4:17 am, August 24, 2011
IF we’ve learnt anything from today it’s that you should always remember your friends – because you’ll need them.
No, I’m not quoting that from Mystic Meg’s column in The Sun, but today’s events have proved that if you keep in mind people who can help, you must use them.
Last year on RTOTY10 you may recall that we bumped into an off-duty policeman who took more than a little interest in the machinery we had. He had no intentions of throwing on the cuffs, but he just wanted to check out the cars.
We remembered that man this year, and he was more than delighted to pop along. Now you’re probably wondering what is the point in having an off-duty policeman with you – I mean, he’s off duty for goodness sake. What can he do?
Well, he’s a traffic cop so he certainly knows which roads are the best for a bunch of lads and CarDealerJade and some tasty motors. He’s also helped out other magazines who were after that perfect road for the perfect shot of the perfect car.
So, with Baggott at the helm of his new love – the 458 – we blasted…. I mean trundled… along to the evo triangle to meet the copper. Within moments he had given us a list of where was best to do this and photograph that and video the other. This man knew his stuff and we felt a warm sense of security with him tagging along.
For most of today it has been a case of Baggott driving along a road and us filming him. But what a road. And what a day.
I’m not going to waste your time by saying ‘This piece of Tarmac winded its way through hills and peaks dotted with pink moss and litchen.’ Suffice it to say, it was an epic piece of road that is of typical interest to a petrolhead.
You’ll see the fruits of our ‘hard’ labour very soon in a completed video of the 458. And trust us, it was hard work filming the Ferrari – even with the help of an off-duty policeman.
I’d like to end it there but I want to say one more thing. I’ve never described myself as a show-off when it comes to cars. Revving at traffic lights, screeching away from junctions and having your windows down with your shades on have never interested me. But a day driving the 1M and I’ve become the biggest ‘look at me’ this side of Snowdonia. But when in you’re in a convoy made up of a 458, 911 GTS, Virage Volante, RS3 and a Caterham, can you really blame me?
Road Test of the Year is sponsored by Bridford.co.uk
