NThe official magazine of Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists

D E

Quick link tothis issuersquos

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Downloadthis issue

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

1 Whatrsquos on See what are events are planned for the near future

2 On-line version of ADVANCE Find out how to access the on-lineversions of magazine back numbersThe Chairmanrsquos comments The thoughts of Graeme McColm

3 Are you Blue Light Aware Do you know what to do when sharingthe road with emergency vehiclesMy road to advanced riding - John Parry Find out what motivatesJohn and how he achieved the standard

6 Motorcycle Chief Observerrsquos Diary Whatrsquos going on inside theChiefrsquos helmetWinter Driving Tips from the IAM Get access to the IAMrsquos newWinter Driving Guide

7 Spain amp France SeptemberOctober 2011 - Neil Martyniuk Followthe route of the trip to Spain Andorra and France

10 Race Night - book early to ensure you get your ticket Itrsquos that timeof the year again - book early for this popular annual event

14 How do you choose your tyres How can you get help to choose thebest tyres to suit your vehicle Or are you going to leave it to chance

17 About us A bit about us and what we do

18 OBSERVERrsquoS CORNER - A look at following Distances and SharedSafety Space

19 Alien signs spotted in Dumfries amp Galloway Where did these signscome fromAnticipation What should you take into account in your driving plan

20 The Secretary Reports - Helen Cameron Just what it says in the titleScottish Safety Cameras reduce injuries Results of the effective-ness of Scottish Safety Cameras have now been published

21 80mph motorways drive safety fears Implications of the proposed80mph motorway speed limitAre We New To You More about what we do

22 About the IAM Details of the IAMrsquos functions

25 Advertiserrsquos Wall Find out who supports us and this edition of themagazine

ADVANCE Winter 2011 Contents

JOHN F BLACKTel 01387 267473

6B Catherinefield Ind Est Heathhall Dumfries DG1 3PQ

Servicing Repairs WeldingRecovery MOT for cars mo-tor-homes amp commercials

Tyre fitting services

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Group Committee Members for 201112Group President Tommy Jardine

To get in touch call the Secretary 07707 035518or use the group e-mail address

dumfriesgroupsorguk

1

ChairChief Obs

Graeme McColm

Vice Chair Jamie WoodSecretary Helen Cameron 07707 035518Treasurer Russell WearsMc Coordntr Phil SayersNews Dist Christine DonaldsonEvents Stewart CameronCommittee Anne Lind

Andy CampbellNeil MartyniukAndrew BirdSheena TraillElaine PatersonClint Smith

Whatrsquos on - check for details amp late changes at wwwiamdumfriesorguk

13 December - Christmas Social Night (Fun amp Games) - bring partners and friends 09 January - Presentation by Milklink (Lockerbie Creamery) 24 February - Annual Race Night (reservations required) - see page 7 for details12 March - Garage visit detail to be finalised - check web site nearer the time for final details21 March - Ten pin bowling v Carlisle Group - see Secretary Report page 16 for infoPlease let Helen Cameron know if you wish to attend these eventsMeetings Aberdour Hotel 16 Newall Terr DG1 1LW 730pm unless otherwise stated

This magazine was publishedby the Dumfries amp Galloway

Group ofAdvanced Motorists amp

MotorcyclistsFor more details of our activities

see our web site at

wwwiamdumfriesorguk

Contact theGroup Secretary

dumfriesgroupsiamorguk

Facebook Dumfries amp GallowayIAM (Motorcycles) Group

Magazine contributions toeditoriamdumfriesf9couk

Disclaimer The views expressedin this magazine are those of thecontributors and not necessarilythose of the Editor Group or theInstitute of Advanced Motorists towhich the Group is affiliated RegCharity No SC 023511

On-line version of magazine - Ed

If you have not received e-mail notification about the publishing of this issue itmay be that we do not have a valid e-mail address for you

If you havenrsquot informed us of your e-mail address or it has been changed pleaselet Christine Donaldson (arthursplace20btinternetcom) know your preferred e-mail address so that you continue to receive our magazine To cut costs the printrun is being reduced and eventually the printed version will be phased out for almostall members The only way to see our magazine then will be to view it on line

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists2

On-line version of ADVANCEThe on-line version of ADVANCE our groupmagazine is hosted by lsquoissuucomrsquo - itrsquos biggerand all in colour

You can get access to our book shelves andover 20 back issues of the magazine athttpissuucomdandg_adv_motorists_mcyclists or just look for the links on our groupweb site

The Chairmanrsquos comments - Graeme McColm

Welcome to the Winter edition of Advance our group magazine

Well despite the awful weather recently both sections of the Dumfries ampGalloway Group continue to be active Many congratulations to those of youwho have passed their test since our last issue

Events at our new venue the AberdourHotel have been well attended Thanksto everybody who has taken the time tocome along and give us their presenta-tions recently particularly Andrew Birdwho spoke about the now common sight- potholes Graham Abrines who told ofhis charity bike ride adventures andRobert McLennan Operations manageron the M74

Sometimes there are late syllabuschanges so please check our web site

If you know anybody who would benefitfrom one of our driving or biking cours-es please bring them along to any of

our events With Christmas just around the corner how about treating yourloved one to an IAM Skill for Life course It may be the best and safest presentthey ever recieved Christmas gift vouchers are available from the IAM website (wwwiamorguk) at discounted prices making Skill for Life even bettervalue

I urge all our members to stay safe over the coming months especially withthe winter chill taking a hold I wish you all a very merry Christmas and asafe and enjoyable New Year

Whatrsquos on our top shelf

Your Group needs you

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists3

Are you Blue Light AwareTherersquos a great short video available explain-ing how to deal with emergency vehicles

The video produced by GEM is endorsedby the IAM and in 5 minutes gives a succinctoverview of what to do when you have toshare the road with emergency vehicles

It is well worth investing a few minutes of your time if you have not alreadyseen it It can be found at wwwbluelightawareorgukMy road to advanced riding - John Parry

Where do I start Well I guess the beginning is a better place than any

From a very early age motorcycles scared me I had never tinkered with themnor did I really know anybody that had themSo it came as a bit of a shock toeveryone when in November 2008 I decided to jump in with both feet call it amidlife crisis if you wish some folk call it that I purchased my first evermotorcycle a Honda Varadero 125cc this was the beginning all at the age of35 Wwhat was I thinking Of course when I informed my wife Gillian aboutthis idea she looked at me in disbelief Irsquom quite sure I heard You must bemad hellip Why the hell hellip Remember you have two children

I couldnt see what all the fuss was about it seemed perfectly logical to me tolearn to ride a motorbike the seed was sown and boy did it grow

Before long I had booked up and sucessfully completed my CBT not long afterthat I completed my theory and practical motorcycle test I found the wholeprocess very enjoyable well I can say that having passed That was me officallylet loose to ride a bigger bike without an instructor mmm scary thought hellip

Although passing these tests were really the first steps of riding after a whileI felt that I was still lacking something Being a member of the Institute ofAdvanced Motorists in the capacity of a car driver there was only one thing forit I had to challenge myself and get the test done on the bike as well As I ama Traffic Cop I have seen first hand numerous accidents involvingmotorcyclists and with my wife and children being commited pillionpassengers I felt it was my responsibilty to become a safer rider

Having seen the riding style of Jim and Les (DampG Constabularyrsquos motorcyclefinest) I realised that I could benefit from this sort of training I had always beenvery impressed with the manner and style of the advanced motorcyclist andhaving done the advanced emergency Police car response training I knew thatthe system worked

Click image to view video

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

So where were we Oh yes this is how it grew The Dumfries easter egg run2011 I was riding alongside good friends of mine Clint Dave Yvonne andPolly Smith (Buccleuch Arms Hotel Moffat) Clint and Dave were aware that Iwas pondering the IAM test and if you let slip to these guys you are ponderingsomething they will push and support you all the way so they were not goingto let me get away without doing it

