‘SOD’S Law’ dictated that the indoor fireworks that always accompanies the unveiling of the Car of the Year – at the annual, black tie dinner hosted by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers – was going to set off a smoke alarm. It was, after all, Bonfire Night, that the dinner was being held.
Of course, being an annual occurance, the organisers of the pyrotechnics had taken the precaution of isolating the smoke alarms in the St Andrews hotel dining room being used to accommodate the 200-strong gathering.
However, no sooner had the Kia Sportage being cheered to the rafters by the elegantly-attired guests, but some of the firework smoke snaked its way into the rest of the hotel, resulting in the inevitable requirement to evacuate the building.
Cue good-humoured mickey-taking of the association secretary, Stephen Park… not least because, as well as being a freelance motoring writer, he is also a volunteer fireman.
