Dates For Your Diary
Next meeting is on 13th October, From 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start .
October 13th – Back to basics with Steve Tucker leading.
November 10th – Our very own Steven Hyde takes us through his recent Malle Rally experience.
SkillShare & Social
4 October 2025 meeting at the Dandy Highwayman Cafe Cherhill. 9.30 am for 10 am start. See main section for more details.
Bike Ride-Outs on the 3rd Saturday of every even numbered month and the 3rd Sunday of every odd numbered Month. Email will be sent out to Bikers and added to the Forum.
Next ride out Saturday 18 October Details will be forthcoming via email to all bike members.
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Do you have a topic you would like discussed, or know of an interesting speaker? Please contact speaker at speakers@wiltshireroadar.co.uk |
Congratulations
Congratulations to the following members who have passed their Advanced Tests recently:
Paul Wilson – Bike, Gold, Tutor Mark Sealey
Andrew Johnson – Bike, Silver, Tutor Phill Colbourne
Please let your tutor know if you have passed recently.
Please welcome the following to the Group:
Martin Gale – Bike
Leeanne Mawbey - Bike
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Don’t forget that we have a range of clothing available to purchase. We also offer a range of books, such as Roadcraft, Motorcycle Roadcraft and the Highway Code, and these are available at discounted prices.
For more information visit the Merchandise page of our web site |
We are always looking for more articles, ideas and news for the newsletter. Have you been somewhere interesting recently that would make a good story? If you attend any group events then take a camera and send us your pictures!
Please forward all contributions to newsletter@wiltshireroadar.co.uk |
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As summer waves goodbye and autumn steps in, the leaves are already putting on their colourful show, and the air is getting cooler. With this seasonal shift, new driving and riding challenges come our way. The never-ending game of dodging potholes gets trickier, and the lower sun makes visibility a fun little puzzle to solve.
Speaking of autumn driving, have you ever noticed how the leaves seem to have a mind of their own? One moment, they're peacefully lying on the ground, and the next, they're swirling around like they're auditioning for a dance competition! It's like Mother Nature's way of keeping us on our toes. Just when you think you've dodged that last pothole, a gust of wind sends a flurry of leaves your way, and suddenly, you're in the middle of an autumnal confetti storm.
We also take a moment to remember our dear colleague, Stuart Camp. Stuart was not just a tutor and rider, but a friend and family man. His funeral on the 24th was a heartfelt gathering, with representatives from Wiltshire RoADAR and many friends and family filling the room to honour his memory.
Now, onto some exciting news! It's group membership renewal time! Paul Prictor, our Membership Secretary, has sent out a friendly reminder to all members. The cost is just £20, which covers all our fantastic group activities like monthly meetings, attending events, and providing 3-yearly First Aid courses. We'll send out three reminders, and if we don't hear back, we'll assume you're off on new adventures. But if you decide not to renew, just drop Paul a quick message.
Stay safe
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Stuart Camp
Stuart was a remarkable individual who touched the lives of many. Though he was not one to push himself to the foreground unless he had something constructive to say, his presence was always felt. His enthusiasm and dedication as a Tutor were unparalleled. Stuart was always immaculately turned out and well-prepared, traits that spoke volumes about his character and background as an ex-soldier of many years’ service in the Household Cavalry and a paratrooper.
Stuart's measured and constructive approach made him a fantastic tutor. His humility and care for others were evident in everything he did. He spent a significant amount of time mentoring and developing leaders in the industry, and those who listened to him benefited greatly from his contributions.
We gave Stuart a heartfelt send-off on 24th September, and our condolences go to Gill and his family. While those of us who had the pleasure of knowing him will miss him dearly, he has left an even larger gap in the lives of his family.
Rest in peace, Stuart. Your legacy will live on in the hearts of those you touched.
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September's Group Meeting - a very amusing talk on the evolvement of Pedestrian crossings presented by Tony Chalky
- When was the first pedestrian
crossing see in UK? The first pedestrian crossing was installed in
London in December 1868 at Bridge Street, Westminster. Designed by railway
engineer John Peake Knight, it featured a manually operated semaphore
signal with gas-powered red and green lights for night use. However, the
project was abandoned after a gas leak caused an explosion that injured
the police operator in 1869.
