Rally driving

[Monkey_boy]

I'm thinking of doing this:http://www.tirallyschool.co.uk/index.htmAnyone done one of these rally driving days/half days?

[Pillock]

I did a half-day one a couple of years ago, great stuff. Mine had about 15 minutes in the classroom, just safety stuff and the usual threats of 'listen to us or we kick you out, no refunds' which is fair enough. I then had about an hour and a bit in a Mk2 Golf on mud and gravel.... odd choice you may think but lift-off oversteer was in full effect and there was no lack of sideways action, just no powersliding. Then moved onto a tarmac 'stage' for another hour in a Mk3 Golf, before a couple of high-speed laps as a passenger.Shorter than the one you linked to, but about the same price so I reckon the TI one looks to be a bargain. Also you get a 'proper' oldschool rally car which is nice. Sound like petrolheads too with the list of parts for sale.Highly recommended, and I can guarantee you'll crap yer pants during the high speed run :)If you know anyone else who might be interested, often they only need 3-4 people booking together to offer a decent discount. Worth asking.

[Father Ted]

Years ago, I won one in Top Gear magazine. It was in Wales and was good fun. In all honesty I think the best thing was driving the RWD Scrote having only ever driven FWD cars it was a revalation on the shale stuff.Half a day in a classroom, an hour being co-piloted by some crazed nutter basket and then an hour spent stalling, sliding and generally finding myself pointing the wrong way because I was too enthusiastic with the loud pedal. Good fun and IMHO more fun than driving in circles round brands hatch.EDIT - oh I got dinner provided on mine too - but that may be because it was TG mag, Not sure.

[pogweasel]

Yeah, I've done one of these before, thoroughly enjoyable. It was a 21st birthday treat from my olds (so a while ago ), at Mallory park. A full day, but like Pillochio said, a quick classroom lesson then out onto the loose stuff. Quite a varied day all in all, they start you off in a FWD Daihatsu (Hirst stylez) to teach you the lift-off oversteer on the loose, then stick you in a 300bhp Sierra Cosworth, again on gravel (RWD 2-door, GR8 4 driftn!), then progress on to a rally spec Mitsi Evo thing on tarmac, which was chuffing frightening. Really enjoyable, though I was probably one of the slower folk there on the day.... most of the other blokes there seemed to be Impreza-driving road heroes, whereas I was pootling about in a Ford Escort Mk4 with 60 raging ponies

[Spottedlaurel]

All sounds better value than the Donington track thing I did for my 30th. That was very poor VFM in terms of driving time, in fact I think I enjoyed blasting my 300C estate on the Fenland roads there and back more than the Elise on the track.

 

Something to think about with another ‘significant’ birthday not that far away…

[pompei]

I had a "track day experience" at Mallory Park a few years ago - not really the same, but same basics, ie classroom, being taken round in a HI-POWA saloon, then let loose in a Formula 3. Only trouble was it P!553D it down all day, so I ended up wet and backwards (oo-er missus) but exhilerated Go 4 it!

[wuvvum]

I've certainly heard some bad things about the track-based "drive a Ferrari" type days. I've never really looked into rally days in any great detail, but I might have to do so on the basis of the comments so far - I also have a significant birthday coming up next year (albeit a decade or so less significant than SL's) so I might have to think about treating myself - bound to be better for honing my sideways driving skillz than the Transit-van-and-wet-roundabout combo that I've had most of my practice with...

[r.welfare]

I did a track day at Thruxton for my 21st. Rover 200vi, MGF then a Formula Ford. Luckily I didn't pay for it, as it was pretty rubbish. However, the half-day I did at the skidpan at Thruxton for my 18th was absolutely superb fun and value (£50 I seem to recall). Mind you, this was Volvo 340s and Sierras on a football-pitch-sized piece of tarmac soaked in oil; I think these days you end up in something modern that has electronic controls to "lift" the back end on a dolly, which sounds nothing like as fun. With this one you were let loose yourself without the instructor, and I memorably recall getting 110 on the 1.8 Sierra's speedo (flat out in 5th) while only actually moving forwards at walking pace

[MrRegieRitmo]

The ex got given a 'Ferrari Experience' for her 25th in June 06 although she didn't actually get around to booking it till May 07 (you only get a year to book it, so cut it a bit fine), it was something she had always wanted to do apparently & this was her present of a lifetime (I don't know how much it cost, but I would estimate somewhere upwards of £150...). I was allowed to tag along to film the occasion along with her parents upto Thruxton. It entailed a talk to everyone as a whole (which included Tiff Needell in attendance plus giving an address), as although plenty of people were having different experiences, the extent of which depended on how much you'd paid but the safety & rules aspect applied to everyone; a trip round with 3 or 4 others in the back of an instructor driven Mazda 3 MPS (the fastest road going hot hatch on the market, 0-60 in 5.3 secs) showing them how not to drive around the circuit then she got 3 laps in a Ferrari F430 and judging by the beam on her face as she finished her final lap, she definitely enjoyed it! We both had memorable moments last year, with me getting to meet the Queen when she came to open the new museum & chapel at work! She insisted hers was the more exciting but I retorted with 'you can arrange to drive a Ferrari anytime, I can't arrange to meet the Queen anytime!' She didn't have an answer for that!

[pompei]

 

Was thinking of using this image as an avatar

[andrew e]

Can recomend the skidpans course, more than the track experiences - the oiled pan belonging to Essex Police (and now full of portacabins housing the IT dept...) was better than Jag in a cradle at Silverstone.For the truely shite experience why not try this...http://www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Ref/ICNGS

[MrRegieRitmo]

 

Was thinking of using this image as an avatar

That's the Queen mum god rest her soul!

 

Prefer this one myself...

 

[pompei]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ QUOTEand a gear stick positioned between your legs. Think I'll give that one a miss if you don't mind

[MrRegieRitmo]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ QUOTEand a gear stick positioned between your legs. Think I'll give that one a miss if you don't mind

What you'd even pass these up??

You can also try the Professionals Challenge (in fully race prepared off-road Sierra bangers), the Del-Boy Challenge (in Reliant Robins), Push-Me-Pull-You Car (Strictly Come Dancing on four wheels) and the Nag Drag Challenge (driving blindfolded, following instructions from a co-driver).

[Monkey_boy]

After many emails and correspondence with different company’s I've decided against the rally driving. The problem I was finding was, for £150+ you got very little time driving and a lot of standing around. Instead, I've found this :http://www.incarace.co.uk/mrl.htmlIt looks like it'll be a right laugh. Probably leave me with whiplash and a bad back for the rest of my life but it's all in the name of fun. You also get to do the following as well as the stockcar racing all for £159 : The Professionals Challenge (in fully race prepared off-road Capri Bangers!), the Dell Boy Challenge (in Reliant Robin Bangers!) and the Nag Drag Challenge.

[Father Ted]

Morrison: 'My baby hates my singing'

 

James Morrison has revealed that his young daughter isn't the biggest fan of his singing.

 

Well I never, you know what, neither am I.