A ADVA
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N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e T h a m e s Va l l e y G r o u p
DRIVE
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Chairman : Dave Thompson
Secretary : Phil Parkinson
ND RID
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RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders
Winter 2008
Contents
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The Editor writes…
From the Chair…
2008 AGM report
Treasurer’s report
Motorway speeders
Just a short hop away… a motoring paradise
Councils to switch off street lights
1.8 million break child seat law
The fuel economy Top Ten
A Korean car selling by the shipload
The Toyota iQ is ever so clever
Why thieves target messy cars
Observation Post
Take a cab ?
Calendar of Events
Who’s who on the new Committee
Drivers may face five-year eye test
Bonjour, monsieur. Vous etes nicked!
Keep your Hi-Vis in the car not in the boot
A key parents love and teenagers hate
Only one cyclist in 10 stops at crossings
Fuel from algae, the latest ‘green’ idea
Climate change? Blame those cows with wind
Is that tractor moving left… or right, perhaps?
BMW in Oxford has built electric Minis
How you lose out at the pumps
New Road grit can damage your paintwork
Would you like a satellite to drive you?
How a rider found her first Bike Group Sunday outing
The rain cannot spoil our day, but a police car can
When all roads can look so alike
Bringing you up to speed
Congratulations!
NOTE:
The centre pages, No’s 12 to 15, are designed to allow removal for use as a
‘pocket diary’ of Group activities with Committee contact details on page 15.
Page 1
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
The Editor writes…
Every year at this time my wife Patricia sends a Christmas card to a
stranger, whom she met in the most unhappy of circumstances… She was
looking out of the window one Friday afternoon as a painter was loading his
gear into the back of his van. To her horror she spotted a seemingly driverless
car speeding diagonally towards him. There was an almighty bang. Colin, the
painter, was hurled into the back of his van, which lurched on to the pavement
and juddered to a halt. He was then thrown back out of the van in a heap on the
pavement amid spilled tins of paint. The other vehicle, a small Volvo, had
bounced back cross the road and into a tree. Its young driver, apparently unhurt,
was surveying the scene.
Patricia rushed out to blood-curling screams of pain. Colin had lost one
leg at the hip and the other was partially severed at the knee. She had been
trained as a first aider at her college in North West London, but she could see
that his injuries were far beyond anything she was expected to deal with. While
the ambulance and police were being summoned, she knelt down beside Colin
in a pool of paint and blood to do what she could for him in the hope that she
could just keep him alive long enough for expert help to arrive.
Rather bizarrely the other driver asked repeatedly if he could use
Patricia’s telephone to call his girl friend for a lift as he ‘would otherwise have
to walk home’, which was less than a mile away. Perhaps, shocked by the truly
gruesome event, he wished to seek refuge indoors. The police were rapidly on
the scene and sealed off the road. The young man then asked the older of the two
policemen if he could leave, and was told bluntly to stand by his car until there
was time to deal with him.
Minutes seemed like ages until the paramedics arrived and took Colin
away. He survived after a long time in surgery and weeks in intensive care,
where Patricia went to visit him. Colin’s parents brought her flowers to thank
her. His wife was distraught and confided to Patricia that she did not know how
she was going to cope with two young children and a seriously disabled
husband. Just one accident had affected so many people.
As for the other driver, he was fined and banned for three months for
careless driving. After a month he got his licence back, since he claimed that
without it he had difficulty in getting to work. As for Colin, he retrained as a
college instructor, and now teaches his decorating skills, although he joked with
Patricia that he would never be able to do ‘ladder work’ again. As for Patricia,
she had recurrent nightmares, and at this time of year she always thinks of Colin
and his family. As for me, I try to ensure that I am never ever that other driver…
I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Max Davidson
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 2
From The Winter Chair
There is no point in updating you with developments in the Group at
this time as there is a full annual report in the Newsletter. So, as Max has asked
for a piece From the Chair, I have decided to tell you all about a proposal that I
intend to implement in the New Year so long as there is the response and interest.
What is it? Well, as part of the old Diploma training I used to take the
candidates on a day’s drive to some far-flung part of the country for lunch and
some intensive training. My plan is to conduct more day runs. The training for
the Diploma ceased when the new Tutor training was launched. Sadly I have
very little input into this as I now am required to test the candidates. So am not
able to get involved in the training as there would be a conflict of interest.
So what am I proposing? I am intending to take whoever wishes to
receive some intensive training, either to improve their standard, their commentary, their instruction, or as a prelude to taking either the Tutor’s qualification,
or prior to any retest. The training will probably be on a day during the week,
though I may well be able to run some training days on Saturdays. The only cost
for those on the training will be the provision of a car to drive. This can be your
own car, one that is hired, or borrowed, but do make sure it is insured for several
drivers. I leave this up to the candidates for each drive. In the past we have hired
cars as well as using borrowed vehicles. So it is up to you.
To get the most out of the instruction, the day will be for a minimum of
two and preferably three Members with either just myself, or another instructor,
or two cars with three occupants each plus an instructor. The training will be
geared towards what you want from the day. So you may find yourself in a car
with others wanting the same or similar. The days will run from nine to
approximately five o’clock. Details for each day will be passed to the selected
Members for arrangements to be made.
This is open only to current members of the Group of any grade, Tutors
and non Tutors. Associates are not eligible until they have become Full
Members by taking the Test. All those who have experienced the day runs have
found them beneficial as well as fun. All I ask is that if you are interested, you
drop me an e-mail, indicating your grade and what you want out of the day, and
I will collate the requests and start planning the days. E-mail me at
roadartvgchair@btinternet.com
The final thing I do need to say is: I hope you all have an enjoyable
Christmas and New Year season. Think of me sitting in the dungeon throughout
the whole festive season, but, hey, someone has to do it.
Dave Thompson
Page 3
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
GROUP AGM: ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS
Committee’s faces stay the same
The Group’s AGM was held at Theale Green School on Wednesday
October, 22. Thirty seven Members attended, including 14 from the Motorcycle
Section. The Chairman Dave Thompson summarised the Minutes of the 2007
AGM, which had been circulated with the Newsletter after the 2007 meeting.
These were accepted without amendment.
Chairman Dave Thompson then gave his annual report: ‘It is my
pleasure once again to thank all of you involved in the running of the Group.
This year our praises have been sung at HQ, yet again, as leading from the front
and being a model that others may follow.
‘We continue with two courses, both run at Sulhamstead, but there is
scope for more recruitment, subject to the Tutors being available. We have the
same venue again in 2009, and all the dates have been booked.
‘From an Examiner’s perspective, I have had 34 tests in 2008 so far with
six booked and four waiting to be arranged. This is up on the 38 I conducted in
2007. Some have been non-Group Members and retests.
‘Publicity and recruitment have again been an issue. The problem is
that everybody is busy and we cannot afford the time to go out and seek new
Members. There has been a good influx of driving instructors. So we hope that
they will spread the word to those they are teaching, encouraging them to come
to us to further their skills. We may this year also benefit from the fact that the
IAM is struggling financially. It has increased its subscriptions, so that it is more
expensive than RoSPA.
‘To obtain an increase in numbers, so that the Tutors get someone to
instruct and maintain their motivation, we need to seek Associates. Leaflets
have been left in car showrooms and other motoring outlets. RoSPA has also
forged links with the Sytner Group, which has an Audi dealership in Reading.
