A few months back I remember posting about the AAMI skilled drivers course...

I had to give the first one a miss back in november as was down in Melb, but finally my booking came around on Saturday and I thought I'd let people know a little about it...

The day started off with a some theory , but about mid morning we went out onto the track and did a braking test... It was here that I found out the T can actually stop within a car length from 40... (Nearly throwing myself and passanger through the windscreen (Lucky for seatbelts)

We where then given a bit of a breifing on what was going to happen that afternoon...

After lunch we then did the following

"Slalom" – Good fun, did a total of 4 runs, the first trying to keep 45km/h which was surprisingly hard, the next two runs where done at 35km/h and the final run was once again done at 45km/h…

“Quick lane changing” – the scenario they gave here was that you are driving along and looked up and saw either a bus or truck had come to a complete stop in your lane, we when through again 4 times, the first one was a single seconds notice… As we where swapping cars around the first car went skidding right into the witches hats, and when it cam time for me to take the T through I could believe how well it gripped. It was to the point that it did a complete right angle turn at 40km in about 50cm… We then go a little more notice with 2 and 3 seconds respectively (and everyone managed to “swap lanes “in time) and then on the final time we where once again given the half second notice, this time the T just said “you wanna go there, no probs…” I couldn’t believe it…

“Quick lane changing and braking” – similar scenario as above except this time you had to swerve around the obstacle and brake at the same time… It was amazing the difference between ABS cars and non ABS cars here. The first car I went in which didn’t have ABS (different driver, not me) the car simply skidded and when about 2 to 3 meters into the witches hats… The T with it’s ABS stopped once again on the drop of a coin and once again I was able to steer around the obstacle…

“Cornering Test” – This is the one that I think most people in performance cars get themselves unstuck at… This one involved going around a corner way to fast, and accelerating as you did it… We did this 4 times first at 45km/h, as it was up hill I had to put on way to much acceleration to keep the car going, and thus the car slid across the road, the second and third time it was done at 30km/h and it was easy to keep the car going, the 4th time again at 45 km/h I did the most beautiful slide I think I’ve ever done…

The things I personally took away from the day, I now know what 1.7 tons of metal feels like when it decides to go in a different direction to the one I intended… That alone made the day (which was free) worth while, as I could see what that was like and a. still be alive and able to walk, and b. have no damage done to the car…

As I said in the past if your under 25 and someone in your family (or even yourself) has AAMI insurance, check it out, because they will pay for you to go on the course… (Otherwise it’s $150) it was well worth it just to feel the car in an “emergency situation”

Thanks for the report Harvyk. Another AAMI insured T here, so I'll jump on the phone this arvo and book!

Was this training conducted at the Sutton Road complex?

Thanks for the report Harvyk.  Another AAMI insured T here, so I'll jump on the phone this arvo and book!

Was this training conducted at the Sutton Road complex?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, out at the old police training circuit...

I should have also added under the "Quick lane changing" that I did probably the best skid of the day, I was told to dart into the right lane at a seconds notice from hitting the "insert large object here" and whilst everyone else was skidding and "hitting" the bus \ truck the T on the otherhand said "ok so you wanna go right, no probs" the next thing I know I'm off the track and of course over correcting and the whole car skdding sideways... It would have been a true kodak moment... (it was at this point I realised what 1.7 tons of metal going out of control felt like)

However the second time I did the lane change at a seconds notice not a problem at all... gave me an idea on how well a T can grip...

I bought my 18 year old daughter a course at the Sutton Road complex last year and after a few raised eyebrows she went and had a ball along with some other 'P' plate drivers. A great day and skid-pan to boot all in a 1983 Toyota Corolla. I'm booking my 18 year old son on a course this year. Like a lot of youngsters he needs to appreciate what defensive driving is all about before gaining his 'right foot' stripes.

Canberra Lightning Strike 2005 XR6T Man with mods. 225rwkw with edit to come.

Sounds Good,

these experiences should be mandatory for new and all drivers.

shazzy