View Poll Results: What should instructors have to pay?
Full price
1
0.59%
Reduced price
79
46.47%
Free registration
90
52.94%
Voters: 170. You may not vote on this poll
Should instructors have to pay for DE?
10-01-2009, 07:59 AM
#106
Rennlist Member
If you want to go fast, don't hurry.
10-02-2009, 10:02 PM
#107
pay to play
Not all situations are the same, I have no problem instructing and paying the usuall Northeast discounts.
Track rental is pretty high in the northeast. if you are not in a big region that is assured a solid turnout, (with a large instructor core) it gets pretty risky. The costs for an instructed students are so high these days that I never would have been able to get all the seat time that I needed to make the marginal improvements that I have. In reality there are very few new members that come to DEs that buy an older car, learn the wrenching, and learn to drive. Most of the new students have pretty deep pockets. It never was a poor man's game, but small regions such as ours have quite stagnant DE programs because a very few new members can afford to DE.
I think another contributing factor in requiring a finacial commitment from the instructors is the volatility of the weather in the Northeast. In the southwest it is warmer and generally dryer, in the southest it is warmer. In the northeast the season is short, and there are just plenty of days where driving is pure suck-full.
Track rental is pretty high in the northeast. if you are not in a big region that is assured a solid turnout, (with a large instructor core) it gets pretty risky. The costs for an instructed students are so high these days that I never would have been able to get all the seat time that I needed to make the marginal improvements that I have. In reality there are very few new members that come to DEs that buy an older car, learn the wrenching, and learn to drive. Most of the new students have pretty deep pockets. It never was a poor man's game, but small regions such as ours have quite stagnant DE programs because a very few new members can afford to DE.
I think another contributing factor in requiring a finacial commitment from the instructors is the volatility of the weather in the Northeast. In the southwest it is warmer and generally dryer, in the southest it is warmer. In the northeast the season is short, and there are just plenty of days where driving is pure suck-full.
10-03-2009, 11:47 AM
#108
Rennlist Member
I support the free entry for instructors, but have no problem with paying a deposit to minimize the no-show problem. I do enjoy instructing (most of the time!), but I find it does take an increasing physical toll on me as I "gain experience" (get older).
One aspect that hasn't been mentioned is the added cost of car preparation. Knowing that I will not have time to work on my own car, I tend to replace brakes and tires early enough to ensure that I won't need to do it during the weekend. As a solo driver, I might have been tempted to squeeze an extra weekend out of them, since I would have time between sessions to swap them if needed.
One issue I have with BMWCCA events is the lack of a solo group. Since everyone is either an instructor or needs one, LOTS of instructors are needed. Not only does this drive the student costs up, it also results in a jam packed instructor run group. Some chapters also tend to sacrifice instructor run time to make up for delays. Free track time is good, but I don't want to commit to a weekend for the chance that I might get an opportunity to run.
Interesting debate.
One aspect that hasn't been mentioned is the added cost of car preparation. Knowing that I will not have time to work on my own car, I tend to replace brakes and tires early enough to ensure that I won't need to do it during the weekend. As a solo driver, I might have been tempted to squeeze an extra weekend out of them, since I would have time between sessions to swap them if needed.
One issue I have with BMWCCA events is the lack of a solo group. Since everyone is either an instructor or needs one, LOTS of instructors are needed. Not only does this drive the student costs up, it also results in a jam packed instructor run group. Some chapters also tend to sacrifice instructor run time to make up for delays. Free track time is good, but I don't want to commit to a weekend for the chance that I might get an opportunity to run.
Interesting debate.
