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PLEASE DO NOT CLICK THE FACEBOOK LINK TO THIS MEET. THANKYOU.
Note: Clocks go forward, so don't be an hour late!!!
This is a regular driving meet from Rickmansworth to Potterspury, near Towcester, usually on the last Sunday of each month. The route is a lovely drive on a mixture of A, B and C-roads, I try to make sure that the pace is dependant on the slowest driver, and we do wait to let folk catch up if necessary. We stick to the 30 and 40 limits through the villages. There is now a Midlands convoy, which meets at High Cross on the A5/Fosse Way at Lutterworth, if people are interested. I have SatNav files and Google Maps links if people want to navigate it solo.
To have clear run, we leave early in the morning from Christ Church Chorleywood Car Park. Google Map of Christ Church
It's on the A404 about 1/2 mile from J18 of the M25. The postcode is WD3 5SG. At junction 18, take the A404 exit to Chorleywood/Amersham, past the Shell garage on your right, then past The Gate pub, also on your right. The church is opposite the pub and the entrance to the car park is a sharp left at the end of the churchyard wall.
Our destination is the Super Sausage Cafe, on the A5, just North of Potterspury Google Map of The Super SausageStreetview
via the A404, A413 with a detour past Chequers to wake Dave with the glorious sound of vtec in the morning, A43 and A5.
We then eat a hearty breakfast (you need cash to pay for this, none of yer fancy plastic taken here) and drive back again.
Time: please aim to arrive at 6.45am so we can set off promptly at 7am. We will leave before 7 if all attendees are present, so please post in this thread if you're attending, or you may get left behind.
Fuel: Please arrive with sufficent fuel for the drive (it's about 65 miles to the Cafe - I usually use just under a quarter of a tank). As mentioned above, there is a Shell garage a couple of hundred yards from our meeting point but be warned that this is sometimes closed for a delivery, so it's best to fill up the night before. There is a Shell near to the Cafe, so you can fill up if necessary once we get there.
Weather: If the weather is forecast to be bad, I'll cancel the run by 4pm on the day before. Please check before travelling.
SatNav: I now have a TomTom/Garmin file of the route in both directions available, so PM me your email address if you'd like a copy (established members only). I really want as many folk as possible to use these please, as they make the run a lot safer by removing some of the "keeping up" pressure, so if you have a SatNav, please PM me your email address, type of SatNav and I'll send you the relevant file.
Maybes
Maby66 + 1
mike itr Breakfast Only (8.30 or so)
Midlands Convoy Definites
Harrier K G CLE
Midlands Convoy Maybes
Some notes on convoying and overtaking:
1) I try to keep the pace reasonable, if you feel that it's too fast, please feel under no pressure to keep up. Drive to your limits, not mine, or anyone else's. We will wait at the next turning.
2) Overtaking - getting 5 or more cars (and we've had as many as 15 on occasion) to overtake can be a tricky business. Patience and safety are key here.
3) It's your responsibility to make sure you can overtake safely. If you're unsure, then don't overtake. Do not feel pressured into overtaking to keep up. Chances are that I am stuck behind another vehicle half a mile up the road, so you'll catch up anyway. Err on the side of caution at all times. Remember, We will wait at the next turning.
4) One other thing to remember, given the roads are quiet, certainly on the way there, it means that there isn't much traffic coming the other way so overtaking opportunities are plentiful. There's no need to take any sort of risk when overtaking.
5) If the cars in front have overtaken and it's been a couple of minutes before you've been able to overtake, there is no need to drive at excessive speeds in order to catch up. This is especially relevant in light of this ruling http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/new...eading-rideout/ where a lead rider was fined on the basis of the speeds following riders were doing. I do not want to be fined for your actions, so please be considerate and bear this in mind. And if not for me, then for anyone else using the roads.
As mentioned above, the lead cars will either be stuck behind someone else just up the road, or will be waiting before the next turning (or perhaps in the next village where appropriate), so simply stay on the same road at a similar pace until you catch up. Even if you're unable to overtake, you'll only be a couple of minutes behind at the most, so there's no pressure at all.
6) Think of it this way, the leaders overtake a car doing 40mph on an 60mph section. After 5 minutes, the leaders will be 1.7 miles ahead. At 40mph, that means you'll only be 2 1/2 minutes behind, which is not a lot in the grand scheme of things, so there's no need to worry about keeping people waiting. Most NSL sections on this run are only a few miles, so it's even less of a worry.
7) If you are "stuck" behind someone who is going a bit slowly, please keep a safe distance and do not try to push them along. Backing off a bit on the straights and then enjoying the corners is a good way to approach things.
Having missed last months run and hearing how excellent it was, I'm crossing my fingers I can make this, I don't want to suffer withdrawal symptoms any longer. I am not sure I will have the use of my car this weekend though
I've kindly been offered the chavmobile so will let you know nearer the time if that's okay lovegroova
03-08-2011, 02:46 PM
Ricky & Midlands - Towcester Breakfast Run
Thanks for letting me know, Saz.