What is your relationship with "Speed"?
Discussion
RushDom said:
I feel exactly the same way as you! As a child I found roller coasters absolutely terrifying - I wouldn't go on them. Too fast, too scary...didn't understand how people found them exciting. I thought I was a bit of a wuss. Still not massively keen on them if I'm honest, although I will go on them.
However, years later when I did my first trackday, I discovered that the sensation of going incredibly fast whilst being in control of that speed was the most amazing feeling of all. It wasn't the speed itself that I hated, it was the lack of control...having those pedals and steering wheels in front of me made all the difference.
Never really found roller coasters scary, the changing forces could be enjoyable, but very predictable, only if there is a chance you could be flung out of your seat would it be scary. Big wheels I found scary, that bit just after going over the top where it feels like you could drift out from behind the bar, especially if you are rocking the chair too and time it so you tip right backwards and forwards.However, years later when I did my first trackday, I discovered that the sensation of going incredibly fast whilst being in control of that speed was the most amazing feeling of all. It wasn't the speed itself that I hated, it was the lack of control...having those pedals and steering wheels in front of me made all the difference.
On a track day it is that fine balance between staying in control and knowing the consequences of getting it wrong, then building the skills that allow you to recover from mistakes so you can push closer to your and the car's limits. Ultimately being able to stay in control and manage what happens when you exceed the car's limits gives me the buzz I'm after. Speed can just make it too dangerous to approach that point so it can be counterproductive if it is too easy to attain.
Interesting topic. I always say when skiing or snow boarding that I go as fast as I feel that I have a reasonable probability of being able to maintain control and stop without wiping out. For me speed is proportional to risk and to get that Adrenalin kick there has to be some risk.
Obviously there are times and places when taking a risk is completely inappropriate and other places where the speed required would be inappropriate (straight mway for example).
As an earlier contributor I also sail a dinghy and the thrill of being on the edge of control skimming over the water even though the absolute speed is less than 20mph is just as much as fun as driving on the limit on a track day. Similarly on a road bike I regularly hit speeds between 40-50mph on descents but the same level of adrenelin can be achieved at half that speed on a loose surface on the MTB. Generally speed is good until it goes wrong then it hurts!
Obviously there are times and places when taking a risk is completely inappropriate and other places where the speed required would be inappropriate (straight mway for example).
As an earlier contributor I also sail a dinghy and the thrill of being on the edge of control skimming over the water even though the absolute speed is less than 20mph is just as much as fun as driving on the limit on a track day. Similarly on a road bike I regularly hit speeds between 40-50mph on descents but the same level of adrenelin can be achieved at half that speed on a loose surface on the MTB. Generally speed is good until it goes wrong then it hurts!
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