Aggression/abuse in the pitlane - what to do?
Discussion
Yesterday (10 Nov) at Bedford was my second track day. Mrs NG and I had a great day out with some good friends and met some really nice people - good to meet a couple of PH'ers there, too.
One of the things I really enjoyed about the first track day I did was the atmosphere, both in the pits and on the track. Lots of like-minded people out to have fun. The day more than lived up to that memory, until the middle of the afternoon.
At Bedford, one can hire a garage in advance; those garages not hired are free to use by anyone else. Yesterday, just 2 groups had hired garages and the majority sat empty for the whole day. After an enjoyable set of laps, I returned to the pits bouyant and looking forward to a passenger ride in a friend's car. In my eagerness to get parked up so that we could swap cars, I inadvertantly parked in front of one of the reserved garages. That was totally my fault.
After 4 laps with my friend, we returned to the pits and I noticed some guys stood around my car. As I wandered across to it, I picked up on their mutterings about the car parked in front of their garage. The guys concerned had brought a gaggle of old Supras with them (a couple marked as being from DRK Supras). I immediately saw the 'reserved' sign I had missed earlier and apologised profusely, feeling like a bit of a plonker, before jumping in to move the car.
I wasn't prepared for their reaction, though. What ensued as I was getting in to the car, in front of my friends and my wife was a tirade of swearing and personal abuse. I continued to apologise, but got nothing but more aggressive language and taunting. Concious that I am no fighter and that the abuse was upsetting my wife, I moved the car along the pitlane (with further abuse as I drove away). I was shocked and tried to put the incident to the back of my mind to get the best out of the rest of the day (easier said than done).
This was all totally out of character with the atmosphere I was hoping for and had enjoyed thus far. It really took the edge off the day and is the bit of the day that always springs to mind (rather than some of the great people, great cars or fun driving). I would be fascinated to hear is anyone else has experienced anything like this before (or yesterday, particularly at the hands of this group). There is no way any of my friends or I will be attending another trackday if I see the same Supra(s) on the bookings list. Absolutely no way.
One of the things I really enjoyed about the first track day I did was the atmosphere, both in the pits and on the track. Lots of like-minded people out to have fun. The day more than lived up to that memory, until the middle of the afternoon.
At Bedford, one can hire a garage in advance; those garages not hired are free to use by anyone else. Yesterday, just 2 groups had hired garages and the majority sat empty for the whole day. After an enjoyable set of laps, I returned to the pits bouyant and looking forward to a passenger ride in a friend's car. In my eagerness to get parked up so that we could swap cars, I inadvertantly parked in front of one of the reserved garages. That was totally my fault.
After 4 laps with my friend, we returned to the pits and I noticed some guys stood around my car. As I wandered across to it, I picked up on their mutterings about the car parked in front of their garage. The guys concerned had brought a gaggle of old Supras with them (a couple marked as being from DRK Supras). I immediately saw the 'reserved' sign I had missed earlier and apologised profusely, feeling like a bit of a plonker, before jumping in to move the car.
I wasn't prepared for their reaction, though. What ensued as I was getting in to the car, in front of my friends and my wife was a tirade of swearing and personal abuse. I continued to apologise, but got nothing but more aggressive language and taunting. Concious that I am no fighter and that the abuse was upsetting my wife, I moved the car along the pitlane (with further abuse as I drove away). I was shocked and tried to put the incident to the back of my mind to get the best out of the rest of the day (easier said than done).
This was all totally out of character with the atmosphere I was hoping for and had enjoyed thus far. It really took the edge off the day and is the bit of the day that always springs to mind (rather than some of the great people, great cars or fun driving). I would be fascinated to hear is anyone else has experienced anything like this before (or yesterday, particularly at the hands of this group). There is no way any of my friends or I will be attending another trackday if I see the same Supra(s) on the bookings list. Absolutely no way.
Edited by NoisyGriff on Sunday 11th November 12:15
I spoke to the owner of the white supra quite a bit, he seemed like a nice guy! Loved your grif on the track!!!!! Looked super sweet, forget it and move on! Looks like the supra owners had enough troubles anyways, probably just looking for someone to take it out on and you ambled across it!
