Vijay Pattni spent a day with the ex-police driving instructors – who took Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason out for a spin – to learn how to panic…

“You will vomit, your shoulders will ache, your legs will get bruised and your arms will burn”, says Michael, chief instructor at SpeedSkills. “And the nearest hospital is just down the road – should we need it.”

That’s something regular Grand Theft Auto players will likely know – but the reality is even more painful.

The assembled drivers – four professional and one journalist – look at each other awkwardly.

“Right. Let’s have a go shall we?” Michael says, smiling broadly. Within ten minutes, Mike and his father Roger (pictured right) – who run SpeedSkills together – are skidding sideways at 60mph… in an old Vauxhall Omega.

“I’ve been in the police for more than 25 years”, explains Michael, as we skid to a halt. “I became a member of the Anti Hijack driver training team in 1999 and within two years I was running it.”

Michael’s career with the police Anti Hijack team saw him teach members of the Royal family, the SAS and even Japanese police.

“In 2004 I left the Anti Hijack team and worked for the Special Escort Group (SEG)”, says Mike. “We escorted the Queen, the Prime Minister and various visiting heads of state. We also did armed escorting for dangerous criminals.

“I set up SpeedSkills in 2006 with my father because there is a need for it out there… not just because of protection, but to give drivers better skills”, says Michael.

And this included a demonstration of how speed affects the car’s handling balance.

Driving at 45mph past one traffic cone, drivers must then immediately swerve out of the way of another traffic cone – representing a small child – positioned just yards away.

At this speed, the car just manages to skid past the traffic cone, but the momentum sends it smashing into the perimeter cones.

“Try it again, but this time try it at 30mph”, instructs Roger. At this lower speed, the big, heavy Vauxhall Omega manages to avoid the “child” traffic cone, and comes to a halt within the perimeter, without any drama.

“It makes a massive difference doesn’t it? Just shaving 15mph off your speed can make all the difference”, Roger says, who once taught Princess Diana evasive driving techniques.

Who else have the duo taught?

“We taught Nick Mason – Pink Floyd drummer – and his wife last year. They came straight from the Bahrain Grand Prix to us”, says Michael.

“There are of course, a number of our ‘clients’ who have asked to remain nameless… for obvious reasons”, whispers Michael, with a smile.

Our next task is a slalom race between the cones before reversing into a tight space at speed and coming to halt – with both front and rear windscreens covered up.

“It teaches good team-building”, explains Michael, as he blanks out the Omega’s windscreen. “You have to rely on your team-mate’s instructions.”

My co-pilot is Mike Osborne, a 52 year-old surveyor from Essex. We navigate the course successfully without drama… but Mike’s stomach has other ideas.

“The day was fantastic”, he says. “It really was fun… right up until the point when you made me sick!”

“I think this course is very worthwhile. It teaches you a lot about car control, and especially about anticipating danger and general road awareness”, Mike adds.

Speaking of car control, there is something I am itching to do… the infamous “J-Turn”.

Seen in Hollywood action movies, the “J-Turn” involves reversing in a straight line at high speed, spinning the car around 180 degrees and accelerating off – in one fluid movement.

Roger – who is 69 years old – shows me the procedure. “Now you have a go”, he smiles.

I reverse the car and take it up to just over 20mph, spin it around, drop it into “D” and nail the accelerator.

“You’re a natural”, Roger smiles, as I sit content, having completed one of the coolest manoeuvres in the world.

For more information on SpeedSkills ‘Protection Training’ or days out, visit www.speedskills.co.uk.

Check out the SpeedSkills team executing a J-Turn: