HPC Young Drivers' Day 2007

[ChrisR32]

The event is strictly under 26, so I'm afraid it's a non-starter. However, if you want to find out more about HPC, come to one of the AD-UK days - they're usually lousy (in the strict sense of the word) with HPC members...

Ah no worries then

Fortunately I have a fantastic driving coach who is a gold standard HPC member, so I do learn a lot from him!

Hopefully the HPC will be more accommodating when I pay my £1000

Cheers.

[ScoobyChris]

If I can't make it, how can I get along to find out more about the HPC?

AD-UK days are an excellent way of seeing some HPCers in action as well as getting an opportunity to talk about the club.....

Chris

[ChrisR32]

I have found out a lot about the club through my current observer who is fantastic!!

However as I'm passionate about increasing my driving standards and getting into the HPC this year, I'd love to be able to attend an official HPC event.

As someone trying to get into advanced driving, you wouldn't believe how hard it's been to achieve this! After 3 years of messing about with useless observers, I finally have one that is passionate about driving, really interesting to speak to and above all, an excellent driver.

I'm lucky in this respect, but I know of a lot more people that aren't as fortunate.

My feelings on my journey into advanced driving so far is that you have to have a bit of luck in getting a good observer, plus you need to have money. It's a shame because I know of people wanting to get into things like this but are scared away by the typical "driving instructor" approach that a lot of observers I've met put across.

Advanced driving needs to be made more accessable imho, but that's going a little off topic.

Perhaps the HPC should do an under 30's day as I don't know many under 26's that would have £1000 to spend on joining the HPC

Cheers.

[7db]

Are you saying the days are crummy, Dave?

I meant infested with... rather than not very good.

I know. Check the etymology of "crummy"...

[Gareth]

Advanced driving needs to be made more accessable

It is being made more accessible by the AD-UK Driving Days - do you have any ideas about how more of the people who would be interested can be informed about them?

I don't know many under 26's that would have £1000 to spend on joining the HPC

Perhaps, then, they could be directed to ClubDriving, since it appears to address a similar need but with a lower entry price.

[Nigel]

Copied & pasted here : http://forums.roybacer.net/index.php?showtopic=7335

If anyone would like to come over there and help me out......feel free

[christopherwk]

Perhaps the HPC should do an under 30's day as I don't know many under 26's that would have £1000 to spend on joining the HPC

I'm signed up and hope to go along. If all's well, then I would!

[hardboiled]

Perhaps the HPC should do an under 30's day as I don't know many under 26's that would have £1000 to spend on joining the HPC

From experience I'd say that most young drivers are more than willing to spend any number of thousands of pounds trying to make their cars stand out.

One of the now HPC gatekeepers took a load of young mechanics the the Nürburgring last year. They all went out there talking of engine and suspension upgrades, arm hanging out of the window and some of them came back with hands at quarter past three, talking of how even if they did spend money on their cars, they'd still be slower than the gatekeeper even if he was in a standard car.

It's often difficult to get young drivers to thing along these lines and hopefully YDD will do that for more drivers.

[Ludd]

Chaps. Could I please point out that it does not actually cost £1,000 to join the High Performance Club . The actual cost of HPC membership is £30 pa. People are invited to become members when they have passed an approved advanced driving course.

Certainly the approved courses are likely to cost in the region of £1,000, but they are advanced courses provided by professional advanced driving instructors who are of the highest possible standard. Their ability to provide tuition of that standard is rigorously examined by the HPC Standards Committee. The seemingly high cost is also explained by the cost of hiring time at such venues as the Millbrook Proving Ground and Bruntingthorpe.

It is perfectly normal for candidates to pass one of these courses and not accept the invitation to join the club. The courses are provided to improve the student's driving standard. The invitation to join the club is merely the icing on the cake and should never be seen as the reason for doing the course.

Many of the current HPC membership were unaware of the club until sucessfully finishing their particular courses. The HPC is a meritocracy and all are welcome. Neither the club, nor the members are at all standoffish but they do reserve the right to restrict events (with the exception of YDD) to members. Apart from anything else there are insurance considerations.

Quality training will always cost money but please don't confuse the cost of that training with the club, its members or its benefits.

Best wishes

Ludd

[Nigel]

Thanks Ludd, and I appreciate what your saying, but basically , to become a member of hpc is going to cost a grand, or thereabouts.

I haven't seen anyone who is a member say it wasn't worth it, just a few people saying "looks great, can't quite afford it at the moment".

[Ludd]

Nigel

I know just what you mean. When the initial HP Course was run it cost 55 guineas. How I wish I'd done it then. On the other hand that was seven weeks pay for me so all things are relative.

Ludd

[hardboiled]

You did get to drive their cars though, back in the day.

[dreamer]

Perhaps the HPC should do an under 30's day as I don't know many under 26's that would have £1000 to spend on joining the HPC

Not picking on you personally, it's just the last comment I saw that was relevant

I managed it at about 25 years old; my granddad passed away and left me a grand which I spent on the 2 day course - just depends on your priorities I guess. I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise...

[nuster100]

£1000 is alot to the under 25's.

I mean, thats a set of 18" wheels were talking about here.

It equates to about 6 weeks pay for me. I have always been lousy at saving.

In one door, out the other. Hey ho. Thats before I spotted the alfa 156 2.5 v6 on ebay.

Jay

[christopherwk]

Hmmmm, I'm now wondering if it's possible to offset the cost (or part of) of joining HPC off my income tax (If I do decide to join - I've yet to do the drive day) - I'm self-employed, and it is related to my job (sort of). I get my IAM subs offset, but they're only nominal amounts.