PeterB has recently attended a skid pan course and thoroughly rated it.

I'm interested in doing a course and if anyone else is interested in a skid pan day, please post below so I can get an idea on numbers (and dates - when's best for you?) and contact them.

It only works out about £60 per person at the place in Croydon (I think Thruxton do one too, again what's best for you all?)

[url="http://www.nationaldrivingcentre.co.uk/p3_skidpan.html"]http://www.nationaldrivingcentre.co.uk/p3_skidpan.html[/url]

Here's an excerpt from PeterB's post, take a look to get an idea of what's involved:
_____________________

We drove a front drive Primera with ABS switched on and off and a rear drive Sierra without ABS. We had 30 mins in a classroom plus 90 or so in the cars. Cost was £120 for the two of us.

Instructors were both ex-Police and the skidpan and training are apparently modelled on Hendon. Slipperiness comes from an oil/water mix and there are different road surfaces. The pan itself is quite small, but I never found this to be a problem and they made a fuss of it being purpose-built.

The course covered various techniques, including:

- thinking about “exit routes” (e.g. mounting a clear pavement) rather than just braking;
- learning to feel when the back is going to let go;
- correcting rear-wheel skids in both FWD and RWD cars;
- taking effective lines into and out of corners to minimise chances of skid;
- using ABS effectively to steer around an obstacle;
- cadence breaking;
- steering out of a locked-wheels skid by releasing break pedal.

We learned a lot and had a good time. Even Mrs B, who was reluctant to go, has been telling all her friends about it.

I live in Essex near Basildon, so Croydon is good for me. However, Thruxton's only a bomb down the A303.

Oh, just thought - as my car may well soon be written off, I'd better get another car first to get there in!

I'm definately interested !!

Live in Rainham, Kent, so Croydon will be best for me. Of course weekends will without doubt be better.

fingers are CROSSED!

Is Sunday the best day?

Saturday is probably best for me, but Sunday wouldn't be the end of the world. I'm going to talk to my wife tonight to try to convince her to come too!

Croydon's a stone's throw from me. I've done something similar to this on a track day at Silverstone, but I'd deffo be up for another. You can never be too experienced....

Okey dokey, I'll get pricing and booking info for March/April time for Croydon. I'll post back here to let you know the info and we can go from there!

I'm interested in going. Claire best check how many people they can book at one time.

Cheers, will do that.

I'm interested in this as well.
Croydon, Thruxton, doesn't matter a hoot to me. I'm easy

I've rung the Skid Pan place and the course seems quite good.

It's 2 hours in total equating to 1/2 hr in the class room and 1.5hrs driving. They usually do classes on a Saturday but this is booked right up until May. For a group booking though they'll open on a Sunday and will be flexible on dates.

It's usually £70 pp, but as we'll be doing a group booking, they'll put this down to £60pp (cash or cheques on the day only).

To maximise driving time and minimise the annoying hanging-around, they will take a maximum of 8 people. There's 6 of us here who have expressed an interest, so it's first come first served for the last 2 places.

Everyone still up for this? How about Sunday 31st March? Please let me know if this is an ok date, or post your alternatives here.

Thanks

Steve (West Mids) has just saved me from major hassle from my mum and mum-in-law! Sun 30th March is Mothering Sunday

Shall we make it Sunday 6th April?!?!?!

[quote name='Claire G' date='Mar 7 2003, 01:19 PM']Steve (West Mids) has just saved me from major hassle from my mum and mum-in-law! Sun 30th March is Mothering Sunday

Shall we make it Sunday 6th April?!?!?![/quote]
Sounds good to me!

April 6th is better for me as I am on a stag weekend covering the 30th March.