Adrienne

I'm looking for a little advice, kinship, or maybe just venting, on dealing with a weird and annoying "feature" I am noticing at DEs. As I am progressing, I am noticing two things happening more:

1. some guys will not allow me the pass, which is a major annoyance; and,
2. track-side comments regarding "not wanting to get passed by a girl."

#1 and #2 tend to happen consecutively. #1 I deal with by speaking with the driver or letting the CI know. #2 is different. At first I found the comments amusing since they are usually said in jest, but after I hear it 3 or 4 times in a day, it starts getting annoying and begins to have a flavor of disrespect. I could just be catty by responding, "if you don't like me passing you, get faster" but that doesn't really address what is going on. Or maybe it does, I dunno. Personally I just feel like another driver, so to be addressed by gender just seems odd and out of place to me.

Thus, my question: do you guys have any words of wisdom, any experience with this with your women students, or any ideas on how to "deal" with this? Intuition tells me this is not going away until I progress even further, so I am going to have to "deal" with this for some time. Any assistance you could provide would be most appreciated.

BTW - I am happy to say that this is more rare at PCA events than non-PCA events. I generally get lots of respect at PCA events.

TD in DC

Don't feel bad Adrienne . . . I'm a guy and the same sh*t happens to me

I don't have any useful advice apart from using that as motivation to outdrive them . . . makes things even more fun.

Veloce Raptor

Adrienne, first off, kudos to you for persisting, and not giving up.

Second, I know you, so I know what a good driver you are.

Third, kudos to you for going straight to the CDI afterwards. Chronically denying a pass is grounds to be sent home, and going to an already-sexist blockhead of a student will accomplish nothing. In addition, whenever it happens, go immediately to hot pits & complain to whoever is manning Black Flag. These folks take stuff like this VERY seriously, in my experience.

Fourth, with regard to trackside comments, here is the best revenge: keep passing the jackasses. Do all you can to keep your skillset advancing, and your driving sleek & clean....and FAST. Realize the mind-set of those (often in high horsepower cars? I am just guessing...) who make those comments, and laugh inwardly (and maybe outwardly) at them....as you fly on by. Watch them get smaller (in so many ways) in your rear view mirror.

And fifth, stop frequenting DE's whose organizers poo-poo your concerns or do nothing in response. I say this not because you are female, but because anyone who is purposely being a hindrance on track needs counseling or needs to be sent home. If organizers aren't willing to do one or the other, they don't deserve your money.

Best,

Dave

M758

I get that all the time. I had to go to the race group to get over that. Now if they don't move I just scare them into getting out of my way.


Seriously I think all you can do is just drive above it. I see this kind think happen most of with the driver of a "lesser" car wants to pass a "better" car. If this happens when I am instructing the student in the lesser car we often come in and do run down pit lane.

Conekiller

Not really any words of wisdom but just a couple of examples from autoxing. My first ever autox i saw a lady in a beatle turbo, and said "i'm not going to get beat by a girl" to say the least it was a humbling experience . There is also a lady who has stripped out focus, who has been autoxing for a while and does very well in her class, and is respected by everyone.

Also i am kinda of in the same boat as you being a "kid" i get the dirty looks etc. So for addvice i would say just keeping going at it and after a while you will gain there respect

Larry Herman

Hang in there and keep getting faster. You will be welcomed in the higher groups.

And if you need a role model, just search this forum for "Sabine Schmidt"

Mark in Baltimore

Just keep on passing them, Adrienne. Eff 'em if they don't know how to drive and have to whine before they clean out their panties.

soldmystang

some of my favorite instructors have been female. you will earn the respect of those that understand what this is all about and the rest you will no doubt leave in the dust. and then there are those damn corvette guys. they won't let anyone pass.

TD in DC

true . . . true . . .

Good drivers are respected without regard to sex, race, age, etc . . .

Rude/bad drivers are universally despised . . .

MJR911

Put straight pipes on your car and sit 6 inches off their bumper through the turns... worked for me to get point bys from the mighty "turbo folk". Then I went racing.

TD in DC

Loud pipes truly do save lives . . .

gbaker

^^ What TD said.

Just go faster. You will eventually leave them behind.

Ignore the perpetrators, though. And don't ever tell them that you are/will be faster than they are. To paraphrase, "The world will forgive you for being wrong, but it will never forgive you for being right."

Adrienne

Wait a minute...soldmystang, were you at that DE? I had a 'vette driver not allow the pass, and I happened to know him from years ago. He was the neighborhood brat when I was growing up, the kind of kid that would tell me to go away and make me cry. Oh, that was sweet revenge, let me tell you!! He could not MAKE me go away!! Ha!! Anyway, I digress...

I have noted that every woman instructor I have met is highly regarded by her peers. It's dealing with the attitude at the mid-level DE that is now appearing. I'm no wallflower, but figured it best to seek advice from the more experienced. Great advice from you guys, thanks. It helps to get some perspective.

stuttgart46

About 8 years ago my brother and I were karting at MoKart in St. Petersburg, FL and this young girl walks in. She was about 15 years old. She proceded to go out and destroy the track record. There may have been some guys chuckling when she came in but they were amazed by the time they left. She didn't make a big deal of it. She showed up, kicked butt and left. Her record stood until the place shut down a couple of years later.
The girl was Danica Patrick.

Wreck Me Otter

Punt them...okay...that only works in SM racing.....

Ignore them, they are IDIOTS and are not worthy of worrying about. They obviously are insecure about some kind of physical shortcoming..... Keep going faster and get to the open passing groups.

I have the same issues at a DE in the "girlie" SM. I drive up to their doors or within inches of their bumpers as we normally do when we're racing. Eventually people get the message.