Brando said:
I spoke to the owner of the white supra quite a bit, he seemed like a nice guy! Loved your grif on the track!!!!! Looked super sweet, forget it and move on! Looks like the supra owners had enough troubles anyways, probably just looking for someone to take it out on and you ambled across it!
I know I should have said something there and then, but I was genuinely concerned that me or the car would come to some harm if I caused tham any hassle.It's good to hear that the that guy was ok - hopefully I ended up bumping into the 'bad apples'.
I never had any problems on the track with the Supras, although I did give them a wide berth after this incident. Had there been any aggression on the track, I'd have been straight to the organisers. How does the saying go? "Names will never hurt me, but ramming my car off at the first hairpin is a bit our of order."
The Griffith was just gorgeous, which really made me miss mine. I was there in a black M3 (going backwards a couple of times). (ETA - that Mazda goes well, doesn't it?)
Edited by NoisyGriff on Sunday 11th November 13:13
My 5? It's just a stock 130bhp 1.8. Prolly running at 110bhp with 70k km on the clock 
. Needs some driver upgrades
Avoid supras and parking in front of garages at the next track day and forget it. No need for people to get aggressive like that, especially if you have apologised. Nothing more you can do apart from learn and move on!
. Needs some driver upgrades Avoid supras and parking in front of garages at the next track day and forget it
. No need for people to get aggressive like that, especially if you have apologised. Nothing more you can do apart from learn and move on!Edited by Brando on Sunday 11th November 14:32
Funnily enough I had a chap lean into my car as I parked up and he gave me quite a tirade of abuse for nearly killing him on track (wasn't the Supra drivers).
He was furious and f'ing and blinding at me etc.
I gave it a couple of minutes and went and had a chat with him and we had a more civil conversation about it. I had no recollection of the incident that he was describing but apologising profusely seemed to calm the situation and we parted on better terms.
Later in the afternoon I spoke to my passenger at the time of the alleged incident (just some random bloke who asked for a ride!) and he had no recollection of it either.
I'm now convinced that they mistook my car for another and it was nothing to do with me.
Guilty or not I'm glad I cleared the air with him as events like this can marr the day and there's no need for it.
I was parked next to the Supra crowd for most of the day and wouldn't have predicted them behaving like that towards you.
He was furious and f'ing and blinding at me etc.
I gave it a couple of minutes and went and had a chat with him and we had a more civil conversation about it. I had no recollection of the incident that he was describing but apologising profusely seemed to calm the situation and we parted on better terms.
Later in the afternoon I spoke to my passenger at the time of the alleged incident (just some random bloke who asked for a ride!) and he had no recollection of it either.
I'm now convinced that they mistook my car for another and it was nothing to do with me.
Guilty or not I'm glad I cleared the air with him as events like this can marr the day and there's no need for it.
I was parked next to the Supra crowd for most of the day and wouldn't have predicted them behaving like that towards you.
Always pays to sit and think about things for a bit before confronting someone who has, in your view done an injustice. I got pretty pi55ed off with one of the 'pay for a flying lap' caterham drivers at Cadwell a while back, he followed me into the gooseneck where we caught up with about 5 or 6 slower cars. I had pulled out to overtake down the hill(straight bit) but realising there was no room pulled back in to wait my turn, the arrogant t055er behind blasted straight thro, no room to pull back in forcing an inexperienced driver off the track at mansfield bend. I remember shouting obceneties into my helmet as i tried to recatch himfor the rest of the lap before pulling in with the intention of marching down to the paddock and telling him my opinion!! But after counting to ten and a deep breath i thought a word to the oranisers was a better option, and infact even that didnt seem necesary after a few mins . To much caffine maybe
ul mate. i had a similar problem at snetterton recently. an on-track incident occurred. when i returned to the garage, the other person came over to me, just as i was getting out of the car and told me that he thought the 'shaking of my head' was rude. we gave each other our own 'version of events'. it soon became apparent that this person felt 'very' aggrieved that i had shaken my head at him and was definitely looking for trouble. all i wanted to do was get away from this person, but where ever i went he followed me, insisting i had been 'rude' to him. so i say to him that i dont want any trouble and would he please leave me alone....oh no, he had to carry on following me around the paddock calling me a 'tw*t' and several other names I can't repeat, for a few minutes; all this in front of my 10 year old daughter and her aunt, who was looking out for her. when i told her that this 'w*****r' (bear in mind he'd called me rude names for the best part of 5 minutes) wouldn't stop following me around, he came over to me, gives me a hefty shove and told me that if I referred to him again like that, "he'd lay me out on the ground".
