BELIEVING rather modestly I was quite a good driver – much to the disagreement of my family – I decided to jump in the skid car and put my driving skills to the test, writes Natalie Bowyer. The car s hydraulic equipment looks similar to bike stabilisers.

BELIEVING rather modestly I was quite a good driver - much to the disagreement of my family - I decided to jump in the skid car and put my driving skills to the test, writes Natalie Bowyer.

The car's hydraulic equipment looks similar to bike stabilisers. It recreates bad driving situations such as icy, wet or oily roads.

Terry Turner said: "The kit is so sensitive, it's amazing and puts driver's skills to the test. We get through a lot of tyres."

Having only ever experienced a small skid on ice, I was unsure what to expect.

I actually enjoyed myself. The instructors were fantastic, giving pointers on where I was going wrong. I tried to take note, but was also trying not to be sick as the car was sent spinning round. They asked me to pull over on occasions to explain why I had miserably failed to stop the car from spinning.

It was mostly because I was driving too fast.

I found the course a real eye opener. It highlighted my slow reactions. In one exercise I was asked to head towards some cones, imagining they were a cat. I was then asked to brake and turn quickly to avoid hitting the cat. On all three occasions the 'cat' ended up under my wheels.

I learnt a lot from the day and now know what to expect in bad conditions.

INFORMATION: A basic skid car driving course costs £110 per person or £155 per person for the skid car master driving course. Contact the driving school at www. alconburydrivingcentre.com or phone the centre on 01480 457439.