Sutton Road Driver Training Complex
Sunday 6/11/06
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Run report for Driver Education
Day at the Transport Industry Skills Centre (TISC) Sutton Road Driver
Training Complex Sunday 6/11/06 We met at Sutton Road Driver Training Complex at about 8.20am for the compulsory driver briefing. This is a top notch world class complex just outside the nations capital and boasts some the best driver training facilities in the country. It has everything you could want. A challenging track that is modeled off the typical range of carriageways around Australia including urban and country roads. It has straights, sweepers, tight corners off and on camber, dips and humps and even a Kangaroo or two. It was all there. A real test of a persons driving skill. The Skid Pan boasts the only left & right combinations in the country. A great education tool and heaps of fun! The complex also has a huge bitumen Manoeuver pad and a 4X4 driver training track . Although we did not use these on this particular day. The user facilities are also second to none. Great BBQ, public Toilets, Viewer platforms for spectators as well decent parking and good safety and traffic management aspects. It is a real credit to the people who run it. I believe TISC run public advanced driver training courses at pretty competitive rates. You can contact them on 62977187 for course dates or check out their web site at www.suttonroad.com.au Our club day commenced with a chat about the background of the facility and what was expected of us in terms of safety, rules and activities for the day. We then proceeded to take our cars for a sighting lap of the training track. Following the sighting lap each car was allowed to go around the track at a sensible pace with no other vehicle on there. This meant drivers had the opportunity to test the strengths and weaknesses not only of their cars but also of their own personal driving skills without the fear of obstacles that are usually associated with the public highways. It’s not until you have had the opportunity to do something like this that you can really focus on these sorts of aspects and hopefully hone your skills a bit. Each car nominated a time around the track and then had to get as close to that time as possible on the very next lap. This exercise was to provide drivers with a feel of how far one can travel in such a short time. It was amazing how some people were totally unaware of the time it would take to complete 1 lap and yet others were very close. (see results below). After this activity we all had a go at the Skid Pan. We had a ball.
Talk about loose it! I don’t know if you have ever been on a skid pan but for some it was a real eye opener. Especially our more should I say junior members. It was good to see most of the members taking the opportunity to improve their skills in this area. We set up a fastest around the skid pan activity and you guessed it, the faster they went the slower they were. We also set up a “Go to Whoa” activity where drivers got the opportunity to test their acceleration and braking skills. A Manoeuver test was also set up on the track. This was designed to improve reversing skills as well as make drivers more aware of their observation ability. The whole club was kept busy up till about 12.00 midday when we broke from activities to enjoy the BBQ. Thanks to Deano, Janine as well as others who helped cook on the day. Afterward we just had a free hour or so to cruise around the track, take the kids for a spin on the skid pan and generally socialise. The passengers seemed to have just as much fun as the drivers! Overall I think the event was a big success. This was due largely to the help of members of the committee who sacrificed their chance to participate but instead chose to Marshall and help others enjoy their day. It was a pretty long hot day for them. Without their help, (Maree, Al, Craig and Phil) the event could not have run. A BIG THANKS to all of you for a job well done. Remember events/runs are now organised by the club for members as a whole not just by one member. Some of the comments and feedback given by members about the event. “ What a fantastic facility. Good user facilities BBQ, toilets etc. The track was great and the Skid Pan awesome. I’m booking in for advanced driver training course as soon as I can!” “Excellent Fun and Fun events” “Best fun for little dollars. Skid pan was fun and the Track was a close second!” “A very exiting and fun and enjoyable way to spend a Sunday.” “Awesome run. Well organised + great fun. I was gypped just like Toranafest!” “A great day! Having a facility of this caliber so close to Canberra is a great asset. Thanks for the opportunity.” “Best bucks I have ever spent. A big thanks goes out to the club for organising the day.” “Top day! Well looked after, plenty to do and very little waiting time. Thanks” “An excellent club day. Good to see people showed the complex the respect it deserved. A safe fun day. Thanks to the club for organising and coordinating the day.” “One of the best runs yet” “What’s the go with the guy waiting at the bus stop? – A driving run, great. Maybe improved if we met somewhere first & cruised in together.” “Just as much fun for passengers as it was for the drivers!” Results of the various activities undertaken by drivers were: Skid Pan – Fastest Lap:
Go to Whoa:
Manoeuvers:
Track Lap Time Estimations:
The club would like to thank the following people for their support: • The Transport Industry Skills Centre for allowing us to hire the facility. • Calwell Quality Meats for donating the snags. • The marshals on the day. A big effort guy’s. • Jan for making up the salads and doing the shopping. If I've forgotten anyone please accept my apologies Members & guests who attended this event: Trevor & Marissa – L34 Torana . |
© Copyright 2006 Canberra Torana Club Inc.