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4X4 Driving
(Oxfordshire) 1
of 2
In
Brief "These
4x4's defy the boundaries of where a vehicle should be able to go!"
Review
The
afternoon began in a forested 4x4 circuit, comprising a full range
of obstacles and challenges to complete.
There
were two large white Land Rovers used on the day, each carrying a
group of 6 participants and a qualified instructor. The instructors
gave a short introduction to the vehicles and proceeded with a
practical demonstration of the course layout. Within seconds, we were
ascending impossibly steep slopes and crashing the 2tn vehicles down
the other side! Despite a full occupancy, the instructors found
little difficulty in negotiating the obstacles. However there was
one particular hill that took several attempts to ascend! If you
happen to be seated in a rear seat, we recommend holding on tight -
it gets very bouncy in the back!
After
a couple of laps around the first stage of the circuit the
instructors parked in a clearing and we all stepped out. The
experience began with each participant completing a lap of the
first stage with their assigned driving instructor. This gave a
great opportunity for the rest of the group to observe each
participants attempts. The layout of the track made it possible to
walk between the various obstacles as each participant completed
their lap.
The
instructors were very enthusiastic and seemed as excited as the
participants! The training was individually tailored to each person
and everyone quickly gained the necessary skills. For instance, when
facing an 8ft steep ascent, it was necessary to accelerate to 10mph
in second gear (which you start in, surprisingly) keeping the power on
until the wheels are almost at the top, then ease off the power and
let the engine torque pull you over the top and down the other side.
Too much power and all four wheels simply shower the spectators with
mud... a useful feature when they're laughing at your attempts!
The
second stage of the course was more difficult than the first and
introduced a number of heightened challenges, in particular a 4ft
deep pit with near vertical ends!
The
final stage took all the features of the first and second,
multiplied the difficulty several times and added a lot of extra mud
and water for good measure! To make the whole experience even more
exciting, the instructors were assessing our abilities and scoring
how much we'd improved throughout the day. Unlike the other stages,
there was no demonstration and little opportunity to glimpse the
other participant's attempts! To
be consistent with the experience, we'll leave the content of the final
stage to your imagination.
At
the end of the day, our individual results were presented on a
certificate and the participants scoring 1st and 2nd place received
a token trophy.
In
summary, we were particularly impressed by the enthusiasm and
impulsiveness of the instructors, which was among the best we've
seen to date. It was apparent that everyone without exception had a
fantastic time. Even the friends and family members accompanying the
drivers were taken around the course to share the experience.
Booking
information
Please visit www.visionmotorsport.co.uk
or call 08707504100 for more information, including costs and booking information.
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