 24 August 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Further Advanced Driving: 2022 - Course 1: Written Test :: Courses

• Wednesday 31 August 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

RoadSmart Advanced Driver Course 3: Seminar 3 :: Courses

• Saturday 03 September 2022 10:00am - 03:00pm

FREE Advanced Driving Taster Day :: Events Publicity

• Sunday 04 September 2022 10:00am - 02:00pm

3-in-a-car: Ashton Way Car Park, Keynsham: 10am start :: Three in a Car

• Thursday 08 September 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Further Advanced Driving: 2022 - Course 2: Seminar 1 :: Courses

• Tuesday 13 September 2022 07:30pm

Executive Committee Meeting :: Executive

• Thursday 15 September 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Further Advanced Driving: 2022 - Course 2: Seminar 2 :: Courses

• Thursday 22 September 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Further Advanced Driving: 2022 - Course 2: Seminar 3 :: Courses

• Tuesday 27 September 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Group Monthly Meeting :: Meetings Group

• Wednesday 28 September 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Training Team Meeting :: Training

• Thursday 29 September 2022 07:15pm - 10:00pm

Further Advanced Driving: 2022 - Course 2: Seminar 4 :: Courses

the LINK – newsletter of Bristol Advanced Motorists

Who does what in Bristol Advanced Motorists Executive Committee (Trustees)

Chairman Peter Davies chairman@iam-bristol.org.uk

Vice Chairman Steve Carlin vice-chairman@iam-ristol.org.uk

Secretary Martin Evans 0117 979 8061 secretary@iam-bristol.org.uk

Treasurer Marcus Venn treasurer@iam-bristol.org.uk

Database Manager Andy Cole database@iam-bristol.org.uk

Newsletter Editor Martin Baker 0117 956 3664 editor@iam-bristol.org.uk

Associates Administrator Vee Boobyer associates@iam-bristol.org.uk

Chief Observer Web Administrator Publicity Officer

Membership Development

Geoff Bevan 01453 860365 chiefobserver@iam-bristol.org.uk publicity@iam-bristol.org.uk

Tony Gilbert development@iam-bristol.org.uk

Training Officer Richard Olpin training@iam-bristol.org.uk

Younger Driver Ambassador Hugh Raynor youngdrivers@iam-bristol.org.uk

Monthly Meeting Organiser & Social Organiser

Pete Goodman 0117 960 5367 meetings@iam-bristol.org.uk

Other (non-Trustee) Post Holders

Committee Minute Taker Brenda Smyth minutes@iam-bristol.org.uk Field

events@iam-bristol.org.uk

iam-bristol@olpin.net (sic)

The Cover of the hard copy version

The LINK is primarily distributed as a hard-copy A5-size paper version. The current cover continues the tradition first started in about 1971 of having an image of Bristol’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. The back has a brief text about the Group, for the benefit of non-Members, and a QR code which directs to our website. Printed and collated by:

Observer Training

Members, new and experienced: could you be an Observer?

We are always looking to further increase our team of 40 Observers to help guide and assist our Associates to Advanced Driver standard.

The first step is to complete the Further Advanced Driving course which costs £49.

If you achieved a F1RST on your advanced test - get in touch!

For more information contact: training@iam-bristol.org.uk

Since the re-commencement of activities we have guided many Associates through the Advanced Driver Course to become Full Members of IAM RoadSmart (almost half of whom achieved F1RST status) – but we have capacity for more!

Members – you can act as recruiting salesmen for the Bristol Group, our Advanced Driver Courses and our three Driver Refund Schemes.

For information about the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver Course

Contact: associates@iam-bristol.org.uk 0117 969 1746 or 0117 256 555!