future group drives: NY/NJ/CT audi drivers especially
05-13-2001, 08:14 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
future group drives: NY/NJ/CT audi drivers especially
To all those who attended the Kensico Dam meet, and all NYCMAAG members:
First of all, I would like to thank MWzafar (Waseem) for organizing this meet. There was a great turnout and the weather was perfect for driving and for the get together we had at the Dam plaza. I would like to take this opportunity though to express my concern for some of the events that transpired before and during the "spirited drive" and also to provide some suggestions for future group drives.
In my limited experience in the "car club" scene, I have been on several group drives with our Audi groups, Farrari, and BMW groups; and have learned allot since the first meet I organized back in December which included a spirited drive up to and through Harriman State Park. Successful group drives I have learned have several common denominators:
1. The rout to be driven has to be clearly mapped out and a copy of such be handed out to ALL participants. This rout / road plan is to be strictly followed except for extenuating circumstances and unforeseen road conditions.
2. All cars are to line up single file behind the lead/pace car and no passing is to be allowed unless conditions permit (no traffic, non residential roads, etc., yet the pace / lead car is not to be passed. Also, the pace car is to contain or be driven by the event coordinator, or that person which knows the rout best. The lead car sets the general pace of the drive. For example on the Harriman State Park meet, we drove from Edgewater, NJ to Rockland county , NY which is over 30 miles on the Palisades Parkway and did'nt lose a single driver and averaged a speed of 70 MPH.
3. There should be persons with 2 way radios (talkabouts, etc) in the drive, there should be at the bare minimum 2 persons with radios, the lead car and the pace car; pace car is to radio back road conditions / hazards and upcoming turns and the such, tail car is responsible to keep the pack together and not lose anyone. We lost allot of people at the Kensico Dam meet right from the start due to over aggressive drivers and the lead pack not waiting for the tail pack of cars. There should also be several Radios if possible interspersed within the group.
4. Slower cars up front, more powerful cars at the rear.
5. AVOID residential roads at all means when possible.
I by all means am not one to lecture to fellow drivers; all I am concerned for is our safety, the safety of those around us, and for us to have a good time. We can all learn from these experiences and make future meets more fun, less frustrating, and more "team" oriented, we will have meets in the future that will include track time, and autocross type of events, all interpersonal "challenges" or "showing off" of talent or equipment should be displayed there, or on the personal time of those persons.
I humbly thank you all for letting me express my views and for reading this long post. I look forward to seeing you all safely in the future, keep your eyes peeled for future NYCMAAG event postings!!
Alex Estrada
Co-moderator for the NYCMAAG.
First of all, I would like to thank MWzafar (Waseem) for organizing this meet. There was a great turnout and the weather was perfect for driving and for the get together we had at the Dam plaza. I would like to take this opportunity though to express my concern for some of the events that transpired before and during the "spirited drive" and also to provide some suggestions for future group drives.
In my limited experience in the "car club" scene, I have been on several group drives with our Audi groups, Farrari, and BMW groups; and have learned allot since the first meet I organized back in December which included a spirited drive up to and through Harriman State Park. Successful group drives I have learned have several common denominators:
1. The rout to be driven has to be clearly mapped out and a copy of such be handed out to ALL participants. This rout / road plan is to be strictly followed except for extenuating circumstances and unforeseen road conditions.
2. All cars are to line up single file behind the lead/pace car and no passing is to be allowed unless conditions permit (no traffic, non residential roads, etc., yet the pace / lead car is not to be passed. Also, the pace car is to contain or be driven by the event coordinator, or that person which knows the rout best. The lead car sets the general pace of the drive. For example on the Harriman State Park meet, we drove from Edgewater, NJ to Rockland county , NY which is over 30 miles on the Palisades Parkway and did'nt lose a single driver and averaged a speed of 70 MPH.
3. There should be persons with 2 way radios (talkabouts, etc) in the drive, there should be at the bare minimum 2 persons with radios, the lead car and the pace car; pace car is to radio back road conditions / hazards and upcoming turns and the such, tail car is responsible to keep the pack together and not lose anyone. We lost allot of people at the Kensico Dam meet right from the start due to over aggressive drivers and the lead pack not waiting for the tail pack of cars. There should also be several Radios if possible interspersed within the group.
4. Slower cars up front, more powerful cars at the rear.
5. AVOID residential roads at all means when possible.
I by all means am not one to lecture to fellow drivers; all I am concerned for is our safety, the safety of those around us, and for us to have a good time. We can all learn from these experiences and make future meets more fun, less frustrating, and more "team" oriented, we will have meets in the future that will include track time, and autocross type of events, all interpersonal "challenges" or "showing off" of talent or equipment should be displayed there, or on the personal time of those persons.
I humbly thank you all for letting me express my views and for reading this long post. I look forward to seeing you all safely in the future, keep your eyes peeled for future NYCMAAG event postings!!
Alex Estrada
Co-moderator for the NYCMAAG.
05-13-2001, 09:15 AM
#5
I too follow these rules when organizing a group drive.
On our drive to Hairpin Turn, we had a lead car and a cabbose car. Both had radios. The lead person was the one that knew the route and the cabbose was me the organizer. There were a few spots when other cars would get in the middle and leaf storm hit. I would signal and the lead would slow or stop. The object was to be together. If someone didn't want to go faster, that is fine, we would adjust. The point is not to go as fast as each individual but as a group and to have fun. Don't get bummed because someone isn't going fast enough for you, enjoy the ride, enjoy the company and enjoy all the stares as the group goes by. I see several people on the side of the road with a glazed stare on their face as the count the number of cars in the pack. Much better than the stare of someone passing an accident scene.
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