At the end of the easter egg run they indroduced me to Jamie Wood ViceChair and observer for the Dumfries area He told me in great detail about thetraining and what it involved giving me info on how the system of advancedmotorcycling worked He went on to tell me that the princial aim was topromote road safety by heightening my riding skills obsevation awarenessand personal safety with the ultimate goal of passing my advancedmotorcycle test at the end of it Jamie was so enthusiastic about the IAM thatI decided Irsquod be a fool not to take him up on the guarantee that it would makeme a safer rider and I duly signed up

My first session took me from Moffat to St Michael Street Service StationDumfries having ridden from Moffat to Dumfries being observed by Jamie Ifelt quite nervous thinking my every move was being watched Hainterestingly enough it was

When we reached Dumfries I was introduced to chief observer Mr McColmalong with other observers and members I was given a progress book and asafety briefing Chief Observer Graeme McColm thereafter took me for anassesment ride to observe my skills - also the bad habits I had picked up alongthe way On our return I received further advice and pointers to use throughoutmy training

Well I guess this was the start of my advanced motorcycling training and I wasloving every minute of it

Jamie got to grips with me straight away as I said before he was as keen toget started as was I The sessions with Jamie had taught me exactly what Ineeded to know along with experiences of his own to pass the IAM test Thisincorporated skills to keep me safe whilst riding Throughout my sessionsJamie and I have become good friends I mean anyone who can put up withme is a hero right Jamie (shut it Clint) not mentioning the 1 hour observedrides turning into 3 hour sessions due to my gabbing oh and love ofgood coffeehellip

After taking a number of observed rides and reaching a certain standard itstime for a progress ride with a senior observer I had the pleasure of riding withMr Jim Hunter Jim is switched on to just about everything especially safetywhich became apparent during my ride he didnt miss a trick I remember

4

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists5

riding out from Sweetheart Abbey thinking amongst other things I was tryingto impress Jim Looking down at my speedo checking the mirrors and seeingJim back in the distance I kinda thought oops yep it must be a 30mph At theend of the ride Jim was very complementry but as I said he never misses athing and he quite rightly mentioned to me the need to be aware of mysurroundings The example given being my blast in the built up area oops healso gave me a few other minor things to brush up on

After a couple more rides with Jamie he told me that I was ready to sit my testwith that in mind I was waiting in anticipation for the examiner to contact meOn Friday 12th August I was contacted by Mike Stevenson my examinerMike was very flexible with the test date and time we suitably agreed a timeof 1300 hours Sunday 14th August meeting at Johnstonbridge Services

With that date set in stone the nerves began to rattle The day arrived I turnedup early and on doing so I observed Mike finishing off a test with anotherassociate who looked up at me with a massive thumbs up and big grin fromear to ear indicating that he had passed and who was this of course it wasnobody better than my pal Polly Smith who had been going through the sametraining as me I was very happy for Polly but it still left the fact it was my turnnext

Before the test Mike told me to relax advising me that he was not there to tripme up but to simply observe my riding skills to ascertain if it was up to the IAMstandard When we started the test the sun was shining and the riding wasflowing I lost all track of time and surprisingly the nerves quickly vanishedWith the communications in my ear and what only seemed minutes I heardMike say the words ldquoOK John the layby on the left is your lay-by pull into itpleaserdquo These words I had heard a hundred times before whilst on Policedriving courses I knew that this was either the end of my test or I had failedmiserably I was thereafter congratulated by Mike that I had passed the testwith no faults

That was the test passed but now a new chapter begins because this iswhere the learning must continue to keep the skills I have learned sharp toenable me to ride safely I believe that every motorcycle rider shouldchallenge themselves and complete this training it has enabled me to ridemore fluently heighten my awareness and more importantly ride safely withinmy own capability

Irsquoll finish off by saying a big thank you to Jamie Wood the guys at theBuccleuch Hotel and all at the IAM who gave their time willingly and selfleslynot only to me but to all who partake in this training

PS after all that said and done it was time for a COSTA -)

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists6

Winter Driving TipsThe IAM have set up a winter driving web sitewwwdrivingadviceorguk there you can download afree Winter Driving Guide There are tips on driving infog low sun wind flood and rain as well as snow andice

Articles on Winter driving skills can also be found in theon-line version of the Winter 2010 issue of this maga-zine Go to wwwiamdumfriesorguk click on thelsquoGroup Magazinersquo tab and look for the Winter 2010 edition (new format)

Motorcycle Chief Observerrsquos Diary - Graeme McColm

Instead of our annual weekend up north some of our more adventurous ridersdecided to take off to the sun this year You can read about the routeelsewhere in this magazine

The Tag Hunt was a great success with many groups taking part on the dayThe Indian meal that night included a slide show and prize giving Thanks toeveryone who donated prizes and also for their stories and photos It was agood day and a lively evening We are all looking forward to the next one

I would like to apologise for my lack of attendance over the last few monthsMy neighbours are carrying out building work and our drive has been verymuddy and dangerous I am reluctant to drive my bike on the mud Hopefullythe worst of this is reaching an end so I should be back in the saddle verysoon Thanks to all my observers for keeping Sunday mornings running wellwhere would the Chief be without his Indians

Take care when out on the roads over the next few months the dark nightsand icy roads mean we need to keep our wits about us

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for all their efforts overthe last year and wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Scotspeed offer IAM Members 10 discount on many items at their Dumfries shopThis offer does not apply to sale items special offers workshop servicing or bikesales See the advert inside the back cover for more information

Click image to view

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists5

riding out from Sweetheart Abbey thinking amongst other things I was tryingto impress Jim Looking down at my speedo checking the mirrors and seeingJim back in the distance I kinda thought oops yep it must be a 30mph At theend of the ride Jim was very complementry but as I said he never misses athing and he quite rightly mentioned to me the need to be aware of mysurroundings The example given being my blast in the built up area oops healso gave me a few other minor things to brush up on

After a couple more rides with Jamie he told me that I was ready to sit my testwith that in mind I was waiting in anticipation for the examiner to contact meOn Friday 12th August I was contacted by Mike Stevenson my examinerMike was very flexible with the test date and time we suitably agreed a timeof 1300 hours Sunday 14th August meeting at Johnstonbridge Services

With that date set in stone the nerves began to rattle The day arrived I turnedup early and on doing so I observed Mike finishing off a test with anotherassociate who looked up at me with a massive thumbs up and big grin fromear to ear indicating that he had passed and who was this of course it wasnobody better than my pal Polly Smith who had been going through the sametraining as me I was very happy for Polly but it still left the fact it was my turnnext

Before the test Mike told me to relax advising me that he was not there to tripme up but to simply observe my riding skills to ascertain if it was up to the IAMstandard When we started the test the sun was shining and the riding wasflowing I lost all track of time and surprisingly the nerves quickly vanishedWith the communications in my ear and what only seemed minutes I heardMike say the words ldquoOK John the layby on the left is your lay-by pull into itpleaserdquo These words I had heard a hundred times before whilst on Policedriving courses I knew that this was either the end of my test or I had failedmiserably I was thereafter congratulated by Mike that I had passed the testwith no faults

That was the test passed but now a new chapter begins because this iswhere the learning must continue to keep the skills I have learned sharp toenable me to ride safely I believe that every motorcycle rider shouldchallenge themselves and complete this training it has enabled me to ridemore fluently heighten my awareness and more importantly ride safely withinmy own capability

Irsquoll finish off by saying a big thank you to Jamie Wood the guys at theBuccleuch Hotel and all at the IAM who gave their time willingly and selfleslynot only to me but to all who partake in this training

PS after all that said and done it was time for a COSTA -)

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists6

Winter Driving TipsThe IAM have set up a winter driving web sitewwwdrivingadviceorguk there you can download afree Winter Driving Guide There are tips on driving infog low sun wind flood and rain as well as snow andice

