copper

Performance Driving School at Houston Police Academy.

I have made a few laps on that track in Patrol Cars. It is a lot of fun chasing and pushing the vehicles around the fast track and the precision track. At least when you whack a cone in a patrol car you don't have to worry about your paint or damage.

I can use the track when ever I want and can even get the Drivers training unit to help me drive the patrol cars. I took the P-Car around the track just to play, only one lap. Wish I could get let others use the track but there is that thing called liability and I don't want to lose my job over something like that.

Do you think Performance Driving School would be a good class for me to take? I know that I will learn something there.

Maybe I will go there and check it out, meet people, and have some fun watching this month. Then sign up for the next one.

I will defiantly go and try the DE at Texas World Speedway this year.

Thanks

Copper

Divot

Take the class so at least you know how much you don't know.

ivangene

I have takes about 25+ "drivers skills days" and only a few DE's (this year I plan to hit every DS and 4 DE's)

I can say this...I learn something everytime and even if its suble or polishing...its still learning - DS days cost $65 and DE's are $200 ish... I get a lot more bang for my small budget outta the DS's there is no substitute for an instructor helping AND ridning with other instructors to help with humble me out when my head thinks it knows too much

ANY drivers training is worth the time - at any level, any skill level, any age

Sneaky Pete

+1 Driving schools (DE) have made me a better driver on the streets....at least in my head. I find myself anticipating other drivers, looking far ahead of where the car is pointed and constantly looking in my mirrors. The schools have taught me things can happen faster than what you think.....things street driving can't. And when you improve on the track and go faster and faster it will be another learning curve. The learning never stops and the fun factor rises each and every time. Like Ed, I am hoping for 4 DE's this year. The friends and experiance you gain are priceless.

ivangene

Yea, Pete is so right on...the street benefit is 10X! - I find I am fully engaged just driving to work...I tend to apex every turn and that makes a more comfortable ride for passengers even though they have no idea you are doing it (can be done in a single lane, naturally) My level of concentration has risen and when things go wrong I have a tool set to work from.

example: we do a station called "accident avoidance" and I have done it many many times... one Monday after a track day, coming home from work, the car in front of me (65mph) tried to change lanes. As he changed he noticed a car already there (I was following him pretty close in traffic....) he swears back radically, causing his car to loose tracton. - in accident avoidance we have to wait for the flagger.... this car suddenly became my flagger.... I waited as he began to spin to the left.... wait, no flag yet... and THEN his car violently spun RIGHT!... well since I waited the correction was very subtle and I just drove around him as he litterally spun a 720 on the freeway. I watched in the mirror and thought, that was easy!!! - BUT, had I not waited and turned before it was time, I would have chosen the wrong way and the whole thing could have turned out much differently had I been collected in the spin....

I attribute the "save" to the skills days and have heard many other stories that drivers feel the skills learned at the track saved thier bacon on the highway

sorry so long.

SSST

Help a newbie out. DE? When is the TWS DE and how do I sign up?

copper

DE = Drivers Ed.

I go to http://www.lsrpca.com/ for calendar info and other stuff.
http://www.lsrpca.com/calendar.htm

http://www.lsrpca.com/drivers_ed.htm

Sneaky Pete

Check your local PCA chapter. If you aren't a member.....join up. Check out clubregistration.net or check the PCA site. Its better than sex....well almost.

SWK6Cup

The advice you have been given in here by Ed, Pete and David is dead on, IMHO. The track experience, under the guidance of PCA instructors, will serve you very well, both on the track and on the street. But, let me warn you right now, you think "we are evil", wait until you go to the track......you won't be able to contain the wishlist...the slippery slope gets even slipperier....while it's all good, remember, you were warned....enjoy!

SSST

Thanks. Signed up for the 4/30 event on your home field.

SSST

You obviously have never met Mrs. SSST. Nor will you.

copper

Great, the wife is already rolling the eyes with the wishlists.

SSST

Fortunately I'm am at the stage of life where I can afford the wish list. It doesn't stop the eye rolling though.

Sneaky Pete

Pics or it never happened! j/k......

I'm glad you signed up for an event. Most guys buy their cars but never really know what the car.....oh wait...what they can do because the car can do it with its eyes closed.

SSST

Pics are personal. No offense but NYDB.

I took some performance driving courses in my younger days, but that was a while ago. The awd Pcar is definitely a new experience for me and handles totally different than the other cars I have had.

Besides, after 25 years it's probably time for a refresher course. I'm old enough to know better than to street race, but young enough to still want to push the limits of my car.