ADVANCE Winter 2012

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© Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists

1 What’s on? See what events are planned for the near future

2 The Chairman’s comments The thoughts of Graeme McColm

3 Winter driving campaign 2012 - IAM launches new campaign

4 Challenging times for Toyotas in members hands

5 Energy drink "crash risk" warning

6 IAM comment on quarter two road casualty statisticsMotorcycle Chief Observer’s Diary - Find out what’s inside theChief’s helmet

7 RACE NIGHT its in March next year

11 The Secretary Reports - Helen tells it like it is.

12 Preparing for your advanced car test? - What you need to know

13 Jaw, jaw - what is it good for? (The Art of Commentary)

14 Obs Corner - Reading others mistakes can have benefits.

15 Do you turn a blind eye?

17 The ice gauge - IAM motoring tipFlashing blue in your rear view - IAM motoring tip

18 Weathering the winter - IAM motoring tip

19 Make it a night to remember, not to regret - IAM motoring tip

20 Darkness descends - IAM motoring tip

25 Advertiser’s Wall Find out who supports us & this magazine edition.

ADVANCE Winter 2012 Contents


































JOHN F. BLACK

6B Catherinefield Ind Estate,Heathhall, Dumfries DG1 3PQTel: 01387 267473

MOTOR ENGINEERS

~Air Con ~Diesel Tuning ~Servicing ~Repairs ~Diagnostics ~Exhausts

~Tyres ~Motorhomes ~MOT testing for classes 3,4,5 & 7


Group Committee Members for 2012/13

Group President: Tommy Jardine

To e-mail any member of the committee, please inthe first instance, use the group contact e-mail

address: [email protected]

1

What’s on? - check for details & late changes at www.iamdumfries.org.uk

Please note the Race Night date is now MARCH 15 - see below

~ Monday 10 December - visit to Sulwath Brewery, 209 King Street , Castle Douglas~Tuesday 15 January - Try your hand at archery. Venue: St Joseph’s College Games Hall, Craigs Road, Dumfries, DG1 4UU~ Monday 11 February - Basic first Aid with Bob Sloan, Aberdour Hotel, 7pm~ Monday 11 March - Household Waste Prevention, Aberdour Hotel, 7pm~ Friday 15 March - Race Night, Aberdour Hotel, 7pm - see advert page 7~ Wednesday ? March TBA - 10 Pin Bowling v Carlisle group, check web site

This magazine was publishedby the Dumfries & Galloway

Group ofAdvanced Motorists &

Motorcyclists.For more details of our activities

see our web site at:

www.iamdumfries.org.uk

Contact theGroup Secretary:

[email protected]

Facebook: Dumfries & GallowayIAM (Motorcycles) Group

Magazine contributions to:[email protected]

Disclaimer: The views expressedin this magazine are those of thecontributors and not necessarilythose of the Editor, Group or theInstitute of Advanced Motorists, towhich the Group is affiliated. RegCharity No. SC 023511

Chair,Chief Obs

Graeme McColm 01387 720425

Vice Chair Jamie Wood 01683 300347Secretary Helen Cameron 07707 035518Treasurer Russell Wears 01387 263893M/c Coordntr Andrew Bird 01387 259500Car Coordntr Stewart Cameron 01387 264005Committee Anne Lind

Andy CampbellBob SloanSheena TrailClint SmithChris McWhinnieJohn Parry

07727 91374207717 79810907764 34945901461 20468807952 75143307749 10520307841 202445

For all enquiries call: 07707 035518or e-mail: [email protected]

Copy date: Latest article submission date for the Spring 2013 issue: 8 MarchPhotography notice: Occasionally we may take photos during meetings, guidance ses-sions or at other events in order to promote the Group and its activities. Photos may bereproduced in our web sites, our magazine or through other promotions. If you wish towithhold your permission for your image to be used please contact the Group Secretary.


The Chairman’s comments - Graeme McColm

Welcome to the Winter edition of Advance, our groupmagazine. First off many congratulations to every-body who has passed their test since our last issue.

Andrew Bird and I attended the IAM Conference lastmonth at Warwick University. The conference wasfor both car and bike sections of the IAM. The formatincluded workshops where we discussed many top-ics from ‘what examiners look for’ to ‘tyres’ and on tothe ‘media’ e.g. Facebook, Twitter etc (For fans ofTwitter you can now tweet us: #D&GIAM). We hadan enjoyable, interesting and knowledgeable time. Thanks for your companyAndrew.

