LADY ONLY TRACKDAYS?
Discussion
Interesting concept!
My missus, Steph, did a session at KH last year in my Impreza. She went out with an instructor and span twice before giving up. Speaking to her, she was preoccupied by traffic behind - and I reckon that was why she went off.
Easy for me to say; "forget what's behind ... concentrate on what's ahead" ... but the fact is she's the way she is.
Maybe an all female session would give her the confidence she needs.
I'd support getting something like this together at KH - although, I can see financing it and organising it being difficult.
Any others?
Cheers,
Eric
My missus, Steph, did a session at KH last year in my Impreza. She went out with an instructor and span twice before giving up. Speaking to her, she was preoccupied by traffic behind - and I reckon that was why she went off.
Easy for me to say; "forget what's behind ... concentrate on what's ahead" ... but the fact is she's the way she is.
Maybe an all female session would give her the confidence she needs.
I'd support getting something like this together at KH - although, I can see financing it and organising it being difficult.
Any others?
Cheers,
Eric
I know you look at this forum Steph, and I don't mean any disrespect ... so I'm working on the basis that you'll still cook my tea tonight ... 
I organised a lady's only "session" for about 20 minutes as part of one our Knockhill events about 4 years ago. It was just after the start of the event, and there was about 10 cars on track, mostly partners of other taking part.
Towards the end of the session, we allowed a few experienced drivers to join the track, to give experience of being caught/overtaken etc., but to the guys surprise, many of the ladys were now just as fast around the track and couldn't be caught
John
Towards the end of the session, we allowed a few experienced drivers to join the track, to give experience of being caught/overtaken etc., but to the guys surprise, many of the ladys were now just as fast around the track and couldn't be caught
John
I suspect the 'problem' - if such a thing exists - for ladies is self confidence - in this as in many other things. The advantage to sprints / hills is you are generally on the track alone, you are not going to balk anyone else, you do not have to worry about looking behind you, and you go at your own pace and build up accordingly - you can start slowly and then build up to the crescendo!
The disadvantage to speed events is the requirement to wear romper suits and the possible expense of buying them . I certainly would be willing to lend any 'larger' ladioes a shot with my overalls so they didn't have to buy any (or smaller ladies but they'd be swamped!!), and I'm sure given the camarederie that exists in our sport there'd be plenty of offers of overalls so people could have a go. Other than that you need a helmet and a licence - helmet easily borrowed / bought at lesser expense, and licence - £50ish from the MSA for a Nat B licence which will allow you to do any of the events.
I think the other big plus point for speed events particularly in Scotland is the family atmosphere that pervades. Someone referred to us once as being like a travelling circus, one big generally happy family of around 100 or so people. A lot of us are out most weekends, and I know for both David and I much of our social circle these days is motor sport people, purely and simply cos that's where we spend so much of our spare time, at weekends and organising etc during the week!
Final point - at last - there may be a misconception that a ladies only track day may be a little 'kinder' as "we're all girls together"... Believe me, some guys are bigger pussy cats than some ladies once said ladies get the hang of what they are doing - so a ladies only event may not be quite the peaceful haven being sought!!
The disadvantage to speed events is the requirement to wear romper suits and the possible expense of buying them . I certainly would be willing to lend any 'larger' ladioes a shot with my overalls so they didn't have to buy any (or smaller ladies but they'd be swamped!!), and I'm sure given the camarederie that exists in our sport there'd be plenty of offers of overalls so people could have a go. Other than that you need a helmet and a licence - helmet easily borrowed / bought at lesser expense, and licence - £50ish from the MSA for a Nat B licence which will allow you to do any of the events.
I think the other big plus point for speed events particularly in Scotland is the family atmosphere that pervades. Someone referred to us once as being like a travelling circus, one big generally happy family of around 100 or so people. A lot of us are out most weekends, and I know for both David and I much of our social circle these days is motor sport people, purely and simply cos that's where we spend so much of our spare time, at weekends and organising etc during the week!
Final point - at last - there may be a misconception that a ladies only track day may be a little 'kinder' as "we're all girls together"... Believe me, some guys are bigger pussy cats than some ladies once said ladies get the hang of what they are doing - so a ladies only event may not be quite the peaceful haven being sought!!
What a good idea! However, would such an event not fall foul of European law on grounds of sexual discrimination? Could our pet Pistonheads legal eagle advise without prejudice?
I for one wouldn't fancy having J Clyne or N Menzies looming up in my mirror ready to embarrass me at the hairpin!
I for one wouldn't fancy having J Clyne or N Menzies looming up in my mirror ready to embarrass me at the hairpin!
Like Adam said, Knockhill did run one two years ago now...I remember because it was the day after I picked my impreza up!
They ran it half cars half bikes.
I think there were only something like 7 cars on track though, and they said that with the lack of interest it would be unlikely to be run again
The best thing is just to keep going out on track and get more experience...I know that at first I was always preoccupied with what was coming up behind me....but now my car is fast enough that I'm doing the overtaking!
If you pick the right track days...you'll be on track with a good mix of people who aren't there to get in sticky situations
They ran it half cars half bikes.
I think there were only something like 7 cars on track though, and they said that with the lack of interest it would be unlikely to be run again
The best thing is just to keep going out on track and get more experience...I know that at first I was always preoccupied with what was coming up behind me....but now my car is fast enough that I'm doing the overtaking!
