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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1977)
Driving course offers benefits says Shanks THE BATTALION THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1977 Page 3 By PAT EDMONDSON Automobile accidents and the in crease of cars on the road are “wak ing up” local citizens, and some are learning the skills and techniques of defensive driving. The National Safety Council De fensive Driving Course is sponsored by the Bryan-College Station Op timist Club and the eight-hour class is held approximately once every month. “The public is becoming very aware of the class and the benefits they can gain from it,” said J. D. Shanks, Optimist Club Coordinator. Shanks said the purpose of the course is to teach the driver the basics behind the wheel. “There’s no mystery about it,” he said. “Everybody has driving habits—some are good and some are bad. This course points out the bad things and tries to show the in dividual how to improve his driving habits and skills.” The course, which costs $10, also is offered by the College Station Lions Club and the College Station Safety Council. The National Safety Council recommends that classes be limited to 35 persons a session. “We have an average attendance of 25 per class,” Shanks said. “If we should exceed 35, we would have to get special permission to conduct a class that large.” Classes are conducted in a school setting. Students view defensive driving films and study newspaper clips of automobile mishaps. “We use visual aids of people driving under actual conditions,” said Shanks. “This helps the driver become more alert when he’s be hind the wheel. Shanks said the course teaches the driver to recognize dangers he would not expect to cause wrecks. “Slick roads, chugholes in the pavement, poor car condition and any number of things can cause an accident. “All of these go together, and when you least expect it, they can gang up on you.” Those who complete the course can receive a 10 per cent reduction on automobile insurance, “The insurance companies throughout the United States rec ognize this as a benefit, and willingly give you a 10 per cent re duction on your insurance,” he said. The course must be repeated after three years, however, for the reduc tion to remain in effect Shanks said the defensive driving course is becoming a trend in Bryan and College Station. “We advertised on the radio and in both newspapers and the re sponse has been great,” he said. USED BOOKS — WE RE BUYING NOW! University Bookstore At the Northgate has not been roach even Human Sb stein wrote: i story ofbeinji suppress homt us totheeonc<| is a crime, a sit n'shed severely! all, people ith their genital ted a Louis Han mt showed that nation consi y harmful t of life. owever, a retell unication and; uality that has train between' throughout the Boston event attracts Olympians too Aggie to run in marathon D EUROPE Well, it was there, so . y David La Rue Stacey Chapman found an easy way to beat the heat which has come upon College Station lately. A quick dip in the fish pond made the heat enjoyable. 'ook sale, reading sponsored Texas A&M University’s Sterling I. Evans Library will sponsor a book Round Trip pie, a literary reading and a discus- ion on publishing to celebrate Na- onal Library Week. I Thebook sale will be held Monday Jt the south entrance of the library fom 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Winners of the Texas A&M Uni- 3. Good for one air fare. s Available »-1748 versity Poetry and Fiction Contest (1976-1977) will read selections from their work Tuesday at 8 p. m. in room 226 of the library. “Publish or Perish,” a discussion for authors and prospective authors, will be held Wednesday in room 226 of the library at 10 a.m. RIES This Week At Wyatt’s Cafeteria THURSDAY - APRIL 14 PAN FRIED STEAK | 79 W/gravy and two vegetables. FRIDAY - APRIL 15 icn FRIED FISH ]j9 W/tartar sauce, hush puppies and one vegetable. (D UJUfltt CRftKRMS 804 Texas Ave. The Boston Marathon begins at