Dangers on Track
06-19-2012, 06:58 PM
#92
It doesn't really matter if he let go of the wheel -- he was barely holding it in the first place. Maybe someone taught the driver that a "10 and 2" hand position was old school and now it's "7 and 5" ... it's not fun sharing the track with this level of basic skills in the hands of other drivers.
The driver's meetings at these DE's should include a multiple choice quiz to at least raise the question of whether each driver has even the basics down.
This business of waving and "thanking" just has to be banned. It's idiotic. The other driver isn't looking at you, he's watching the track, finding the line to the apex, anticipating the brake marker, watching your front wheels to see if you're steering into his line, etc. Even if he momentarily glances at your cabin, the likelihood of it being at the exact split second you wave your hand (instead of, oh, I dunno, steering the car ...) is practically zero.
Ban waving!
The driver's meetings at these DE's should include a multiple choice quiz to at least raise the question of whether each driver has even the basics down.
This business of waving and "thanking" just has to be banned. It's idiotic. The other driver isn't looking at you, he's watching the track, finding the line to the apex, anticipating the brake marker, watching your front wheels to see if you're steering into his line, etc. Even if he momentarily glances at your cabin, the likelihood of it being at the exact split second you wave your hand (instead of, oh, I dunno, steering the car ...) is practically zero.
Ban waving!
Last edited by bsztanko; 06-19-2012 at 07:31 PM.
06-19-2012, 09:40 PM
#94
Burning Brakes
Been there done that in April of 2010 between turns 2 and 3...had to remove a couple of legs, some internal organs and two fetuses from the cockpit. The severed head lay on the track nearby. The roof was crushed, windshield broken and all soft interior parts were trashed but I suffered just some facial cuts from the shattered wink mirror. I wrote a letter to SP management and got a call from Jens Scott, who told me that they don't take any counter measures because no one can agree on what was most likely be effective. However, he did say they were going to thin the wooded areas of the infield to make the habitat less welcoming. If they have, I didn't notice when I was there.
06-19-2012, 10:06 PM
#95
I'm in....
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06-20-2012, 11:10 PM
#96
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Wow, helluva video, thx for posting. Thought the guy did a great job.
People that lack enough broad external visual awareness to notice a wave are the same people that don't notice flag stations, debris, and their mirrors.
After spending many hours in karts I've grown quite fond of the occasional relaxed 8 & 4 hand position. To each their own... the outcome measure is feel and car control not style points
People that lack enough broad external visual awareness to notice a wave are the same people that don't notice flag stations, debris, and their mirrors.
After spending many hours in karts I've grown quite fond of the occasional relaxed 8 & 4 hand position. To each their own... the outcome measure is feel and car control not style points
06-20-2012, 11:45 PM
#97
It's patently irrational to be distracting oneself from driving to try to observe the other driver during a pass.
It's equally irrational to conflate this social waving idiocy with necessary driver tasks like radio or point-by's or checking every corner worker, every lap.
That anyone would debate the point is a surprise to say the least.
I would suggest that RL members raise the level of civility in this forum.
It's equally irrational to conflate this social waving idiocy with necessary driver tasks like radio or point-by's or checking every corner worker, every lap.
That anyone would debate the point is a surprise to say the least.
I would suggest that RL members raise the level of civility in this forum.
06-20-2012, 11:55 PM
#99
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It's patently irrational to be distracting oneself from driving to try to observe the other driver during a pass.
It's equally irrational to conflate this social waving idiocy with necessary driver tasks like radio or point-by's or checking every corner worker, every lap.
That anyone would debate the point is a surprise to say the least.
I would suggest that RL members raise the level of civility in this forum.
It's equally irrational to conflate this social waving idiocy with necessary driver tasks like radio or point-by's or checking every corner worker, every lap.
That anyone would debate the point is a surprise to say the least.
I would suggest that RL members raise the level of civility in this forum.
Sorry, maybe I - like seemingly 95% of the respondents here - are a bit more comfortable with our car control and driving ability than you seem to be.
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Bob Saville
Getting You On Track!