Every Skill for Life course now comes with 12 months FREE RAC road-side and recovery cover (£106 rrp) so there has never been a better timeto become a better driver! As a charitable organisation, this whole 'Skill forLife' package is normally available for only £139 but on the run up toChristmas the IAM are offering a 10% discount on both car and bikepackages making a bargain price of just £125.

How about treating a loved one to an IAM membership, it may be the best andsafest present they ever receive. Order via the IAM web site before 16December for guaranteed delivery in time for Christmas. You can find the offerat ‘www.iam.org.uk/xmas’.

Anyone, me included, who could not get along to October’s Toyota Challengeat Border Toyota, Edinburgh Road missed a great night by all accounts.Members got to drive a trio of Toyota Yaris Hybrid cars with prizes for thedrivers of the car which achieved the best fuel economy. See page 4 for details.

I can’t miss this opportunity to thank Mike Stevens, Martin Grassom and JimLoy, the Bike and Car Examiners, who met up with us in November and talkedthrough many of the elements they look for test candidates to demonstrate.

Providing we get enough interest, we plan a visit to the Sulwath Brewery,Castle Douglas in December. If you’ve not already let Helen know (07707 035518) you’d like to go please do so now so we can firm up the arrangements.Have a look at her report on page 11 for more details.

I urge all our members, car and bike, to stay safe over the coming months,especially with the winter chill taking a hold.

A very merry Christmas to all our members and a safe and enjoyable New Year.

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© Dumfries & Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists3

IAM launches winter driving campaign 2012The Institute of Advanced Motorists launched its winter driving campaign inOctober to help motorists prepare their cars and drive them safely this winter.

The campaign includes a website, www.drivingadvice.org.uk, containing ad-vice, traffic updates and weather forecasts.

This campaign comes in response to winter’s more dangerous driving condi-tions which cause an increase in accident rates:

Slippery roads (due to weather) contributed to13,420 road casualties in 2011, and related to 79fatalities.

Rain, sleet, snow or fog was the cause of 1,786reported road casualties in 2011.

Travelling too fast for conditions was a contribut-ing factor in 13,425 accidents in 2011.

The amount of rainfall during December 2011was 34 per cent above the average for that timeof year.

During February 2012, freezing rain fell acrossnorthern England causing treacherous conditionson roads and pavements; 100 road accidentswere reported from Cumbria - A&E departmentsdealt with hundreds of falls on icy pavements.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “The firstthing you need to ask when the weather is bad iswhether you need to travel, and if so, if there arealternatives to the roads.

“When you are on the road, be prepared to slowdown and take extra care, particularly on bendsand roads which are open to the elements.” “Ourwinter driving campaign will provide comprehen-sive advice and guidance for those who do de-cide to travel, keeping them as safe as possible.”

There’s a a wealth of tips and advice about driv-ing in winter to be found on the web site whereyou can also download your own copy of theIAM’s winter driving guide - visit www.drivingadvice.org.uk.


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Challenging times - Ed

The October meeting saw members atBorder Toyota testing the the Yaris Hybrid.Three Yaris Hybrids, which were not all ofidentical specification, each with four mem-bers aboard, were pitched against a SkodaCitigo on a short urban test route where 20and 30 mph speed limits apply. The tripmeters were zeroed before we set off -ours had shown 90mpg so obviouslysomeone with a very light foot had driven it before.

So with headlights on we set off in convoy following the Skoda around the route,stopping regularly to allow drivers to be changed so that everyone got a shot atdriving the vehicle.

The Yaris is fitted with a 1.5 litre petrol engine twinned with two 45 kW electricmotors. An electronically controlled CVT gearbox manages the flow of powerfrom the petrol engine or battery pack. The 144volt NiMH battery hybrid batteryis located under the rear seats so the space in the luggage compartment is notcompromised. For the short time each person got to drive the car most peoplefound the vehicle easy to drive.

So what about the results of the test?Well on return to the Border showroomthe three Toyotas recorded quite a vari-ation the lowest being approx 50mpgand the highest around 60mpg. TheSkoda returned just under 55mpg. Thestatutory EU fuel consumption figuresfor the Yaris Hybrids are - Urban: 83 -91mpg and Extra Urban: 76 - 81 mpg.Figures vary dependant on model.