So we shall make contact with the company over the next 12 months.
‘The training sessions are being well attended, again using Sulhamstead. Unfortunately I have been able to attend only one session this year which
was Chris Gilbert’s master class.
The Motorcycle Section continues to thrive and build on its reputation
of being a rather elite bunch. The Section continues to work hard and runs
almost constantly at capacity, albeit that its system for training Associates, for
obvious reasons, differs from that of the car section. The social side of the
Motorcycle Group surpasses that of the car group, a model which perhaps the
Car Section should seek to build upon.
‘Although this year the majority of the Committee is willing to stand
again, there is always room for new blood, and it would be nice to be able to
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 4
stand down knowing that there was someone else already on board in the wings
to take over a post.
‘All that remains for me to do is reiterate my thanks to everybody
involved for their hard work, dedication and support over the past 12 months,
and I look forward to the next 12 months when we will continue the good work,
and ensure that the Group maintains its position nationally.’
Treasurer Gerry Griffin reported that the Group had maintained a
healthy financial state during the current financial year. This again was as a
result of economies in the printing of the Newsletter (courtesy of Tim Considine) and in room hire (by the use of the free Sulhamstead facilities). No major
capital purchases had been made in the past year. (Please see page seven for
Gerry’s full report).
Membership Secretary Rob Lowe reported that the Group had 182
Car Members and 60 Motorcycle Members with 36 Car Associates and 17
Motorcycle Associates.
Members attending the meeting were invited by the Chairman to
stand for the Committee. All posts were open for election. No nominations
had been received before the meeting. Paul Steward had agreed to continue in
his role as Events Secretary, but he wished to relinquish his responsibilities for
publicity. Neil Knight had not been actively involved with the Committee and
was assumed to be standing down as one of the Members without Portfolio.
The Chairman (Dave Thompson) agreed to continue in post. The
following offered to stand for 2008 – 2009: Secretary: Phil Parkinson. Treasurer: Gerry Griffin. Membership Secretary: Rob Lowe. Training Co-ordinator: Tony Parish. Associate Co-ordinator: Paul Sheppy. Newsletter Editor:
Max Davidson. Events: Paul Steward. Publicity: Mike Bowe. Webmaster:
Sheila Bryant. Members without Portfolio: David Fryer and Paul Edwards
(Bikes).
Motorcycle Group (shared Committee meeting attendance [2 of 4]
between Panos Simou, Paul Edwards, John Barnes, David Fryer, and Tim
Considine). Motorcycle Co-ordinator: Panos Simou. Motorcycle Events and
Social Co-ordinator: John Barnes. Publications/Newsletter printing: Tim
Considine. Bike website: Paul Sheehan.
All posts were proposed by Mike Cowling and seconded by Brian
Meares and for the Motorcycle Section nominated by Chris Walliker and
seconded by Gemma Allen. All were agreed unanimously.
With regard to the programme for the year ahead, here are the
main points as agreed at the AGM:
· All bike outings will be held on the first Sunday of each month
(see the Group’s website for meeting details and lunch venues
for each session).
Page 5
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Details of all other events would continue to be published in the
Newsletter.
· Phil Davies, the Motorcycle Examiner, would be asked by Panos
Simou (with help from Dave Thompson, if needed) to address
the Motorcycle Section twice in 2009 (evenings).
· Monthly meetings would continue on the fourth Wednesday of
each month (except in August and December) at Theale Green
School
· In February and September there would be four weekly lectures
at Sulhamstead for new car Associates.
· The AGM would be held in October 2009 at Sulhamstead.
· Tutors’ Workshops were planned in February, April, June and
October with a social event planned in December and with all
Workshops held at Sulhamstead.
· Committee meetings were planned in January, March, May,
July, September, and November to be held in Newbury.
The following resolutions were passed. The Group’s fees will remain
unchanged for the next 12 months. Proposed by Gerry Griffin, seconded by
Dave Thomson, and agreed unanimously. (Please also see the Treasurer’s
report on page seven.)
Associates aged under-25 who pay for their Test at the time of joining
the Group will be offered the reduced fee for their test (by £7). (This is 12
months less than the RoSPA date to allow time for the Associate to train for and
to take the Test.) Proposed by Gerry Griffin, seconded by Dave Thomson, and
agreed unanimously.
Under the heading of Any Other Business, two proposals were put
forward regarding the payment of Membership subscriptions.
The Group would consider seeking Membership payments by means
other than by the traditional payment by cheque or cash through the post. This
would include consideration of on-line banking, raising standing orders or direct
debit payments. This was considered to be likely to be both quicker and easier
for Members and may make them more reluctant to leave.
Similarly the Group would consider Membership payments for three
years (possibly at a slightly reduced rate) related to the re-Test interval. This
would include the fee for the re-Test. This could be related to a refresher fee (of
say £25) in preparation for the Test.
The meeting ended at 8.40 pm. The Group’s President, Peter Caton,
proposed a vote of thanks for Dave Thompson for his continued efforts in
chairing the Group. This was agreed unanimously.
·
Phil Parkinson, Secretary
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 6
2008 AGM: THE TREASURER’S REPORT…
We have money in the bank
It gives me great pleasure to report that the Group has maintained a healthy
financial state during the current financial year. This is as a result of economies in
producing the Newsletter and in room hire. In addition the Group has not needed to
purchase any major items of equipment during the last year.
At September 30 the Group held assets of £6,606. This is approximately
equal to one and a half years’ expenditure. I do not feel that this is excessive, and it
provides the Group with security against any unforeseen circumstances.
The accounts have been inspected and signed off as correct by an independent person, namely Mr Cyril Harrison from Wareham.
The economies in room hire and production of the Newsletter are not
necessarily permanent as they rely on the generosity of one of our Members for (the
printing of) the Newsletter and of the Thames Valley Police for the use of the
Thames Valley Training College. Consequently it is proposed that the Group’s
membership subscription (£15) and Associate course fees (£45) remain unchanged
for the coming financial year.
Associates paying for the RoSPA Test at the time of joining the Group will
receive a £5 reduction in their course fee. Drivers and riders aged 26 or under at the
time of taking the test are entitled to a reduced test fee (currently £7 reduction).This
involves my making a refund to them when I process their Test application.
I would like to propose and adopt, with your agreement, that persons
joining our courses, who are aged 25 or under and who pay for their Test fee at the
time of joining, are given the Test fee discount at the time of joining. This assumes
that they are most likely to take their Test within 12 months of joining.
This has two advantages since it may encourage younger drivers and riders
to join the Course and also make it for a smoother administration procedure.
On odd occasions we may lose the discount due to the Test being taken too
late. This may be due to a reluctant Associate, in which case we need to provide
more encouragement, or it may be due to our difficulty in finding a Tutor for the
Associate, in which case we may need to look at our procedures for matching
Associates and Tutors. Young drivers and riders form a very small part of our
Membership and any losses would not prove a significant drain on our reserves. If
this reduction for young Associates is accepted, then we may need to assess its
impact over the next couple of financial years.
Gerry Griffin, Treasurer
Most drivers exceed motorway limit
Drivers are travelling slower in the built-up area, according to Government
figures. In 1997 70 per cent of cars exceeded the limit. By 2007 this had dropped to
less than half. The situation is not so good on the motorways. In 2007 54 per cent
of cars exceed the 70 mph limit and in addition 18 per cent of cars were recorded as
travelling at 80 mph or faster.
