Manifold

I agree, I think it's best to focus on what students should do, which is how I instruct in the car (eg, I always say "stay on the gas", never "don't lift"). But outside the car, and especially in a classroom setting, I do think it's helpful to show the consequences of mistakes so that students can develop an appreciation of the risks involved (at least it was helpful to me). Otherwise, the risks tend to be abstract and 'things that happen to other people', especially for students who haven't done a lot of track days and seen many mishaps firsthand.

onefastviking

Been there done that, I believe I was one of those two you are referring to MG. I've been doing this and instructing for a few years (25+) so I have experienced a fair amount.
Windows down.
If point bys use up too much of your brain bandwidth then you are in the wrong group and driving over your head.
I agree with MGlobe 100 %

onefastviking

Mike, we use to have this done (a way to keep statistics), give me a call, tho not today, and we can discuss it. - We should have this back in place as it did help quite a bit from a variety of ways.

kurt M

Agree. don't blow sunshine but don't focus on non positive aspects. In car as well. Student blows a corner? Draw them back into focus for the next corner. not rehash the now in the past bad one. Student nails a corner? Remind them to remember it and think about it when back in the paddock. Too many folks focus on and mentaly retain the bad rather than retain and refine the good.
I cant say I have run into too many green students that were not worried about wadding up their cars. No they did not know the more common ways to eat tirewalls but few were clueless to this being real world and not a video game with a reset button. Don't think you need to show a "scare them video" to learn. I tell my students about one car a weekend leaves on a flatbed and his will not be it if we plan our runs and run our plans.

I have found more effort is needed in student comfort so he / she can focus on learning rather than looking through a cloud of worries.

Gary R.

Kurt - try this as an example - Don't think about breasts.

What are you thinking about?

mglobe

We have the information Viking. It's just that the numbers are low enough that I question the statistical validity unless we go back and mine the data from inception.

Veloce Raptor

+991RSR

Gary R.

Don't think about VR's avatar...

TXE36

Speaking from fairly recent experience, I concur with the paraphrased statement that "most asshattery occurs in our yellow run group". Saw more of there than in any of the other run groups. Whites still have offs, but they appear to me to be "less dumb" and the way the drivers react to offs is much improved. Plus, traffic management is much better and there is less red mist from chowderheads not letting anyone past them as that would prevent them from driving "flat out".

-Mike

Sean F

exactly, one of Gary's most used commands is the positive "BOTH FEET IN"

Not the negative "DON'T KILL US"

pretty surprising how often it comes up with him

I think the dirty little secret of DE safety is the overall lack of quality instruction. We get by with what we've got in order to make events work, but overall it's just not very good. Especially once you get past BOTS.

I'm always surprised when I get in with an "advanced" driver and ask them about how the car "feels" in a situation and they have no idea what I'm talking about. They'll talk brake points, turn in, throttle all day long but have no idea how the car is behaving. They were only ever taught linear inputs.

Gary R.

Remeber the time I did that in the hot pit on the way out for a session?

Wheras your most popular is "Is this as high as this seat goes?"

rlm328

I believe how the car "feels" is a learned trait that can only come with seat time and with a car with very few to no self correcting capabilities. I do believe that the instructor needs to be very familiar with the type of vehicle that he is instructing in as it does make a difference. 911s, 987s and 944s handle differently, there "feel" is different. Most of the introductory instructors I have dealt with are there to make sure you and your equipment go home safely and in one piece, and they have a tendency to err on the side of safety. Their goal is normally to teach situational awareness, track lay out and basic car handling (how to use the brakes).

The advanced instructors I have dealt ask me what the car feels like in various parts of the turns and various parts of the track. They have a tendency to push me more to my capability limit to see what the edges "feel" like. And some time this leads to an off which is a lesson learned.

I have only ever had one instructor in my car that I will never have back and it was one who liked to grab the steering wheel. But as a rule they are good at what they do.

Gary R.

Darn, I knew I shouldn't have done that.....

Sean F

I thought you were more of a close your eyes type

Gary R.

Normally I am, open them when I hear the driver say "checker", but that was the day I couldn't remember if I took my meds and I doubled up. I was a HANDFULL that day!