RoADA TVG Members - John Walsh - Ramblings of an Associate, turned Observer.
OK, so I'm a good driver, never had an accident sort of fellow and only ever had complimentory comments from my passengers (and people following me too).
So why did I start on this advanced driving course ?
Well, for a couple of reasons:
1) curiosity - what is advanced driving ?
2) a challenge - in 2 ways. To learn to drive better, and as a challenge to myself - just to learn something new, whatever it was.
3) I liked the idea of passing an advanced driving course, and calling myself a `good driver'.
4) the posibility of gaining lower insurance. For most people I guess this would only amount to tens of pounds. For me, having no 'no claims' (due to not owning a car before) and owning a group 19 sports car (Subaru Impreza Turbo), the savings could be hundreds of pounds !
It was the start of 2001, and after a few years of thinking to myself "I'd like to do an advanced driving course", I found out about the RoADA TVG group through a friend (female) who had just passed with a gold in 2000 - now there's a challenge, could I let a woman be a better driver than me ? I promptly went along to the group, bought the book, and sat down for some lectures.
Of course, everything Dave (the lecturer) was talking about in the lectures, I already knew. As Dave pointed out several times, we all pretty much do everything that is required of us in advanced driving now. We do observe, plan and generally manage get around without crashing at every corner.
Having been to the lectures, read the book, and driven around praticing for a couple of months, I finally get to go out for my first observed drive. I was going to show them just how good a driver I really was!
WRONG !!!