So I go to the organiser, thinking this person has just ended his own trackday with the 'physical' in the paddock, because every trackday organiser I've been with has specified in the briefing that any altercations will not be tolerated and that you'd be on your way. Turns out the organiser and this bloke have been at it for a few years. The organiser implied that this person would never do such an act, despite witnesses, and if he had, he'd be on his way. So I figure I'll be on my way and stat to pack up, when the bloke comes over and very quickly, but genuinely, apologises to us all.
Well, fair play i reckon and good on him for that. But the organiser effectively implied I was a liar. Of the dozen or so days I've done, MSV and Circuit Days gave very clear briefings, Javelin didn't. Ironic that the two days I've done with Javelin, there have been several accidents, whereas with the many days I have done with MSV and Circuit Days, there has been only one.
Some organisers are better suited to some people's needs than others!
So I go to the organiser, thinking this person has just ended his own trackday with the 'physical' in the paddock, because every trackday organiser I've been with has specified in the briefing that any altercations will not be tolerated and that you'd be on your way. Turns out the organiser and this bloke have been at it for a few years. The organiser implied that this person would never do such an act, despite witnesses, and if he had, he'd be on his way. So I figure I'll be on my way and stat to pack up, when the bloke comes over and very quickly, but genuinely, apologises to us all.
Well, fair play i reckon and good on him for that. But the organiser effectively implied I was a liar. Of the dozen or so days I've done, MSV and Circuit Days gave very clear briefings, Javelin didn't. Ironic that the two days I've done with Javelin, there have been several accidents, whereas with the many days I have done with MSV and Circuit Days, there has been only one.
Some organisers are better suited to some people's needs than others!
Some chap gave me an earful from a distance at donnington in march,he had been driving like a knob all day and he seemed to think I had forced him off the track??? I had taken to the grass to avoid him spinning! He and his chav mates-punto turbos,chavved up saxo etc gave it loads down the pits,at which point I headed their way to point out what really happened at which point they all retreated in to the garage. It was out of order really as there were plenty of people about,I would kick them out if i was organising these days,no place for it.
Thanks, guys, for the input. "A problem shared...", and all that.
I'm grown up enough to let the abuse bounce off, but the 2 things that annoy me are that they upset my wife and that this is the abiding memory of the day. I guess that will all wear off, but then I can't help feeling that they will do the same to someone else or, even worse, carry that attitude onto the track eventually. It is worth pointing out, though, that it was not the whole group that were involved.
As for the organisation of the day, I thought it was top notch, especially the brief at the start - I'd happily do another Bookatrack day. I can imagine, though, how a badly planned day could turn into chaos pretty sharpish.
Ted - the GT3 looked awesome. I didn't want to put you out by asking for a passenger seat, but I would dearly love the chance next time (in return for some sort of pie, clearly) if that's ok. As for irritating someone, I can't imagine that - I got in your way plenty of times and you never forced your way past. There were a couple of other white GT3s there - not that I saw anything untoward from them, either. Maybe it's a perception thing.
As for the Supras' performance, it seemed to vary a fair bit. There was one (with black wheels) that seemed to go really well. The others were quick in a straight line, but struggled on the brakes, often smoking them into the hairpins. I guessed that they had been tweaked under the bonnet, but the brakes had been left as is.
I'm grown up enough to let the abuse bounce off, but the 2 things that annoy me are that they upset my wife and that this is the abiding memory of the day. I guess that will all wear off, but then I can't help feeling that they will do the same to someone else or, even worse, carry that attitude onto the track eventually. It is worth pointing out, though, that it was not the whole group that were involved.
As for the organisation of the day, I thought it was top notch, especially the brief at the start - I'd happily do another Bookatrack day. I can imagine, though, how a badly planned day could turn into chaos pretty sharpish.
Ted - the GT3 looked awesome. I didn't want to put you out by asking for a passenger seat, but I would dearly love the chance next time (in return for some sort of pie, clearly) if that's ok. As for irritating someone, I can't imagine that - I got in your way plenty of times and you never forced your way past. There were a couple of other white GT3s there - not that I saw anything untoward from them, either. Maybe it's a perception thing.
