cgomez

You are only missing the fact that the arrow that points to where the EVO drops a wheel, that's the second time he did it, and as a consequence of droppin wheels on the right in the prior corner. Essentially, went off to the right, tried to save it, dropped wheels on left and the catapulted to the right, hitting the cars on grid 200yds!!!!! after a 40mph corner. Just plain stupid....

To illustrate the track better, a couple of laps around the track in my Elise that same day:

http://homepage.mac.com/c.gomez/.Mov...onoEastCGs.mov

kgorman

David K.

The guy sitting in the Infinity G35 was my student; I had just signed him off to solo. If I did not sign him off, I would have been in that 3 car pile up. We are very lucky that no one got killed. I was at the Glen late year when we lost a Boxster driver. This stuff can not be taken lightly, and I am sure it will not be by PDA.

FYI, I was instructing as was other NNJR-PCA instructor at this PDA event; The instructor in the video was on of our own.

bobt993

bobt993

I have been waiting for this to happen on the East course. Real Bummer. Staging is going to be moved most definitely, but where? entry road to North/south course?

Cory M

" MOVE this car or I will gouge out your eyeballs and skull......"

TD in DC

That is actually the drill seargent I was visualizing when I typed my post!

Gator_86_951

I'll be here all week.

I stole that from the 2004 south park election episode.

Sometimes I wonder if this sport has gotten too big? Maybe I don't belong either.

Don Wohlfarth

If you have the misfortune to have this student and want to follow Sunday's advice I'd recommend that you ask the student to first remove his helmet.
IF the instructor made a mistake it was not using her authority to control the students behavior. Her father was his first instructor of the day, her brother the second instructor. Both complained that the student would not listen or follow directions. She had a real good idea of what she was dealing with.
The first time this student failed to respond or drive in a out of control manner the instructor should have gone into the hot pit for a little chat. If the instructor was not comfortable with the students replys she should have gotten out of the car and told him to go and find the chief instructor.
The instructor is responsible for his own safety first. The instructor doesn't have to ride with some douche bag who's only interesting in chasing his buddy around the track.

gbaker

Good investors know that a common precursor of a market drop is an increase in odd lot sales, i.e. the amateurs come rushing in at the end.

We may be there.

38D

Are you sure Michelle is a PCA instructor? I remember her being in green at Pocono back in 2001.

hacker-pschorr

From what I've read, I cannot fault the instructor much in this situation. That staging area is horrible though, who in their right mind ever thought that was a good idea?

I've spent most of my life at Heatland Park Topeka & Road Ameirca (moved from Kansas to Green Bay in 1992).

I've had the same feeling the past few years, average cars are getting much faster, and the drivers seam to be getting younger (or I'm just getting older, not sure, could be a tie). It's getting to the point I only want to run PCA events, the overall maturity level just seams a tad bit higher. Not trying to sound like a P-Car snob, just calling it like I see it.

In case this matters, I turn 29 in July.

mark kibort

That is the LAMEST staging area ive ever seen or could imagine. Hmm, lets see, put all the cars on an "on ramp" 50ft from speeding traffic coming up from behind with no protection (k-wall, etc). and the traffic is made up of ego maniacs that dont know how to drive! Now, there is a safe formula.

by the way, i dont think the instructor was a bit out of line. i think when you have an instructor, you have to give in to their "instruction" whether verbal or physical. I dont buy the "no touch" theory. if flight instructors did this, students would just plow their planes into the ground. I do think the ground rules have to be set in the Hot pits. When ive instructed, I usually have the students agree to a level of emergency "touch" if needed, and the level and type of communication during a lap.

I didnt here what was happening here, but was the guy arguing with the instructor? as they sat there ready to get hit from behind??

back to the driver and instructor . after that first near off, i would have cooled this clown's jets and have him settle down before he continued to endanger my life. all that guy wanted to do was catch the BMW ahead of him! you want to push your car over the limits, you can do that in the next DE level and do it alone!

Mk

Mike S.

As a novice, I would applaud and encourage all instructors to not hestitate to have a student removed from an event. Your well being and protecting others attending the event comes first. A student or participant who doesn't listen to reasonable requests should be removed...without hesitation or guilt.

I have only one suggestion for Michelle, if faced with this situation again, move your hand from the wheel to his "you-know-whats", squeeze harder and harder until he submits to your request. Works every time

Mike

944TURBOS

I never grab the steering wheel just because I do not want to take a student off gaurd. However, in this situation it was not a time where he might be caught "off guard" he had put them in danger sitting there and was not listening to anything she was saying. As instructors we put our lives in the hands of students, we trust them to consider the fact that we are risking our well being to help educate them in the sport. That guy was an ******* and from what many are saying, he is an ******* in general and never seems to want to abide by rules. I would have had a couple extra words with him if it was my life he put in jeapordy to get a videotape. I am going to say it is def his fault.