Never did the bike course. Wasn't a good motorcyclist. We had a course at HQ before we went to the College and I think that was also a month but could have been less. That was of great benefit as most of the Forces went there cold. Didn't make any difference at the end. I managed to get back and do the four weeks again as I clipped, three yards, of a solid white line on an overtake. Two drives at 85% and one at 841/2. Class 2. Devastation! Wouldn't have happened had I had the Rover SD1 instead of a 2.8 Granada but glad I did. Great to get back and do it all again, wiser the second time! We did a refresher of a week every three years to keep us on our toes but I too have lost the edge. Just an old codger now! Can I recommend The Liver Run on You Tube. Brilliant video of the Met guys and the Rover SD1. I hope some will watch it and come back with their thoughts.

+ YouTube Video

Thanks for the link to this Dibble, I thought I had seen all the videos of this ilk, but this one somehow escaped me. There are a few links to this video on Youtube, so chose this one although I think they are all the same.

My overriding thoughts are the true professionalism and teamwork involved to meet the end goal. As a layman who will never experience the conditions these drivers experience in the course of their careers one can only speculate what they experience and the stress levels that they must endure on a Blue Light Run. Add in a time limit and it takes on a whole new perspective, and the clock is ticking. Having to negotiate central London traffic on a Friday afternoon and the stress they have to manage must be immense. Pure guesswork on my part of course that they get stressed after all the training they have undergone, and maybe taught how to manage lt, but non the less it must be always in their mind what the outcome could be if they make a wrong move.

Interesting watching how the driving techniques differed on the motorway and then into the urban and city environment. I'm sure I heard a 'F%@*ing Hell Bill' as they came off the motorway and approached the first roundabout, and in central London 'don't turn your wheel mate' to a driver who was potentially blocking them.

I always imagined the Rover SD1's where a lot faster, but then again it was quite some time ago and things have moved on since then.

A good watch Dibble, thanks for the heads up

Try HPC. Did their course in 1993 - still going strong. link below.

http://www.high-performance-course.com/

Worked for me.

John

Thanks, this is another option which looks attractive. Will investigate.

Glad you enjoyed it Mike. Perhaps you noticed at the very end when they had arrived at the hospital, the driver got out of the car and handed over the box containing the liver, he practically fell over the car such was the stress. I think that summed it up. On a very good day you might get 120mph out of the Rover but I never attained that. Changed days when they are now up to 140/150mph!