Christian Iddon
Being a racer is a seriously privileged thing – we get paid for what is, basically, a hobby that we seem to be good at! Getting to ride some of the best bikes on the planet, have fans look up to us for doing it, and being able to get away with all sorts of things you normally couldn’t – wearing sunglasses in the rain without thinking you look utterly stupid is one of my personal favourites for sure. A close second though, is that there are some seriously awesome people who help us chase our dreams, and I have some of the best sponsors, with the guys and girls at Autotrail hooking me up with a brand new motorhome for this season. They are a sponsor of the Tyco BMW squad but for whatever reason (and I’m not complaining) it’s me that’s getting the use of it for the season. Problem is, if you’d read my first column, you’ll know I’m not legally allowed to drive one. So this month I was aiming to be on the right side of the law… for once.
My provisional was finally granted after a hearing on ‘why I have so many points’ and I sailed through the theory with flying colours, leaving just the practical. On the way to the test centre my instructor warned me about the two examiners I might get that day: “One is a lady and she likes chat,” he told me, which is easy because I can do chat. “The other is a very nice gentleman who sadly suffers from Parkinson’s and that can sometimes put you off as a driver but just do your best to ignore it.” Once again, easy, my nan suffered from Parkinson’s for nearly 20 years so I know how it is. Easy huh? Well no. I got the fella, and the key thing that my instructor forgot to tell me was that this gentleman’s Parkinson’s twitch is a shake of the head. For the next hour and a half, every indication, each gear change, each time I pressed the throttle or even breathed I was met with a head shake and despite not knowing why, I couldn’t help but see it as me just getting the whole thing wrong. As it turns out, I had done something wrong and one of those head shakes was a real one due to a genuine traffic light infringement. FAIL! But the re-test is booked…
In bike based news, we have started the year and it’s been distinctly average so far but despite not being as I’d really hoped, I currently sit in a showdown position and until we hit round nine that is all that matters. We have Oulton and Snet coming up though, so I reckon we can sort it out by then and be back at the pointy end – as long as my mum isn’t stealing all the limelight for TV on the grid again. The most exciting thing going on though by the time you read this is I will also have had my first taste of 24-hour endurance racing. I’ve got 8-Hours of Suzuka under my belt already but I’m about to embark on Le Mans, which is basically three seasons of BSB in one race, so expect some juicy stories. Until next time people, watch out for those red lights! Don’t worry though, next month I’ll be concentrating more on the racing…