If you pick the right track days...you'll be on track with a good mix of people who aren't there to get in sticky situations
I think this is a great idea. My gf really want to take her new ( well mk1, but its new to her ! ) MX5 around KH. I would even let her take the tiv round, but she thinks there would be too much testosterone around.
Would it be viable to reduce the price of the next SIDC day John and put aside an hour for the ladies? Then they would pay for their hour and ensure neither KH or SIDC lost out on any wad. Afterall, the more people get into trackdays the better !
Would it be viable to reduce the price of the next SIDC day John and put aside an hour for the ladies? Then they would pay for their hour and ensure neither KH or SIDC lost out on any wad. Afterall, the more people get into trackdays the better !
Chimune said:
Would it be viable to reduce the price of the next SIDC day John and put aside an hour for the ladies? Then they would pay for their hour and ensure neither KH or SIDC lost out on any wad. Afterall, the more people get into trackdays the better !
It would probably be best as Adam suggests to have a couple of shorter sessions, rather than an hour non-stop, as that would be very tiring on both driver and car! I think we would need to get quite a high level of interest before it becomes practical/viable from a financial point of view. At the moment we just divide the track hire time by a number of slots, then allow a couple more to cover the costs of the intructor & wheel/tyre van and to cover any credits for cancellations. Think we actually made a very small loss at last one, but it generally all evens out over the course of the year.
For example, if we got 30 ladies interested, then it would cost around £40 each for the hour's total track time, but if there were only 10, then the cost would be about £120 each, which I can't imagine many willing to shell out for!
What we did the last time, was that everyone paid for the full event, and we had a 20 minute session early on for just the ladies. Many drove their partners cars which were booked on for the full event, but some did drive their own. The majority then enjoyed taking part in the rest of the session. It would probably be easier for us to do the same again, as there much less financial risk, and most of the guys wouldn't mind giving up 20 minutes of track time.
We couldn't do it for the next one on 28th July, as it's only a 3 hour session and is almost sold out (with a few seriously quick cars booked on!). Might be possible to do it for the 15th September, as we've got the usual 4 hour slot, but I'd need to let those who have already booked (18 so far) know about the possible changes.
The best option though, might be if we run another event later in the year (we usually manage to squeeze one in around end October/November) when there isn't so much pressure for track time, and we could give people a lot mroe notice.
Thoughts ?
John
All sounds good John,
I am sure that we can drum up enough interest throughout the various forums. Speaking personally, if there were limited numbers of ladies that are interested, I would be happy to pay the extra money to get my wife on the track, less people on the track may actually be a good thing for her!
Bob
I am sure that we can drum up enough interest throughout the various forums. Speaking personally, if there were limited numbers of ladies that are interested, I would be happy to pay the extra money to get my wife on the track, less people on the track may actually be a good thing for her!
Bob
Kiltie said:
Maybe an all female session would give her the confidence she needs.
I'd support getting something like this together at KH - although, I can see financing it and organising it being difficult.
Any others?
Aye, my partner did a KH organised ladies only night in my Elise a couple of years ago, and did very well as it was torrential rain on the night . . . very impressed I was . . . and I was in the pax seat . . .I'd support getting something like this together at KH - although, I can see financing it and organising it being difficult.
Any others?
However she would not mix it on a 'normal' track day . . . I think she sees it as far to aggressive (I'm sure she could be just as bad to be honest - but doesn't read here ;-)) . . .
I'd love for her to have another go . . . even have a go at a speed event, but it's not easy to convince her that going at her own pace is just fine . . . and she sees the caterham as something beyond her (which is is absolutely not) . . .
I'd also be interested in getting her involved in anything someone is organising.
Fd
fergusd said:
I'd love for her to have another go . . . even have a go at a speed event, but it's not easy to convince her that going at her own pace is just fine . . . and she sees the caterham as something beyond her (which is is absolutely not) . . .
Fergus - I'm competing at Doune and will be at Boyndie in some kind of non driving capacity - if you're at either of those events, drag your wife over to talk to me - I'll happily talk to her and she might believe another lady - I can also introduce her to another few ladies who've just started and were as nervous as she obviously is about making a fool of herself (which she won't!) Just don't blame me the first time she beats you ... Failing these events, definitely at one of the Fintray days, probably GAC Alford, definitely ADMC Alford, hopefully Golspie (entry permitting!), August double header Kames... can't think beyond those events!!
Broomsticklady said:
fergusd said:
I'd love for her to have another go . . . even have a go at a speed event, but it's not easy to convince her that going at her own pace is just fine . . . and she sees the caterham as something beyond her (which is is absolutely not) . . .
Fergus - I'm competing at Doune and will be at Boyndie in some kind of non driving capacity - if you're at either of those events, drag your wife over to talk to me - I'll happily talk to her and she might believe another lady - I can also introduce her to another few ladies who've just started and were as nervous as she obviously is about making a fool of herself (which she won't!) Just don't blame me the first time she beats you ... Failing these events, definitely at one of the Fintray days, probably GAC Alford, definitely ADMC Alford, hopefully Golspie (entry permitting!), August double header Kames... can't think beyond those events!!
Fd
Fd
Edited by fergusd on Sunday 10th June 19:11
Gassing Station | Scotland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff