IAM RoadSmart’s renowned Skills Days, which allow drivers and riders to learn handling skills from real experts while driving their own cars or motorbikes on race tracks across the country, are back for 2018.

Taking place at Thruxton in Hampshire and Knockhill in Scotland during the summer and autumn, the sessions are open to the public – and allow a rare chance to learn about handling and precision driving on a world class racing circuit, and how to use those skills to drive and ride with safety and enjoyment on public roads.

Drivers and riders will either work one-to-one with an instructor, or as part of a small group, and will be given the opportunity to fully understand what their car or motorbike is capable of.

Skills you will have the chance to develop include:

ï‚·Entry, apex and exit points, how they vary from road to circuit, how we use them and where we should position for view, stability and progress

ï‚·Where to brake, when and how much to brake, how it feels in an emergency. Most people have never used their brakes to their full potential – you will on a Skills Day!

ï‚·Controlled, progressive, smooth cornering

ï‚·Gear selection and how to decide which is the most appropriate gear for the circumstances

ï‚·How to use the accelerator or throttle to add stability to the car or motorcycle when cornering

The 2018 schedule for Skills Days is as follows:

Thruxton

May :

1st – Cars; 2nd – Bikes

June :

11th – Bikes

July :

11th – Bikes Ladies Day (this session led by IAM RoadSmart Rider Ambassador and professional bike, car and sidecar racer Maria Costello, who will be giving personal tuition to all attending on the day); 25th – Bikes

August :

16th – Bikes

September :

10th – Cars; 11th – Bikes

Knockhill

July :

30th – Bikes

Motorcycle Skills Days are £149 each (full day), car Skills Days £135 each (half day).

Sarah Sillars, IAM RoadSmart Chief Executive Officer, said: “Drivers and riders rarely get to understand and explore what their car or bike is capable of – and what they are not capable of. Our Skills Days are the perfect chance to enjoy the art and the fun of driving and riding well – and translating those skills into something that will make driving and riding a pleasure rather than a chore.”

For more information or to book visit https://www.iamroadsmart.com/campaign-pages/end-customer-campaigns/skillsday or call 0300 303 1134.

GOOD SENSATIONS FOR ESPARGARÓ AND REDDING ON THE SECOND DAY OF TESTS

In the Aprilia garage, the work programme is divided, but the sensations at the end of the second day of tests in Qatar are similar. In fact, both Espargaró and Redding are satisfied with the way the tests are going, the last ones before the season opener.

Espargaró went out on the track with different chassis settings looking for more confidence on the Losail asphalt and his feeling at the end of the day satisfied the Spanish rider. Tomorrow Aleix will work toward improving, especially in braking and acceleration, before doing a race simulation long run.

This is a simulation that Scott Redding did toward the end of the session today, completing about 15 laps with excellent times and consistency. The new entry in the Aprilia camp confirmed the quality of the Italian V4 in terms of proper tyre wear management, able to use a soft tyre on several laps without evident signs of deterioration.


ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"We have to be happy. We are making progress and working hard. I still don’t feel like I’m at my best braking, but overall I am satisfied with the way the tests are going. We are struggling to take full advantage of the new tyre for a fast lap, but we are competitive in terms of pace. I am very curious to see my race simulation tomorrow and what the others will do in order to have a more concrete idea of what our potential could be over race distance. As for what we’ve seen up to now, and counting on improving more, I think that we will be able to demonstrate a good pace."

SCOTT REDDING
"Today we weren’t focusing on lap times, but we worked to prepare for the final long run. I had done one in Thailand that did not satisfy me, whereas here, despite starting later than race time, things went rather well. The times and the easy ride satisfied me, although there is still work to be done in order to increase the edge grip. I used a soft tyre on the rear, which is new for me, and I was surprised at how good condition it was in at the end and how my feeling improved lap after lap."

Including British Motorcylists Federation, Cheshire Grass Track Club, Chunky Tread Motorcycle Adventure Club, Ducati Owners Club GB, Gawsworth Jesters, Honda Owners Club, NABD, Rainy City HDC, RBLR and Triumph Owners Club. 

See the full list on the website, along with the current exhibitors and Manufacturers list...

Manchester Bike Show | 24th - 25th March 2018

At this years show, Honda Owners Club, KCS Honda, North West Honda and vintage Honda Motorcycles on exhibit!

Manchester Bike Show | 24th - 25th March 2018

IAM RoadSmart brings you expert advice on driving in snow from its head of driving and riding advice Richard Gladman.

Best advice is to avoid travelling in extreme weather. If no one is moving, you just add to the problem - so listen to travel advice. 

If you do have to travel in bad weather, plan your journey thoroughly. Think about where you are going and what it will be like all the way along the journey. If you can, avoid travelling on less-used roads or country lanes as these are less likely to be gritted.

Before setting off, clear all your windows and mirrors fully. Clear off snow piled on the roof of your car and the bonnet too, as it can fall and blow on to the windscreen. Don’t leave anything obscured.

Start your car gently from stationary and avoid high revs. If road conditions are extremely icy and you drive a manual car, you should move off in a higher gear rather than first gear. You should stay in a higher gear to avoid wheel spin.

It’s important you get your speed right when travelling in snow. Never drive too fast that you risk losing control, and don’t drive so slowly that you risk losing momentum for getting up a slope.

Increase your following distance from the vehicle in front of you. It may take up to 10 times as long to stop on snow or ice build this into your following distance – this will give you more time to slow down using engine braking which is less likely to induce a skid.

Make sure you slow down sufficiently before reaching a bend so you have enough time to react to any hazards that appear as you go round it – and so you do not skid as well. You should have finished slowing down before you start to turn the steering wheel.

If you break down or have to pull over on a motorway or dual carriageway, you should leave your vehicle and stand to the safe side of it - ideally well over the armco to the nearside of the road, but not in front of it, when waiting for help.

Richard said: “Many of the problems associated with travel during snow could be avoided if people planned in advance. People routinely travel with only the minimum of safety equipment, without realising their journey could be a lot longer than expected.

“At the very least you should have a shovel, torch, blanket, jump-leads and tow rope. You should ensure your mobile phone is fully charged, and the number of your recovery organisation is saved into it. A bottle of water and a snack may also prove useful and don’t set out without knowing the locations of petrol stations on your way.

“This all might sound obvious, but too many of us forget to do any of this. Don’t be one of the ill-prepared, and listen to the weather forecast for the whole length of a winter journey to help you prepare for it.”

IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart products and services visit the new website www.iamroadsmart.com