Workshops are held approximately four times a year for Tutors.
Lectures
Traffic Accidents. Resistance to learning from experience. Effect of speed and risk on driving. Concentration and Alertness. The system of Car Control. Hazards. The Five Phases of The System. Applying The System.
Observation. Planning and Anticipation. Grading hazards in terms of risk. Zones of visibility. Keeping distance. Weather conditions. Road surface. Road signs and markings. Observation links. Driver's signals. Acceleration, gears, braking and steering. The tyre grip trade-off. Weight distribution. Using the accelerator. Using the gears. Gear and brake overlap. Progressive braking. Safe stopping distance rules. Cadence braking. Steering: pull-push, rotational, reversing hold.
Skidding. ABS and traction control. Avoiding skids. Recognising and removing causes of a skid. Correcting rear wheel, front wheel, and four wheel skids. Positioning and cornering. Position on approach to hazards. Cornering forces. Understeer and oversteer. Camber and superelevation. The limit point.
Overtaking on single carriageways. Key safety points. Special road and traffic hazards to consider. Motorway driving. Joining the motorway. Fatigue. Overtaking situations to avoid. Special hazards: crosswinds, fog, ice, rain, low sun, debris, lane closures.
Drives
Instruction: review of lectures. Q and A about how the Associate normally drives.
Assessment Drive (20 minutes), followed by Demo Drive (20 minutes, same route), with full commentary. Comparison of the two drives.
Introduction of cockpit drill, including external drill - P.O.W.D.E.R. Basics of positioning. Use of speed and distance viewing. Braking, acceleration sense and balance of the car, and its relation to the system of car control.
Techniques of steering, explaining over/under steer.
Manoevering in town: practice circling (find a large car park).
Knowledge of signs: a good way of introducing commentary.
Associate will be asked to mention signs passed for 5 minutes of the drive.
Principles of cornering. Positions on bends for country roads.
System applied to bends: explanation of the limit point.
Motorway driving. Mixed roads, town and country, practice and review.
Check speed limits, picking them up well in time.
Manoevering. Applying the system for left-hand turns and roundabouts.
Route planning, following signs.
General review, using more demanding bends and turns. Overtaking.
Final polish - mock test conditions, with minimal input from the Tutor.
Existing Members
Members approaching their 3-year re-Test are encouraged to seek out Tutors for refresher sessions before taking the Test.