noon Monday and will take more than 2,000 of the world’s best long distance runners through 26 miles and 385 yards of the city in what may be the country’s most grueling footrace. It hardly seems the place for a 53-year-old Texas A&M animal sci ence professor, but Dr. James W. Bassett will represent the Brazos Valley Joggers Club. He had “College Station, Texas” added to the bottom of his T-shirt advertisement this week just in case someone in Boston was so provincial that they didn’t know the where abouts of the city. “Many of the Olympic competi tors show up for the event, so the prevailing advice is to enjoy the race and not try to set any records,” Bas sett said. “Particularly since I’ll be so far back in the starting field that it’ll probably take three minutes of running just to reach the starting line. “If I run I can eat anything I want to,” he said. “As a matter of fact, as far as I’m concerned the worst part Rent Your Prom or Wedding TUXEDOS Aggie Cleaners 111 College Main of my training is the three days of no carbohydrates before I begin my carbohydrate loading. That means no cake or cookies or ice cream; it’s horrible.” During those three days (which started Monday for him) Bassett eats a lot of dairy products, eggs and meat while he decreases his daily run from 16 to 6 miles. Today and tomorrow he will run two or three miles and begin eating a lot of bread and potatoes. The pro fessor will quit running Saturday and Sunday and cold big bowls of spaghetti to his diet. He will begin Monday (the day of the race) with a stack of hot cakes and granola. Bassett ran in college but quit until he was 46. Participation in a noon-time exercise program got him back on the track. Bassett ran in his first marathon at 51 and this year qualified for Boston by putting out a three-hour, twenty-one-minute run in the Houston Marathon. “Of course, every year, as inter est grows, there are more and bet ter people running in these events,” he said. “The first time I ran in the Galveston Marathon I placed 75th. The next year I cut 12 minutes off my time and came in 90th. This year I finished even eight minutes sooner and was 135th. “Ah well,’’ he said good- naturedly, “all this is worth it if we can encourage a few more people to get out and try running with the club or in exercise classes. Perhaps if they see someone my age running in the Boston Marathon, they’ll be encouraged to try.” fioshm IS SPECIALIZING IN 3 NIGHTS OF DISCO Featuring Joey, the guy who brought disco to Houston. Last appeared at Genesis. 8:30 P.M. — ON TH U RS D A Y-S ATU R DAY APRIL 14-16 COVER CHARGE STUDENTS: (With I.D. Card) GUYS $1.00 GIRLS FREE r * NON-STUDENTS $1.50 GUYS 75c GIRLS KASHIM ALSO SPECIALIZES IN SANDWICHES AND NACHOS AT ALL TIMES Keep your eye on Joey in next Thursday’s ad. He has more to come. 1802 S. TEXAS 693-0205 " 846-6714 & 84< _ _ .. _ 346-11ST UNIVERSITY SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER " The Aggie Players present April 16,1! lite Colisei /with A Showing Of WATERCOLORS OF THE SOUTHWEST tiy RUSSELL R. WATERHOUSE Al Texas A&M Unlverelty Rudder Exhibit Hall Aprtl 12-27, 1977 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily Presented by the MSC Directorate Box Office: rj|| be allowed A MOON TOR THfT MISBEGOTTEN by EUGENE O'NEILL FORUM THEATER 8:00 P.M. Apr. 14 thru 16 and 20 thru 23 A&M Students $1.75 All Others $2.75 10% OFF WITH STUDENT I.D. Terms Available THE MUSIC BOOTH GUITARS • AMP • REPAIRS • LESSONS DAILY gw 7 ; 40,9 : 40 GEOftGE^EGAL ’ JANE FONDA FUN WITH DICK & JANE’ BONNIE AND OYDE THEYAINT. \*„h j ED McMAHONj [PC DAILY AT 7:30,9:45 ML MEW - Flight 23 has crashed in the Bermuda Triangle., passengers still alive, trapped underwater... Gibson Fender Takamine Ventura liilii I Music Man Ampeg Woodson lida DRUMS • FIDDLES • BANJOS 3202 TEXAS AVENUE 779-3988 STEVE FROMHOLZ AND BAND with special guests KIWI FRI& SAT APRIL 15,16 Advance tickets at Budget Tapes and Top Drawer T GOSNEY THORNTON BAND IN CONCERT tuesday april 19 $1 2/1.50 advance basement coffeehouse