Cue the Jokes... 330It's also the exact opposite of sense. -- Billy Connolly's 14 things I hate about everybody: 1. People who point at their wrist while asking for the time.... I know where...
Cue the Jokes... 327MrBitsy Don't drag Harry into this - he makes some perfectly sensible contributions here, as do most people, thankfully. If you are in a situation where there is some risk of being hit in the tail...
Silk
Well I do do it, and it's still no problem.
There is probably some truth in that although the risk is so small I'm not inclined to worry about it too much. Even then, being alert to what is going on around you and being prepared to take suitable action takes away most of the risk.
That is true, but handbrake usage ranks pretty low on the list IMHO.
Ah, I'm glad you asked me that!
In February I had my first observed drive and, as I reported here, it was a disaster. It was an instant demolition job - "Well you've made several mistakes already." - said the Observer, after we had spent about five minutes together and covered about half a mile from his house. Apparently my 48 years of experience and a very good safety record counted for nothing. After about half an hour we agreed that we were not going to be able to continue the relationship, so I drove him back home and we parted company.
The Observer must have reported this sad encounter to the local IAM Training Officer, who rang me a couple of days later and suggested that he should perhaps have a run out with me if this would be any help. I thanked him for the suggestion, but deferred a decision on what to do next.
In March I attended the two clbuttroom sessions arranged by the IAM Scarborough Group.
Cue the Jokes... 328Silk Maybe so, if you see it only in black and white, but it might not always be quite so clear cut. Agreed. I feel sure it...
During the following few weeks I concentrated my efforts on re-orientating my feelings about driving and regaining my previous degree of comfort with the subject. As an aid to doing this I deliberately adopted an atbreastude amounting to - "I've had a good long term record, I feel comfortable with driving, I have no particular problems with it, hardly ever any hbuttle of any kind, I'm not a bad driver - and if an IAM nit picker doesn't like it, well bollocks to the lot of 'em!".
OK so now that I've recovered I've made contact with Phil the Training Officer-Chief Observer again, and we're having a run out tomorrow morning in which I'll drive the local IAM test route and see what emerges from that.
The story continues.... :-)
Best wishes all, Dave.
