Norfolk & Norwich Group of Advanced Motorists E-mail Newsletter - "Torque"
Volume #36 (8th March 2010)
Contents
- Welcome
- Up And Coming Events
- Drifting / Rallying
- Young Driver Dates
- Overflow on ditch
- My Rant
- North Norfolk Coast Drive / Open Day
- Ditching It
- Ride Outs
- Spread the word (please)
- Advertising
- WELCOME
Welcome to volume 36 of Torque.
If you have any feedback regarding this issue of Torque then please e-mail me on steve@minvo.com
- UP AND COMING EVENTS
NORWICH:
All at Wensum Community Centre, Hotblack Road, Norwich
All on 2nd WEDNESDAY of each month (unless otherwise stated) @ 7:30pm
10th March
Jackie Noy
Jackie is from the East Coast Truckers Charity and will talk about the annual convoy.
14 April
Simon Best
Simon is the former IAM Managing Director and now CEO of IAM who will be dropping in to talk to members. (subject to confirmation)
12 May
Howard Scotter
Howard will talk about the Vulcan XH558 Bomber
Please visit the website http://www.nnam.org/norwich.html for up-to-date amendments to this information.
Sunday 27th June
Foxton Locks
A day out Driving or Riding to Foxton Locks
More information closer to the date.
KINGS LYNN:
All at the Farmers Arms Inn, Knights Hill Hotel, South Wootton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 3HQ
All on 4th MONDAY of each month (unless otherwise stated) @ 7:30pm
22 March
Claire Dellar
Norfolk Police.
Resource Manager for Protective Services within the Norfolk Police, talks about her work in her previous role as Research and Projects Officer and also about her current role which encompasses all the specialists such as road policing, dogs, firearms etc. She also manages a lot of the specialist civilians such as crime scene and crash investigators.
26 April 2010
Patrick Thompson
Catering the Royal Way.
Patrick will talk about his life in the Royal Household.
24 May 2010
Rosemary from Queenies Sweet Shop.
Rosemarie from Queenies, a small family run sweet shop, in King's Lynn give a history of Confectionary with links to Herbalism and Witchcraft.
28 June 2010
Jonathan Chandler
Norfolk Police.
Jonathan is a Police Dog Handler with a General Purpose Police Dog and an Explosive Detection Dog. He is also part of the Tactical Firearms Unit, performing dog handling duties.
26 July 2010
Trevor Burlingham
Exploring the towns and villages of Norfolk
Trevor makes a return to the Kings Lynn Meeting Venue after his talk in September on East Anglian Defences. This time Trevors slide show is entitled 'Exploring the towns and villages of Norfolk'
Learn To Drive! with Pams Academy of Motoring
Lessons starting from £19 per hour
Motorway / Refresher courses / Pass Plus Scheme / Nervous people welcome
Based in Potter Heigham, and covering all areas between Wroxham, North Walsham & Yarmouth
Please ring 07772 189210 or Visit our web site http://www.pamsdriving.co.uk for further details
- DRIFTING / RALLYING
Anyone interested in a Rallying or Drifting with Shaun Taylor Racing?
I am thinking of running a NNAM visit to their "runway" for a afternoon bit of fun during the summer.
I have sent a request for possible dates to Theresa - I will let you all know once I have a date.
- YOUNG DRIVER DATES
Please spread the word. I have dates scheduled in for Young Driver courses for 2010.
Course 1: Starting Sunday 21st March @ 10am. Subsequent dates are 28th March, 4th & 11th April.
Course 2: Starting Tuesday 18th May @ 7pm. Subsequent dates are 25th May, 1st and 8th June.
Course 3: Starting Tuesday 20th July @ 7pm. Subsequent dates are 27th July, 3rd and 10th August.
Course 3: Starting Sunday 24th October @ 10am. Subsequent dates are 31st October, 7th & 14th November.
All held at Wensum Community Centre, Hotblack Road, Norwich NR2 4HG
The courses are designed for 17-25 year olds who have just passed their driving test (17 test).
Courses contain topics on Bend Assessment, Speed Awareness, Overtaking, Advanced Car Control.
Each course also has a demo drive from a Class 1 (police) driver and an assessment from the same.
For more information please contact me on 01603 814035 or e-mail YoungDrivers@nnam.org
-MY RANT
From Peter Wellesley-Davies.
"Following on from your Pot Hole rant I would to go further and say that I am concerned about some of the road surfaces. Not only outside the city but some of the surfaces of the city streets are in an appalling state. The worst example I came across is St Andrews Street in front of the Old Barclays Bank going towards St Andews Hall direction. Fortunately I have a large car with big wheels and wide tyres so at slow speed was able to 'ride the ruts' but anybody with a small car and narrow tyres would have a very rough ride not to mention the possible tire damage. Instead of squabbling and wasting taxpayers money over DUI they should set to and repair the roads and streets.
My second rant is at the increasing number of 'One Eyed Monsters' at night but also in the day time. I am lucky that a light on my dash will flag up a dud bulb so I have no excuse not to get it fixed. But to qualify my rant I have mentioned the fact to drivers when filling up at petrol stations only to be told that that 'its been like that for ages', oops sorry for mentioning it. The point is at night they have the 'one' light on full beam because they can't see well enough with one dipped headlight.