Page 7
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
TRAVEL: A DRIVERS’ PARADISE JUST A SHORT HOP AWAY
If you want the best food in France
Normandy is best known for William the Conqueror, who was born in
Falaise about 30 miles south of Caen. The French are now rebuilding Falaise castle
with the help of archaeologists from Oxford University. It stands just behind a
sloping cobbled square with a statute of William on a rearing charger, looking every
bit the warrior king.
Normandy is steeped in history right up to modern times with its Second
World War invasion beaches, memorials, cemeteries and battlefields. You can even
follow the course of the 1944 Battle of Normandy by taking a self-drive tour. Going
back in time there is Bayeux with its famous tapestry and Rouen, a city of cobbled
streets, leaded windows and magnificent clocks. If you fancy the seaside, there is
Deauville. Normandy caters for all tastes. It even has its own little mountain area,
which is referred to as Suisse Normande.
From a driver’s point of view, Normandy offers a network of well-surfaced, quiet roads and the possibility of making an entire week of outings to visit all
sorts of interesting places. First of all you need to choose your base. In Upper
Normandy Bayeux is a good choice as it is within easy striking distance of the
Channel and the Atlantic coast. In Lower Normandy the spa town of Bagnoles de
l’Orne is the ideal spot for drives to places such as the Le Mont St-Michel, a granite
island reached by a causeway. Bagnoles also offers good walking, horse riding and
golf.
Le Mont St-Michel was once a monastery and it stands at the very summit
of the island, surrounded by salt marsh and grey Atlantic sands. At present you can
park on a tarmac-ed section of beach, but there are plans to free the area from silt,
so that the sea will once again surround the island. Visitors will then be taken to the
fortified island on the causeway by shuttle bus. The best way to get there from
Bagnoles is to head up to La Ferte Mace and drive west through the Andaine Forest
to Domfront and then on through Le Teilleul and St Hillaire-du-Harcourt to the Bay
of the Mont St-Michel.
You could also visit Le Mans, which is just a few miles to the south, as well
as towns and villages, such as Vimoutiers with its Camembert museum, and
Beuvron-en-Auge, a village with around 40 old timber-framed houses, very much
in the style of Normandy. Beuvron, like virtually every other town and village has
a market with delicious produits du terroir.
Driving through the Suisse Normande via Domfront and up to Thury
Harcourt, before returning via Sees and Alencon to Bagnoles, gives you the delights
of wonderful scenery and the chance to hone your skills on some challenging bends.
A shorter, but even more colourful run, is to leave Bagnoles for Couterne and head
along to Alencon, then up to Sees, where you turn left into the Foret d’Ecouves and
the chateau at Carrouges.
The red-brick chateau, with a moat and drawbridge was home to a Norman
family Le Venuer de Tillieres. It is now owned by the French State and has been
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 8
partially restored. It is well worth taking the tour of the interior. Outside there is a
large orchard composed of most of the varieties of apples ever grown in Normandy.
After William, whom the plaque on his statute in Falaise refers to as
Guillaume le Batard (at last something the French and English can agree on),
Normandy is very much about good food and hearty eating. There are none of the
miserly portions of nouvelle cuisine here. Pork, such filet mignon du porc normande, is rated highly, and pork sausages called andouilles de Vire and andouillettes are rightly regarded as the best in France. The Duclair and Rouen breeds of
duck are renown, and the chicken is superb.
The lamb raised on the salt-marshes of the Cherbourg peninsula is very
succulent and, according to the season, there is also wild boar and venison. But it is
the produce of the Normandy cows which is most closely associated with Normandy, the rich creamy butter and cheeses such as Camembert and le Pont l’Eveque.
There is also Livarot, Coeur de Bray and Pave d’Auge.
The sea also plays a huge part in the cooking of Normandy as the coast
offers an enormous variety of fish and shellfish. Oysters, mussels, shrimps, scallops
and lobsters are plentiful if occasionally pricey. You will also be offered less
well-known fish such as duarade (the gilt-headed sea bream), hake and brill.
Normandy does not produce any wines, but there are plenty on offer from
the nearby Loire region. It does, however, have its potent cavados spirit, which was
at one time drunk part way through a meal. During a large meal, when one was in a
trou normand, a small glass of calavdos, un calva, was drunk to help the digestion.
Nowadays un calva, either Calvados or Calvados du Pays d’ Auge, is something
you have with the coffee after the meal, and preferably calvados which is at least 16
years old, the minimum barrel age of a smooth cider brandy.
The best way to learn more about all of this is for you to go to Normandy
yourself. It is a just a hop across the Channel on the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen,
or you can drive the scenic route by taking Le Shuttle on Eurotunnel to Calais and
then the motorway along the coast to Harfleur and the massive Pont de Normandie
over the estuary of the Seine. It is one of the world’s most magnificent bridges. Then
it is on to Caen where you can head west to Bayeux or south on the dual carriageway
towards Falaise.
Near Falaise, if you are heading for Bagnoles, take the D909 to PutangesPont-Ecrepin, Le Grais and La Ferte Mace. It is a wonderful country road, surrounded by typical Norman bocage, where the speed limit signs warning you to slow to
50 kph or 70 kph for bends mean exactly that. Do try it out, and then give your own
verdict in the Newsletter!
Further information: Michelin Normandy map No 513. HOTELS: Bagnoles de l’Orne
- the Quinton family-run Michelin starred Manoir du Lys, a country manor in large
grounds, with heated indoor and outdoor pools, cooking demonstrations by master chef
Frank Quinton and son Paul, and special mushroom weekends in autumn ; Bayeux - Le
Lion d’Or,a superb family-run former coaching inn with good off-street courtyard
parking. For package holidays: VFB Holidays tel: 01452-716842. Links:www.manoirdu-lys@wanadoo.fr www.lion.d’or.bayeux@wanadoo.fr www.vfbholidays.co.uk
Page 9
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
A RETURN TO THE ‘BLACKOUT’ TO SAVE MONEY
Councils to switch off street lights
One in five councils in England in Wales is planning to switch off street
lights at night, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents with blacked-out roads.
The plans are thought likely to be taken up by many more councils once the cost
savings become apparent. Earlier this year cash-strapped councils started to switch
off lights as ‘an experiment’ on sections of dual carriageway and at roundabouts in
a bid to cut down their electricity bills and to help the Government’s overall bid to
meet climate change targets.
Last spring blackouts were imposed by Buckinghamshire, Devon, Essex,
Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Powys. In October Pembrokeshire decided to turn out a large proportion of the lights outside town centres. The
action by authorities in rationing street lighting is the most severe since the power
cuts of the early 1970s. In Pembrokeshire the blackout will run from midnight to
5.30 am and is expected to save £200,000 a year. Only areas around hospitals and
crime hotspots will remain lit.
One of the biggest switch-off schemes is in Gloucestershire where every
other light along 350 miles of road will be switched off at night next year. Yet in
Oxfordshire only 300 lamps will be blacked out on 22 country roads. In North
Somerset lights have been turned off on the access route from the M5 to Westonsuper-Mare and around 300 other lights have been cut off.
