Basingstoke driving instructor set to star on TV show (From This is Hampshire)
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Colin Wilkinson will help a veteran celebrity to be safer on the roads
7:30am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in News By Helen Morton
Basingstoke driving instructor set to star on TV show
A BASINGSTOKE driving instructor is set to star in a popular television show, helping a veteran actor improve his driving.
Colin Wilkinson, an AA Driving School instructor from Basingstoke, will star in the second series of Dangerous Drivers’ School for four episodes, starting tomorrow evening.
He will be helping Melvyn Hayes, famous for his roles in TV programmes ‘Ain’t Half Hot, Mum’ and ’Summer Holiday’ to become safer on the roads on the Channel 5 programme.
Colin, 49, who teaches across Basingstoke, said: “It was a really enjoyable process to try and help Melvyn become a safer driver.
“I think there are probably a lot of drivers out there who will be able to identify with what he’s been struggling with.
“Although he has been driving for a long time, things have changed significantly on the roads and he has started to lose confidence in his ability and knowledge.
“His daughter was also becoming increasingly concerned about his safety.
“With something like driving that most people do very regularly, it is all too easy to bury your head in the sand about problems you are having and just try to battle on regardless.
“But there is help out there and people should not feel they have to struggle on alone.”
Melvyn, 77, said: “I passed my test when I was about 20, which over 50 years ago now.
“When I did my test it was completely different. You had to do special hand signals, but why don’t you have to do hand signals anymore? The only saving grace is that I’m too old now to die young.”
To launch the programme, the AA Charitable Trust has made 2,000 free courses available for qualified, rusty drivers who want to get their confidence back. For more details visit www.theaa.com.
Comments(4)
Best_Name_Ever
says...
1:02pm Fri 1 Feb 13
Sam_Walker123456
says...
1:36pm Fri 1 Feb 13
Best_Name_Ever wrote:If only they would use the road! Too many cyclists use pavements when they should be on the road. I realise that they might feel vulnerable on some roads but I keep having to step aside for cyclists using the pavement even where there are clearly marked cycles lanes. A reason that some of them are vulnerable is that they do not have lights or any high visibility clothing or belts.
AndrewRH - what are your thoughts on having cyclists pass a road safety test before they are allowed to use the road?
To add some balance to my comment, I frequently see cars blocking, or pedestrians using, cycle lanes. But the worst is the lack of space many drivers allow for cyclists - that is life threatening, not just an inconvenience.
AndrewRH talks a lot of sense but whatever is our preferred mode of transport we all need to have much more consideration for others.
Finally, if I an give my answer to your question to AndrewRH, I believe cyclists should pass a proficiency test which should include all aspects of safety. But further, I think that they should be prosecuted for not using lights, bells and high visibility jackets or for riding in the wrong place (and I don't mean the top of town which, in my opinion, should be open to cyclists).
JJ38JJ
says...
11:41am Tue 5 Feb 13
AndrewRH says...
10:18am Wed 30 Jan 13
I trust the AA will give tips regarding sharing the road with vulnerable users - people travelling by horse or bicycle. The president of the AA, Edmund King, is quite keen on safety judging by his tweets at @AAPresident.
By coincidence, today (Wed) is also the day of an evidence session in Parliament's "Get Britain Cycling" inquiry - on the topic of road safety.
Twitter hashtag for that is #Getbritaincycling
Info at http://tinyurl.com/b
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