Veloce Raptor

Sheesh, dude, lighten up.

Geoffrey

"I'd be more scared of a 930 than a Z06."

I find many BMW instructors are more scared of 911s than anything else. I think it is funny. When I had my instructor checkout ride with the BMW CI, he wanted out of the car after 2 laps (89 930 700hp).

Phokaioglaukos

PCA has a rule against telling students to turn off stability control and similar aids. It's not a bad idea for the student to learn without, but you should not tell them to turn off, PCA says. Liability issue.

RickBetterley

Hi Chris
Is that a national rule? If so, I haven't heard of it.

Phokaioglaukos

I believe that it's a national rule for PCA. What I have heard is "PCA prohibits the club from telling you to turn off your stability control...."

BC

This is very interesting reading, being a student and someone that will be a student for...a while.

The comments about not remembering turns are very telling as I think that is something I need work on myself. Remembering what is going to happen next from previous experience.

Bonster

***Wow. Very good point, thanks for sharing. What if the student asks your opinion? Can you then tell them your honest opinion? Or can it still be seen as a liability issue?

Bonster

***Just give it time, Brendan. Even Mario Andretti wasn't an overnight miracle. Folks just learn at different rates is all. My first year I was afraid to try a new track because I had a similar problem. As you go to more tracks, and get more seat time, learning a new track will come more natural to you.

TD in DC

EVERYONE I know has a hard time remembering curves the first time they go to a track for the first time, particularly if they are new to the DE experience.

If a newbie were told to drive around the track, alone, at city speeds, they would undoubtedly "learn" the track very quickly. However, when you throw a newbie out on a new track, the adrenaline and excitement of being on a "race" track with a bunch of other cars and an "instructor" teaching you how to drive can quickly overwhelm him so that he does not have enough room for everything he is considering and to also remember what the next curve looks like.

Most of the guys who are instructors have driven the track for hundreds of laps, so it is not surprising that they know it cold.

BC

I'm gonna have to start over again as well with a new car. Going from S2000 to 928 should be fun. Bonni do you have short red hair? I think you may have been an instructor at the WS short track last year for my one even in the S2000.

RSchoeni

How about a thread for students going "Whew, I'm not in this thread!"
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Bob S

Bonster

***Yeah, it's kinda red . . . more like darkish blonde with red highlights (thanks to my Irish side) . . . but people have on many occasions called it red. Yeah, I was at Willow Springs several times last year. In August, I was there with my group. Then I was there again I believe on September 27 and October 1st with the now out-of-business Leadfoot Adventures group. I was also the one who gave the skid pad clinic on Monday after it had rained a little bit. Which day were you there? I think I had a Boxster one of the two days, and a Miata the other. But my memory is not perfect, as I've had a good 100+ students since then.

Bonster

***Sounds like a good idea to me, lol. My first instructor (he is now our novice group download leader) still teases me about my first day at the track. Yes, I was a problem child. I knew everything, ya know. I was quickly humbled. Here's the real irony -- that instructor refused to even get in my car I was so crazy. So I feel I belong on the list of problem students, lol. Considering where I'm at now, I think it's a very funny story. Oh, that was the day I backed up into the hot pits when I saw a black flag (I was confused), too. That's another funny one.

Off-topic . . . I drove through PCB last month on my way to San Blas, Bob. The beach was nice, but I think FWB has gotcha beat.

TR6

Because, 1) as King Kaiser said in the movie 'My Favorite Year', "...in this business, you never cut 'funny'..." And this stuff is funny. And 2), as a student myself, I find it enlightening and slightly encouraging (knowing there are worse drovers out there than me!). I can't imagine any student taking offense at this thread. If they do, they probably don't need to be on the track in the first place.

TR6

And I'm sure you haven't spent a dime on it since, right?