Councils in Leicestershire, East Riding, Cumbria and Caerphilly are also
considering blackouts. A further 11 country councils and five city councils are
currently experimenting with simply dimming the lights to see if a ‘grey out’ of the
entire street lighting is feasible. A spokesman for the Local Government Association said that councils had to cut carbon emissions and provide value for money.
1.8 million drivers break child seat laws
According to a survey by insurers LV, up to 1.8 million drivers are
breaking the child seat laws, and one in five of them is completely unaware of the
new law which came into force two years ago. Since September 2006 all children
aged 11 or under must travel in the correct seat or booster cushion for their age and
weight. Babies and toddlers up to the age of three, weighing up to 40 lb, must use a
forward or rear facing seat, while three to 11-year-olds weighing 33 lb or more must
have a seat or booster seat designed for use with an adult seat belt.
The rules, which also apply to older children less than 4ft 5in tall, have
caused widespread confusion among parents. Even when the right seat was used
almost a quarter of parents failed to check that it was properly installed. One in 10
of those who are aware of the regulations admitted that they simply ignored them.
The poll showed that children are most at risk when being carried in cars by friends
and relations. More than a quarter of this group did not use child seats or booster
cushions.
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 10
Accident figures reveal that child passenger deaths and injuries fell after
the law was introduced, from 7,033 injured and 326 dead or seriously hurt in 2005
to 5,927 and 271 for last year. Road safety organisations claim that the £30 penalty
for breaking the law is inadequate and have called for those who do not comply to
get points on their licence.
The Top Ten Cars for fuel economy
Fuel prices may have come down temporarily, but many motorists are still
having to cast a canny eye over the total cost of running a car. The consumer
magazine Which? has named its top ten cars for fuel economy for these more frugal
times. Fiat, Toyota and VW have produced models that break the 60 miles per
gallon barrier. The Top Ten Cars are in order (Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet, Toyota Yaris
1.4 D-4D, VW Polo BlueMotion 1 (60.1 mpg), Mini Clubman 1.6D Cooper (58.8
mpg), Audi A3 1.9 TDIe, Mazda2 1.4D, VW Golf BlueMotion (57.7 mpg), Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi 90 (57.6 mpg), the Fiat 500 1.3 Multijet (56.5 mpg), and the
Renault Modus 1.5 dci 85 (55.3 mpg).
A Korean car selling by the shipload
The need to make household economies has proved to be excellent news
for the £7,000 Hyundai i10. Its sales are booming. There is a three-month waiting
list at dealers, and nearly-new models are selling for above list price. In September
such was the rush to buy the Hyundai i10, which comes with a seven-year warranty,
that two additional shiploads of 800 cars on each were immediately snapped up as
soon as they landed in Britain.
The Toyota iQ is such a clever little car
The Toyota iQ goes on sale next month (January) priced from £9,495. The
tiny two-seater entry model has CO2 emissions of 99g/km and Toyota claims that
it has a combined cycle fuel economy of 65.7 mpg from the 1.0-litre engine. A
five-speed manual transmission comes as standard, but you can have Toyota’s
Multidrive continuously variable transmission for an additional £1,000. There will
be two trim levels: iQ and iQ2. The latter adds climate control air-conditioning,
electrically adjustable and retractable heated door mirrors, rain-sensing windscreen
wipers and 15in alloy wheels.
Why thieves target messy cars…
According to Swinton Insurance, one in five women drivers never bothers
to clean the interior of her car, and Swinton says that thieves target such messy cars
as they believe that the careless attitude of the owner may mean that valuables have
been left lying around. Even having to put their car into a garage, says the company,
does not spur a third of women drivers into tidying up the interior of their cars. But
men be warned! Swinton says that its research revealed that eight out ten women
would be put off any man who turned up with a car with a messy interior on their
first date.
Page 11
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Observation Post
The final Tutor Workshop of 2008 was a bit special when we invited guests
from other Groups in the area to a Tutor Master Class given by Chris Gilbert. Chris
often talks to Groups about his experience as a driving instructor at the Metropolitan
Training College in Hendon, but this time we asked him to focus on techniques used
to teach advanced driving to the police. The evening seemed to fly past with a great
deal of useful information being passed on which will no doubt be of benefit to
future Associates. Certainly we intend to invite Chris back in the future.
The Group also ran two full skid pan sessions at
Goodwood in November, which we hope, with winter
just around the corner, will be of real benefit to all
those who attended. This is a regular feature of training
that the Group provides to Members, and next year we
hope to introduce two new ideas including the Day
Run, which Dave has announced in From the Chair
(please see page three), and I am looking at running a
4 x 4 course to give Members the opportunity to
experience a totally different driving experience.
Associates will now be well on the way to becoming Test ready, and Tutors are
reminded to contact either Paul Sheppy or myself to arrange a cross check.
Several members have also expressed an interest in becoming Tutors with the
Group, and we will be getting around to sorting out training in time for the new
intake of Associates, expected in February. If you would like to be included, please
drop me an e-mail to parishaj@aol.com
Finally, can I take this opportunity to thank all the Tutors for their dedication
and hard work, Paul Sheppy for the admirable way he co-ordinates all the Associates and, of course, Dave for providing the initial grounding for the Associates in
the lectures.
My compliments of the season and a safe winter on the road
Tony Parish, Advanced Tutor and Group Training Officer
Just how safe are you in a mini cab?
In September Thames Valley Safer Road project officers, Chiltern District
Council’s licensing officers, and the Vehicle Operator Agency (VOSA) carried out
stop checks on hire cars. Twenty taxis in the Chiltern area were stopped between 10
am and 1 pm. Four were regarded as being so dangerous that they were ordered off
the road. Two others, with less serious defects, were given a delayed prohibition
notice. Five hire cars were immediately suspended by Chiltern and banned from
operating as taxis. A further five received delayed suspensions with orders to carry
out repairs. A police spokesman later said: ‘We have had to take vehicles off the
road for having bald tyres, broken suspension and defective steering and brakes, but
I would like to reassure the public that most taxis are safe…’
Safe? When 10 out of 20, picked at random, are defective?
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 12
Page 13
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
21st: Monthly meeting
Roadcraft Focus topic (tba)
NO MONTHLY MEETING
All Members
10th: TUTORS WORKSHOP
JUNE
24TH: Monthly meeting
Drive-out event (tba)
27th: Monthly meeting
Annual Quiz Night
6th: Committee meeting
MAY
25TH: Monthly meeting
Roadcraft Focus topic (tba)
22nd: Monthly meeting
Guest speaker (to be announced)
4th: Test Talk. Venue: Sulhamstead
11th: TUTORS WORKSHOP
4th, 11th, 18th, 25th: RoadCraft Lecture Course. Venue: Sulhamstead.
14th: Committee meeting
2009
10th: TUTORS WORKSHOP
Annual Social Event
Venue: Theale Green School
Committee/Tutors
APRIL
MARCH
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
DECEMBER
2008
MONTH
Calendar of Events
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 14
In case of changes please refer to the website (www.roadartvg.org.uk) for latest information.
Up-to-date information and any late changes are also announced at the monthly meetings so
please make every effort to attend and to avoid disappointment !
All meetings start at 7:30 pm.