Articles on Winter driving skills can also be found in theon-line version of the Winter 2010 issue of this maga-zine Go to wwwiamdumfriesorguk click on thelsquoGroup Magazinersquo tab and look for the Winter 2010 edition (new format)

Motorcycle Chief Observerrsquos Diary - Graeme McColm

Instead of our annual weekend up north some of our more adventurous ridersdecided to take off to the sun this year You can read about the routeelsewhere in this magazine

The Tag Hunt was a great success with many groups taking part on the dayThe Indian meal that night included a slide show and prize giving Thanks toeveryone who donated prizes and also for their stories and photos It was agood day and a lively evening We are all looking forward to the next one

I would like to apologise for my lack of attendance over the last few monthsMy neighbours are carrying out building work and our drive has been verymuddy and dangerous I am reluctant to drive my bike on the mud Hopefullythe worst of this is reaching an end so I should be back in the saddle verysoon Thanks to all my observers for keeping Sunday mornings running wellwhere would the Chief be without his Indians

Take care when out on the roads over the next few months the dark nightsand icy roads mean we need to keep our wits about us

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for all their efforts overthe last year and wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Scotspeed offer IAM Members 10 discount on many items at their Dumfries shopThis offer does not apply to sale items special offers workshop servicing or bikesales See the advert inside the back cover for more information

Click image to view

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists6

Winter Driving TipsThe IAM have set up a winter driving web sitewwwdrivingadviceorguk there you can download afree Winter Driving Guide There are tips on driving infog low sun wind flood and rain as well as snow andice

Articles on Winter driving skills can also be found in theon-line version of the Winter 2010 issue of this maga-zine Go to wwwiamdumfriesorguk click on thelsquoGroup Magazinersquo tab and look for the Winter 2010 edition (new format)

Motorcycle Chief Observerrsquos Diary - Graeme McColm

Instead of our annual weekend up north some of our more adventurous ridersdecided to take off to the sun this year You can read about the routeelsewhere in this magazine

The Tag Hunt was a great success with many groups taking part on the dayThe Indian meal that night included a slide show and prize giving Thanks toeveryone who donated prizes and also for their stories and photos It was agood day and a lively evening We are all looking forward to the next one

I would like to apologise for my lack of attendance over the last few monthsMy neighbours are carrying out building work and our drive has been verymuddy and dangerous I am reluctant to drive my bike on the mud Hopefullythe worst of this is reaching an end so I should be back in the saddle verysoon Thanks to all my observers for keeping Sunday mornings running wellwhere would the Chief be without his Indians

Take care when out on the roads over the next few months the dark nightsand icy roads mean we need to keep our wits about us

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for all their efforts overthe last year and wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Scotspeed offer IAM Members 10 discount on many items at their Dumfries shopThis offer does not apply to sale items special offers workshop servicing or bikesales See the advert inside the back cover for more information

Click image to view

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

7

Spain amp France SeptemberOctober 2011 - Neil Martyniuk

For all of you that think going abroad on your bike or in your car is too difficultor too far away then this is a wee push in the right direction Thanks to GrahamAbrines I can pass this information on to you and just say get your finger outand make it happen Thanks again Mr A

If you fancy taking the trip below the details ofthe journey are set out You could follow theroute using Google Maps - click this link to getyou started at the ferry terminal in Santander

Sunday 25 SeptemberThe run from Dumfries to Plymouth was 425 miles ndash almost all was motorway(A75 M6 M5 A38) We left Dumfries at 5 ndash 530am which got us there inplenty of time The advance party having left the day before for a moreleisurely run and a stop in Taunton

We met in Plymouth at the Ferry terminal at 2pm and the ferry left Plymouth at330pm Latest check in time is 45 minutes before departurehttpwwwbrittany-ferriescoukfleetcruise-ferriespont-aven

Monday 26Arrived in Santander at 12 noon where they were pretty good at getting thebikes off quickly

We rode 260 (ish) miles to get to where we stayed that night Route wise ouroptions were fairly limited due to the time so we headed to Pamplona on themain (quickest) route (via main roads Bilbao Vitoria Pamplona) After Pam-plona A21 N240 N260 to get to our hotel Edelweiss Hotel Ordesa SnTorla 22376 Spain Phone +34974486173

Tuesday 27The Hotel we stayed in that night in Andorra was Hocirctel Bruxelles CareterraGenerale Soldeu AD 100 Andorra Phone +376851010

The straight run is about 175 miles ndash the run we took was about 210 milesfollowing the N260 (best road Irsquove ever been on bar none thus far) beforeswinging up into Andorra on the N20

Wednesday 28Into France we stayed at Deltour Hocirctel Millau Zc Le Cap Du CregravesMillau 12100 France Phone +33565608525

The route was 255 miles and took in the N20 D618 D118 D620 D908 D12D92 D993 D41

Click image to get to Santander

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

8

Thursday 29Today we returned to Torla it was to be the first of two 300 mile + days Theroute chosen was in fact some 350 miles so we needed an early start

D911 D30 D44 D33 D607 D52 D161 D54 D118 D148 D8 D119 D102D25 D11 D119 D618 D85 D125 D618 D929 A138 N260

Edelweiss Hotel Ordesa Sn Torla 22376 Spain Phone +34974486173

Friday 30Stayed at the same hotel again tonight Todayrsquos run took us back into Francewhere we rode some of the famous climbs of the lsquoTour de Francersquo the Col detourmalet amp the Col de aspin

There was a choice of two loops 200 miles or nearer 270 milesN260 A136 D934 D918 D618 N230 N260 (the 270 mile one)N260 A136 D934 D918 D929 A138 N260 (the 200 mile one)

Saturday 1 OctoberAnother 300 + miles today whatever route we chose heading for

Hosteria Picos De Europa San Roque 6 Potes 39570 Spain Phone +34942730005

We followed the N260 N240 A21 A15 A10 A1 AP1 N232 BU502 BU503N627 CI626 CI627 Ca184 (317 miles)

Sunday 2A day in the Picos with various loop possibilities from 130 miles and anotheraround the 220 mile mark

Ca 184 Ca 281 Ca 181 N621 As114 N625 N621 CI626 P215Le215 N621

Hosteria Picos De Europa San Roque 6 Potes 39570 Spain Phone +34942730005

Monday 3It was only 66 miles back to the boat via the direct route to the boat There werea number of possibilities for routes anything up to around 140 miles We justneeded to be at the ferry no later than 2pm as the boat sailed at 3pm

Ca184 CI627 CI626 Pp2125 P220 Ca280 Ca180 Ca135 Ca131 N611 isabout 130 milesTuesday 4Arrived back in Portsmouth at 4pm (due to a medical emergency on the boat)384 miles back to Dumfries Itrsquos was very straight run back - home by 1130pmM27 M3 A34 M40 M42 M6 A75

Home Sweet Home

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Much fun and hilarity was had by all and I would highly recommend it As youcan see from the pictures the views were stunning and the rides wereexhilarating A big thanks to all the boys and girl that made this holiday such asuccess

A small selection of photos tohelp you get the feel for thelandscape we rode through

9

RACE NIGHTFriday 24 February 2012 - 730pm

SOCIAL NIGHT AND FUND RAISER FOR GROUP MEMBERSAND THEIR GUESTS AT

ABERDOUR HOTEL16-20 NEWALL TERRACE DUMFRIES DG1 1LW

SIX RACES PLUS AN EXTRA AUCTION RACETicket price pound1000 includes buffet

PROCEEDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF DGGAMM TO GOTOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT

Why not come along bring some friends with you have aflutter and support your group at the same time

The event is restricted to a maximum of 100 people andtickets will be sold on a first come first served basis

Please contact Stewart Cameron to reserve your ticketsTel 01387 264005 Mobile 07707 035518

