Sunday 12th July
10:00am-3:00pm
Under 17 Car Club Magic Day

Monday 13th July
7:15pm for 7:45
Meeting: We will be joined by Dave Thomson, a RoADAR Examiner and GAP Representative, who will be our speaker.

Monday 14th September
7:15pm for 7:45
Meeting: Ian Harris from Thatcham Research will be speaking.

Friday 25th September
10:00am
Williams Grand Prix collection visit

Monthly Ride-Outs
Remember that monthly Bike Ride-Outs take place on the 3rd Saturday of every month. 

Monthly meetings are all held at Liddington Village Hall opposite the church.

Welcome to Geoff Craggs and Tim Read who have both recently joined the group as members of the bike section.

Congratulations to the following members who have all passed their advanced tests recently:

 
David Giles (car) - Silver; tutored by Chris Gleed
Andy Cubin (bike) - Silver; tutored by John McKellar 
Bob Fram (bike) - Silver; tutored by Stephen Izatt
Nick Carrington (car) - Advanced Tutor re-test
David Blackledge (bike) - Gold; re-test

We are always looking for more articles, ideas and news for the newsletter. Have you been somewhere interesting recently that would make a good story? If you attend any group events then take a camera and send us your pictures!

Please forward all contributions to newsletter@wiltshireroadar.co.uk

 

The Benefits of Advanced Driving

Hello, my name is David and I am a relatively new member of Wiltshire RoADAR.  I have only had a few lessons with my Tutor and I have already been aware of the benefits and improvements to my driving.  I originally passed my driving test in 1974 and since then I have not undergone any further training or instruction.  Obviously since that time road conditions and the amount of traffic has changed considerably.  Also vehicles have vastly improved since 1974.

I am sixty eight years of age and recently I was aware that my driving needed some improvement.  Although I have not had any accidents or been prosecuted for any driving offences, I felt I needed to improve my driving skills not only for the benefit of myself and my family but also for other road users.  An example of the changes in driving practice is the way a manual gear box is now used, because when I was taught to drive I was told to continually change gear to help the braking of the car. This is no longer thought to be the best driving practice.  I am also now taught to use observation and road position far more extensively than I was taught all those years ago.

These are just a couple of examples of the benefits that I have gained by being taught by an instructor from the RoSPA Group and I feel that all drivers should have further instruction to make sure that their driving skills are adequate for present day conditions.  I look forward to continuing my tuition with the hope of obtaining a acceptable pass in my test.

David Surgett

Under 17 Car Club Magic Day

On Sunday 12th July, the Under 17 Car Club will be holding their annual Magic Day at Castle Combe racing circuit between 10:00am to 3:00pm. The club will be raising funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity that the club supports. This will be an interesting day with lots of different vehicles around, and members will get the opportunity to ride in many of the vehicles. We hope to have a stand at this event but need some volunteers to help man it. If you can help please contact Monica.

HGV Driving Experience

On Saturday 20th June several group members travelled down to Salisbury for an HGV experience day organised by Monica.

After meeting up, we all moved into a classroom to meet the instructors, Fritz, Andy, Sean and Aubrey.

Initially we watched some videos on ''Sideswipe'' incidents (where an HGV changes lane and clips a car that was in the HGV blind spot), and an interesting video showing how many cyclists could ''hide'' next to the cab of an articulated truck, without the driver being able to see the in any of his mirrors (I think it was eleven).

After this, and some spirited chat, we split into two loose groups. Some took the chance to grab a bit of lunch, and others to head out to the driving area.

On offer, we had a rigid Large Goods Vehicle, and a 30ft articulated Heavy Goods Vehicle, as well as an old ambulance, and a van with a trailer fitted for trailer reversing practice.

In groups we were able to move round the trucks to see where the best hiding places were and it was great to sit in the cabs to gauge the size of the vehicles from the driver’s perspective.

We then took it in turns to take the vehicles out manoeuvring (under instruction of course) around the road course painted in the training centre yard and around the cones that were set up as per DSA driving test requirements.