Venues as follows (unless otherwise advised) :- Open Meetings at Gateway Dance Studio, Theale Green School, Theale
- Tutors Workshops at Thames Valley Police Training Centre, Sulhamstead
- Roadcraft Lecture Courses at Thames Valley Police Training Centre, Sulhamstead
- Committee Meetings at ECA, Cyril Vokins Road, Hambridge Lane, Newbury
All Members
Committee/Tutors
MONTH
22nd: Monthly meeting
JULY
NO MONTHLY MEETING !
26th: Committee meeting
AUGUST
2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd: RoadCraft Lecture Course. Venue: Sulhamstead.
SEPTEMBER
30th: Test Talk. Venue: Sulhamstead
21st: Monthly meeting. AGM
OCTOBER 14th: TUTORS WORKSHOP
25th: Monthly meeting
NOVEMBER
Prestige lecture (speaker tba)
NO MONTHLY MEETING !
DECEMBER 9TH: TUTORS WORKSHOP
Annual Social Event
Venue: Theale Green School
NOTES :Motorcycle Section Ride-outs: These normally take place on the first Sunday of each month.
Meet at Loomies Cafe (A32/A272). Contact John Barnes for more information.
Who is who on the Committee?
POSITION
NAME
E-MAIL
TELEPHONE
President / Publicity
Peter CATON
president@roadartvg.org.uk
0118 942 4683
Chairman / Lecturer
Dave THOMPSON chairman@roadartvg.org.uk
07900 911 230
Secretary
Phil PARKINSON
secretary@roadartvg.org.uk
07710 385 673
Treasurer
Gerry GRIFFIN
treasurer@roadartvg.org.uk
01929 556 009
Membership
Rob LOWE
membership@roadartvg.org.uk 0118 971 0036
07903 359 008
Events
Paul STEWARD
events@roadartvg.org.uk
07811 218307
Newsletter
Max DAVIDSON
editor@roadartvg.org.uk
01494 726 516
Publicity
Mike BOWE
publications@roadartvg.org.uk 07779 763013
Training Officer
Tony PARISH
training@roadartvg.org.uk
01635 869 761
07971 141 918
Associate Coordinator Paul SHEPPY
ppjsheppy@aol.com
0118 921 2588
Motorcycle Section
Panos SIMOU
Paul EDWARDS
John BARNES
Tim CONSIDINE
Paul SHEEHAN
David FRYER
bikes@roadartvg.org.uk
07802 447 005
07990 733137
-
Webmaster
RoSPA HQ
Sheila BRYANT
Mirlinda RAE
webmaster@roadartvg.org.uk
mrae@rospa.com
0870 777 2099
Drivers may face five-year eye test
Motorists face having to pay to renew their driving licence every five years, instead of every
10 years as at present with a photo licence (do check the expiry date of your photo licence now),to
ensure that they have good eyesight. In effect it will mean the scrapping of all paper licences,
which at present, unlike the photo licences, do not need to be renewed until the holder reaches 70.
An EU directive, due to come in 2013, could also see the traditional test of reading a new-style
number plate at 20 metres scrapped. Instead the Government will have to come up with ‘an
appropriate investigation’ of eyesight to cover visual ability, twilight vision and eye diseases.
It is envisaged that each new licence will carry a code alerting authorities to medical or
eyesight problems. It is believed that the special eyesight test would cost £20 and the new licence
around £17.50. The rules, being considered by the Department of Transport, will mean commercial drivers are checked every five years and private drivers every 10 to 15 years. The time frame
will be decided by individual member countries. Once drivers reach 50 they may also face
increased medical checks.
The UK’s Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, which is backing the action, said it would
help reduce accidents. The NHS currently recommends that everyone should have an eyesight test
every two years, or more often if there is a noticeable deterioration in eyesight.
Page 15
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
POINTS SOON FOR THE 125 MPH SPEEDSTERS
French police targeting British drivers
Britons caught speeding in Europe may soon be getting points on their licence
from the authorities in Britain. The French Government intends to enact new
European rules, as outlined in the Autumn Newsletter, to stop foreign motorists
flouting speed limits. The worst culprits for speeding on French roads are the
Germans, followed by the British and the Italians. According to the French Transport Minister Dominque Bussereau, ‘too many traffic violations go unpunished’
with many foreigners having a total disregard for French speed limits and speed
cameras.
The French Transport Ministry said that 900,000 German drivers, 550,000
Britons and 350,000 Italians were caught on its speed cameras every year. Although
foreign motorists made up only five per cent of the traffic on French roads, they
were responsible for 27 per cent of all speeding offences. The summer period was
the worst, with half of all offences committed by foreigners. ‘They behave like the
laws don’t apply to them,’ said a transport spokesman. It is hoped that the new rules
on cross Border motoring offences could be applied in 2010.
The French have been campaigning for a Europe-wide number plate exchange
system, so that those caught going through red lights, speeding, drink-driving or
driving without a seat-belt in one country will be punished in their home nation.
In August French police described British
motorists as a menace to road safety and they
enlisted the help of motorway officers from
Kent to help patrol the motorways in Northern
France in an attempt to persuade British drivers
that they must stay within the 130 kph (81 mph)
motorway limit. Speeding drivers who stray by
more than 4 to 9 mph over the 81 mph limit are
at present given a 90 Euro fixed on the spot fine.
If drivers have insufficient cash when flagged
down by the gendarmes, they are escorted off
the motorway to the nearest cashpoint. Credit cards are not accepted. Exceeding the
motorway limit by a larger margin brings harsher penalties, confiscation of the
driving licence, a ban from driving in France, and often an appearance in court.
The motorway with the worst record for speeding Britons is the undulating
two-lane A26 in Northern France, which is heavily used by trucks of many nationalities bound for England. Eight out of 10 drivers caught speeding in the Nord Pas
de Calais region every summer are British motorists. Half of the British speeding
offences detected by the French motorway police involve cars travelling at more
than 200 kph (125 mph) and, according to the French police, the British drivers
sometimes refuse to pull over when waved down. Some even try to outrun police
cars. Why so many British drivers behave as they do is a mystery. Perhaps it could
be down to TV motoring programmes such as Top Gear and Fifth Gear, which
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 16
wrongly give the impression that one can drive as fast as one likes in Europe with
impunity, or M6 motorway police, more agents provocateurs rather than agents de
police, who claim on TV that you can do up to 15 mph over the limit on the
motorway without being prosecuted?
Failure to observe the 130 kph limit (or 110 kph when it is raining) has led
to four deaths and 13 injured since the start of this year in the Calais region. The
highest speed clocked on the A26 was by Sean Barlow in November 2005. He was
detected doing 153 mph and jailed for five days for dangerous driving.
So why are British drivers in such a rush? Eurotunnel, with up to three
Shuttles an hour, has a policy of allowing drivers to board the next available train,
even if they arrive up to two hours late for their booked crossing, and their booking
remains valid for 24 hours with only a small charge if they have moved into a more
expensive crossing time. On the Channel ferries the operators will try to put a driver
on the next ferry if he or she misses a reserved crossing. There may, however, be a
small charge if the next crossing is at a peak time rather than the off-peak booked
crossing. For further information: www.Eurotunnel.com and www.poferries.com
Keep your Hi-Vis vest in the car NOT in the boot
Britons intending to drive in European countries such as France, Spain and
Portugal have been reminded by the AA of the need to obey local driving laws. Full
details can be found on the AA’s website www.TheAA.com French police have
been targeting motorists of all nations who do not have reflective jackets and
warning triangles for use in event of a breakdown. There must be a reflective jacket
for each passenger and the jackets must be stored in the body of the car (not in the
boot) and put on inside the car before the occupants get out on to the motorway hard
shoulder. Failure to comply with the regulations can lead to fines of between £70
and £110. At the Channel terminals the AA sells the reflective jackets at just £5 for
two. Spain and Portugal have similar safety regulations. Spain also demands that
you carry two warning triangles. So if you hire a car in Spain, do ensure that there
are two warning triangles before you set off. It is the driver, not the hire company,
which faces the penalty.