Or email dumfriesgroupsiamorguk(use lsquoRACE NIGHTrsquo as the message header)

Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists

STEERING A COURSE FOR SAFER DRIVING AND RIDING

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Much fun and hilarity was had by all and I would highly recommend it As youcan see from the pictures the views were stunning and the rides wereexhilarating A big thanks to all the boys and girl that made this holiday such asuccess

A small selection of photos tohelp you get the feel for thelandscape we rode through

9

RACE NIGHTFriday 24 February 2012 - 730pm

SOCIAL NIGHT AND FUND RAISER FOR GROUP MEMBERSAND THEIR GUESTS AT

ABERDOUR HOTEL16-20 NEWALL TERRACE DUMFRIES DG1 1LW

SIX RACES PLUS AN EXTRA AUCTION RACETicket price pound1000 includes buffet

PROCEEDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF DGGAMM TO GOTOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT

Why not come along bring some friends with you have aflutter and support your group at the same time

The event is restricted to a maximum of 100 people andtickets will be sold on a first come first served basis

Please contact Stewart Cameron to reserve your ticketsTel 01387 264005 Mobile 07707 035518

Or email dumfriesgroupsiamorguk(use lsquoRACE NIGHTrsquo as the message header)

Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists

STEERING A COURSE FOR SAFER DRIVING AND RIDING

RACE NIGHTFriday 24 February 2012 - 730pm

SOCIAL NIGHT AND FUND RAISER FOR GROUP MEMBERSAND THEIR GUESTS AT

ABERDOUR HOTEL16-20 NEWALL TERRACE DUMFRIES DG1 1LW

SIX RACES PLUS AN EXTRA AUCTION RACETicket price pound1000 includes buffet

PROCEEDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF DGGAMM TO GOTOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT

Why not come along bring some friends with you have aflutter and support your group at the same time

The event is restricted to a maximum of 100 people andtickets will be sold on a first come first served basis

Please contact Stewart Cameron to reserve your ticketsTel 01387 264005 Mobile 07707 035518

Or email dumfriesgroupsiamorguk(use lsquoRACE NIGHTrsquo as the message header)

Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists

STEERING A COURSE FOR SAFER DRIVING AND RIDING

Consulting hoursWeekdays900am - 930am By Appointment330pm - 600pm Open SurgerySaturday900am - 1030am - Open Surgery

24hour emergency cover

Call us on01387 259111

Bridge Veterinary Clinic51 Glasgow Street

DumfriesDG2 9AG

01387 259111infobridgevetscomwwwbridgevetscom

We are a friendly local practice offering acontinuity of case management from ourexperienced principal Veterinary Surgeon

We offer a wide range of services usingmodern diagnostic aids which allow afocused approach to the healthcare of your pet

We also have a special interest in helpingbeekeepers successfully control Varroa Mite -beesbridgevetscom

Registered Charity in Scotland No SC 023511

ADVANCED RIDERADVANCED DRIVER

DUMFRIES amp GALLOWAY GROUP OF ADVANCEDMOTORISTS amp MOTORCYCLISTSget a lsquoSkill for Lifersquo and become an

We have helped hundreds of people hone their abilities to make their driving or ridingmore skillful more enjoyable and safer Our passion is to help you improve your drivingand riding standards leaving you with the ability to make good progress whilst maintain-ing the highest standards of skill safety and responsibility it really is a lsquoskill for lifersquoInterested in improving your skills Get in touch find out more Visit our web sitee-mail or call us on 07707 035518 - see page 1 for our contact details

B R A I D W O O D SSOLICITORS

Property and Estate Agency

Wills and Estates

Commercial Practice

Family Law

wwwbraidwoodscom1 Charlotte Street Dumfries DG1 2AG

Telephone (01387) 257272E-mail infobraidwoodscom

St Michaelrsquos ServicesSt Michael rsquos Street

DumfriesDG1 2QD

Tel 01387 254304

~ BP ultimate fuels

~ BP Autogas

~ Car wash

~ Jet wash

~ MACE convenience store

~ Nectar Points

~ Special offers for Dumfries Group Members

more performance less pollution

Wigtown Road ServicesWigtown Road

Newton StewartDG8 6JZ

Tel 01671 403157

~ BP ultimate fuels amp BP Autogas

~ Jet wash

~ Snack bar coffee machine

~ Large Mace convenience shop

~ AirScreenwashVacuumfragrance machine

~ Nectar Points

~ Special offers for Dumfries Group Members

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists14

How do you choose your tyresThe choice of tyres can have a dramatic effect on the handling of your vehicleHow a tyre performs is not simply a question of cost Of course premiumbrands tend to cost more and are likely to perform better than averageHowever just because a particular tyre is the most expensive does not meanit will have the best performance in all areas Tyres inevitably are a compro-mise between many factors including grip under acceleration braking andcornering in wet dry hot or cold conditions ridecomfort characteristicslongevity and their effect on fuel consumption

How do source your tyres Maybe you buythe same type as already fitted to yourvehicle or just ask whatrsquos cheapest in thetyre depot You may have a leased vehicleand have to accept what you are given Weare going to look here at how you might gethelp in choosing a tyre for winter use Thesame principles apply to choosing summertyres

First of all decide what you want or needfrom a tyre In December 2009 January2010 the weather conditions contributed toa record 270000 insurance claims around75 more than in the same period theprevious year So clearly a tyre which givesbetter performance in cold weather couldbe an advantage worth having If you areable to avoid driving in extreme conditionsthen maybe you donrsquot need to considertyres which are designed to perform betterin cold or even snowy conditions

There has been a lot in the press about thebenefits of winter tyres but do you reallyneed them What if we donrsquot get any snow this year Will you be wasting yourmoney If you have to drive in the winter whatever the weather or want tomaximise your safety in cold weather then maybe you could considerlsquowintercold weatherrsquo rated tyres

You will probably have heard the argument that winter tyres are not just goodin snow but in fact they reduce stopping distances in temperatures below7degC since the rubber remains more flexible and so has better grip Stas-titics from Continental Tyres suggest that below 7 degC a car on cold-weather

Which type of tyre is safest here

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists15

tyres will have stopping distances from 31 mph reduced by around 11mcompared with summer tyres on dry roads by 8m in snow 5m on wet roadsand 11m from 19 mph on ice

Frankly if you have ever had to drive in snow and ice with winter rated tyresyou soon become aware that their use is a lsquono-brainerrsquo in these conditionsTherersquos plenty of advice on the benefits of winter tyres in the media includingat wwwconti-onlinecouk - look for the lsquoWhy winter tyresrsquo section and atwwwiamorguk But just how do you go about choosing which ones to use

There are dozens of cold weather rated tyres which fall into one of twocategories lsquoWinterCold Weatherrsquo or lsquoAll Seasonrsquo tyres (yes they do meandifferent things) Not all manufacturers or suppliers use the same terminologyhowever which can lead tofurther confusion Just as withlsquosummerrsquo tyres not all brandsperform equally so choosingthe best value for money is notas simple as just going to yourlocal tyre depot since thiswonrsquot necessarily get you themost suitable tyre for yourparticular vehicle

Some tyres perform much better than others and whilst some may be good insnow their dry or wet road performance may leave much to be desired or mayeven be classed as very poor (generally this might only apply to value brands)Just to make your choice even harder performance can vary significantlybetween different diameters and widths of the same tyre product

You are best served by doing your own research try looking for independenttest results a number of which can be found on the Internet and in magazinesYou can also find numerous driverrsquos own reviews of tyres but you may want totreat these with caution Invariably there will be feedback from a spirited driverwith a high performance car who fits the cheapest lsquonon-brandrsquo tyres and thencomplains how poor they are

Group Members and Associates can get a free basic car wash or two jet washtokens when you fill up Just show your membership card or for Associates your IAMconfirmation letter Let the staff know you would like the free bikecar wash beforeyou pay for your fuel This offer may be withdrawn at any time

