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Morning Terry, We havent met but we are WSCC brethren with a love of the small expensive cars we drive. I have been exactly where you are now!! I'm also a landowner with teenage and adult sons who have a passion for moto-x and all things petrol related. I am therefore used to managing nuisance and noise issues keeping my own kids in check. Your intention to practise on private land is absolutely fine as long as you have permission and dont cause a nuisance in terms of noise, damage or lack of amenity to third parties. If you can find some private land and get permission to practice auto solo type car control have a great time. I used to do sporting trials in a special and practiced all over the place on road margins, railway embankments, waste land around the midlands with, and without permission, but this was in the 80's and 90's - civil law and particularly the ASBO act wasnt even thought about. I thought my practice was beneficial but when I actually went to an event a gentleman pointed out my errors within the first few sections. I immediately realised I had been practising the wrong technicques for my car AND the surface (mud). I'm rambling - sorry. What I would say is that you need not be worried about going to an organised event with other participants - they are all exactly the same as us and we all start somewhere. I would confidently say, that at any autosolo or auto test if you make yourself known at sign on in the morning that it's your first event you will be breifed with the other novices. Extra time, understanding and guidance will be afforded to you as you do the tests. What will also happen is that other drivers with experience will help you improve much quicker, and in the right way, by sharing their experience with you. This has been my experience in BTRDA events, WSCC Speed Series, and all events this year. Finally, and not because I am a harbinger of doom and the worst case scenario, but because I am a former liability underwriter looking at risk and catastrophic losses in terms of loss of life or disability I will point out two scenarios: A) you find a bit of land and get permission to go and practice, with landowners consent. Hooning around you loose a tyre and the rim digs in tipping the car over. . your car spins and you go over with it, ending up with a broken right arm. Sadly, as your arm breaks you get shard of bone that sever your brachial artery. about 2 minutes later you have bled to death and the landowner has lot of forms to fill in. B) You go to an organised MSA/BTRDA event. pay your £30 quid and HAVE THE SAME accident but this time , there is first aid and marshalls with ambulance, recovery gear and oxygen. They recover you and an air ambulance is on its way before youve even stopped moving. You get to drive again and the organisers have loads of forms to fill in. Its a drama but not a crisis.... Obviously the chances of this happening but i know what I would prefer :-). I encourage your wish to test the limits of your car - i feel the same - but would implore you to have a go as suggested by Bispers and others above. Everyone I have met at organised events are positive, encouraging and supportive. All the best James

and the dullest manager ever.

I now have enough extra copies of the 2014 calendar to hand to fill the above requests plus a few more, so if you want an extra copy or four, now is definitely the time to tell me - they will be available after the above requests have been filled on a first come, first served basis. I also send out copies to new members in their welcome pack, so it really is until supply is exhausted and in order of demand. The following people will be very pleased their photos are in the calendar - congrats to all: Sally Herbert - Front Cover Barry Slingsby - Inside Front Cover Marcus Barlow - Mr January AND Mr December (obviously 2014 starts and ends with Marcus!) Chris Moore Mark Williams Steve Wild - Mr February David Macdonald Clark Howe Kevin Baldwin - Mr March David Richings Phil Newall Wayne Shepherd - Mr April Roy Higginson Steve Livesey Chris Bennett - Mr May Thomas Frankland Andy Robb Ian Prior - Mr June Barry Diplock Ben Wall (with proper swept wings) Lee Smith - Mr July Bernie Darwin Mike Rennie - Mr August Chris Moore Richard Cable Pete Wilson - Mr September Daniel Beresford Cam Griffiths - Mr October Dominic Storey Mark Boswell - Mr November Matthew Downs Pete Bilsberry I have sent out invoices by email today for those who have already placed orders as above. Postage in the UK will be via 2nd Class; postage to overseas will be via airmail. Your personal copy of the calendar and the Winter issue of Westfield World should be with you shortly.

Bell'ed and fixed!!!!! thanks for the chat cheers john