Most, if not all of our drivers, were not familiar with the vehicle and so may nothave been been driving in a style which favours maximum mpg for this particulartype of hybrid vehicle. With a bit of practice no doubt the figures achieved couldbe improved upon. Indeed the vehicle is fitted with a number of options to helpminimise fuel consumption such as ECO and EV modes and the auto gearboxalso has a B mode which can be used to help generate more charge for thebatteries in the right circumstances.

Drivers of the winning car were all given a rather nice Toyota Car Cleaning CarValeting Kit. Thanks to Derek Lyon of Border Toyota for sponsoring this event.


I also took the opportunity of driving the test route in a diesel VW Touran,although not a direct comparison, as there was only one person aboard, thestops to change drivers were simulated. The recorded fuel consumption was58mpg.

If you are in the market for a new car I’m sure Border Toyota would be all toopleased to introduce you to the Yaris or the many other models in their range.

The drivers at Border’s showrooms with General Manager, Derek Lyon

Energy drink "crash risk" warning source: IAM

Old news this but just a reminder that drivers who use “high energy” drinks tokeep them going might fall foul of a hidden danger in relying on caffeine drinks,which can even lead to increased weariness behind the wheel.

US Research has shown that just an hour after drinking a highly caffeinatedand sugared drink, tired drivers can experience serious lapses in concentra-tion and slower reaction times as the drink wears off. Excessive caffeineconsumption can cause similar symptoms to alcohol intoxication.

Neil Greig, IAM Director of Policy and Research, said: “Energy drinks are goodas a quick fix, but they’re no substitute for regular breaks. Having a high-caffeine drink is a one-off hit – you can’t repeat it, as this type of drink does notproduce the same effect in a couple of hours’ time.”

In order to beat fatigue on long drives the IAM advises:▪ Consider stopping overnight on long-haul journeys.▪ Share the driving with someone else – don’t do it all yourself if you don’t have to.▪ Stop every two hours.▪ If you start to feel tired while driving, don’t rely on air con or an open

window: find a place to stop.▪ Only get back behind the wheel when you are properly refreshed.▪ When driving, tiredness can be a killer as it affects reaction times and

concentration.Remember: if you feel tired when driving - you’ve a very high chance of crashing.


IAM comment on quarter two road casualty statisticsThe latest Department for Transport road casualty statistics for Great Britainshow a decrease in casualties for vulnerable road users.There has been in a fall in vulnerable road user casualties when April-June2011 is compared to April-June 2012; however there has been a significantrise over the year.

● The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured rose 9 per cent from2,950 in 2010/11 to 3,210 in 2011/12. This is 27 per cent more thanthe average between 2005-2009.

● The number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured rose 5 percent from 5,207 in 2010/11 to 5,450 in 2011/12

● The number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured rose 5 per centfrom 5,701 in 2010/11 to 5,970 in 2011/12

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “In the six months beforethese results there were increases in the numbers killed and seriously in-jured. This drop has not made up for that. We need to do much more to turnthis quarter’s figures into a trend. Upgrading roads, targeted safety cam-paigns and measures to improve road user awareness among new driversare needed too."“The drop in road casualties is really good news but the Department forTransport admits that it is likely to be linked to this year’s wet weather. Weshouldn’t rely on a few months of dodgy weather to get cyclists and motorcy-clists casualties down.”Motorcycle Chief Observer’s Diary - Graeme McColm

I can’t believe the winter edition of our magazine has come around so soon. Itonly feels like a couple of months since this time last year. We have had a veryquiet year in the motorcycle division. Whether due to the poor weather or lackof funds this has been our quietest year to date. Please let me know if youhave any thoughts as to new ways in which we might be able to attract newmembers.

Our September run this year tookus north to John O’ Groats. Theweather held for most of the week-end and 11 members had a fantas-tic time. Thanks must go toGraham Abrines for all his hardwork in organising the event. Look-ing forward to next year Graham!

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In November we had a two day event, Saturday at Graham Abrines’ houseand Sunday at Barry Fox’s house. Organised by Graham, Craig Fallow of theAll Year Biker, a professional bike cleaning service was in attendance. For amodest amount of money your bike is degreased, cleaned down to a highspec and then treated, using specialist high pressure equipment, with ACF 50an anti corrosion fluid. Well worth the money, and the bacon rolls, thanksagain Graham and Barry. Thanks also to Craig for all your hard work.