It really highlighted the challenges faced by the driver of an LGV or HGV especially turning left into a minor road, and particularly how much room they need to complete a turn without running over kerbs (or cars and cyclists), often requiring both sides of the major and minor road to get round.

In all, the day was a lot of fun, the instructors were lively and knowledgeable - and I think we all gained a good insight into how understanding and cooperation with other road users (both large and small) will make the roads safer for us all.

All in all, a fun and informative day. Hopefully more trips like this can be planned for the future.

Gary Franks 

As the father of two young children, I was keen to attend the June meeting at Liddington Village Hall, as Matthew Sheridan and Mike Eve from Halfords joined us to discuss Child Seat Safety.

The talk started with an overview of the laws concerning child car seats. All children travelling in the UK in cars must normally use an approved car seat until they are 135cm in height or until they are 12 years of age, whichever comes first.

• When travelling in a taxi or private hire vehicle
  • Children under 3 years of age can travel without a car seat, but only on the back seat.
  • Children aged 3 years or older can travel if they wear an adult seat belt.
• Unexpected Journeys
  • A child aged 3 years or older can travel using an adult seat belt if the journey is unexpected, necessary and over a short distance.
• If there is no room for a third child seat
  • Children aged 3 years or over can travel in the back with an adult seat belt
  • A child under 3 must be in a car seat
• When travelling in a vehicle without seat belts:
  • A child aged 3 years or over can travel in the back seat without a car seat and without a seat belt if the vehicle does not have one.
  • A child under 3 must be in a car seat. If there’s not belt they can’t travel.

• Group 0 (For newborn babies 0-10kg) and Group 0+ (0-13kg). These are rearward facing seats. Most have a sun canopy and a curved base for simulated rocking and easy removal.
• Group 1 (9-18kg). These are usually forward facing seats. They normally have a recline facility and a five-point harness.
• Group 2/3 (15-36kg). These are high-back booster seats. The child is secured using the adult seat belt.

It is also possible to purchase combination seats, e.g. Group 0+/1 and Group 1/2/3, which span several groups. They may not provide quite the same level of protection as the dedicated Group 0/0+, Group 1 and Group 2/3 seats. However, with most car seats costing from £150 to £400, these can be a more economical option.

Seats are fitted using either the adult seat belt or ISOFIX mounts.  The ISOFIX system involves ‘plugging’ the seat into the anchor points which are built into the car. It is intended to make it easier to fit the seat into the car and reduce the likelihood of incorrect fitting. Many ISOFIX seats also utilise either a top-tether strap or support leg to prevent the seat tilting or rotating during a collision.

A new standard called i-Size has also recently been introduced. These seats are based on the child’s height rather than their weight and are intended to be easy to fit and keep children rearward facing for longer. i-Size seats are fitted using ISOFIX mounts only. Currently, there are only a handful of these seats on the market.

Matthew then described some of the problems that parents experience when fitting car seats:

• Buckle crunch: This is a common problem when fitting seats using the adult seat belts. This arises when the seat belt buckle bends around the frame of the child seat so that the buckle is holding the seat in place rather than the seat belt webbing. Matthew advises to check that there are two finger widths of seat belt between the top of the buckle and the frame of the seat.
• Seat belt condition: It is important to check that the vehicle seat belts are in good condition with no fraying or tears, and also that the belts are attached securely with no loose bolts.
• Child removal of belt/straps: Some parents experience problems with children who undo their harness themselves. It is important to educate them on why they should remain in the seat. Under no circumstances should you cover the buckle as this would prevent quick access in case of emergencies.

Second-hand car seats were also discussed. A child seat that was in a vehicle when it was involved in a collision should be replaced, even if there is no visible damage.  It may have been weakened and will not provide the same level of protection in another collision. For this reason, it is not advisable to purchase a second-hand seat – you cannot be certain of its history.

Matthew and Mike rounded off the evening by demonstrating a few models. I was particularly taken by the Doona, which actually converts into a pushchair when out of the vehicle. Nifty!

My thanks go to Matthew and Mike for an interesting evening.

Kevin Hugo