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Bob Saville
Getting You On Track!
www.naroescapemotorsports.com
704-395-2975
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'07 SPC
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'04 GT3
06-21-2012, 12:29 AM
#100
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It's patently irrational to be distracting oneself from driving to try to observe the other driver during a pass.
It's equally irrational to conflate this social waving idiocy with necessary driver tasks like radio or point-by's or checking every corner worker, every lap.
That anyone would debate the point is a surprise to say the least.
I would suggest that RL members raise the level of civility in this forum.
It's equally irrational to conflate this social waving idiocy with necessary driver tasks like radio or point-by's or checking every corner worker, every lap.
That anyone would debate the point is a surprise to say the least.
I would suggest that RL members raise the level of civility in this forum.
How much on-track experience do you have?
06-21-2012, 01:04 AM
#101
I had a deer strike at almost the exact same point just before the T1 braking zone at SP in club race a few years ago. They tend to break cover from the right at full gallop, and at end-of-straight speeds there's little the driver can do. Whining about this driver's hand technique when he's just had a near-death experience and a ton of damage to what looks like his streeter through no fault of his own is chicken $hit IMHO.
Mine was in the wet, to make matters worse. Luckily it was a yearling, which disintegrated on the front bumper and hydroformed the nose panel around the intercooler. Still raced later that day.
The deer are at near plague levels in Northern VA as well. Several road fatalities due to deer strike happen every year.
Mine was in the wet, to make matters worse. Luckily it was a yearling, which disintegrated on the front bumper and hydroformed the nose panel around the intercooler. Still raced later that day.
The deer are at near plague levels in Northern VA as well. Several road fatalities due to deer strike happen every year.
06-21-2012, 01:58 AM
#102
I don't purport to be an authority or recognized expert, I'm not asserting statistics or specific rules or professional driving practices. It's the simple matter of it being something that a driver just should not do.
It's not a matter of finding irrational, exaggerated interpretations of when people might be silly enough to wave or whatever else might reasonably require a driver to have one hand off the wheel, or whether it's even possible to see in the cabin of another car, or the perspicacity of good drivers, or their ability to maintain control, or the acuity of their peripheral vision -- these are all trivial debates.
It's a matter of voluntarily distracting the attention of the driver at any time when on track, especially when the situation is two cars in proximity and executing a pass. It just can't be justified, it's a bad habit, it's one of many "relaxed" behaviors seen when amateurs take to the track.
I'm a bit disappointed to find anyone willing to argue that waving between drivers introduces no unnecessary risk. Anyway, that's more than enough on the topic. I can't get most drivers at "open passing" events to even follow the basics of passing despite their claims of advanced skills and extensive experience, so I don't think my time is well spent trying to convince people that taking their hand off the wheel and looking at another driver to share a wave isn't too bright. Next thing you know, someone will be trying to tell me Polka dancing isn't as popular as it used to be.
06-21-2012, 07:35 AM
#103
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Since were being critical here: I would give the 13 to the deer:
1. Deer was not wearing safety orange which would have made it easier to see the varmit.
2. In slo mo you can see the deer actually look towards the tower instead of eyes forward. Clearly blew his turn-in reference.
3. I saw no racing room for the faster car on track. A point by or moving offline would have avoided the collision.
4. The amount of fluids left on the track suggest he was using water wetter. I think a double 13 is in order. Probation with automatic suspension.
1. Deer was not wearing safety orange which would have made it easier to see the varmit.
2. In slo mo you can see the deer actually look towards the tower instead of eyes forward. Clearly blew his turn-in reference.
3. I saw no racing room for the faster car on track. A point by or moving offline would have avoided the collision.
4. The amount of fluids left on the track suggest he was using water wetter. I think a double 13 is in order. Probation with automatic suspension.
06-21-2012, 07:51 AM
#104
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This thread has become patently hilarious. 
06-21-2012, 08:45 AM
#105
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Someone please close this thread already.... Bob is making jokes (the unofficial indication of a thread jumping the shark). Time to move on... nothing more to see here.