Winter amp lsquoAll Seasonrsquo tyres (above) have similar treadpatterns often very different to summer tyres

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists15

tyres will have stopping distances from 31 mph reduced by around 11mcompared with summer tyres on dry roads by 8m in snow 5m on wet roadsand 11m from 19 mph on ice

Frankly if you have ever had to drive in snow and ice with winter rated tyresyou soon become aware that their use is a lsquono-brainerrsquo in these conditionsTherersquos plenty of advice on the benefits of winter tyres in the media includingat wwwconti-onlinecouk - look for the lsquoWhy winter tyresrsquo section and atwwwiamorguk But just how do you go about choosing which ones to use

There are dozens of cold weather rated tyres which fall into one of twocategories lsquoWinterCold Weatherrsquo or lsquoAll Seasonrsquo tyres (yes they do meandifferent things) Not all manufacturers or suppliers use the same terminologyhowever which can lead tofurther confusion Just as withlsquosummerrsquo tyres not all brandsperform equally so choosingthe best value for money is notas simple as just going to yourlocal tyre depot since thiswonrsquot necessarily get you themost suitable tyre for yourparticular vehicle

Some tyres perform much better than others and whilst some may be good insnow their dry or wet road performance may leave much to be desired or mayeven be classed as very poor (generally this might only apply to value brands)Just to make your choice even harder performance can vary significantlybetween different diameters and widths of the same tyre product

You are best served by doing your own research try looking for independenttest results a number of which can be found on the Internet and in magazinesYou can also find numerous driverrsquos own reviews of tyres but you may want totreat these with caution Invariably there will be feedback from a spirited driverwith a high performance car who fits the cheapest lsquonon-brandrsquo tyres and thencomplains how poor they are

Group Members and Associates can get a free basic car wash or two jet washtokens when you fill up Just show your membership card or for Associates your IAMconfirmation letter Let the staff know you would like the free bikecar wash beforeyou pay for your fuel This offer may be withdrawn at any time

Winter amp lsquoAll Seasonrsquo tyres (above) have similar treadpatterns often very different to summer tyres

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists16

It is good to know what the symbols marked onthe tyre sidewalls mean Any winter rated tyre(whether lsquoWinterrsquo or lsquoAll Seasonrsquo) will have thelsquo3 peak mountain symbolrsquo and usually alsolsquoM+Srsquo (mud amp snow) plus probably also themanufacturerrsquos own graphics - see picturesSome lsquoAll Seasonrsquo tyres are just marked M+Swhich means they are likely to use non wintergrade rubber

Look for tests of tyres in your particular sizeremember performance can vary significantlyfor identical tyres but in different sizes Be-cause tyre performance is a compromise thinkabout what attributes are important to you andyour driving An lsquoAcme Northern Artic+rsquo may begreat in snow but if it takes twice as far to stopin wet conditions is it right for Dumfries amp Gal-loway

Many of the best winter and summer tyre testsare carried out in Europe and a search on theInternet will reveal many in-depth tests fortyres commonly available in the UK Onesource of such tyre tests (reifentest) can befound at wwwadacde - just use a translatorsuch as Google to view the pages in EnglishADAC are the German equivalent of theAARAC - you may have seen ADAC onTopgear testing the Hamsterrsquos BMW M3 lsquoshedrsquoin 2010

Another way of choosing tyres is to refer toyour vehicle manufacturer Most mainstreammanufacturers test tyres and often producelists of approved Summer lsquoAll Seasonrsquo andlsquoWinterrsquo tyres Getting hold of this informationmay prove more difficult however and persistence will likely be needed as theguy in the parts department may not be aware of its existence

Donrsquot forget that to consider a particular tyrersquos performance related to fueleconomy and wear If you can save a little fuel and get a few extra thousandmiles out of a tyre then in the long run it might work out more cost effectivethan a lsquocheaperrsquo tyre plus it might also be a better all round performer

Winter rated tyres have the lsquo3peak mountainrsquo symbol This lsquoAllSeasonrsquo tyre has Mud + Snow amp

symbols for sun rain amp cold

This lsquoAll Seasonrsquo tyre has differ-ent symbols for sun rain etc

This Michelin tyre is only winterrated with 4mm or more tread

depth - see warning triangle (L)

Example of manufacturerrsquos win-ter symbol but also look for the lsquo3

peak mountainrsquo on the tyre

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists17

The Internet also allows you to purchase tyres on-line with fitting included oryou can choose tyres only and then use the fitting services of a suitableindependent garage such as John Black Motor Engineers - see inside frontcover Either way you could make a significant saving over traditional tyre depots

The Association of British Insurers have cleared up the confusion over wintertyres that existed last year - they confirm that additional premiums should notbe imposed for using winter tyres (see the AArsquos article on winter tyresincluding insurance notes here) However you will still have to decide if youneed to inform your insurer about any change of tyres especially if there arematerial differences such as size speed rating etc You certainly should alsolet them know if you are using different wheels especially if they are of adifferent width or radius or are made of different materials (eg alloys insteadof steel wheels or vice versa) If you do decide to go for different sized wheelsfor winter use then you are perhaps best seeking guidance from the vehiclemanufacturer who likely will be able to provide suitable wheels for thesecircumstances Vehicle type approval certificates often set out approvedlsquomodificationsrsquo covering alternative wheels andtyres for each particular engine available in themodel range

Some suppliers and vehicle manufacturersmay advise using tyreswheels of a differentsize specification to summer tyres and thismay even lead to the requirement to fix asticker to the speedometer advising the driverof a revision to the speed limits applicable tothe vehicle Winter tyres with a high speed rating may not be available for yourvehicle in the past it was very difficult to find any tyres other than lsquoTrsquo ratedones although a much greater range of tyres is now coming onto the market -at a premium

You can find some interesting winter tyre videos at wwwsmmtcouk (searchfor winter tyres in their News section) There are also videos on the subject

G A N G W A R I L Y

About usThis magazine distributed free to Members is published three times a year inpaper and electronic formats

Our Grouprsquos aim is to help drivers and riders improve their skills on the roadand so help reduce collisions injuries and deaths on the roads We promoteIAM lsquoSkill for Lifersquo courses throughout the year The purpose of this publicationis to inform readers about the activities of the Group and to stimulate thoughtabout safe driving and riding issues

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists17

The Internet also allows you to purchase tyres on-line with fitting included oryou can choose tyres only and then use the fitting services of a suitableindependent garage such as John Black Motor Engineers - see inside frontcover Either way you could make a significant saving over traditional tyre depots

The Association of British Insurers have cleared up the confusion over wintertyres that existed last year - they confirm that additional premiums should notbe imposed for using winter tyres (see the AArsquos article on winter tyresincluding insurance notes here) However you will still have to decide if youneed to inform your insurer about any change of tyres especially if there arematerial differences such as size speed rating etc You certainly should alsolet them know if you are using different wheels especially if they are of adifferent width or radius or are made of different materials (eg alloys insteadof steel wheels or vice versa) If you do decide to go for different sized wheelsfor winter use then you are perhaps best seeking guidance from the vehiclemanufacturer who likely will be able to provide suitable wheels for thesecircumstances Vehicle type approval certificates often set out approvedlsquomodificationsrsquo covering alternative wheels andtyres for each particular engine available in themodel range

Some suppliers and vehicle manufacturersmay advise using tyreswheels of a differentsize specification to summer tyres and thismay even lead to the requirement to fix asticker to the speedometer advising the driverof a revision to the speed limits applicable tothe vehicle Winter tyres with a high speed rating may not be available for yourvehicle in the past it was very difficult to find any tyres other than lsquoTrsquo ratedones although a much greater range of tyres is now coming onto the market -at a premium

You can find some interesting winter tyre videos at wwwsmmtcouk (searchfor winter tyres in their News section) There are also videos on the subject

