REPORTER Brendan McFadden is being prepared for his advanced driving test by Gordon Burley, chairman of the Cirencester and District Advanced Motorist (CADAM) and there have been plenty of ups and downs in his recent lessons.

My performance during my past few outings with Gordon have been a mixture of both fantastic and dire. I was beaming after a lesson that took me from Cirencester to Cheltenham where I only made a few minor mistakes but on my next outing my advanced driving ability came under fire.

As we drove on narrow Wiltshire country lanes near Purton I often cut corners as I rounded bends. And on occasion as we approached roundabouts, I was slow to judge the hazard ahead and often selected the wrong gear.

COAST - concentration, observation, anticipation, space and time is an advanced driving acronym that Gordon insists that I must get to grips with.

“The important thing is to observe what the situation is,” Gordon said.

He said: “Asses the situation, ask yourself what you are going to do.”

COAST means that when you first spot a hazard, whether that be a roundabout or a hairpin bend, your foot must come off the gas.

Then, gentle but positive pressure must be applied to the brake pedal so that the speed comes off.

And when the speed is down to the level that you want, your foot must gently come off the brake and the correct gear for the speed the car is travelling must be applied.

One of the main differences between an advanced driver and everyday road users is that those who have passed the Institute of Advanced Motorist (IAM) test are able to anticipate hazards long before they tackle them.

I felt somewhat downbeat to have let some errors creep back into my driving in my last lesson and I think this was in part due to not arranging my next lesson until several weeks after my Cheltenham trip. I was satisfied my driving was at IAM level and let my guard down; nonetheless, I have taken Gordon’s tip on board and I am hoping that it will help ensure that I COAST through my advanced driving test!

If you would like to know more about CADAM contact Gordon on 01285 654315.