ADUK Archive

Hi people, only just found this forum - I'm amazed that it exists Most people don't appear to get that much out of their driving - certainly not to talk about it on a forum! Anyway - I have a severe addiction to driving and despite having driven for many years and driving at least 500 miles a week - I still get excited about getting in that car in the mornings! I'm almost at the end of my ROSPA runs - fortunate enough to have a day with Chris Gilbert on Friday - very nervous about taking the test though and still think my driving could be a lot better.
I also do a lot of driving on track - it's the best fun ever - I am not as quick as the boys but never mind - we all have such a great time. I will have a good read through the forum tomorrow and no doubt will soon have some questions.

Hi Nicola, and welcome to the forum. You are correct, there are not a lot of drivers who are actually interested in their driving, let alone improving it. You will find us a freindly bunch, with a host of information between us, some more expert than others.

Lucky to be having a run with Chris Gilbert, and don't worry too much about the test. Most find it less daunting than their DSA test. All the best for your test.

Hi Nicola and a hearty welcome.

You sound like a proper petrol-head to me...are you in a job that means your 'on track' a lot or is it just for fun?

What do you drive?

I'd really recommend the ADUK driving days - they are free, fun and always interesting and enjoyable in my experience. Take a look at the 'Driving Network' forum here for more info and dates.

Hello and welcome.

Where about's are you from?
Nice to see a female that can show the boys a thing or two behind the wheel.

Haha - I don't think I can show the boys anything . My husband passed his IAM test many years ago - but he still knows best and calls me a 'ROSPA shuffler'
I used to be a nurse but now work for Roche Diabetes Care driving to various hospitals in the South East to train patients to use insulin pumps. I live on the Surrey Hampshire border. It is a fantastic job plus I get paid to drive! I use my car allowance ( which is very good) to half pay for running my little beast. I am addicted to BMWs and currently on my 5th M3. I wrote off my 1st E92 on a large patch of ice on a very cold but very dry night 4 yrs ago. No speeding - just helpless as I came up to a very sharp bend where water had run down from higher up and frozen. The car had no grip anywhere, spun and travelled through a fence down a few meters into a load of shrubbery. The recovery truck pulled it out splitting the floor pan in two where the car had gone over a little concrete post of some sort - and that was where it became a financial write off. The rest of the damage wasn't really too bad. I have since done another skid pan morning and dozens of goes on the kick-plate at the Porsche centre, at Pro-drive, Mercedes world and still don't think I could have got myself out of that spin as it happened so quickly.
Yes - I am a complete petrol head I would drive any road car you gave me...fast cars are exciting but to be able to drive on the road safely while making maximum progress is also exciting. I do most track days with the BMW car club. Next one is Donington on September 29th. There are probably a few spaces left - you don't need to be a member ( we like to fill it with road cars as much as possible and bad behaviour isn't tolerated - they are very safe days). I will investigate the ADUK driving days. I could talk about driving and cars all day - so for those of you who are still awake - I'll sign out now. Thank-you for the welcome - you sound a lovely bunch of people .

You like M3's then!

Look forward to meeting you sometime soon!

Enjoy the forum.

Welcome and as martine has already mentioned do try and make the ADUK driving days. This weekend we had one based on Brecon, South Wales, so we had some great roads to drive. Enjoy your day with Chris Gilbert, you should learn a lot he has much experience. Chris does have some strong views (which he presents convincingly) ingrained through his police driving days at Hendon but not necessarily shared in the wider driving world or indeed in other police training schools, including Hendon today. My advice would be to take what you can from the day, keep an open mind, and as with all things driving, test out his ideas and their alternatives and then decide what works for you. But you don't need to take any notice of my advice if you don't wish.

I live in the South East as some others do on the forum and if you would be interested in going for drive and a natter about all things driving just drop me or one of us a PM.

It's not far from you up to Oxford.

Nicola wrote:I don't think I can show the boys anything . My husband....

Oh, I see. Well you'd better not then.

Nicola wrote:Thank-you for the welcome - you sound a lovely bunch of people .

Yes, indeed we are, well mostly. Anyhow, have a warm welcome from me too.

Best wishes all,
Dave - off back to some distinctly non-advanced gardening.

PS. Eileen and I have just bought this:

http://www.peterillingworth.co.uk/detai ... ARtGu9COSo

...hence the (no doubt much welcomed) reduction in my 'contributions here!

and a welcome from another in the south east

A hearty welcome to Nicola - I hope you will find yourself among soulmates. And congrats to Dave and Eileen.

Recently sold my E46 M3. Must admit I had sleepless nights previous and nearly tears in my eyes handing the keys over

So I bought a Lotus to cheer myself up

Hello,have you looked at Chris Gilbert's vi deos on Youtube ?

Thank- you for even more welcomes ! Senior Adviser - yes I have watched the DVDs and also had a look at some stuff on You Tube. He seemed quite different to my ROSPA observer who demands perfection and she has made me quite nervous of taking the test. I just emailed Chris on the off-chance - hence Friday is happening - I'll let you know how it goes.
Rick - I remember the day I had to part with my E46 M3 - I sat in the car and cried like a baby. It was my first M3 and I loved it so much. The dealers don't seem to understand how attached you can be to a car The E92 soon took over the space in my mind though
The reason I have become a serial M3 buyer is because once they get to 50,000 miles it is financially better to change it. I can still get a reasonable cost to change if I do it like that. Once they get up to 60k - the money the dealer gives you drops right off. My car allowance pays for nearly all of the repayments so I've turned it into a hobby now Bob just rolls his eyes up and says I change them when the ash trays are full (no I don't smoke). The current one is a Blue Edition and I have done 12k miles since the end of April when I bought it! Oh well - it's more fun than making jam or knitting at my age:)!