G A N G W A R I L Y

About usThis magazine distributed free to Members is published three times a year inpaper and electronic formats

Our Grouprsquos aim is to help drivers and riders improve their skills on the roadand so help reduce collisions injuries and deaths on the roads We promoteIAM lsquoSkill for Lifersquo courses throughout the year The purpose of this publicationis to inform readers about the activities of the Group and to stimulate thoughtabout safe driving and riding issues

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists18

Following Distances and Shared Safety SpaceThe Highway Code mentions that drivers should allow at least a two-secondgap between you and the vehicle in front (in good conditions) on faster roadsAll things being equal this is will barely give you enough time to stop in anemergency at higher speeds and indeed you will not be able to stop in time atspeeds of 60 mph and over

The Highway Code following gap is a minimum and should not be used as atarget To maximise your safety you would be wise to increase your followingdistance to at least 3+ seconds especially when travelling at say 50 mph plus

But how often are all things equal If the vehicle in front carries out anemergency stop what factors can affect your ability to pull up safely behindDo you consider anyall of the following when you are out on the road It couldhelp you decide if you could potentially stop in time in the event of anemergency and so plan accordingly

Is the tarmac uniform and of identical skid resistance to the sectionother traffic is running on What about when a bike follows a car

Are your reaction times as quick or quicker that the driver in front Is your forward observation compromised by the vehicle in front Are you tyres of equal or better quality and performance Are you

tyres run in or significantly worn are the pressures correct Are your brakes in absolute tip top condition Does your vehicle have an equal braking performance to the one in

front If for instance you were to be driving a Suzuki Alto andfollowing a VW Polo it could take you an extra 8m or so to come to astop from 60mph (dependant on the exact models Source Which)

As well as considering the vehicle in front what about the one behind Iftherersquos a vehicle with potentially a poorer braking performance followingclosely what action are you going to take to protect yourself Do you consideralso consider the demeanour of other drivers and take this into account

After all the gap between vehicles both in front and behind is shared safetyspace

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists19

AnticipationThe information phase of the System (IPSGA) requires you to draw up adriving plan to help you safely deal with hazards The driving plan should takeinto account what you can see what you canrsquot see and what you mayreasonably expect to happen

So for instance seeing a left hand bend ahead with no traffic in sight you mightanticipate the presence of a cyclist or a slower moving vehicle around thecorner You may also consider the likelihood of a poorly positioned on-comerrunning over the centre-line What you may not anticipate and plan for as youcome around the corner is the possibility ofan oncoming aircraft flying straight towardsyou extremely low over the road

This perhaps demonstrates why your planneeds to be flexible and revised to suitchanging conditions The danger here maynot be from the aircraft but the actions ofothers who might stop in the carriageway toget a good view of the spectacle

In this case the pilot revised his flying plangiving way by gaining elevation and bankingaway from the road

Alien signs spotted in Dumfries amp GallowaySeen recently on the A710 werethese diamond shaped warningsigns

The lsquoKnow Your Traffic Signsrsquobook confirms that they are notstandard UK signs although themeaning is self explanatory atleast for the lsquoDanger Men at Workrsquo sign A quick pollshowed that motorists seem to find that the lsquoFlagmanrsquosign is the most difficult to understand This sign appears to beused instead of the lsquoTraffic Control Aheadrsquo sign which normally wouldbe used in these circumstances (ie StopGo board around the corner)

These signs look similar to the pattern used in the USA and Eire although suchsigns would normally have an orange background with a black border Thesesigns had a white background with a red border Can any one throw any lighton the why these are in use in Dumfries amp Galloway

North bound RUNWAY B7076

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Scottish Safety Cameras reduce injuriesKey Scottish Safety Camera Programme Statistics for the 2010 have beenpublished which show that their use is meeting the objectives

The Scottish SCP has two main objectivesA To reduce the number of people killed or injured onScotlands roads through targeted camera enforcementB To engender a culture of speed limit and red trafficsignal compliance through a visible and effective deterrent

The statistics released show1 The number of people killed or seriously injured at safety camera sites is63 lower after camera enforcement The number of personal injury acci-dents at safety camera sites is 47 lower after enforcement2 Average speeds and the number of people exceeding the speed limit atsafety camera sites are generally lower following a period of enforcement3 The number of people issued with a fixed penalty after being caughtexceeding the speed limit or running a red-light at a safety camera site hashalved in the last four years and reduced by over 60 in the past six years

The Secretary Reports - Helen Cameron

Annual group subs are now due everyone should have received thepaperwork by email or post It is important that you return the group member-ship renewal form to Russell Wears as this is our only record of any changesto your details If you have not received a form then please download one fromthe group web site (lsquoGroup Documentsrsquo tab) or contact me as soon aspossible The exception is that if you have joined the group since April 2011your renewal is not due till Nov 2012

We have had an excellent start to this season and a good number of membershave come along to the Aberdour Hotel Remember if you have any sugges-tions for topics or speakers then please let a committee member know

Carlisle Group has been in touch to arrange the annual 10 pin bowlingchallenge which is now set for Wednesday 21 March It will be an 800 pmstart as usual we will meet at Brooms Road Car Park (Brooms Road end) at700 pm so that we can share transport Please let me know by phone oremail if you can come so that I can have sufficient lanes booked It is alwaysa good night so I hope to see lots of new faces no experience is necessary

Congratulations to all our recent passes - Fiona Campbell (Obs Anne Lind)John Parry and Derek Riley (observed by the motorcycle team)

20

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

80mph motorways drive safety fearsThe Department of Transport expect road fatalities to rise by 1 if the proposednew 80mph motorway speed limit comes into force However they also say thatthey need to balance the effect on road safety with the effect on the economy

The Transport Secretary plans toraise the speed limit for cars (amp motor-cycles) but not commercial goodsvehicles within the next 18 months

He claims that allowing motorists todrive faster will deliver lsquohuge econom-ic benefitsrsquo for the country His oppo-

nents however point out that driving 10mph faster could use 20 more fuel andemit 20 more CO2

There are significant sections of motorway that currently suffer from congestionand improved journey times could likely be achieved by tackling such problemsAdditionally some of the network already falls below current design standardshence a blanket 80mph limit could not be applied safely some sections wouldhave to retain their current limits Source Transportation Professional

Tyre tipNot for profit tyre safety organisation lsquoTyreSafersquo suggest that you removewheels or jack the weight off any vehicle tyres that will not be used over thewinter months such as caravans horseboxes or motorcycles

Are We New To YouIf you are reading this magazine for the first time you may be a new memberof the Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists(DGGAMM) or you may know nothing about us We are a local group affiliatedto the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)

DGGAMM is a charity devoted to promoting road safety through its advanceddriving and riding courses We are a regional organisation with qualifiedAdvanced Driving and Riding Observers who provide guidance to assistdrivers and riders to improve their skills on the road We also work with andreceive support from other road safety organisations and local businesses

Our aim is to help drivers and riders improve their skills on the road and sohelp reduce collisions injuries and deaths on our roads We promote the IAMlsquoSkill for Lifersquo courses throughout the year and you can find out what is entailedby visiting our web site Well over ninety percent of people who sit the

21

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists19

AnticipationThe information phase of the System (IPSGA) requires you to draw up adriving plan to help you safely deal with hazards The driving plan should takeinto account what you can see what you canrsquot see and what you mayreasonably expect to happen

So for instance seeing a left hand bend ahead with no traffic in sight you mightanticipate the presence of a cyclist or a slower moving vehicle around thecorner You may also consider the likelihood of a poorly positioned on-comerrunning over the centre-line What you may not anticipate and plan for as youcome around the corner is the possibility ofan oncoming aircraft flying straight towardsyou extremely low over the road

This perhaps demonstrates why your planneeds to be flexible and revised to suitchanging conditions The danger here maynot be from the aircraft but the actions ofothers who might stop in the carriageway toget a good view of the spectacle

