DRIVING IN THE WILDERNESS THE GLEN EDMUND WAY


The numerous driving schools in Kenya have become so commercialized that by the time you get your license and you're behind the steering wheel the reality of the situation hits you in the face how half-baked you came out from them, I remember how congested  the table classes were and don't get me started on the practical part it was just a formality if you don't chip in something to the instructor he will brush you very fast and actually most of the time even step in the clutch for you and even engage the gear giving you lame excuses how sloppy you are, calling in the next person as you go to the back of the overcrowded old lorry.
By the time we got to the day for the final road test practical exam at kasarani stadium half the guys were still asking how you get the lorry started, as usually we were quite crowded and had to be brushed off haste-fully only three guys apparently failed the rest of us were certified drivers that was back in 2008 but I believed much hasn't changed.
As a tour operator driver guide get to spend most of my time out in the bush where I have had so many bad experiences which are inevitable to every driver regardless of where you're driving. We have all been subjected to driving situations that were not catered for in the standard driving test. These situations dictate the future experience and the vulnerability of us the drivers, their passengers and the safety of fellow road users.
Learn to navigate from such predicaments
Drivers are exposed to varying degrees of challenging situations and many of us are expected to drive vehicles for which we received very little or no training at all. When i heard of how easy it is to enroll at Glen Edmunds performance driving school the only advanced driving company in the African continent whose courses are internationally accredited  I knew I had enrolled especially after reading on their website that they give a 90-Day No Questions Asked, Money Back Guarantee I figured these guys must take their work very seriously, and the kind of training that the instructors get cant be compared to any other since this is the only one of its kind in Africa. There are lots of courses to choose from including; Security, Defensive Driving, HGV, 4WD Training, Motor vehicle training, Oil & Gas, Blue light training, Self Defence while Mobile just to mention thus there's something for everyone, I definitely went for the 4WD off Road Defensive Course.

I enrolled and the first order of business was to complete 4WD E-Learning course learning the theory of safe and correct use of a 4WD vehicle in all types of off road environments which,being a good driver means doing the basics well all the time and this theory part is really essential, you complete at your own pace one I was done with the final exam it automatically generated the completion certificate I was know eligible for the practical session check it out http://elearning.glenedmunds.com


You can either go for the field practical sessions with their vehicles or come with your own, for me I preferred what am used to and went with a land cruiser arrived at their offices and the kind of reception I got made me think of becoming a politician in the next life, after a while everything was in check my martial instructor Amos got in and off we headed out to the 4WD training center where I went through vigorous training components which gave me a clear understanding of the correct and safe use of the four wheel drive vehicle in all types of Off Road environments which included; Ascent and Descents with 3 gradients of different difficulty, water obstacles, cross Axel section, Ridges and Ditches, Long track cotton soil and rocky slopes, winch points, instant braking on high speed (my second favorite) but what crowned my experience was the steep Ascent and descents.
Off Road training that makes a difference
You definitely need to find a program that accurately measures your skill levels so that during your re-certification training the instructor is able to quantify your progress and asses which areas need to be improved upon, this courses are quite necessary every 18-24 months. visit their website www.GlenEdmunds.com for more information or call 0725635687
If there's one thing that  am know really looking forward to is being behind the wheel in the next Rhino Charge, I have watched and admired the skills that the drivers portray. That's definitely top on my bucket list.
The marshals can train you from anywhere in Africa


Comments

  1. Wild Jungle4 September 2017 at 05:52

    What a nice blog and experience that you got from Glen Edmund. I didn't know that here in Kenya we have such a place where one can learn defensive and off road driving. Especially we people who are mainly on the field are supposed to visit and book driving classes with those professionals. According to your expression and the photos I can see on your blog I have no doubt that Glen Edmund is the best for such skills. Hongera

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown4 September 2017 at 07:21

    This is a fantastic article, I honestly didn't know about such a training facility /center. It actually got me thinking about taking one of their courses.
    keep enriching us with such info.

    ReplyDelete

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