Roadcraft circa 1964

[loserone]

I asked my parents today if they could get me a copy of roadcraft for christmas - they were stuck, and I've been looking to get my hands on a copy. (I'm 23, licence since 17 but only had a car two years)

So my father's just walked into my room and handed me his copy - reprinted in 1964!

Already I'm impressed - p74 "Speed is frequently looked upon as something dangerous in itself, but it is dangerous only if used in the wrong place or at the wrong time. It does, however, impose a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the motorist" - I wonder if the latest edition still contains that wording!

I wonder how many parts will be different in the new edition - I notice for example a lot on hand signals, something which I use still everyday but IIRC are now missing from the highway code (I may be mistaken on this, my copy still contains them)

Any thoughts on this copy? Should I simply read with a pinch of salt, allowing for the change of certain theories and practices? Buy myself an E type? Or just splash out on a newer copy!

[Strangely Brown]

IMHO the ultimate evolution of Roadcraft in its crisp, consise form was the 1977 edition, The Blue Book.



After that, the "new" Roadcraft of 1994 was heavily revised (I call it politically corrected) and it lost a lot of the purity of the originals becoming a wordy, even bloated tome. The most notable omission being the removal of Cottenham's "10 commandments" of motoring.

http://www.worcadvmot10.fsnet.co.uk/history_of_roadcraft.html 

Just my £0.02.

Whichever version you study you'll get the "essence" of what it's all about and will learn lots but remember... Roadcraft was never intended as a "book" for people to read; It's a syllabus and is best when backed up by good teaching. Always seek out the best possible instruction that you can find to go with it and you'll get so much more out of it.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Saturday 22 December 19:56

[vonhosen]

Different wording, same message.

[Retard]

vonhosen said:

Different wording, same message.

[Strangely Brown]

... pretty good analogy actually. Except that in the case of Roadcraft it's the earlier publication that is the "Key Facts" cards and the "New" version that is the waffler.