In this case the pilot revised his flying plangiving way by gaining elevation and bankingaway from the road

Alien signs spotted in Dumfries amp GallowaySeen recently on the A710 werethese diamond shaped warningsigns

The lsquoKnow Your Traffic Signsrsquobook confirms that they are notstandard UK signs although themeaning is self explanatory atleast for the lsquoDanger Men at Workrsquo sign A quick pollshowed that motorists seem to find that the lsquoFlagmanrsquosign is the most difficult to understand This sign appears to beused instead of the lsquoTraffic Control Aheadrsquo sign which normally wouldbe used in these circumstances (ie StopGo board around the corner)

These signs look similar to the pattern used in the USA and Eire although suchsigns would normally have an orange background with a black border Thesesigns had a white background with a red border Can any one throw any lighton the why these are in use in Dumfries amp Galloway

North bound RUNWAY B7076

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Scottish Safety Cameras reduce injuriesKey Scottish Safety Camera Programme Statistics for the 2010 have beenpublished which show that their use is meeting the objectives

The Scottish SCP has two main objectivesA To reduce the number of people killed or injured onScotlands roads through targeted camera enforcementB To engender a culture of speed limit and red trafficsignal compliance through a visible and effective deterrent

The statistics released show1 The number of people killed or seriously injured at safety camera sites is63 lower after camera enforcement The number of personal injury acci-dents at safety camera sites is 47 lower after enforcement2 Average speeds and the number of people exceeding the speed limit atsafety camera sites are generally lower following a period of enforcement3 The number of people issued with a fixed penalty after being caughtexceeding the speed limit or running a red-light at a safety camera site hashalved in the last four years and reduced by over 60 in the past six years

The Secretary Reports - Helen Cameron

Annual group subs are now due everyone should have received thepaperwork by email or post It is important that you return the group member-ship renewal form to Russell Wears as this is our only record of any changesto your details If you have not received a form then please download one fromthe group web site (lsquoGroup Documentsrsquo tab) or contact me as soon aspossible The exception is that if you have joined the group since April 2011your renewal is not due till Nov 2012

We have had an excellent start to this season and a good number of membershave come along to the Aberdour Hotel Remember if you have any sugges-tions for topics or speakers then please let a committee member know

Carlisle Group has been in touch to arrange the annual 10 pin bowlingchallenge which is now set for Wednesday 21 March It will be an 800 pmstart as usual we will meet at Brooms Road Car Park (Brooms Road end) at700 pm so that we can share transport Please let me know by phone oremail if you can come so that I can have sufficient lanes booked It is alwaysa good night so I hope to see lots of new faces no experience is necessary

Congratulations to all our recent passes - Fiona Campbell (Obs Anne Lind)John Parry and Derek Riley (observed by the motorcycle team)

20

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

80mph motorways drive safety fearsThe Department of Transport expect road fatalities to rise by 1 if the proposednew 80mph motorway speed limit comes into force However they also say thatthey need to balance the effect on road safety with the effect on the economy

The Transport Secretary plans toraise the speed limit for cars (amp motor-cycles) but not commercial goodsvehicles within the next 18 months

He claims that allowing motorists todrive faster will deliver lsquohuge econom-ic benefitsrsquo for the country His oppo-

nents however point out that driving 10mph faster could use 20 more fuel andemit 20 more CO2

There are significant sections of motorway that currently suffer from congestionand improved journey times could likely be achieved by tackling such problemsAdditionally some of the network already falls below current design standardshence a blanket 80mph limit could not be applied safely some sections wouldhave to retain their current limits Source Transportation Professional

Tyre tipNot for profit tyre safety organisation lsquoTyreSafersquo suggest that you removewheels or jack the weight off any vehicle tyres that will not be used over thewinter months such as caravans horseboxes or motorcycles

Are We New To YouIf you are reading this magazine for the first time you may be a new memberof the Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists(DGGAMM) or you may know nothing about us We are a local group affiliatedto the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)

DGGAMM is a charity devoted to promoting road safety through its advanceddriving and riding courses We are a regional organisation with qualifiedAdvanced Driving and Riding Observers who provide guidance to assistdrivers and riders to improve their skills on the road We also work with andreceive support from other road safety organisations and local businesses

Our aim is to help drivers and riders improve their skills on the road and sohelp reduce collisions injuries and deaths on our roads We promote the IAMlsquoSkill for Lifersquo courses throughout the year and you can find out what is entailedby visiting our web site Well over ninety percent of people who sit the

21

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Scottish Safety Cameras reduce injuriesKey Scottish Safety Camera Programme Statistics for the 2010 have beenpublished which show that their use is meeting the objectives

The Scottish SCP has two main objectivesA To reduce the number of people killed or injured onScotlands roads through targeted camera enforcementB To engender a culture of speed limit and red trafficsignal compliance through a visible and effective deterrent

The statistics released show1 The number of people killed or seriously injured at safety camera sites is63 lower after camera enforcement The number of personal injury acci-dents at safety camera sites is 47 lower after enforcement2 Average speeds and the number of people exceeding the speed limit atsafety camera sites are generally lower following a period of enforcement3 The number of people issued with a fixed penalty after being caughtexceeding the speed limit or running a red-light at a safety camera site hashalved in the last four years and reduced by over 60 in the past six years

The Secretary Reports - Helen Cameron

Annual group subs are now due everyone should have received thepaperwork by email or post It is important that you return the group member-ship renewal form to Russell Wears as this is our only record of any changesto your details If you have not received a form then please download one fromthe group web site (lsquoGroup Documentsrsquo tab) or contact me as soon aspossible The exception is that if you have joined the group since April 2011your renewal is not due till Nov 2012

We have had an excellent start to this season and a good number of membershave come along to the Aberdour Hotel Remember if you have any sugges-tions for topics or speakers then please let a committee member know

Carlisle Group has been in touch to arrange the annual 10 pin bowlingchallenge which is now set for Wednesday 21 March It will be an 800 pmstart as usual we will meet at Brooms Road Car Park (Brooms Road end) at700 pm so that we can share transport Please let me know by phone oremail if you can come so that I can have sufficient lanes booked It is alwaysa good night so I hope to see lots of new faces no experience is necessary

Congratulations to all our recent passes - Fiona Campbell (Obs Anne Lind)John Parry and Derek Riley (observed by the motorcycle team)

20

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

80mph motorways drive safety fearsThe Department of Transport expect road fatalities to rise by 1 if the proposednew 80mph motorway speed limit comes into force However they also say thatthey need to balance the effect on road safety with the effect on the economy

The Transport Secretary plans toraise the speed limit for cars (amp motor-cycles) but not commercial goodsvehicles within the next 18 months

He claims that allowing motorists todrive faster will deliver lsquohuge econom-ic benefitsrsquo for the country His oppo-

nents however point out that driving 10mph faster could use 20 more fuel andemit 20 more CO2

There are significant sections of motorway that currently suffer from congestionand improved journey times could likely be achieved by tackling such problemsAdditionally some of the network already falls below current design standardshence a blanket 80mph limit could not be applied safely some sections wouldhave to retain their current limits Source Transportation Professional

Tyre tipNot for profit tyre safety organisation lsquoTyreSafersquo suggest that you removewheels or jack the weight off any vehicle tyres that will not be used over thewinter months such as caravans horseboxes or motorcycles

Are We New To YouIf you are reading this magazine for the first time you may be a new memberof the Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists(DGGAMM) or you may know nothing about us We are a local group affiliatedto the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)

DGGAMM is a charity devoted to promoting road safety through its advanceddriving and riding courses We are a regional organisation with qualifiedAdvanced Driving and Riding Observers who provide guidance to assistdrivers and riders to improve their skills on the road We also work with andreceive support from other road safety organisations and local businesses

