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Driver's Schools, and "Both Feet In"

    First off, my condolences to Mr Harman regarding his roll at
Bridgehampton.  I sincerely hope that as many people as possible can learn
from this, due to the immediacy and publicity of the list.  I've been
pedaling through the follow-up posts and would like to add a few comments.

Driver's Schools
============
    I've driven in more schools than I can remember from '83 to '90, with a
few since then.  It's a blast, I learn a lot about driving, and about
*thinking* about my driving.  More recently (due to financial reality) I've
been a flagger and corner worker at Summit Point.  I'm not a race driver or
instructor, just a driving enthusiast who wants to see others learn well,
too.

    There has been (to me) a dramatic and unfortunate increase in "incidents"
over the past few years (and not just at SP).  I believe a combination of
technology and red mist, ie, adrenaline rush are strong contributors.  I'm
not talking statistics, just observation.  The new cars have improved, and
many older (and newer) ones have been improved, but ya still gotta learn the
*basics*.  Walk before you run.  I know firsthand that it's all too easy to
get caught up in the mist in your first times on a track; you just have to
keep that in mind and back off when you feel you "might" be going too fast--
because you probably are.  Your instructor should recognize this, but don't
necessarily count on it, because 1) he's accustomed to going faster himself,
and 2) he doesn't know your exact level of experience.  Hey, he's only
human-- all he can see is what you demonstrate to him.  Yes it's commendable
to "check your ego at the gate"; just be sure it doesn't sneak back into your
car when you're not looking.

    If you're afraid of damaging your car, I don't blame you.  No one says
you have to go all out.  What you learn at a school may well save your car,
your life, or your kid's life, out there on the street.  True, if it happens
to you it's a 100% incident rate, but most of these incidents are
*single-car*.  I firmly believe the benefits outweigh the risks, as long as
you're realistic about your abilities and expectations.

Highway Safety Schools
==================
    The National Capital Chapter has for several years run an excellent
annual Highway Safety School which teaches the *basics* of high performance
driving.  It includes "chalk talks" and on-track exercises on steering,
braking, steering *while* braking, obstacle avoidance, and basic vehicle
dynamics on a wettable skidpad.  Each student has an instructor, and the cars
go thru the same tech inspections as for the regular schools.  The exercises
are geared to street/highway situations.  It's a great intro to the driver's
schools, but is not a pre-requisite.  Even people who have done a few
driver's schools in novice class can benefit from the more relaxed atmosphere
and the reinforcement of the skills they have already learned.

In a spin, both feet in
===============
    There has been some confusion recently on the list regarding the meaning
of this expression.  It's a racing adage meaning that if you're so sideways
(or backwards) that countersteering won't save you, declutch and lock the
brakes.  This, as one digester mentioned, so you'll at least slide to a stop
*in a straight line*, preferably without killing the engine.  Note however
that this adage was coined by *racers*, to whom automatic transmissions and
ABS did not apply.  With automatics of course, just one foot will do.  If
your engine stalls, so what.

    In the modern-day context of our discussions, differences must be
recognized in the case of ABS.  There was a Roundel article a few years ago
which talked about the different driving style required with ABS in such a
situation, which said, "In a spin, both feet in, AND STEER LIKE CRAZY".  The
old adage meant to intentionally lock your brakes, because by then you were
essentially past the "point of no return".  Since ABS by design does not
allow lockup, if you nail the brakes even while you're in a spin, you'll
still have some steering control.  What you *do* with that control is another
thing.  You may still go off the road/track, but you can still steer, maybe
pull out of the spin, or alter your course to minimize damage.  It's
impossible to say what will or won't happen if you do or don't "steer like
crazy", but the ABS will do its job to increase your options (one of which is
still "hang on and pray").  ABS has its limits, though, contrary to what we'd
like to think.  It cannot *create* traction, it just makes the most of what's
there when you call on it.  Same with traction control.

    There's another old racer's adage that we should *all* heed:  "Go fast
slowly", ie work slowly (and *smoothly*) up to your limits-- the speed, if
you want it, will follow.  That's how they get to be *old* racers!

Let's be careful out there...
Gary Toyama
'87 535i, '88 325is
Nat'l Capital Chapter