Car that can stop teenagers speeding
Ford is to bring in a system which enables parents to limit the speed at
which their teenage children can drive their car. It will operate through a computer
chip in the ignition key. The chip can also be programmed to limit the volume of the
radio and CD player and to sound an alarm if the driver is not wearing a seatbelt. In
a survey Ford found that 75 per cent of parents liked the idea of the chip, but
unsurprisingly 67 per cent of teenage drivers did not. The MyKey will be used on
many U.S. models from 2010 and spread to the entire Ford range as models are
updated. Plans for Ford cars in the rest of the world have not yet been announced.
American teenagers are allowed to drive at 16, and more than 5,000 die in car
crashes every year.
Page 17
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
DESPITE THE DANGER CYCLISTS POSE TO PEDESTRIANS…
Just one in 10 stops at crossings
A study by TRL, formerly the Government’s Transport Research Laboratory,
has shown that only one in 10 cyclists bothers to stop at
pedestrian crossings. In so doing the riders were breaking
Rule 64 of the Highway Code and could have been prosecuted for dangerous cycling. However very few cyclists are
ever prosecuted for this or any other offences, such as riding
on pavements (Rule 54) and without lights (Rule 46), despite
the danger they pose to pedestrians and penalties being
stipulated by Law for the offences
Since the 1980s there has been a steady decline in the prosecutions for careless
or reckless cycling. In 1983, 398 cases were brought. By 2003 that number had
fallen to 77. The City of London, however, has started to issue fixed penalty notices
to cyclists for illegal behaviour. In addition to the danger posed to pedestrians from
cyclists, zebra crossings have become increasingly dangerous. The number of
people killed on them in Britain trebled last year.
Britain has one of the worst pedestrian death rates in Europe due to its lack of
safe crossing points and higher speed limits. Most European countries have 30 kph
(19 mph) zones in towns and cities. Germany leads the way with more than 10,000
of them. Only Spain fairs worse in pedestrian casualties. Part of the problem in
Britain is that Pelican crossings can cost as much as £35,000 each. Now many
cash-strapped local authorities are seeking cheaper alternatives, such as 20 mph
speed limits. Portsmouth, Norwich, Oxford and Leicester have already unveiled
plans for tighter urban speed restrictions.
Algae could help to fuel your car
The Carbon Trust, the UK Government agency responsible for reducing
reliance on fossil fuels has announced the world’s biggest publicly funded project
to make transport fuels from algae. The primitive plants found growing in ponds
create oils which scientists hope they can convert into fuel for cars. Algae are very
easy to grow. It is just a matter of working out how to grow the algae and to harvest
the oils on an industrial scale.
The £26 million project hopes to produce an algae-based biofuel as an alternative to fossil-based oil by 2020. It is thought that algae could potentially deliver six
to 10 times more energy per hectare that conventional crops grown for biofuels and,
unlike traditional biofuels, could be grown on non-arable land using seawater or
wastewater.
By 2030, according to forecasts, algae-based biofuels could account for 12 per
cent of the world’s annual jet fuel consumption. Planting crops, such as oilseed rape,
to provide biofuel is proving problematic as it uses land needed to grow crops for
food.
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 18
Climate change? It’s those cows to blame
A herd of cows produces more climate-changing gas in a year than a family car
emits in a decade, an economist from Portsmouth University has claimed. He has
calculated that 200 cows, as they digest their food, expel methane annually equal to
the carbon dioxide emissions of a car burning 21,400 litres of petrol. Methane has
a greater warming effect that CO2 and a longer lifetime in the atmosphere. Methane
emissions have been increasing due to a greater demand for meat as developing
countries become more prosperous, but the dilemma is that any reduction in meat
could not be filled by an increase in the production of fish or cereals.
A tractor moving left may turn right
NFU Mutual, the countryside insurer, has issued a rural road safety code on the
basis of Government statistics which show that car users are three times more likely
to die on a country road than an urban one. It makes a
plea for drivers to be patient when following tractors as
they are rarely travelling long distances and will pull in
when they can to let following vehicles overtake. It also
warns that tractors with trailers, when turning right into
fields and farmyards, will move over to the left before
swinging out right to negotiate the turn. So be very wary
of overtaking, it cautions, as it is at this point that many
accidents occur, and before overtaking make sure that
you indicate well in advance. NFU Mutual also warns
drivers to slow down when bends, bridges or other countryside features obscure the
view ahead, echoing the ROADAR dictum that you should always be able to stop
in the distance you can see to be clear.
According to NFU Mutual, more than a quarter of satnav users continue to
follow instructions even when their eyes tell them that they are driving down an
unsuitable country lane.
BMW is building 500 electric Minis
A British-built electric Mini, which produces zero pollution and whose battery
can be simply recharged from the mains, has been launched at the Los Angeles Auto
Show. Some 500 electric Minis are being shipped to California, New York and New
Jersey on a one-year lease for testing with private and corporate customers. The
United States is already the main export market for the Mini and around 250,000
cars have already been sold there.
The two-seater electric Mini will accelerate from rest to 100 kph (62 mph) in
8.5 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 150 kph (95 mph). The
space normally taken up by the back seat is reserved for a rechargeable lithium-ion
battery, a very much larger and powerful version of the kind used in mobile phones,
laptops and cameras. The electric Minis have been produced at the BMW Mini
factory in Oxford and at the BMW Munich factory.
Page 19
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
GOING GREEN CAN INCREASE FUEL FIRMS’ PROFITS
How you lose out at the pumps
Fuel firms are bulking up their diesel and their profits, according to a report
carried in the Daily Mail. Some firms, it is said, are adding almost twice as much of
the plant-based fuel as currently required under EC and British Government rules,
despite evidence that its production is pushing up food prices and destroying
valuable forest land in South East Asia.
BP is using bio-diesel, a green fuel from palm oil. The palms are grown in
large numbers in Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia, and their oil, which is also used
for making cosmetics and soap, is shipped to one of the world’s largest bio-diesel
refineries on Jurong Island off Singapore. The palm oil has proved so profitable that
vast areas of virgin forest of teak, mahogany and yang have been logged, or simply
set on fire, to create space for many thousands of hectares of palms to be grown.
Under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, suppliers
have to mix 2.5 per cent bio-diesel with conventional diesel, but tests carried out at
10 garages by Greenpeace revealed that the level is almost double that. Biofuels are
currently cheaper than fossil fuels, but they give fewer miles to a gallon. A Shell
garage in Liverpool and an Asda in Bolton, Greenpeace claimed, were selling diesel
with a 4.9 per cent bio diesel mix. BP is selling a 4.8 per cent bio diesel mix in
Northampton.
