Driver training
Discussion
I’d like to get some driver training and wondered what others have done. I have done a few track days in my Griff 500 and have had tuition at each day. I’m beginning to understand what the car can do but I’m finding that the speeds have risen to a point where if things go awry, everything all happens so fast that I’m running a real risk of smashing my car (not good)
So are there courses that could teach me more about handling on the limit without having to be going quite so fast? Perhaps a tighter circuit or in a car that isn’t quite as capable as the Griff? I enjoy the speed but would rather have more experience under my belt so that when I am out of shape on a track on a fast bend, I can react more instinctively rather than having to learn a new technique for the first time at over 100 mph!
Any recommendations? I am in Devon so lower part of the country would be best.
So are there courses that could teach me more about handling on the limit without having to be going quite so fast? Perhaps a tighter circuit or in a car that isn’t quite as capable as the Griff? I enjoy the speed but would rather have more experience under my belt so that when I am out of shape on a track on a fast bend, I can react more instinctively rather than having to learn a new technique for the first time at over 100 mph!
Any recommendations? I am in Devon so lower part of the country would be best.
www.1stlotus.co.uk is apparently great fun.. But in Essex....
try don palmer , don@driverdevelopment.co.uk
he specialises in 'beyond the limit'...which is what you need to be educated about...and especially good for wet weather stuff. You may have to travel eg to Bruntingthorpe proving ground, but that should not be the defining criterion. Good Luck !
he specialises in 'beyond the limit'...which is what you need to be educated about...and especially good for wet weather stuff. You may have to travel eg to Bruntingthorpe proving ground, but that should not be the defining criterion. Good Luck !
I've been thinking along exactly the same lines, and what I've decided to do is keep the TVR for TVRCC track days, where it's insured, and buy a track day car for, er, track days. The track day car won't be street legal, so it'll save on insurance, tax & MOT, and I'm planning to spend under £5K, so if I smack it, it's not *too* painful.
So, where have all the cheap Westfields gone?
So, where have all the cheap Westfields gone?
Thanks for the suggestion oldtimer. You obviously enjoyed it - do you feel the experience would make you faster and safer on the track? How long did the course last?
flying trotter - feedback would be much appreciated, thanks.
Zumbruk - I'd do the same if I thought I would use the track only car enough. I find it difficult just to do a few track days a year so yet another car would be a bit OTT.
>> Edited by GarryM on Monday 3rd November 14:41
flying trotter - feedback would be much appreciated, thanks.
Zumbruk - I'd do the same if I thought I would use the track only car enough. I find it difficult just to do a few track days a year so yet another car would be a bit OTT.
>> Edited by GarryM on Monday 3rd November 14:41
Hi GaryM....hopefully you will get the 'flying trotter' report hot off the press in next 24 hours...meantime the answer to questions you posed me. I think that trackdays are great and the more you do, the better you want to be. I am a 'safe' driver and had reached some kind of plateau where I was operating well within the limits of the car and not getting any better. I went out and pushed the envelope a bit more and was rewarded by a quick 'off' at speed high enough to do serious damage ( circa 120 ). Still not too sure what I did wrong....probably several things combined. Anyway, I made the blinding conclusion that some coaching in knowing where the limit was ( what it felt like ) and what to do about it would be good. Also felt that a track was not the best place to learn...bit too confined...and the instructor needed to be bloody good, not just a good driver/racer but someone who could switch the light on for enlightenment to take place.
A day with Don Palmer and 2 other students will cost 3395 and give you about 2 hours seat time, rest of time thinking about what you learn, watching and comparing notes with other students. I was lucky and got 1 on 1 undiluted attention but was worn out mentally and pretty tired at end of day...well I am old after all !
Oh yes, it doesn't matter too much what car you use, I was in a porsche 911 which can be a bit of a handfull, but any car can be persuaded to dance when asked
A day with Don Palmer and 2 other students will cost 3395 and give you about 2 hours seat time, rest of time thinking about what you learn, watching and comparing notes with other students. I was lucky and got 1 on 1 undiluted attention but was worn out mentally and pretty tired at end of day...well I am old after all !
Oh yes, it doesn't matter too much what car you use, I was in a porsche 911 which can be a bit of a handfull, but any car can be persuaded to dance when asked
Hi oldtimer. you have described my situation exactly! Enlightenment is definitley required!
I'm a bit surprised (with your added experience) you haven't worked out what happened when you had your "off". Funny now but my off was a fairly sick making experience at the time and I've been through it 100's of times in my head. I was with an instructor too! (poor bu**er!) I'm pretty sure I know what happened but need to confirm it and practice in a safer environment.
>> Edited by GarryM on Tuesday 4th November 14:01
you have described my situation exactly! Enlightenment is definitley required! I'm a bit surprised (with your added experience) you haven't worked out what happened when you had your "off". Funny now but my off was a fairly sick making experience at the time and I've been through it 100's of times in my head. I was with an instructor too! (poor bu**er!) I'm pretty sure I know what happened but need to confirm it and practice in a safer environment.
>> Edited by GarryM on Tuesday 4th November 14:01
well the old timer has set it out very well - I had one on one for as long as I wanted - the best thing to say IMHO is that its structured so it meets what you as an individual are seeking to achieve from the session and its not a formulaic process that Don goes through for each and every punter
We spent time talking through the physics that underpin the way that a vehicle performs and a lot of time making it work in practice - the end result (aside from being knackered and pretty motion sick !!)was a far better awareness of the pointers that flag up the margins of the limit and a range of revised techniques that assist me in managing the vehicle on (or perhaps more accurately - when in a real world and so far less safe environment - near to) that limit
I was amazed by just how well the steering and suspension is set up to cope with really hard treatment and it must be something else with the ACs suspension pack
I'm not a track nut and I don't have recent prang experience (SORRY TO HEAR THE REF'S OF OTHERS DIFFICULTIES)but I have had a host of vehicles that I felt I wasn't fully exploiting/could enjoy more fully - this has confirmed the wonders of the breadvan which is superb for tail out action ( in my hands to some extent and stunningly so when piloted by the maestro himself) - and I might well have a few plays on track next summer
But more than that I'm sure I'll feel able to enjoy "press-on" driving in a far safer way and so get more from performance car ownership whatever the current steed happens to be
I'm sure you'll have a great time - I hope it rains for you - I put in a decent 360 spin on lap 4 and with the tail out action and spins I'm a few mill's lower on tread depth !!!!!
Have fun...................
We spent time talking through the physics that underpin the way that a vehicle performs and a lot of time making it work in practice - the end result (aside from being knackered and pretty motion sick !!)was a far better awareness of the pointers that flag up the margins of the limit and a range of revised techniques that assist me in managing the vehicle on (or perhaps more accurately - when in a real world and so far less safe environment - near to) that limit
I was amazed by just how well the steering and suspension is set up to cope with really hard treatment and it must be something else with the ACs suspension pack
I'm not a track nut and I don't have recent prang experience (SORRY TO HEAR THE REF'S OF OTHERS DIFFICULTIES)but I have had a host of vehicles that I felt I wasn't fully exploiting/could enjoy more fully - this has confirmed the wonders of the breadvan which is superb for tail out action ( in my hands to some extent and stunningly so when piloted by the maestro himself) - and I might well have a few plays on track next summer
But more than that I'm sure I'll feel able to enjoy "press-on" driving in a far safer way and so get more from performance car ownership whatever the current steed happens to be
I'm sure you'll have a great time - I hope it rains for you - I put in a decent 360 spin on lap 4 and with the tail out action and spins I'm a few mill's lower on tread depth !!!!!
Have fun...................
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