[s-cars] Kids and cars, vol II - which vehicle dynamics course?

[Evan Levine]

I couldn't agree with Pizzo more. I grew up a young boy in New Hampshire
with my Audi 90 and through my fathers teaching and my own
less-than-responsible play in the snow I feel I learned a great deal about
car control. My first time in an HPDE up at Virginia Intl Raceway - both on
the skidpad and track, I was amazed at how similarly the car at high speed
over pavement felt to the way it did on snow and ice at half the speed. It
was actually relatively comfortable in comparison.

 On 10/13/05, Joe Pizzimenti <joe.pizzimenti at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> For spinning, car control and sliding, I don't think you could do any
> better
> than a winter driving school, whether it be at Steamboat Springs,
> Colorado,
> Team O'Neill in NH or any other low traction situation. You learn more in
> that environment about car control than on a high speed track if only due
> to
> the fact that you can experiment more with traction loss and
> experimentation
> at low speed with less risk than trying to trailing throttle oversteer and
> not hit a concrete barrier instead of a nice, soft, forgiving snowbank.
>
> Joe
>
> On 10/12/05, Ian Duff <iduff at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > Wow, am I glad I started this thread!
> >
> > Here's a thought. The F-150 is for the first short while, when my
> daughter
> > is almost certain to be in some sort of fender-bender. My informal
> survey
> > of
> > new drivers assures me that almost every new driver has a bodywork
> > experience within the first few weeks of driving. The Jetta she will buy
> > to
> > replace the F-150 will do two things. First, it will put her into a much
> > safer vehicle, for both her and for those with whom she shares the road.
> > Second, it will get me a nice beater F-150 with which to visit Home
> Depot
> > and haul lobster pots. I'm tired of cleaning up after doing this in the
> S6
> > Avant.
> >
> > Something else I'm trying to figure out is which vehicle dynamics course
> > to
> > take with her. She needs to learn how to control a car, and spinning and
> > sliding with expert instruction is the best way to learn this. So, whose
> > course? Skippy? Bondurant? Jim Russell? Some other ace (although isn't
> > "ace"
> > spelled with two esses?)?
> >
> > So, to boil it down, the F-150 will stand her in good stead while she
> > learns
> > vehicle separation and anticipation. The vehicle dynamics course will
> > teach
> > her how to learn avoidance and active safety. The Jetta SHE WILL BUY
> WITH
> > HER OWN MONEY will allow her to practice these lessons, to her benefit,
> as
> > she moves fully into the automotive world.
> >
> > I stand by my earlier F-150 choice. I have no budget for a Neue Beetle,
> > nor
> > for a disposable Ovlov 240, when I will inherit a slightly dinged F-150
> in
> > fairly short order, from a thankful, considerate and still healthy
> > daughter.
> >
> > -Ian Duff.
> >
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> >
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