As for the Supras' performance, it seemed to vary a fair bit. There was one (with black wheels) that seemed to go really well. The others were quick in a straight line, but struggled on the brakes, often smoking them into the hairpins. I guessed that they had been tweaked under the bonnet, but the brakes had been left as is.
Always happy to share the fun so please do feel free to come over next time.
The chap out with me at the time of the 'incident' was the friend of someone in the pitlane who just stopped me when I came in from one session and asked it I'd take his mate out for a lap.
Hope to see you on another Bookatrack day. I tend to stick to MSV, Goldtrack & Bookatrack events as I've always been very happy with they way they're run. Always a good atmosphere too.
The chap out with me at the time of the 'incident' was the friend of someone in the pitlane who just stopped me when I came in from one session and asked it I'd take his mate out for a lap.
Hope to see you on another Bookatrack day. I tend to stick to MSV, Goldtrack & Bookatrack events as I've always been very happy with they way they're run. Always a good atmosphere too.
EDLT said:
You've never been kicked in the bo
ocks I take it?
To be fair to Alec, he didn't say where he was wearing his helmet. ocks I take it?Again, thanks for the thoughts. A couple of nights' sleep has done wonders and the happy memories of the day are starting to flood back (going backwards off the fast chicane in the middle of the straight right in front of the Focus ST that had let us past is one. My passenger had the capacity to wave to the Focus while we were still doing something like 60mph facing the wrong way on the grass. We got a wave back and I made a couple of friends chatting with the Focus' occupants in the pits.
Thank god for the Armco-less Bedford Autodrome.
Blimey my blood is boiling at the thought of this one, you did something a bit daft but appologised etc & if it was so bad they could have easily got you car out the way with a few lads & trolly jacks or for a soft top or unlocked car it could just be pushed out the way.
I've been blocked in a pit garage before, me & lads moved it, owner came back appologised I accepted no harm done etc. I'm more often than not an act & then think afterwards sort of clod, so I'd no doubt have done something silly & put mr mouthy on his ar$e if he continued, could turn out to be a nightmere with me banned from that trackday organisers events or given a slapping by all his mates who knows what could happen without being there, but either way there is no way I could have been so calm.
1234567810 and breath pheew!
I've been blocked in a pit garage before, me & lads moved it, owner came back appologised I accepted no harm done etc. I'm more often than not an act & then think afterwards sort of clod, so I'd no doubt have done something silly & put mr mouthy on his ar$e if he continued, could turn out to be a nightmere with me banned from that trackday organisers events or given a slapping by all his mates who knows what could happen without being there, but either way there is no way I could have been so calm.
1234567810 and breath pheew!
Noisygriff:
"Agression in the pitlane - what to do" - easy answer: Tell one of the BAT staff asap
I am really sorry and shocked to hear you had this happen. I was one of the Bookatrack Staff at the pit lane. had no idea of any pit lane quarrels or issues. Most of you looked to be having a great day, and a lot of people came over to say how much fun they had too.
I would always stress that at the first sign of a problem of any kind to approach one of us (we don't bite)
This is said in the briefing.
secondly, the supra owners should have come to me with their issue before they got too 'heated' and i would have helped to find the owner of the car blocking them in from our drivers list - problem would be solved quicker that way. your report of their behavior sounds like they were acting in a completely unacceptable manner, and this is not tolerated by BAT, but we were not made aware of this.
I will make Jonny (BAT) aware of this thread.
I hope this didn't spoil you day too much
Jo
"Agression in the pitlane - what to do" - easy answer: Tell one of the BAT staff asap
I am really sorry and shocked to hear you had this happen. I was one of the Bookatrack Staff at the pit lane. had no idea of any pit lane quarrels or issues. Most of you looked to be having a great day, and a lot of people came over to say how much fun they had too.
I would always stress that at the first sign of a problem of any kind to approach one of us (we don't bite
)This is said in the briefing.
secondly, the supra owners should have come to me with their issue before they got too 'heated' and i would have helped to find the owner of the car blocking them in from our drivers list - problem would be solved quicker that way. your report of their behavior sounds like they were acting in a completely unacceptable manner, and this is not tolerated by BAT, but we were not made aware of this.
I will make Jonny (BAT) aware of this thread.
I hope this didn't spoil you day too much
Jo
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