- Pelican crossings are
so called because the name is a combination of the term
"PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled," with "PELICON" having
been shortened and adapted to "Pelican" to align with the trend
of naming crossings after birds, a trend that started with the zebra
crossing and continued with
the puffin and toucan crossings.
- Puffin crossings are so
called because "Puffin" is an acronym for Pedestrian
User-Friendly Intelligent crossing. This name highlights the key
features of the crossing: it uses sensors (intelligent) to detect when a
pedestrian is waiting or crossing (user-friendly) and adjusts the traffic
lights accordingly.
Pub quiz question how many different types of crossings there in use today?
The person with the correct answer attending the Oct meeting will win a bottle of wine.
And to finish with a joke:
I was waiting at a pedestrian crossing, when a woman asked me, "What's that beep, beep sound?"I said, "It's so blind people know when to go."
"Oh right." she replied. "Where I'm from, we don't let them drive."
Thank you Tony for a really informative and humerous talk!
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Taking both Car and Bike tests?
We have a handful of people who have passed both their car and bike tests. If you wish to do the same it can be confusing as we include the training in your memebrship of Wiltshire RoADAR but your membership of RoSPA only covers one free retest. My thanks to Ryan Jones who calrified the situation with RoSPA.
If you are a bike member,
you can just pay for an interim car test @ £55. My main membership would
be bike (first one to pass) so "free" retest would be bike. Car retest
would be same interim @ £55.
One hopes (by extrapolation) it is the same if your intial membership is for a car - please let us know if you find any difference. (Although we know the Bike test is more expensive than the car test.)
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SkillShare and Saturday Social
Skillshare returns on 4th October so we will be offering taster sessions to potential members. This does not remove the Saturday Social but merely adds to it. Bring a friend and join us on the first Saturday of the month at the Wiltshire RoADAR Saturday Social. From 09:30 at The Dandy Highwayman; Main Rd, Cherhill, Calne SN11 8UU.
Come and meet your fellow members; exchange notes with other associates; meet some of our tutors and pick their brains.
We usually stay chatting eating cake and drinking tea until 11 ish.
The first Saturday of the month - 09:30 - The Dandy highwayman - Café - on the A4 - Main Rd, Cherhill, Calne SN11 8UU.
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Have you been up to anything to do with Riding or Driving lately? If so, then please let us know as we would love to include it here; photos would be great too!
To the Pyrenees
Six bikes with two pillions set off to ride between the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of the Pyrenees. From blistering heat to snow, rain, and wind – we experienced it all in 48 hours and successfully arrived back home after this two-week adventure.
Arriving late afternoon in Santander, we disembarked from the ferry and made our way to the first overnight stop, about four hours away. Riding in convoy, we navigated our first day in Spain and enjoyed the first night’s beer.
Over the next few days, we rode some fantastic and sublime roads with out-of-this-world views. Mountain twisties through to the plains of Spain, we saw it all, including several eagles soaring above us – I think they were jealous of my BMW GSA 1200! We crisscrossed the French and Spanish border several times on this journey, including several times in one day.
Spanish stops: Vitoria, Canfranc, Viehla, Andorra, and Port de la Selva.
Arriving in Andorra, it turned cold. From 37°C to 3.5°C, and rain. On this day, we even saw snow on the ground.
Leaving Andorra, we headed for Port de la Selva, a small fishing town on the coast mainly frequented by Spanish locals. Not your typical holiday resort, that’s for sure! We spent two nights here, giving us all a chance to relax and unwind, stretch our legs a little before heading back up through France.
Carcassonne, Mende, Clermont-Ferrand, Amboise, and in our case, St. Lo en route back to the ferry at Cherbourg. We saw the impressive Millau Bridge, the Tarn Gorge, Puy de Dôme, and the Massif Central regions.
Back in Portsmouth, we rode home on the usual rubbish British roads. Oh, to bring some French road makers over to the UK!
Great trip, great memories with good friends.
