THE moment of truth arrived for Hereford Times news editor Ian Morris on the weekend when he took the Institute of Advanced Motorists driving test. Ian has spent the past three months attending theory classes and having his driving observed by Robin Turner in an attempt to improve his motoring skills and pass the advanced test. Here he describes how he got on.

“HAVING failed my cycling proficiency exam while at Trinity Primary School and after passing the standard driving test at the third attempt, I was not entirely confident when I awoke on Sunday morning to face my latest road challenge.

“And my pessimism only grew when I looked out of my window to see puddles merging across the street.

“I met my examiner Ross Cookson at the Belmont Tesco car park but, by the time he had completed the necessary pre-test paperwork, I couldn’t see out of my window as the misty humid conditions had steamed up my Rover.

“With the heating on, I left the rain-soaked car park and made my way across Hereford before making a three-point turn and reversing around a corner in Tupsley.

“We then drove through Fownhope and towards Ross-on-Wye where the lack of an anti-misting device on my side windows left me with no option but to lower the passenger side window in order to leave one nasty junction past How Caple.

“This saw my examiner get wet but Mr Cookson reassured me that he would prefer to get soaked than to be involved in an accident.

“We then made our way along the M50 before returning towards Hereford. At this point I was asked questions about aquaplaning which I did my best to answer.

“I also gave a running commentary about the drive. This really brought home to me everything I had learned from the course as, although we were driving along a relatively quiet country lane near Much Dewchurch, I still had plenty to talk about with all of the potential hazards and changing characteristics of the road – all of which I was oblivious to before starting the advanced driving course back in January.

“When we got back to Belmont Tesco, the final challenge of the near 90-minute test was to reverse park into a space. Once that was done Mr Cookson smiled and congratulated me on passing the test.

“And so despite getting my examiner wet I’d passed the course and put the ghost of a primary school cycling proficiency test behind me.” To contact the Institute of Advanced Motorists go to iam.org.uk or call 020 89969600.