H AD HE not retired at the end of last year,
Page 46
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
George Bailey, a telephone lineman working in Hertfordshire, would probably have become only the fourth person ever to qualify for RoSPA's national safedriving award for the 45th consecutive year. As it is, he has to be content with 44 blameless years behind the wheel of a five to seven cwt van, averaging about 9,000 miles a year
"This is a tremendous record and should not be belittled by anyone who might suggest that Telecom drivers do only short journeys," said Gordon Asbury, of RoSPA, and a leading light in the lorry driver and bus driver competitions. "Analysis of accidents shows these to be the most dangerous."
This is not George's only claim to fame. He is a dedicated pipe smoker and won a national competition to discover who could keep a clay pipe alight the longest. In doing so he demonstrated an essential quality in a safe driver — a slow-burning fuse.