Peter Genet
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UK Drivers divided over new car technology
A new survey conducted by Tempcover surveyed 2,000 UK drivers and found a growing divide in how UK motorists view in-car technology. Many like comfort-focused features but find, often complex, systems more irritating than helpful. While 53% of drivers say that in-car technology has made driving more enjoyable, an almost equal number —60% — admit to feeling overwhelmed or confused by the sheer number of features built into modern vehicles.
Despite this, drivers continue to value convenience, with air conditioning (42%), parking sensors (29%), and reverse or 360- degree cameras (24%) cited as must-haves when buying a new car.
In contrast, features perceived as more complex or automated are increasingly unpopular.
Lane assist leads the list of most annoying features at 22%, followed by voice recognition (17%) and app-based subscription services offering remote access to vehicles (also 17%). Many users describe these tools as more distracting than helpful, raising concerns about driver engagement and safety. However, even with some annoying features, trust in car tech remains generally high. 67% say they trust automatic safety systems like emergency braking or lane assist, and 40% say they would be comfortable with fully self-driving cars becoming part of everyday life in the future.
However, whilst many welcome digital dashboards and integrated navigation, 33% of respondents said they miss full-size spare wheels and 33% long for physical buttons and knobs over touchscreens.
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Keeping DVLA Updated
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has issued reminder about updating your address details without delay if you've moved house. Failing to do so could lead to major issues with your driving licence and vehicle registration.
You can still drive while you wait for your new documents to be sent to you.
Once you have moved, you should follow these steps and update them as soon as you can. This meansyou must update your:
• Driving licence
• Vehicle log book (V5C)
• Direct Debit
• Personalised number plate documents
• Trailer register certificate
You do not need to change anything if your address is only temporary such as being at university
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Promotional activities
SkillShare - at Dandy Highwayman, Cherhill, Calne on 3 October- in addition to the Saturday Social.
Wiltshire Police BikeSafe
Successfully supported by Wiltshire RoADAR motorcycle tutors and WABAM Observers. Dates for 2025 are as follows:
5 October
If you have any ideas for events, then please get in touch with the committee using the committee email address :
Look forward to hearing and discussing your ideas.
Presentation material
A generic set of slides has been created for use if you are asked about Wiltshire RoADAR and have the opportunity to present. This could be at a local club, workplace etc. Please send a mail to committee@wiltshireroadar.co.uk and the slides will be sent over to you.
We also have flyers and business cards so ask for these via the same means.
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Booking a Retest
Please be aware you need to book your 3 yearly retest directly with RoSPA via their website. Sadly we cannot book it for you as it is all done electronically. You may also need to check when your re-test is due if you have not been paying your subscriptions to RoADAR as they will not remind you.
Tutors will be happy to conduct a refresh should you wish one prior to a re test.
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Membership and GDPR
Due to GDPR we are required to remove an individual's details from our Group database when they are no longer required by us. We remove a lapsed member's details if they have not paid a subscription by the 31 Dec following the AGM (3 months after the subscriptions are due). If a member has forgotten to pay their subs and pays after 31 Dec we will require a joining form to be completed so we can replace them on the database.
It all seems a bit strange, but we do not want to get on the wrong side of the Government's Information Commissioner. We understand if members forget or are late with their subscriptions, but please help us to keep our database accurate and compliant.
This is, of course, separate to those of you who maintain a membership with RoADAR HQ.
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Media coordinator
We have a volunteer, Tony Harris has stepped into the breach to provide guidance and develop a strategy! More to come on this!
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Committee minutes
These are available from the Group Secretary if any member wishes to see them. If you are interested in reading the minutes, then please send a mail to the Group Secretary whom will promptly forward them onto you.
Test results
Reminder to let the Membership Secretary and your tutor know when you have taken your Advanced Driving/Riding Test and result. This is so our database is kept up to date; there is no need or pressure at all to have the result published on the website or in this newsletter if you wish to keep your result confidential.
If you have read this far, thanks! If you have any feedback or suggestions about content for your newsletter, then drop us a line at newsletter@wiltshireroadar.co.uk If you can't leave constructive feedback though, then we don't want to hear from you!
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