even at a more than reasonable distance behind a truck on the highway, sh1t can still go wrong
05-08-2007, 11:19 AM
#16
I don't mean to lecture, but you'd be surprised what you'd learn from a car control school
Things like where you look when you're driving (and how far ahead), always leaving yourself at least one 'out', being more aware of what's going on around you -- those don't come overnight, but there's a huge difference between people who've done several clinics or track events and people who haven't, and that difference isn't just in knowing how to go fast or the proper line through a corner.
Again, I don't mean to lecture, and nobody's immune from incidents on the road. But as a wise man (Uncle Bill at Watkins Glen) likes to say, "If a meteor hits your car, that's an accident. Anything else is driver error."
Again, I don't mean to lecture, and nobody's immune from incidents on the road. But as a wise man (Uncle Bill at Watkins Glen) likes to say, "If a meteor hits your car, that's an accident. Anything else is driver error."
05-08-2007, 08:52 PM
#20
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Yes, in rush hour. You could have *gently* nudged an adjacent car to get out of the way,
let the tire debris go by, and then returned to your previous spot. Make sure you look past the debris or you might get into "target fixation" mode and smash right into it.
At most, as long as your inputs were real smooth (you learn this from track days), you might just need to get some polishing compound for a door or two for rubbing the car next to you.
I also highly recommend rolling down the window of the side that is making contact so you can explain to the driver of the other car that you are in the Yellow or Red run group, not to panic, and that this is all part of your accident avoidance plan. If the other driver freaks out and swerves, you're screwed. Then it doesn't matter how smooth you are. You may as well be a Green run group student. Not good.
I know, it's a lot to think about, but if you look far enough ahead, you really can plan all of this in advance. It helps to have a megaphone handy on the passenger seat in case you have to yell out the passenger side window. That's a lot of wind noise you'll be competing with. But if you're nudging the car to your left, then you can skip the bullhorn part.
At most, as long as your inputs were real smooth (you learn this from track days), you might just need to get some polishing compound for a door or two for rubbing the car next to you.
I also highly recommend rolling down the window of the side that is making contact so you can explain to the driver of the other car that you are in the Yellow or Red run group, not to panic, and that this is all part of your accident avoidance plan. If the other driver freaks out and swerves, you're screwed. Then it doesn't matter how smooth you are. You may as well be a Green run group student. Not good.
I know, it's a lot to think about, but if you look far enough ahead, you really can plan all of this in advance. It helps to have a megaphone handy on the passenger seat in case you have to yell out the passenger side window. That's a lot of wind noise you'll be competing with. But if you're nudging the car to your left, then you can skip the bullhorn part.