IAM Thruxton Young Drivers Skills Day

[Horse]

Anyone here involved in developing or delivering the sessions.

https://www.iamroadsmart.com/events/you ... kills-day/

Format is half day, covering:
- Track (Porsche)
- Off-road 4x4
- Skid pan
- Autotest
Realistically an hour of each at most?

Although there's nothing wrong with going and driving for fun, I was wondering whether there's any real emphasis on improving road driving?

Especially when the skid pan section says:
We feel this will give you the best preparation for anything the roads and weather may throw at you!

Potentially sending over-confident young drivers back out on-road.

[jont-]

Especially when the skid pan section says:
We feel this will give you the best preparation for anything the roads and weather may throw at you!

Potentially sending over-confident young drivers back out on-road.

Or making them realise how hard it is to control a car in a low grip situation and why it's not such a good idea to turn off the nannies? Even better if they learn the value of decent tyres rather than the cheapest round black things.

If they learn the value of education, maybe that's a good starting point that leads to further training. A dry lecture session before being driven round some local roads at 50mph by the grey brigade in their SUUUVs is hardly likely to inspire... (yes, I know there are some decent NSLs near Thruxton)

[Horse]

Yes, fair point.

And what I meant by "whether there's any real emphasis on improving road driving?"

Aside:
I did a half day (although it stretched to almost 5 hours!) at Thruxton, years ago - they were using Cortinas ... I took my Metro (1300cc of throbbing 'power') on at the end. It was actually difficult to make it lose traction.

[jcochrane]

Yes, fair point.

And what I meant by "whether there's any real emphasis on improving road driving?"

Aside:
I did a half day (although it stretched to almost 5 hours!) at Thruxton, years ago - they were using Cortinas ... I took my Metro (1300cc of throbbing 'power') on at the end. It was actually difficult to make it lose traction.

That reminded me that many years ago I was playing on the skid pan at the Police Driving School in Maidstone. I was using my car, an Alfasud. Could get it to do nothing except mild understeer. One of the Officers saw what was going on and asked if he could try and make my car skid. He couldn't. So he arranged for me to have one of the police cars to play with

[Horse]

Aside:
I did a half day (although it stretched to almost 5 hours!) at Thruxton, years ago - they were using Cortinas ... I took my Metro (1300cc of throbbing 'power') on at the end. It was actually difficult to make it lose traction.

That reminded me that many years ago I was playing on the skid pan at the Police Driving School in Maidstone. I was using my car, an Alfasud.

I had a short session on one of the pans at Hendon (now gone).

My lasting memory, a technique I use 30+ years later, isn't about skid control.

The car was an auto, which I'd never driven before.

Instructor kindly told me to tuck my left foot under the seat, so I wouldn't be tempted to use it.

He also kindly advised that if he saw my left leg move, he'd hit it hard enough to break it Less paperwork than the car hitting the concrete wall, apparently

[Triquet]

Maybe we need an Old Drivers Skills Day (including things like don't muddle the gas and brake pedals when parking).

[Horse]

Maybe we need an Old Drivers Skills Day (including things like don't muddle the gas and brake pedals when parking).

He was concerned that I'd try to use the clutch


But you actually raise a good point. There are often tragic 'wrong pedal' incidents.

[Triquet]

The first time I drove an automatic was a hire car at LAX with jet lag. It was interesting to say the least.

[waremark]

Many of us brake with the left foot in autos. Once you're used to it you have good subtlety of control with the left foot.

[Horse]

Many of us brake with the left foot in autos. Once you're used to it you have good subtlety of control with the left foot.

Probably not the first time you ever drive one


Serious question: is it the case that pressing both pedals can cause issues in some cars?

A colleague had an older Polo. Dodgy brake light switch was causing the accelerator to be cut.