Its hard to believe we are already seeing ice and snow on some of our roadsin the region. Please take care when out and about and remember its not justthe cold we need to worry about, many drivers struggle to see due to glarefrom winter sun, so always be vigilant.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for all their efforts overthe last year and wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The Secretary Reports - Helen Cameron

The new social season is well under way now and we have had 3 verysuccessful meetings. Following David Lockwood’s talk on Paul Jones andOctober’s driving challenge at Border Toyota November saw us meet with theBike and Car Examiners, which was both interesting and informative. It’s goodto keep up to date with what the Examiners are looking for, have a look at p12.

It is great that new members come along to our meetings but it would be niceto see a bigger audience. Our speakers go to a lot of preparation for ourbenefit and it can be a little disheartening if we only have a few people there.

The meeting on 10 December is at Sulwath Brewery, Castle Douglas(6.30pm). The cost is £5 per head and we must have a minimum of 15 people.It’s suggested we meet up in Dumfries about 6.00 pm and then take as fewcars as possible to Castle Douglas. Another possibility is to have a bar supperafter the brewery visit but that will be up to those who want participate.

I’d be grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible, if you want to come,either by phone (07707 035 518) or email so arrangements can be finalised.

You may know that we won the 10 pin bowling this year against Carlisle groupand it is our turn to arrange it next time. I propose to set the date for mid March,on a Wednesday night, so keep an eye on the web site for the date. We werewell outnumbered by Carlisle members last year but we all had a good time.

Congratulations to these members who passed their test since our last edition:Amy Muirhead - Obs: Nicky Riley; Eileen Powell - Obs: Peter Dodds; CameronHastings - Obs: David Booth; Jonathan Herriott - Obs: Russell Wears; KatherineMitchell - Obs: Helen Cameron - Obs: Darren Morton - Obs: Chris McWhinnie.


We do try to keep you informed of events etc but I’d be grateful if you keep meinformed of changes to contact details so you don’t miss out. We try to keepthe web site up to date so it’s always worth checking the What’s On section.Preparing for your advanced car test?During your test you must be able to demonstrate a good working knowledgeof the skills and techniques which go together to make a competent advanceddriver. Following the November meeting where we met the Bike and CarExaminers the list below highlights a few of the particular elements that anExaminer will be looking for a candidate to demonstrate, where appropriate:

� A drive which is NATURAL, PROGRESSIVE and with ‘SPARKLE’.� Ordinarily braking only once for a hazard, double braking shows a lack

of effective planning.� The use of block changes where appropriate when going down the

gears. Block changes when going up through the gears is OK too inthe right circumstances.

� Indicators are not automatically used, their use is considered andmaybe not used where there is no benefit.

� Ideally a commentary which is continuous, includes far, middle, andnear distance observations as well as the mirrors. As a minimum theability to talk through the complete System at a hazard at least once.This is easier when there’s time e.g. approaching a simple LH bend.

� Commentary should be prioritised, for example warning signs arementioned on approach not once they have been passed. Don’t ignorehazard warning signs - ideally mention every one.

� There is an understanding of LIMIT POINTS and how they are usedto set your speed.

� The ability to make safe, legal progress, smartly building up speed e.g.after leaving a speed limit. Cruising at or near the speed limit.

� Smooth approach and passage through roundabouts with clear timelydecision making. Preparing to stop but looking to go.

If you are unsure of anything just ask your Observer before your test.

Group Members and Associates can get a free basic car wash, or two jet washtokens when you fill up. Just show your membership card, or for Associates your IAMconfirmation letter. Let the staff know you would like the free bike/car wash beforeyou pay for your fuel. This offer may be withdrawn at any time.


Jaw, jaw - what is it good for? (The Art of Commentary)The answer to this question is that commentary primarily is for your benefit asa driver. The use of commentary can raise a driver’s concentration level,helping to improve all aspects of the drive including observation, identificationof hazards and the formulation of effective driving plans. The commentaryshould cover all phases of the System as the drive unfolds to maintain themost advantage to the driver.

