Dates For Your Diary
Monday 13th October
7:15pm for 7:45
AGM
Monday 10th November
7:15pm for 7:45
Meeting: Judith Billingham, Safety Manager for Wiltshire Council, will be our speaker.
Monday 8th December
7:15pm for 7:45
Meeting: Stuart Bullock, RoADAR Regional Examiner will be speaking.
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.
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Do you have a topic you would like discussed, or know of an interesting speaker? Please contact Monica!
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Welcome to the following members who have all recently joined the group:
Ed Deacon (Car)
Nicola Jones (Bike)
John Nicholls (Bike) |
Congratulations to Monica Graham and Gerry Tierney who have both recently passed their car re-tests with Gold grades. |
Don’t forget that we have a range of clothing available to purchase. We also offer a range of books, such as Roadcraft, Motorcycle Roadcraft and the Highway Code, and these are available at discounted prices.
For more information visit the Merchandise page of our web site at www.wiltshireroadar.co.uk.
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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 |
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We're now on
Facebook
AND
Twitter!
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Don't forget that our 2014 Annual General Meeting will be taking place on Monday 13th October at Liddington Village Hall. On this date membership renewals will become due for the majority of our members. Membership cards will be available for collection during the evening. Your membership renewal can be paid electronically by bank transfer or by cheque. You will also need to forward your completed renewal form to Monica, either by email, by bringing it with you to the AGM, or by sending it to her by post.
At the AGM we will be electing a new committee to help run the group for the next year. Most of the current members intend to stand for re-election for the next year but we are also looking for some new members. Joining the committee gives you a chance to influence the running of the group and inject some fresh ideas so please consider joining us!
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Thank you to Peter Genet, Rob Slack, Greg Scawen, Winston Castle, Tina Cole, Stephen Izatt and Oliver Graham for helping at the Emergency Services Show at the beginning of the month. We had lovely weather (a bit hot at times) and plenty of interest in the group. Let us hope that the enquiries we received result in some more new members! |
September Meeting: Malcolm Palmer |
For our September meeting the group welcomed Malcolm Palmer who is now Senior Safety Consultant at the Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire.
Before Malcolm began his talk he told us that ‘Heckling’ was welcome! So who would ‘Heckle’ our ‘Speaker’ when he was kind enough to come to talk to us? Actually no one did, but questions were asked and responded to during the talk.
Malcolm talked about ‘When Training Goes Wrong’ and started by talking about his training background and Motor Cycle experiences. He mentioned that he hasn't been riding bikes all his life. Two reasons for that: 1. He isn't dead yet! 2. There was a 16 year break between dad Palmer selling his trusty BSA combo and Palmer Junior getting his first bike. However, what started as cheap transport to get to work has developed in to over 30 years of riding, training, and instructor training experience. This has included training with organisations such as the now defunct RAC/ACU, the BMF-RTS, working with Rider Ideas on the Edexcel-accredited BTEC instructor training, and gaining instructor qualifications from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (a US organisation). Malcolm has also advised TRL & DSA on motorcycle training and instructor standards.
His talk covered the fact that one of his teachers many years ago, wrote on the front of his Exercise Book, ‘THINK’, which is very relevant to today’s road users. He also obtained agreement that safety is a priority above all else.
One topic was ‘Does Training Work’? Not in all cases it seemed as some skid training has been known to increase the crash rate (Elviket AL 2004). He also talked about the G.R.O.W. model of coaching and the GDE Matrix and the fact that training is ‘creating a habit’ and ‘practice doesn’t make perfect', it ‘Makes Permanent’. He talked about ‘self-awareness’, ‘reflecting and willingness to look back and consider’ and the ‘willingness to change, having decided appropriate behaviour'. The aspect of ‘riding the mentalcycle’ was mentioned in respect of, ‘review, assess, plan, do’.
That covers a brief resume of the talk which incorporated many other aspects and was of great interest to all.
Chris Gleed
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We are currently looking into the possibility of arranging a visit to an HGV Driving School. This is likely to take place next Spring. We hope to be able to give our members the chance to experience life from a Lorry Driver's perspective and maybe even provide the chance to drive one. This is still in the early planning stage; more details will follow. Let Monica know if you're interested so we can get some idea of likely numbers. |
One of the things that I use within my Driving Guidance is the ‘7Ss’.
It pretty much covers all that you need to consider for your driving. These are:
1: Safe - Safety is your priority at all times.
2: Systematic - System of Car Control used at all times.
3: Smooth - Acceleration - Gear Changes – Braking – Steering.
4: Speed - Correct use with acceleration sense.
5: Space - Keep a safety bubble around your vehicle.
6: Style - Have a nice professional driving style.
7: Sparkle- Make the examiner sit up and take notice.
The examiner is looking for a safe drive that is systematic and smooth, showing the correct use of speed, whilst maintaining sufficient space around your vehicle. Have a style that is calm, patient and caring and not being aggressive or competitive. Take pride in your driving and show the examiner some sparkle. Make the Examiner sit up and take notice!
Speed must always be related to safety using acceleration sense at times, coupled with restraint and consideration for others, but with progress up to the speed limit where safe. I use the phrase ‘Deceleration Sense’, so that the use of the accelerator is complimenting the use of the brakes by reducing the velocity of the vehicle where required. This results in smoother, progressive braking.
Remember the System of Car Control (I-PSGA)! This is Processing Information and four phases: Position, Speed, Gear and Acceleration. Use mirrors for information, steering for position, accelerator and or brakes for speed, gears to give the flexible and required response needed for the hazard, then the accelerator to control the speed to and through the hazard.
Use what is already within the vehicle and all one needs to do is to use the controls in a systematic way.
There are lots of variations on the S’s but look to your own abilities for their use in your driving. If you are a Tutor, convey this message to your associates when giving them guidance.
I hope this helps.
Chris Gleed |
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