My third rant is tailgating. During the last period of bad weather I was appalled at the number of motorists who wanted to engage in the act of 'car copulation' on the public highway. With the roads like skating rinks and visibility very poor due to the adverse weather conditions why do drivers engage in this highly dangerous activity. As an old seasoned driver of many years I like to think I set an example of adjusting my driving to the current road/weather conditions. So with the road surface being very icy one would drive slower maintaining a safe distance from the driver in front. But this upsets the driver behind to the extent he drives so close that he is nearly in ones boot or they overtake and take up the safety gap you have deliberately left between you and the car in front. It only takes one driver to touch their breaks, break lights on and a concertina reaction takes place. So lets all drive a tad slower and save the insurance premiums from escalating.
I had better close now before you think I am bitter and twisted as well as being old !!!. While I admit to being retired I give a great deal of my time to a local charity that transports elderly people to hospital, doctors etc. I am on the road every day in all weathers so I believe this gives me the right to have a rant."
Kind regards
Peter Wellesley-Davies
- NORTH NORFOLK COAST DRIVE / OPEN DAY
It was decided at the AGM that we need to try again with an open day. I had an idea of taking a drive (in convoy) from somewhere near Winterton and driving round the coast to Hunstanton. Hopefully we can reserve an area of land at Hunstanton so we can setup the display unit.
If anyone knows how we can do this then please let me know (last night I was told that the Mini Club reserve some land each summer).
Date and Time TBA (we need to discuss at the next committee meeting to make sure the display unit is available).
- DITCHING IT
Was very early (6:30am) on the 23rd February and I was driving down Hethersett Lane / Colney Lane (towards the Watton Road from Hethersett). The temperature was sub zero and air very still. Roads seemed OK as there was little moisture on them. As I proceeded down the road I was confronted with a white van parked on the side of the road. I move to one side and then the other to get a good view and noticed a car nicely parked in the ditch and a young lady trying to climb out of her car.
I then noticed that the road around the van in front was visibly reflective and was obviously covered in a nice sheet of ice. After touching the brake pedal the car decided it was going to take over responsibility of stopping me so I just had to sit back as the car came to a halt behind the van. My first concern was for the lady in the car but to be honest I was now more concerned that any car behind me would not stop so I quickly flagged down the car behind and got hem to stop.
By now the lady had climbed out of her Megane and was leaning against the side, visibly shaken and also pregnant. The van driver was already on the phone to the ambulance service so I just tried to keep the lady safe. I was just about to offer that she sat down but thought to ask her if she was hurting anywhere. "Yes", she said, "My neck hurts". I swallowed and had visions of gaining a convertible so decided that my car was not be best place for her to sit.
Moment later (and I mean moments) the ambulance arrived and drove passed me and the van and blocked the road in front (I was now going to have to drive to work the long way). Moments later a fire engine arrived (presumably from Hethersett) and parked neatly behind my car - again blocking the road behind. I was now going nowhere until the ambulance or fire engine moved.
Shortly after a couple of traffic officers arrived and began to evaluate the scene. I gave my version of events but was more concerned as to further accidents due to the ice on the road.
I then pondered for a moment as to why this area of road had enough water on it - the rest of my drive from my house was on dry roads. I looked in the ditch that the Megane parked in and noticed it was full of water and the ditch "lower" down the road was empty. It seems that the ditch was blocked.
I called the local council to inform them that the ditch needed urgent attention and was promised that it would be passed to the appropriate person.
As I am writing this, it's now 8th March - nearly 2 weeks later and WOW !!! the ditch has been repaired and all the water has gone!
Proof that my rants obviously work! (all be it a verbal one this time).
RIDE OUTS:
All rides meet at the Little Chef at West Lynn at 9AM
March 8th
Chip Run, West Lynn
Meet at Chequers Wimbotsham at 19:30
March 14th
Overstrand
Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
March 28th
Willingham Woods
Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
April 11th
Barton Mills
Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
April 12th
Chip Run
Meet at Chequers Wimbotsham at 19:30
April 25th
Rutland Water
Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
May 9th
Sizewell Beach
Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
May 10th
Chip Run
Meet at Chequers Wimbotsham at 19:30
May 23rd
Skegness
Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
June 27th
Foxton Locks (http://www.foxtonlocks.com/)
More information on Ride-Outs on the WebSite at http://www.nnam.org/rideout.html
- SPREAD THE WORD
To be able to receive this newsletter you must:
* Have an e-mail address
* Have a computer to receive the e-mail
* And most importantly I must know what your e-mail address is.
So, spread the word. If you know someone who might appreciate a copy of this newsletter then please get them to send me an e-mail ( mailto:steve@minvo.com <mailto:steve@minvo.com> ) or call me at home on 01603 814035. If you know someone that doesn't have an e-mail address then simply print this e-mail and give it to them.
- ADVERTISING
If you (or you know of someone) who might want to sponsor our newsletter then please let me know. The added advantage of having an e-mail newsletter is being able to have hyperlinks straight to an advertisement on a web page.