A lot is spoken of the commentary as a tool to help the Examiner to assessyour abilities but this is at the risk of it being seen as simply something you dofor the test and not continued after. True it does allow the Examiner to knowwhat a candidate is observing, his or her thought processes and what they areplanning/ doing about what they have seen. The real sustained benefit howev-er comes through continued use in both long and short term.

Just observing a hazard is not enough, many accidents occur when the driversinvolved have seen the hazard but they have failed to follow through to thenext stages of the System. Often typified by the phrase the clues were therebut not acted upon e.g. “suddenly the driver in front braked and turned into thejunction so it was impossible for me to prevent myself running into the back ofhim”. Looking ahead were there not clues that a junction was coming up, didthe diving plan take into account what might be anticipated? Was there a safefollowing gap? A commentary may well have helped with getting on top of thesituation by raising the effectiveness of observation and the driving plan.

Commentaries do not have to be spoken out loud, but if done certainly will helpthe Examiner. However even if the commentary is done in your head betterresults are likely if you ‘speak the words silently’ rather than just looking andthinking. ‘Talking’ through the commentary seems to have more impact onyour brain, reinforcing the results of your observation and so making it moreeffective.

The commentary should consider what can be seen, what can’t be seen andwhat can be anticipated then follow through with your plan of action (thedriving plan). Just commentating on what you see i.e. listing hazards as youcome across them is of very limited value. Simplistically; ‘say what you seeand what you are planning to do about it’. There is no need for complicatedlanguage, simple plain English will do.

A good commentary can’t make up for bad driving, but in a borderline situationwhere you might have been on the cusp of a pass, or fail, a good commentarymay just help the Examiner to understand that your thought processes anddriving plan were indeed up to the mark. Failure to give a commentary at allmay make it more difficult for the Examiner to accurately assess the drive.


Reading others mistakes can have benefits.We all make mistakes, the complexity and seriousness of the mistake is whatreally matters. Or maybe you are the perfect driver and it’s only others who getthings wrong?

But how can you deal with the mistakes of other drivers, are there lessons tobe learnt and can they be used to benefit you and your driving in any particularcircumstance?

Let’s say you are driving to work at 50mph on a rural road wide enough toallow two lanes of traffic. A vehicle pulls out of a side road well ahead of youtravelling in the same direction as you. Ordinarily this would not be a problemas you probably would not even need to slow if the other driver madereasonable progress at building up his or her speed- but the other vehicle only builds up its speed veryslowly, to just 30mph, so you have to slow. It nextbrakes hard for a shallow right hand bend. Youmutter a few words under your breath and start tolook for a potential overtake.

The car in front then wanders onto the grass verge before correcting itsposition. What’s going through your mind now? Maybe you decide to hangback for a while just in case? Maybe you get more cross? Maybe you decideto overtake at speed, beeping your horn and flashing your lights - after all ifthe other car wanders into you it won’t be your fault will it? Maybe you turn upyour observation skills to maximum - can you see the driver, what is his/herdemeanour, is there an argument between driver and passenger, did thevehicle go out of position to avoid something you had not spotted, does thevehicle have a problem, does the exhaust indicate a cold engine etc?

The car in front approaches a left hand bend but does not turn it goes straighton, only swerving back to the correct side of the road once it is almostcompletely in the oncoming lane. What are you going to do now? Mirrors, thepressures on, two fast movers are now closely following you both just over thecentre line, in a hurry and looking to overtake you. As the car ahead comes


Do you turn a blind eye?You should see two pedestrians below. Cover your left eye, put your face closeto the paper, keep looking at image on the left. Slowly pull your face away fromthe paper and at some point the image on the right will disappear. Or coveryour right eye and look at pedestrian on the right, pull away, and the pedestrianon the left will disappear.

Did you notice the effect and importantly did you notice that the blind spot doesnot show up, instead the picture simply disappears? The problem is caused bya blind spot in your eyes resulting from the layout of the nerve fibres. You can’tsee the blank area because the brain fills in the empty spot and you see thesurrounding background where the picture is.

out of the left hand bend it mounts the nearside grass verge again but quicklycorrects its position. There’s an empty straight ahead now but what do you do?

A number of thoughts might have gone through your head including angryresponses but to minimise the danger to you a tolerant attitude will probablybe best, after all have you never made a mistake yourself? You need to makethe right call as any errors could have consequences. Your observation of thecar ahead might have given you some clues. Whatever the reason you mighteven consider hanging back or even taking yourself away from the danger bysay pulling into a layby, do you really want to be the meat in a sandwichbetween the first car and the two impatient ones following you?