The AA says that a bio diesel mix of less than 5 per cent will not harm car
engines. BP defended its use of bio diesel derived from palm oil, saying that it
backed industry moves towards renewable energy.
New road gritting can damage your paintwork
Millions of motorists could suffer damage to their cars this winter because
of a new gritting mix which will be used by the Highways Agency. The agency has
decided to mix brine with salt, which the motor industry fears will damage paintwork, alloy wheels and the underside of vehicles. The technique caused serious
damage when it was introduced in Austria, provoking a string of warranty claims.
The Highways Agency has spent £45 million on a fleet of 430 new gritters.
An AA spokesman said: ‘We know this is about the Highways Agency trying to
save money. The evidence suggests that this mixture is more corrosive to the
vehicles distributing it and cars running on it.’
Your car could be controlled by satellite
Drivers could one day have their speed controlled by satellite to stop them from
going too fast. Cars would have their speed monitored by a computer programmed with
the limits on different roads. The Department for Transport is to back the system, known
as Intelligent Speed Adaptation, following trials in Leeds using roadside beacons. The
DfT said installation of the technology would be voluntary, but it is already in talks with
the motor industry on how it could be made available. One version would merely advise
the driver of the speed limit, a second would cut the car’s speed but allow the driver to
over-ride it, and a third would give complete control to the satellite commands. However, the system will require an accurate digital map with the speed limit of every road.
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 20
MOTORCYCLING: A NEW RIDER’S FIRST GROUP OUTING
How had I found it? Just a blur!
I have been training with Thames Valley ever since an afternoon two months
ago when I bumped into them having tea in Loomies and they whipped away the
Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM) leaflet from my hand and issued theirs. It
was now time to join for my first Group ride. Among others, I met Steve who was
getting quite a lot of flak as apparently the self-installation of a GPS system had
caused his bike spontaneously to combust. He managed to redeem himself by
explaining how he had saved the day by removing the tank from his burning bike.
Always prepared for every eventuality, Captain Sensible’s latest bike accessory was
a small fire extinguisher secured to his bike rack.
As the traffic lights turned green and the Group turned right, flying down the
A272 at a very brisk pace, it was a matter of seconds before I thought: ‘What am I
doing here, and why did Baldrick (my Tutor) say I could attend?’ I regretted being
half way down the pack as my conservative cornering allowed those ahead to
disappear and those behind me to bunch up. I was in awe of riders able to relax and
make light-hearted quips (Baldrick was spotting combined harvesters), while I had
to concentrate on the road and think about what I was doing. I was feeling pretty
stretched and wanted to go home, but I couldn’t see a road I recognised, and I didn’t
have a microphone. So whenever I caught up with the leaders, they moved on.
It was a relief to stop at the Hikers’ Café on the A29. Captain Sensible wanted
to know if I was counter-steering – oops, no. Gemma confided that it was a year
before she joined a ride again after her first spill. It didn’t surprise me at all.
As we returned to Loomies I was thinking I deserved
a medal, or a free T-shirt. How wrong can you be? Before
I knew it an apricot patisserie had been slapped on my
trousers as knee sliders and REMUS had been inscribed
in the dirt of my exhaust. Rather harsh. They wouldn’t do
that at the IAM. I later found out that it was Gemma’s
Remus exhaust that had made me jump as she overtook.
Gemma also established herself as the Group’s fashion
guru after commenting about a café visitor’s fluorescent
bike and matching leathers with blue helmet. So be warned.
When asked how I found it? It was just a blur. I remember an avenue of tall
trees, a long stretch, where I did an adrenalin-charged overtake, villages with
autumn foliage that flashed by, and a combined harvester. The best bit for me was
the familiar B2141, where I could have a whiz around some gentle corners. My
favourite person was Dave, the backmarker, appropriately dressed in a superman
T-shirt, who looked out for me. Thank you. The ride was exhilarating once it was
over. Most of all, it made me realise how much I have to learn and what pace means.
Sorry to all those I held up.
Lindsey – ER5
Page 21
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
MOTORCYCLING: EVEN RAIN CANNOT SPOIL A DAY OUT
Off to the West at a brisk pace
Eleven bikes gathered in the Tesco Car Park at Winnall. With Clive in the lead
and Neil back marking with Vicky on pillion, the ride left in the rain towards
Exmoor. First stage was to our usual fuel and coffee stop at Podimore via the A34
and A303. On the second leg we headed for Taunton on the A372 and A361 and
then into the north east side of Taunton. Continuing through Taunton, we joined the
A358 towards Watchet and Minehead for about
four miles before turning left on the B3224 for
East Combe. Then the fun started. We joined
the B3224 and B3190 to Shillingford and
Bampton for about 20 miles. Then it was across
the A396 (Exe Valley road) and on through the
sweepers to the A361 Barnstaple road. Another
quick stop for fuel, ready for the afternoon run,
and four miles up the A361 to the A399, which
took us after 12 more miles of lovely twisty fast
‘A’ road to the Old Station House, Blackmoor
Gate, for our lunch stop.
During lunch we discovered a hole in Clive’s rear tyre, his third this year. It was
bad luck for Clive, and a hasty re-plan for the afternoon was required. The main
group departed with Panos at the helm while Clive waited for a recovery truck with
Neil and Vicky for company.
Panos quickly processed the route for the return trip. The lack of rain allowed
a brisker pace. We made good progress across Exmoor. We had a brief stop to fill
up with ‘dead dinosaur juice’, where we agreed that, due to the hour, to forgo
afternoon tea and cakes stop and to press on home.
On to the A303 the miles started to pass quickly until we came across a police
car, which must have been coming back from its holiday as he was not pulling off
at any junction. Keeping this sensible pace slowed us down enough for a Harley to
overtake (oh, the ignominy), which then sat on the ‘jam sandwich’s’ bumper for the
following 20 minutes. The pace picked up after the offending car pulled off, just in
time for the traffic to build around the Stonehenge section. Funny how some cars
are more bike friendly than others. On one three-lane single carriageway section a
taxi did its best to sideswipe one of our party, despite our chap being in a prominently visible position and sporting twin headlights.
Our line of bikes diminished as various Members peeled off to their respective
destinations. Despite the dire weather, an enjoyable day was had by most. It shows
that a rainy day should not spoil a good day’s motorcycling. Many thanks to Clive,
Neil and Vicky for preparing the ride. Sorry it was cut short for you.
Martin, R1200GSA and Stuart VFR800
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 22
MOTORCYCLING: IT WAS A CASE OF WHERE AM I?
When all roads look so alike
A rather impressive 15 bikes had joined the ride by Chievely, taking into
account the weather and the somewhat damp day. Moving quickly up the A34, we
turned off just after Oxford on to the A420. The toll bridge was indeed impressive
and luckily motorcycles were free, which was good, because I am sure we would
have struggled to pay the 5p charge had we been on four wheels.
I must admit, I can never remember exactly which road is which, but I
recall that all these roads were smooth, entertaining and with little traffic for
impressive overtakes. The first fuel stop gave most of us a chance to warm up, but
for Darren it was an opportunity to borrow some of Lindsey’s clothes (we didn’t ask
what) and Chris to admire the scenery.
We had some small problems with marking as two of us took a slight detour
down an entertaining B road (he was pointing left). This wasn’t the only marking
issue as another decided to hide behind a hedge to mark the route, luckily we could
just make out the waving hand.
