bobt993

One interesting write-up from the German Police: Most accidents on the Ring include a stop watch found in the car or on the person driving. I installed a DAS system for our closed course laps and was surprised by the cornering G's/ speeds that could be carried with stock cars. Times were irrelevant at that point. The BMW School emphasizes precision and car control.

jasoncuk

The biggest issue at the ring is runoff - there essentially isn't any. Combine that with a very high speed complicated track and numerous blind corners. You don't really want to come around a corner blind and be faced with a tourist coach going at 25mph.

I think you treat tourist days like a very fast road drive - drive what you can see and forget lap times.

I know several people racing in VLN etc and and that of course is a completely different story. No tourist buses, motorcycles, or Ladas.

Darren

The motorcycles are the biggest PITA. They fly on the straights and then get in your way on the turns. I actually saw a car rear end a bike, didn't knock him over, but the bike driver moved over to let us pass after that...

It would be a lot scarier to drive the ring in a high HP car, but most rentals, like the one we had, are very underpowered.

Doing lap times is silly, IMO, how would you know what you did wrong after the fact? Unless you are doing segment times, its a useless number anyway...

38D

I continue to be amazed that people are still harping on the lap time thing.

DrJupeman

Thanks for the kind words 38D and Bobby.

My question on this post is, how is coming around a blind corner and running into a bus related to lap timing? You, and others, seem to be assuming a level of driving maturity that doesn't apply here. Relax and move on. Wait, before you do, please tell me how you view the Ring Taxi on touristenfahrt days? Surely they are driving for speed, and potentially worse, to "impress" their passengers. What happens when they 'round a corner and hit a bus? Or a downed motorcyclist? Do their 1000s of laps at the 'Ring grant them super powers to see over those blind brows and around the blind apexes?

I have hundreds of track days at numerous tracks, am a multi region and nationally certified driving instructor, PCA Club Racer, and can assure you that I was never surprised by any car or bus ahead or behind me, despite being faced with a large and complicated new track. I am a good ocular driver and know how to use my mirrors (racing teaches you how to do that REAL FAST). I understand that there are some that do not have the driving maturity to time themselves and stay within their limits. I also know that driving skill varies greatly on these Internet sites. I should not be one of these that falls into your "worry" category.

Fact is, the Nordschleife is a dangerous place for numerous reasons. With the right driving perspective and maturity, I do not think running a clock meaningfully increases the track's risk. A dedicated driving school would certainly be the best and safest venue to learn the Nordschleife. In the absence of that venue, folks just need to understand that the Nordschleife is dangerous perhaps even more so on touristenfahrt days. This is one of the primary reasons I named my write-up, "They don't make them like they used to."

Rich Sandor

There is a difference between simply timing your lap, and trying to beat a certain time.

I think some folks are confusing the two...

Swedeboy

It obviously doesn't apply to you - but it does to many other new Ring visitors. Trust me - the carnage on a regular Touristenfahrt Sunday is not pretty and much of it is related to drivers overestimating their skills and trying to beat the clock.

It seems to. After literally thousands of laps the Ringtaxi is still to have it's first accident.

In fact several exist. I'm surprised you don't at least know about this one. It's excellent:
http://www.bmw.de/de/services/Fahrer...w_M/index.html

DrJupeman

Who said I didn't know about it?

FixedWing

Funny thing is, the bikers have a different perspective on this.

As for timing laps, the debate on this has been going on for years. I doubt we are going to resolve the question today.

Stephen

Swedeboy

You did.

Rich Sandor

refer to my photo:



Who's holding up who?

DrJupeman

Finish the second sentence. "Absence" can mean "when one is away", read the sentence that way. Thanks.

Darren

Wow! Finally someone validated my point on rennlist instead of telling me I'm an idiot

bobt993

Darren.......

your and idiot.... oh Mat seems to think something else........


Hey, I have your pyrometer cable, it was attached to my GPS antenna you left out for me. Yes, you need to get your exhaust back on this weekend.......... roof too.

ZBlue996Kam

Darren:

I agree with Bob. You're an....