Should you offer a rebuke with say your horn or lights? No, but giving awarning is OK and even beneficial in certain cases. Use what you observe tomake your driving better not to rebuke others. Question what you see and askyourself what are they doing and why, have they spotted something you havenot seen or which is not available for you to see from your position or are theyjust ‘numpties’ or are they deliberately unsafe/flouting the rules of the road?Can you use this information to make your drive safer or to relay a messageonto other road users? Think how your actions might be perceived by others.

In the scenario described here the errant driver, next moved to the centre ofhis/her lane, built up speed briskly, soon disappearing into the distance as yourecovered to a suitable speed for the circumstances. Presumably the driverhad managed to pick up whatever had fallen on the floor - he/she had beenleaning over trying to reach it!


Of course this is not the only type of blind spot a motorist will encounter but itmight be the most difficult to combat since you are not aware of it, the brainsimply filling in the picture.

Other blind spots are created by the vehicle itself e.g. the pillars aroundwindows, badly adjusted external mirrors, sun visors left down when no longerneeded, rain on un-swept areas of the windscreen or on mirrors, frost andmisting not cleaned from glass, sat navs stuck to windscreens etc.

Knowing about potential blind spots is the first step to dealing with them, sotoo is recognising when others might be suffering blind spots, especially if youare positioned where they might not be able to see, i.e. in their blind spot.

To negate the effects of these blind spots is relatively easy. Firstly make sureyou do not stare fixedly ahead but keep your eyes moving, using a scanningtechnique. Move your head a little too, this will help you see around the blindspots caused by the windscreen and door pillars. Not only do these pillarsblock your view but also vision immediately either side of the pillar can only beachieved with one eye hence the picture you see is not as complete as it couldbe and fixing objects spatially is compromised.

Finally when noticing other driver’s blind spots aim not to stay there, e.g.alongside a lorry or say at a junction. Consider use of the horn if beneficial.

Note: The visual effect also works if you are viewing this article on screen butmight be more difficult to see dependant on the size of ‘page’ you are viewing.

The same pedestrians in context. The one on the left is using her phone so could bethe greatest hazard. But if you fix your vision to the left could the one on the right gethidden by the blind spot in your eyes or the one caused by your windscreen pillar?


The ice gauge - IAM motoring tip

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s topadvanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week, with temperatures nearing freez-ing, he is advising on driving on frost and ice.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “Now is the time to start thinking abouthow to adapt your driving to the wintry weather, so that when conditionsbecome dangerously slippery you are ready to react safely.”Rodger offers six tips to drive confidently in icy conditions:

Before setting off, make sure you clean any ice or condensation from allthe windows to optimise visibility, not just the windscreen, but yourside and rear windows as well.

When you set off, if you are on ice do so in second gear, releasing theclutch and accelerating gently, avoiding high revs – this will preventwheel spin. In an automatic be very gentle, and if it has a “wintermode” use it.

As you drive, stay in higher gears and don’t drive too fast to keep in control.

Stopping distances are increased by up to 10 times in icy conditions, soleave plenty of distance between your car and the car in front, andslow down much earlier than you would normally.

If your car loses grip, take your foot off the accelerator, and point the frontwheels where you want to go.

Keep to the main roads as they’re more likely to be gritted. Also bear inmind that after the frost has gone, ice can remain in areas which areshaded by trees and buildings, and in dips especially.

Rodger said: “When the roads are icy the best advice is to drive as if you’rewalking on eggshells. Be prepared for the worst – icy conditions can affectaccelerating, steering and braking dramatically. Being mentally prepared aswell as having the right equipment is vital, so think about any problems youencountered last winter, and what you need to do to overcome them if theyrecur this year.”

Flashing blue in your rear view

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s topadvanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week he recommends top tips on howto respond when an emergency services vehicle is approaching.

17


· Keep your cool – if you see or hear an emergency vehicle ap-proaching, aid concentration by turning off your music, and take afew seconds to plan your next move. Acting in a state of panic couldbe dangerous and delay the emergency vehicle more.