We were slightly behind schedule on arrival at Ma Larkin’s. However our
hosts were very welcoming and provided a section where we could leave all our
gear as well as an excellent menu to choose from.
Given the remaining time and dwindling attendees, the consensus was to
take the direct route back. So we never made it to Foxes diner to complete the route.
Instead we filtered our way through the Oxford traffic and peeled of from the A34.
Gemma, Fazer 600
Caterham RS Levante - see over
Page 23
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Bringing you up to speed….
A motorcyclist, Sandor Ferenci, aged 28, who put video clips of himself on
YouTube performing ‘wheelies’ at 130 mph near Banbury, Oxfordshire, on the
Banbury to Brackley A422 road on his Yamaha R6 bike, has been convicted of
dangerous driving and sentenced to 12 weeks in jail, banned from driving for two
years, and ordered to take an extended driving test.
A physicist who tried to show that a Gatso camera was inaccurate to get his wife off
a £60 speeding fine must now pay £15,000 costs after being proved wrong. He had
already spent £5,000 on evidence when his case was rejected by Huddersfield
magistrates and Bradford Crown Court.
Around 1,200 new drivers, who have picked up more than six penalty points,
lose their licences every month, but, according to research by Auto Express
magazine, around half of them since the new law came into effect 1997 have
failed to retake their tests, which implies that they have either given up driving
or are driving without licences.
A judge has called for motorists over 75 to undergo driving checks after an
86-year-old man, who was deaf, had suffered a stroke, and had had eight heart
by-pass operations, mounted a pavement and seriously injured a young woman and
an elderly couple.
Caterham has sold all eight of its production of the £115,000 RS Levante. Owners
will be required to attend a two-day advanced driving course before they can use
the car with its 2.4-litre, 500 BHP supercharged V8 engine.
‘On a motorcycle you are just half a litre of fuel away
from your first fatal accident,’ claims Jeremy Clarkson,
who was testing a Vespa scooter, which he hated, in the
Sunday Times In Gear motoring section.
Comedian Patrick Kielty has escaped a driving ban after
being caught doing more than 100 mph on the Gretna to
Stranraer road. He was fined £1,200 and given six penalty
points after he told Stranraer Sheriff Court that a ban would
affect his charity work.
A teacher in London has been banned for a year after being caught with 13 people
in his five-seater car. There was a man and a child in the front and two women and
eight children in the back. He was convicted of dangerous driving and fined £500
with £415 costs in addition to the ban. He told the court he had been doing only 20
mph.
A 22-year-old drunk motorist, high on cannabis, who lost control of his Mercedes SLK at 120 mph and swerved to the wrong side of the road, killing a
couple on their way to Gatwick and a holiday in the Caribbean, is not to be
prosecuted because of the extent of his injuries.
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 24
A Polish farmer has been fined £350 for being drunk in charge of a horse as he
zig-zagged across the road. He was six times over the drink-drive limit.
Gloucestershire County Council has banned trucks weighing more than 7.5 tonnes
from 150 square miles of countryside to discourage drivers from using satnavs and
becoming stuck in country lanes.
Drivers, who display the Cross of St George, Scottish saltire and
Welsh dragon on their number plates, or CYM for Wales and SCO
for Scotland instead of GB, face a £60 fine and could fail the MoT
test. The Government has confirmed that plates with these national
symbols are illegal. Drivers can choose plain number plates or the
EU plate with GB surrounded by 12 yellow stars on a blue background.
Norton, one of the most famous of British motorcycling brands is back in the UK
after 15 years of US ownership. Norton Racing has bought the trademarks and
development work relating to Norton.
A bus driver, who became frustrated at trying to park his bus at a London Depot,
ploughed into three generations of a family, killing the grandmother from Shropshire. He was jailed for four years.
More than 1,200 foreign drivers have been caught by the DVLA without tax.
If foreign-registered vehicles have been on UK roads for more than six months,
they must be taxed and insured like any other British vehicle.
Conservative MP Tim Yeo, chairman of the Commons Environmental Audit Committee, wants a £2,000 difference between larger and smaller cars. Mr Yeo himself
will have no trouble in paying the additional VED. In 2006-07 he was joint first in
claiming £22,110 in additional cost allowances. He also claimed £5,226 in car
allowances.
The M6 traffic officers on BBC1 Motorway Cops revealed that they do not arrest
illegal immigrants any more because there are too many of them. Instead they are
issued with a pamphlet requesting them to report to an immigration office in
Liverpool or Croydon. Two Iranians, given a lift from the M6 hard shoulder on
which they were walking, did not heed this advice and simply vanished.
BMW is investigating generating electricity from the exhaust heat of its cars.
The technology, based on the Seebeck effect, uses thermocouples common in
fridges and medical equipment, to produce around 14 BHP with a cut in fuel
consumption of five per cent.
Italian police arrested two British drivers, one in a £200,000 Lamborghini, who had
been doing 120 mph in a race with the other in a £112,000 Porsche, when they
collided at a motorway toll booth on the approach to Monte Carlo. A third British
driver, who had been racing the pair in a Ferrari Testrarossa, escaped. The two
drivers face fines of £15,600 and a year in jail.
Page 25
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Congratulations…
...…to the following people who have passed their Advanced Driving
Test. We would all like to say ‘Well done’ to them and their Tutors.
Associate/Member
Grade
Tutor
Carol Wheeler
Silver
Mike Cowling
Neil Goodhand
Silver
Alan Painter
Carlos Berna
Gold
Paul Sheppy
Mychelle Bassil
Gold
Re-test
Approved Tutor Training
Kareena Chikoore has become an Approved Tutor
Motorcycle section
Associate
Grade
Tutor
Jim Murdoch
Silver
Howard Broomhead
Also:
Stuart Clarke has passed his Motorcycle Approved Tutor. Panos Simou
was his examiner.
Please remember to notify all Test results to:Max Davidson ...editor@roadartvg.org.uk ....(01494-726516) or
Rob Lowe ..........membership@roadartvg.org.uk
Publishing results encourages those Associates who are about to
take the Test and gives an indication of how the Group is performing.
*****
Would you prefer the Electronic Newsletter ?
Members who would like to receive their copy of the Newsletter via e-mail rather than
through the post can take up this option by e-mailing webmaster@roadartvg.org.uk
RoSPA Thames Valley Group
Page 26
PLEASE NOTE
The website and e-mail addresses now include an additional ‘r’
before ‘tvg’ to reflect the change of name to include ‘Riders’ !
Web site : www.roadartvg.org.uk
Committee e-mail addresses: xxxxxxxx@roadartvg.org.uk
Where ‘xxxxxxxx’ = committee post.
Published by
RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders Thames Valley Group
e-mail: secretary@roadartvg.org.uk
Website: www.roadartvg.org.uk
Printed and distributed by First Option Ltd
www.firstoption.net “putting IT together”
General correspondence should be addressed to :
RoADAR Thames Valley Group
7 Angel Mead
Woolhampton
Reading
RG7 5SJ
Helping to promote safer driving
The views expressed in this Newsletter are not necessarily
subscribed to by RoSPA or the Thames Valley Group of
RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders.
No responsibility is accepted for any such opinions or comments.
The appearance of any advertisements in this Newsletter
does not directly, nor indirectly, imply any recommendations.