Our aim is to help drivers and riders improve their skills on the road and sohelp reduce collisions injuries and deaths on our roads We promote the IAMlsquoSkill for Lifersquo courses throughout the year and you can find out what is entailedby visiting our web site Well over ninety percent of people who sit the

21

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

80mph motorways drive safety fearsThe Department of Transport expect road fatalities to rise by 1 if the proposednew 80mph motorway speed limit comes into force However they also say thatthey need to balance the effect on road safety with the effect on the economy

The Transport Secretary plans toraise the speed limit for cars (amp motor-cycles) but not commercial goodsvehicles within the next 18 months

He claims that allowing motorists todrive faster will deliver lsquohuge econom-ic benefitsrsquo for the country His oppo-

nents however point out that driving 10mph faster could use 20 more fuel andemit 20 more CO2

There are significant sections of motorway that currently suffer from congestionand improved journey times could likely be achieved by tackling such problemsAdditionally some of the network already falls below current design standardshence a blanket 80mph limit could not be applied safely some sections wouldhave to retain their current limits Source Transportation Professional

Tyre tipNot for profit tyre safety organisation lsquoTyreSafersquo suggest that you removewheels or jack the weight off any vehicle tyres that will not be used over thewinter months such as caravans horseboxes or motorcycles

Are We New To YouIf you are reading this magazine for the first time you may be a new memberof the Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists(DGGAMM) or you may know nothing about us We are a local group affiliatedto the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)

DGGAMM is a charity devoted to promoting road safety through its advanceddriving and riding courses We are a regional organisation with qualifiedAdvanced Driving and Riding Observers who provide guidance to assistdrivers and riders to improve their skills on the road We also work with andreceive support from other road safety organisations and local businesses

Our aim is to help drivers and riders improve their skills on the road and sohelp reduce collisions injuries and deaths on our roads We promote the IAMlsquoSkill for Lifersquo courses throughout the year and you can find out what is entailedby visiting our web site Well over ninety percent of people who sit the

21

copy Dumfries amp Galloway Group of Advanced Motorists amp Motorcyclists

Advanced Test with us are successful Once a candidate has passed the IAMAdvanced Test we offer further driving and riding courses leading to qualifica-tions as Observers

The Group run social nights most months of the year at the Dalston HouseHotel Dumfries or other nearby locations These meetings are free to mem-bers and open to anyone who wants to come along and find out more aboutwhat we do At these meetings we often invite guest speakers to talk on ageneral theme often related to driving or riding and the like Details of lsquoWhatrsquosonrsquo can be found on our web site or on page 1 of this magazine

We are a non-profit making organisation run entirely by volunteers who givetheir time freely to help achieve our aims To find out more contact the GroupSecretary or visit our web site - see page 1 for details

About the IAM1 The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) directly influences the driving andriding of around 100000 full members in the UK and Ireland Established in1956 the IAM is today best known for the advanced driving test and theadvanced driving course which is available to car motorcycle and commer-cial licence holders The IAM has grown to become the UKrsquos largest indepen-dent road safety charity dedicated to raising driving standards engaging withthe road-using public and influencing road safety policy The commercialdivision of the IAM operates through its occupational driver training companyIAM Drive amp Survive

2 The IAM is supported by over 200 affiliated volunteer groups around thecountry that help to provide valuable advanced driver and rider coaching inpreparation for the Advanced Test They also provide a strong local voice topromote road safety

3 A 2010 report from Nottingham University found that IAM trained motorcy-clists adopted safer road positions but still maintained faster progress throughbends than non-IAM trained riders

4 A 2006 report by Brunel University following an 18-month study concludedthat ldquoadvanced driver training produces safer drivers and lower accidentinvolvementrdquo with measurable improvements in knowledge skills and attitude

5 The IAM now embrace cyclists and has a cycling membership categoryalongside those of motorists and motorcyclists In 2010 the IAM introduced acycle training programme including a new guide ldquoHow to be a Better Cyclistrdquo

22

New and used salesLarge range of parts clothing helmets and accessories

(We stock SIDI Silkolene BKS Leathers ScorpionYoshimura Leo VinciBuff Givi Motografix Nitro Shoei Shark RampG Racing and more)

MOTs servicing and repairs for all makes of motorcycle and scooterAccident Repairs Local Recovery

Hospitality area 50rdquo plasma screen refreshments and cloakroom

Right Rider Motorcycle TrainingCBT DAS amp refresher training call in for details

Clothing offers

Existing stocks of Spada and

BKS leathers up to 30 off

Last few items - call in to see whatrsquos

available - when theyrsquore gone theyrsquore

gone

We also offer IAM Members 10

discount on many items - just

ask

For the full range of new on-roadSuzuki motorcycles visit Scotspeed

your local Suzuki Solus dealer

Last fewitems

Scotspeed are your local dealer for SYM Scooters

26 Nith Place Dumfries DG1 2PN Telephone 01387 265050

CrossflagsAt Crossflags we strive to create the best customer experience in the areaPlease come and see us when you are considering your next vehiclepurchase

York House Annan Road Dumfries DG1 3AW01387 253473 Fax 01387 253472wwwcrossflagscouk

Wigtown Road ServicesWigtown Road Newton

Stewart DG8 6JZTel 01671 403157

St Michaelrsquos ServicesSt Michaelrsquos StreetDumfries DG1 2QDTel 01387 254304

m o r e p e r f o r m a n c el e s s p o l l u t i o n

BP ultimate fuelsamp BP Autogas

MACE convenience storesJet washes Nectar points

JOHN F BLACKTel 01387 267473

Servicing Re-pairs WeldingRecovery MOT

Tyre fitting

6B CatherinefieldInd Est

HeathhallDumfries

CrossflagsYork House Annan Road Dumfries01387 253473

Call us on01387 259111

Bridge Veterinary Clinic51 Glasgow Street

Dumfries DG2 9AG01387 259111

wwwbridgevetscom

A friendly localpractice offering awide range ofservices and afocused approachto the healthcare of pets We alsohave special interest in control ofVarroa Mite -

2 Nith Place DumfriesTel 01387 265050

D amp G ADV MOTORISTS amp MCYCLISTSReg Charity in Scotland - SC 023511

ADVANCED DRIVING amp RIDING - ITrsquoS A SKILL FOR LIFE

Interested in improving your skillsWe can help why not find out moreVisit our web site e-mail or call uson 07707 035518 - see page 1

Become an advancedDRIVER RIDER

Back to cover

ADVANCE WINTER 2011 ADVERTISERrsquoS WALL

Wigtown Road ServicesWigtown Road Newton

Stewart DG8 6JZTel 01671 403157

St Michaelrsquos ServicesSt Michaelrsquos StreetDumfries DG1 2QDTel 01387 254304

m o r e p e r f o r m a n c el e s s p o l l u t i o n

BP ultimate fuelsamp BP Autogas

MACE convenience storesJet washes Nectar points

JOHN F BLACKTel 01387 267473

Servicing Re-pairs WeldingRecovery MOT

Tyre fitting

6B CatherinefieldInd Est

HeathhallDumfries

CrossflagsYork House Annan Road Dumfries01387 253473

Call us on01387 259111

Bridge Veterinary Clinic51 Glasgow Street

Dumfries DG2 9AG01387 259111

wwwbridgevetscom

A friendly localpractice offering awide range ofservices and afocused approachto the healthcare of pets We alsohave special interest in control ofVarroa Mite -

2 Nith Place DumfriesTel 01387 265050

D amp G ADV MOTORISTS amp MCYCLISTSReg Charity in Scotland - SC 023511

ADVANCED DRIVING amp RIDING - ITrsquoS A SKILL FOR LIFE

Interested in improving your skillsWe can help why not find out moreVisit our web site e-mail or call uson 07707 035518 - see page 1

Become an advancedDRIVER RIDER

Back to cover

ADVANCE WINTER 2011 ADVERTISERrsquoS WALL