I came across this captivating video created in 1963 by George Eyles of the Institute of Advanced Motoring of him driving a lovely Jaguar Mk II through various villages and towns from London to Bath with a running commentary that perfectly describes how we all likely, or at least hopefully, (subconsciously) drive. A delightful ten minutes although then as now it takes some time longer than that for the actual journey as it is a distance of approximately 115 miles. Excellent Brit-car spotting to boot of course.
The Institute of Advanced Motoring was established in 1956 and is now named IAM Roadsmart; it is a United Kingdom charity focused on improving road safety through education and training based on the British police’s system of car and motorcycle control training. As such it has apparently been demonstrated that graduates of the courses are involved in fewer accidents and report deriving greater pleasure from driving. For myself, I just enjoyed listening to Mr. Eyles’ running commentary and watching him shifting the gear lever in that glorious red interior this Jaguar was blessed with as well as seeing the leaper on the front edge of the bonnet over the wood dashboard.
Adding up my time watching YouTube videos like this is akin to my adding up time that I spend on old car repairs and maintenance – I don’t do either because I don’t want to know! 🙂 Great video – I want to visit mid-1960s England just for the cars (and maybe the music…and the history…).
Who would have thought anyone would get upset if you sit behind them flashing your lights then blasting your horn, twice. Typical Jaguar driver, taught BMW owners everything they know.
Lovely to see the roads I grew up on.
50 shades of gray on so few cars. Born just a year before I remember it wasn’t to the late 70s traffic started to fill the roads. Dad leaved in a street. when there was alone car, now they line the street both sides and reducing traffic to a single lane.
Heathrow Airport junction before completion and the M4 finishing a Reading not the Cardif of to day . No speed limits on the highway ways as well.
ThevBritish driving test was only 33 years old , 57 years later driving St andards have not improved !.
I wonder if the guy in the Triumph was being deliberately stupid for the film or a was genuinely bad driver.
Also of note the preponderance of grey colours. Although several makes offered some bright duo-tone colours most people opted fior a safe mid-grey, black or light creamish colour.
You mean the Sunbeam Rapier. The sports coupe of the day so why so slow. . The trucks over taking in town and oncoming tailgating a van. Nope driving standards have always been baD and always well be. . You can legislate against stupidity!.
No, I meant the red Triumph Herald seen later, tailgating and overtaking then pulling a late left turn. I am sure Roger’s right; it was put in as examples of poor driving. I’ll concede the Sunbeam Rapier was hogging the overtaking lane though.
Well, the IAM of today would not condone flashing the lights or sounding the horn to clear someone from the outside lane of the motorway.
The first car he comes behind was a Standard 10, just like my Dad’s first car a few years earlier.
The roundabout he shows when he’s talking about the “new motorway” is one that BA used to have a (model) Concorde on for many years; now got a scale model A380.
And the Triumph Herald is clearly a piece of artistic licence.
And surprisingly, or maybe not, a lot of this route is still entirely recognisable.
Roger, there is a follow up to this video done a few years ago where someone tried to recreate the entire route.
The first time I drove from north London to south Wales (c.200 miles) in 1965 it was much like this, with only 10 miles or so of motorway so that you had to navigate all the towns on the way. ( The AA would print you a route map for guidance). The trip was best done in the middle of the night, to avoid traffic.
I don’t know why the driver was double-declutching – the Moss gearbox in the Jag was a bit slow but not that bad.
Here’s that same trip in 2008 in the same car.
Ugh, 2018.
And similar car, not the same.
Jim. Baader Meinhof Phenomenon! Very odd that you posted this just today. I watched this same video sometime in the last week or two!
tooling around Hollywood BLVD 1950s
This little road trip made me want to drive a stick shift again (but not in LA traffic!). And to own a beautiful Jaguar with red leather upholstery.
I remember a film from my driver’s ed class in the summer of 65 that focused on getting the big picture while driving, always seeing what’s going on up ahead, as well as on both sides and behind your car, i.e. keep your eyes moving constantly. This film has a similar focus and helpful advice. More useful than all those gory, Red Asphalt-type films we had to sit through that summer…
Great period piece.
There’s a similarly fascinating colour film of the Great North Road from London to Grantham filmed in August 1939, weeks before the start of WW2. The car apparently used for the trip is shown parked at 1:00. It looks American to me, but I can’t make a positive i.d.
A Buick, quite likely Canadian built.