Our latest blog has been written by Advanced Rider and member, Martin Bridgehouse, on his experience when meeting with his local group, and starting his Advanced Course.

On paper my life seems great. I have a mortgage-free house, parents not far away, plus I mentor autistic children which I love to bits. I am also a full-time staff member at IAM RoadSmart, doing a job that I totally love.

You can’t have failed to notice that Lewis Hamilton recently became six times winner of the Formula 1 World Championship, thus becoming the second most successful F1 driver of all time behind Michael Schumacher.

The last few weeks out on the roads have had a recurring theme for me – lights, or more specifically the shocking lack of them. Driving home in the gathering gloom in the days immediately before the clocks went back, I was shocked by the number of cars I saw driving apparently without lights.

Some conversations are never easy. Telling a close relative that their driving is no longer up to par is certainly one of them. Just figuring out a way to broach the topic is hard enough.