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A track day essential that I am surprised no one has mentioned yet: A car! Jen, Who has only done one track day, but did remember to bring her Westfield.

Here's a few of almost 600 photos I took at Anglesey, needless to say the majority were just a blurred mess! I blame that on the blistering quick pace of everyone, but in reality I just need a decent camera that can cope with sports shots. I've tried to pick a selection of the better and most interesting shots (not just different coloured cars in the same position on the same bend)

As I cycle a lot more miles in a year than i drive my westfield, and i've just put a deposit down on a bike that costs more than many westfields, I really am horrified by the bigoted self righteous, i'll informed and anti-cyclist, and maybe even aggressive stance taken by some people here. On all the other forums I frequent (cycling) there is never this same attitude against car drivers unless of course somebody has just been knocked off by one. I honestly feel that i don't want to be associated with this club anymore because some members taint it so badly. And just for the record, i hate cyclists going through red lights, but i actually see more motorists do it, sometimes at great speed, I don't condone big bunch riding, if it is a club ride there should be a "captain" who should ensure the groups split up to allow "leap frogging" by vehicles. I support assertive riding in the primary or secondary position (if you don't know what they are I suggest you read the Highway Code), not in the gutter. I have 3rd Party insurance and believe all road users should have it, however just reflect on the amount of damage an un-insured cyclist can do versus an un-insured motorist. Licence plates on bikes is a farcical idea, just think how it could be monitored and managed, how many kids bikes are there, what happens when they change hands etc etc. Taxing road users should be appropriate to wear and tear on the infrastructure, i don't imagine there are many cyclists that can damage a road, by the way i already pay tax to upkeep the roads via income tax and Council Tax, I also tax 3 cars to a level deemed appropriate by the government, pay duty and VAT on fuel I use. In other words when i'm commuting on my bike, going to the shops. doctors or other non pleasure activity I feel i should get a rebate for the damage that i'm NOT inflicting on the infrastructure, the carbon monoxide nitrous oxide and diesel particulates I'm not producing.

Are you looking for a widebody, or would consider a (lighter and faster) narrow

TBH, I've no interest in cycling on the road, too many walkers, dogs, people opening car doors. If I fall off in the woods I've got nobody to blame but myself. This weekend we're having a charity ride to raise money for a local girl with disabilities, we're riding a downhill mountain bike course ... on kids bikes. No wheels bigger than 18", no BMX's. I have my Princess Sparkle bike ready, just hope she lasts past lunchtime without breaking in half.

In the 60s I got thrown out of the public swimming baths for shall we say (Saving Water ) "But everybody does it " I complained . "Ah yes " Said the attendant , "but not of the top board".

@ Allegory, First of all thanks for your reasonable debating style, whilst it isn't as much fun as " yah boo sucks" it's a lot more productive..! I can't agree with your comment on road tax being linked to emissions, emissions is a clumsy but mostly effective way to get the folk who can afford bigger cars to pay more. In my opinion road tax will only be for "permission to use the road" And with regards to a cycle club being like a tractor, sorry but I have to disagree. I live in prime bike and tractor territory. Almost every tractor I have ever been stuck behind has pulled in at some point because they understand they are being an inconvenience. Never and I repeat never has a cycle club gotten out of my way. Roads are primarily a way of getting from A to B for a purpose. Having fun on them comes second. I have a different attitude in the Westie than in the Mundane. I drive the Westie for fun, so getting stuck behind stuff is part of the day out as I am not trying to get somewhere. I never am driving for fun in the Mundane so I think I should have right of way over those who are... This is one of those deep rooted philosophical stand points on which folk will differ, let's leave it at that and be respectful to each other (not you and I, but both camps. You and I can properly fall out LOL..!). Peace and love dude, peace and love....

All good points. I would also suggest that with regard to timing, if you are on an open pitlane day (the best) then ignore the first half hour of the day and chill in the pits. This first session and the first half hour after lunch are when a lot of accidents happen. It is best a new comer to avoid these times and you wont be involved in anything as an innocent party. Most people rush out, crowd the track and go too fast too soon. Be patient as there is plenty of track time. If your car is road based limit you and your car to 20 mins max to avoid too much strain. cheers Jon

As a Westy driver, cyclist and person I can understand everyone's frustration at poor riding / driving. I'm constantly frustrated behind the wheel by other drivers lack of foresight and planning and I'm terrified on the bike at some of the unthinking idiocy I see on the roads. The main issue as a cyclist is when a driver makes a mistake overtaking in the wrong spot they will often chose to collide with the squashy object on their left rather that the 1.5ton plus speeding metal object approaching them head on. This is how my friend was killed while out cycling on a A road, a van driver unthinkingly tried to pass where the wasn't enough room, was met by and oncoming car and the van driver pulled into my friend Grant, killing him. It was a straight road with good viability. This is the sort of thing on my mind when I ' take the lane' to try and prevent crazy overtaking from drivers, but I'm sad to say this often results in an even crazier pass with the horn depressed. Please be considerate when dealing with cyclists and forgiven their less educated brethren, some may be lemmings but they don't deserve to pay with their lives. These 'bl**** cyclist' type threads and comments just serve to increase the animosity and give justification to moronic drivers to behave even more aggressively towards non vehicular traffic. As Westy drivers I think we should be promoting more inclusive attitudes, we are pretty vulnerable in our little cars after all! /rantmodeoff

If they did, they'd be even more of a nuisance, they'd be much more assertive, they'd be in the middle of the road a lot (potentially for several miles on narrow roads). It's not proficiency that's the problem, it's the drivers idea that they are somehow more entitled to be there. It's exactly why Winston Churchill abolished actual road tax in 1936, to stop drivers assuming they have more right to be there. Sure it was probably more for the benefit of horse riders, but it's still valid.

This is what they're encouraged to do, it's to make sure the driver has seen them, so that when the lights change the driver doesn't try to race off ahead and "left hook" them (which is THE primary cause of cyclist deaths). When I was 17, just starting my first job, I stopped at a set of lights next to a car (which had been behind me), as we pulled away the driver starting turning left, I was knocked down and the bike went under his rear wheels, the driver did not stop, I had a twisted ankle, bruising to my left shoulder, road rash on my left leg, I needed a new bike and a new helmet. Things like riding in the middle of the road, something they do if an overtake would be dangerous, like in the example I gave in my last post, the cyclist should have taken the lane to stop the guy overtaking on the blind bend. What drivers often see as inconsiderate, cyclists see as safety measures.