ADVANCED DRIVING EUROPE, Advanced Driver Training

 Over the years I have found that the vast majority of high-performance sports cars tend to be quite good drivers.    Not all of them have the ability to make the most of their vehicles, but as a general run, they are neither abusive of their cars nor are they agressive towards other road users.      However, there is always the exception!

Whilst driving with the owner of a Super light Lotus recently, I was rather taken aback at the way in which he handled the car.    Physically he was a large, rather overweight man, but to say that he was "uncouth" with the steering, the clutch, the accelerator as well as the brakes, is putting it mildly.

Even though I had cause a couple of times to  check his harsh use of this lightweight car, he continued to drive it as though it was a heavyweight vehicle that had to be hauled and man-handled along the road.   

On two occasions he broke the speed limit, even though we were in extremely heavy traffic and on a  damp and slippy road surface.   

 His knowledge of the car was excellent, in fact, above average, but his lack of sensitivy  /response to the car's behaviour and his  agressive way of driving  were seriously worrying.     

I was not unduly surprised, when, at the de-briefing,  he admitted that previously, he had been a long-distance truck driver.    

Some of you I realize are truck drivers with a superb safety record, but, there are at least as many who are causing real problems to other road users.    This is due mainly in how they handle their vehicles (road as well as commercial) and I regret to say, their oblivion to the rules of the road.  

Remember, trying to stop a truck at even 70kph is quite a different matter to stopping that lightweight sports car!  And as we all know, crashing trucks cause horrific accidents.   So if you have heavy feet and hands and feel you are the king of the road..........think again....... 

Follow me on Twitter@Expertdriver  and drive well and safetly.

ADRIAN.