Norfolk & Norwich Group of Advanced Motorists E-mail Newsletter - "Torque"
Volume #34 (14th January 2010)
Contents
- Welcome
- Rabbit in the Headlights
- Up And Coming Events
- Drifting / Rallying
- North Norfolk Coast Drive / Open Day
- Ride Outs
- Spread the word (please)
- Advertising
- WELCOME
Welcome to volume 34 of Torque. I trust everyone has a lovely Christmas and New Year break.
If you have any feedback regarding this issue of Torque then please e-mail me.
- RABBIT IN THE HEADLIGHTS
Two questions for you....
1) When did it become compulsory to "flash" or "hold" your headlights when someone is
overtaking? You know, when you're either being overtaken or overtaking the person coming
the other way has a duty to flash their headlights to say "hey, that's a dangerous
overtake!" or "what are you doing on 'MY' side of the road".
2) What is the recommended "so called safe" distance before you have to start flashing
your headlights?
Last night I was driving to the IAM AGM at Hotblack road. Driving from Hethersett down the
Colney Lane/Hethersett Road towards the Watton Road. This is a lovely stretch of road with
a national speed limit but has very very few overtaking opportunities (some would say none.
Anywho, I was following a brand new BMW 1 series that was travelling at approx 28MPH, but
whenever the driver saw oncoming traffic they would slow to 18MPH (yes 18). I decided this
was a little too slow for me and that I would overtake at the next "Safe" opportunity.
At the long stretch outside the NCFC training ground I could see in the fog a set of
headlights coming over the bridge so I knew I had enough time to make a cup of tea;
read the Sunday Times cover to cover; overtake the BMW; and still have enough time
to write the complete works of Shakespeare before the oncoming car has any effect on
the proceedings.
Once I had all four wheels back on "my side" of the road I still had enough time to
listen to a couple of tracks on my Paramore album before the oncoming White Van
actually passed me. In this time he had enough time to:
a) Decide that I needed to be flashed (with his brain this probably took 10 minutes)
b) Flash me FIVE times
c) Gesticulate the importance of onion rings through his front windscreen.
Personally I think that Overtaking is by far the MOST dangerous driving you can do legally
on our roads. Why is it that other drivers think that we can do this while being blinded
my flashing headlights?
Idiots.
Rant number 289.4 over.
- 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 February
Malcolm Howard
Malcolm will tell his version of the "Battle of Britain"
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.
Also,
27th June
Foxton Locks
A day out Driving or Riding to Foxton Locks
More information closer to the date.
OBSERVER MEETING:
Saturday 6th March 2010 1pm
Hotblack Road, Norwich
KINGS LYNN:
All at the NEW VENUE - 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
18th January 2010 (moved from 25th)
David Grimes
David will take you on another trip down memory lane. King's Lynn (Part 2) 1950 onwards.
Be prepared for a late but very interesting night.
22th February
Peter Carter
A Lecture on Fenland Life by local eel catcher Peter Carter. Learn what life was like
growing up in the Fens and how Fenland trades have changed over time. Peter is responsible
for the growing and coppicing of willow beds and also does work for the Woodland Trust.
He also talks of his family going back to the 1500s. He gives a fascinating insight into
poaching, which, years ago, if the poacher was caught in the daytime he(or she) would be
sent to prison but if caught at night would be hanged!
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.
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 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.
More information in the next copy of Torque or e-mail me if your interested.
- NORTH NORFOLK COAST DRIVE / OPEN DAY
It was decided last night (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).
RIDE OUTS:
All rides meet at the Little Chef at West Lynn at 9AM
March 8th. Evening ride TBC 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. Evening ride. TBC Meet at Chequers Wimbotsham at 19:30
April 25th. Rutland Water Meet at Little Chef West Lynn at 09:00
June 27th. Foxton Locks
More information on Ride-Outs on the WebSite
- 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
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.