Stop – look for somewhere to pull over and stop if it’s safe to do so,even if the emergency vehicle is on the other side of the road. Indi-cators can be used to show that you have acknowledged the ap-proaching blue lights and intend to move, but avoid usage if it couldconfuse other road users.

Stay safe – avoid pulling onto kerbs, pavements and verges - verg-es can mask numerous hazards and mounting the pavement can putpedestrians at risk.

· Abide by the law – If you go through a red light or into a bus laneto make way for an emergency vehicle, unless directed to do so by apolice officer, you are breaking the law and could be fined, irrespec-tive of your good intentions.

Stay alert – be aware that there may be more than one emergencyvehicle on the approach. Listen for more than one siren, look allaround before moving off, and bear in mind that you may need tomove over again.

Rodger said: “Loud sirens and flashing blue lights cause many motorists topanic, mainly because drivers are not routinely taught how to respond tothem. Emergency vehicle drivers want you to help them reach the emergen-cy at hand as quickly as possible. Behave calmly, legally, safely and predict-ably and move out of the way as soon as it is safe to do so to facilitate theirroute.”Weathering the winter

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s topadvanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week,as forecasters predict a tougherwinter for 2012, he is advising motorists on preparing their cars for the coldseason.

Peter Rodger said: “Now is the time to give your car a once-over before win-ter conditions take hold. Bad weather can strike suddenly and more severelythan you expect, so it’s really important to be proactive, rather than reactive.”Some simple tips to prepare your car for winter:

· In a UK winter you are most likely to encounter wind and rain, somake sure your windscreen wipers are in good condition, your

18


screen wash is topped up and that the inside of your windscreen isclean.

· Do a thorough check of your vehicle: check your engine coolantlevel and make sure last year’s ice scraper and de-icer are up to thejob.

· The legal minimum for tyre tread in the UK is 1.6mm, but for opti-mum safety start looking for replacements if the depth is below3mm.

· Test all your lights.

· Pack an emergency kit, including a warm coat, high visibility jacket,some food and water, a good pair of boots, de-icer and scraper, atorch, a spade and a mobile phone with a well-charged battery. Re-member to store your emergency breakdown number.

Rodger said: “Many roads are still pot-holed after last winter, so having awell-maintained car and paying particular attention to your tyres will be ex-tremely important.”

Make it a night to remember, not to regret

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s topadvanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week, he is advising on preparing for anight out.

· Plan ahead. Find out where to park near to your destination wheth-er it’s the theatre, cinema or restaurant. Leave plenty of time to getthere, park and walk to the venue.

· Park in a well-lit and open area.

· If you arrive while it’s still light do any reversing then, so you canjust drive without having to do so in the dark.

· If you drive to a party and drink when you didn’t expect to, don’t riskit. Book yourself a taxi or arrange for a friend or family member tocollect you.

· If you’re going out in a group, have a designated driver or use thetrain, bus or cab rather than drive.

· Make sure you have plenty of fuel for the return trip. Garages mightbe shut on the way home.

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IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “Don’t just remove valuables fromyour car. Opportunist thieves will smash windows to get anything. If they cansell your road atlas for 50p, they will break in and steal it.”

Darkness descends

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s topadvanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week, with the clocks going back thisweekend, he is advising on driving in the dark.

· To improve your view as far as possible, keep your lights and wind-screen clean.

· Use main beam, but when other drivers are approaching make sureyou dip your lights to avoid dazzling the oncoming traffic.

· Make sure you can stop safely within the distance you can see tobe clear.

· If you’re feeling tired, caffeine alone is not a fix. Take a break andhave a 20 minute nap.

· If an approaching car forgets to dip its lights, look beyond the lights,but to their left to avoid being dazzled as much.

· Look at how the traffic ahead behaves for clues to possible prob-lems you can’t see yet.

· If it’s gloomy in the morning, don’t forget to put your lights on.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “The risk of fatal accidents increasesin the dark as visibility is reduced. Have regular eye examinations to ensureyou are wearing glasses or contact lenses if you need to.”

To help drivers stay safe this winter, the IAM has launched its winter drivingcampaign which includes a dedicated website, drivingadvice.org.uk, with traf-fic updates, weather forecasts and tips on how to drive safely in winter.

Tips cover rain, snow, ice, fog and wind – everything you can expect duringa typically unpredictable British winter. Check it out before you travel.

20

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ADVANCE Winter 2012