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It's all happening

4th September 1970
Page 65
Page 65, 4th September 1970 — It's all happening
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

it Bramcote

ENTERTAINMENT FOR EVERYONE AT ;UNDAY'S LORRY DRIVER OFTHEYEAR FINAL

Y 5 p.m. on Sunday, Lord St Helens, resident of the Industrial Transport ssociation, will have presented champion's ophy to the 1970 Lorry Driver of the ear. Inevitably, many contestants will be sappointed Some ,there will be who collect wards but only one will emerge from the 'ena as the overall champion. All, wever, will have achieved a great deal in wing qualified for the final in the face of iff opposition at eliminating centres and, many cases, in their own company =petitions before that.

If the contestants in the LDoY were ierely "pot hunting" then the event would ;hieve very little. As it is, a great deal is ;hieved.

Companies who enter drivers report that ie incidence of road accidents is reducing rice drivers can only qualify if they are free om accident for 12 months prior to the ,ent. Drivers who display a finalist's. aque on the front of their vehicles and ear the buttonhole badge are very mscious that their driving techniques are tbjected to the critical observation of other ad users and they are, therefore, anxious maintain the high standard of driving inch took them to the final.

ype of driver One valuable by-product of the mpetition is that from a study of the Drsonal details supplied by the finalists a rpe of driver has emerged. Prospective nployers may consider the results of our udies useful when recruiting staff.

The average winning driver is a married Ian just over 33 years of age, with two fildren. He has been with his present nployer for a little over eight years and is been driving for 15 years which means, course, that he started his driving career • 18 and has graduated from the ;ht-vehicle class to the machine he drives day.

Picking this year's champion will be no tsy task. Most of the contestants have ached the final because of their knowledge of their legal responsibilities and the Highway Code; at the eliminating centres very little separated competitors in the driving and manoeuvring section for the contest. It could be argued that those who have been to Bramcote before have a greater chance of success than the newcomers since they have had the experience of performing before a large audience and, therefore, should not suffer from "stage fright". In today's road conditions, commercial vehicle drivers have to be extremely confident people and it is unlikely that many will suffer from nerves once the wheels start turning.

All of the tests in the competition are designed to simulate driving hazards which a man will encounter in his day-to-day work or to demand a skill which would prove beneficial to a driver in certain circumstances. Competitors will again be tested on their knowledge of the Highway Code, their legal responsibilities and mechanical knowledge. None of the tests is frivolous and none has been designed for entertainment value. This applies also to the four manoeuvring tests which will be used in the final run-off when the eight class champions will drive four different classes of vehicles. As part of the final run-off drivers will be asked to locate' faults which have been specially built into vehicles.

The interest shown by the manufacturing industry who provide vehicles for the final, the Training Board who recognize the competition as a training exercise and the operating side of the industry who support by their participation has undoubtedly made this competition the highlight in the lorry driver's year.

It is expected, weather permitting, that about 20,000 spectators will be at Bramcote on Sunday. They will come from as far as the North-East of Scotland, the South-West of England. Ulster, the Isle of Man and almost every region and major city in Britain.

While the main attraction of the LDoY final must always be finding the champion,

"the organizing committee believes that there should be other items of interest for those who are spending the full day at Bramcpte. This year, there will be a roller-cycle racing championship which has attracted entries from all over England. There is also to be an opportunity for spectators to compete in a mini-driving competition which is organized by BSM0 and the British Ropes sheeting and roping competition is likely to attract an even bigger following than last year.

A vehicle-spotting exercise in which a helicopter will endeavour to locate . a "stolen" vehicle should excite a good deal of interest. There are prizes for those who can mark the spot on a map provided in the programme and state the time of sighting. To add to the interest of this side attraction, members of the BBC TV Softly Softly team are coming to Bramcote. This is all part of the security display which is being organized by the RHA vehicle observer corps and the police.

"Safety Village" is a new innovation where anumber of aspects of road safety will be dealt with by East London Reline Co. Here there will be an opportunity to prove the value of seat belts.

Raleigh Industries are organizing cycling proficiency tests for the children who can also try their hand at driving a dual-controlled car under the supeevision of BSM instructors.

Cookery and beauty demonstrations have been organized for the ladies, and the Goodyear Tyre Company are sponsorin'g a wheel-changing contest for both men and women.

Under the direction of its director of music, Rex Mortimer, the Fodens Motor Works Band will entertain the spectators in the middle of the day.

Checking vehicles , Many of the competitors will start their journey to Bramcote today, Friday; and spend Saturday cleaning and checking their vehicles. Those who are still awake at midnight tonight and tune in to Radio 2 will hear the national secretary talking about Sunday's event on Night Ride.

' For the first time, the stay-at-home operators will be able to contact their drivers conveniently and, similarly, competitors and the Press will be in easy reach of the outside world by means Of a two-way radio /telephOne link. Air Call Ltd, who provide a national radio /telephone network, have opened a channel on that day through their Leicester office. Anyone wishing to make contact with the competition should dial Leicester 22026 and ask to be connected with call sign "Scarlet I". The message will be relayed to a receiving unit in Bramcote and transmitted to the person concerned_ Competition results can be relayed by reporters as they happen. In addition, Air Call staff are providing ground-to-air contact between the VOC display and the helicopter which is being provided by UM Electrical Distributors Ltd.

Indications are that this will be the most attractive LDoY final on record.

Tags

Organisations: Training Board
People: Rex Mortimer
Locations: Leicester

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