Worst Instructor Thread
06-20-2007, 03:27 PM
#76
Burning Brakes
This is more about an unfortunate instructor than a bad instructor. It happened a couple of years ago and I’ve made it anonymous to avoid embarrassing the individuals involved.
At a DE event organized by a non-Porsche club, one of the instructors (not me!) seemed to be suffering from an intestinal virus, as he mentioned at lunch that his stomach was a bit upset. However, he was dedicated and felt a responsibility to his student, who was driving a fairly new Boxster. On the cool-down lap of the last session of the day, the instructor became violently ill and his body “let go at both ends” if you know what I mean. Needless to say, they proceeded rapidly to the pits where the instructor jumped out, said “sorry about your seat” and ran to the restroom.
The student reacted with amazing aplomb, drove to his spot in the paddock and proceeded to clean out his car. Not surprisingly, the instructor did not make it to the track the next day, and the other instructors took turns working with his students. The situation was the subject of much laughter and “glad that wasn’t me” stories at dinner that evening.
At a DE event organized by a non-Porsche club, one of the instructors (not me!) seemed to be suffering from an intestinal virus, as he mentioned at lunch that his stomach was a bit upset. However, he was dedicated and felt a responsibility to his student, who was driving a fairly new Boxster. On the cool-down lap of the last session of the day, the instructor became violently ill and his body “let go at both ends” if you know what I mean. Needless to say, they proceeded rapidly to the pits where the instructor jumped out, said “sorry about your seat” and ran to the restroom.
The student reacted with amazing aplomb, drove to his spot in the paddock and proceeded to clean out his car. Not surprisingly, the instructor did not make it to the track the next day, and the other instructors took turns working with his students. The situation was the subject of much laughter and “glad that wasn’t me” stories at dinner that evening.
06-20-2007, 03:36 PM
#77
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by kurt M
i have taken the mirrors away before when a stuident is overly worried about cars behind. You can often "feel" when there is a car behind your student by subtle or not so subtle changes in their driving.
Cannot agree more than trains in the instructed groups being primarly the instructors fault. Every once in a while you get a student that needs much foucus and gets flustered and out of any kind of flow by having to point at each passing zone. This can make for a train to two as you get your student gathered up but overall I see too many student instructor teams not checking the mirrors.
Cannot agree more than trains in the instructed groups being primarly the instructors fault. Every once in a while you get a student that needs much foucus and gets flustered and out of any kind of flow by having to point at each passing zone. This can make for a train to two as you get your student gathered up but overall I see too many student instructor teams not checking the mirrors.
Hooo Boy did we have some trains in blue and SC last weekend. I don't know what the requirements are for having students share the mirror responsibility, but by the "intermediate" instructed group, they should be checking the mirrors themselves.
I usually check just to ID the kind of car - so I know how little to lift!
06-20-2007, 03:57 PM
#78
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Maybe some of you folks can start a happy thread too. Reading all this has has made me want 
heheh, the last thing a "new" driver needs is an instructor that yells. (that's what my wife is for and it's free to boot)
heheh, the last thing a "new" driver needs is an instructor that yells. (that's what my wife is for and it's free to boot)
06-20-2007, 04:09 PM
#79
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06-20-2007, 04:10 PM
#80
Race Director
Originally Posted by Bonster
When I get a student who is driving their mirrors, I just tell them, "Don't worry about that car in your mirror right now. They can wait until we get to the passing zone. Just concentrate on what you are doing ahead of you and I'll help you get them by when we hit the passing zone." This is often easier said than done, but it tends to relieve some of the stress, as now my student will learn to count on me to help them through their experience safely.
To that type of student, I explain that courtesy is good, and he should be giving point-bys, but not to the point where his pace is slowed down soo much. So I'll tell him/her: if there are 3 cars behind him, and it's a short straight, let 1-2 by, (lift if necessary), and the 3rd car can get around him on the next straight.
Another reason for doing this is safety -- while in the upper run groups late passing is fine, in instructed run groups, there shouldn't be passes given in the braking zone...
Sorry for the OT,
-Z-man.
06-21-2007, 09:03 PM
#82
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Hey, Rick, welcome to the ranks of being an instructor. You might also check on the 'best instructor thread' that I started -- it has equally good advice of WHAT to do, whereas this thread was more a lesson on what NOT to do. I think it was a good idea, don't ya'll?
06-21-2007, 09:12 PM
#83
Drifting
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Originally Posted by Z-man
I've had students really loose momentum trying to get 3-4 cars around them. And that's a problem, especially if you're on a busy track and there are lots of cars out there. The problem becomes that the student is giving up his speed in order to be courteous to the cars behind him.
06-21-2007, 10:36 PM
#84
Originally Posted by TR6
As a relatively new DE'er, I've been guilty of this before. You lift to get a couple of cars by and then someone who is usually slower than you is suddenly wanting by because you lost so much momentum. Its a fine line.
Steve
06-22-2007, 09:14 AM
#85
Mr. Excitement
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Originally Posted by TR6
I understand the point is that some new students are overwhelmed already and that the additional distraction of watching the mirrors can perhaps cause a loss of focus. If a new student is overly distracted by watching the mirrors, the instructor needs to get them refocused on the track ahead. But having said that, I personally think that its important to make sure students are aware from the first lap on the track of traffic around them including cars behind them. They don't have to make the decision of when to give the pass, but I think its important to build that awareness from the very beginning. This would include them glancing in their mirrors as appropriate. Makes it instinctive to them as they progress. Just my 2 cents as a fairly new DE'er myself. 
Taking one aspect of the track experience out of the mix can often let a new student get their shiz together a little. Once they get the pile stacked up some and the tunnel vision opens up I give a mirror back. Everyone on the track has the same right to have fun. The key early on is to temper the needs of training with the desire to have some fun. When I am dialing in a student I will try and make his/her day first off, Safe and then Fun. Arm out the window at every corner when 0.0 Green can suck but so can following a drover for 3 laps as they grope their way through every corner. When we get held up I tell my students to back off enough to not worry the driver and wait for the right time and above all do not pull out from right behind them before you get a point. Many a time I have had a student loose the car behind after the oncoming car moved over a bit and right into the blind spot. Now my guy is lookin' rather than drovin'. Another thing I do when held up is have my student look through the car and not follow it's line in the corners. I like to use a hold up to practice the line at a reduced pace. We do this until a good easy passing point comes up then I have my guy pull up closer to the car in front to let them know we want by. This keeps my guy from getting as pissed and keeps the driving more from the brain and less the adrenal gland. That little organ puts as many cars in to walls as the one in the helmet does.
I drove a low HP car in upper run groups and have done so for too many years.
Passing signels, when, where and how is one of my strong training areas.