The Volvo driver is Dick Bishop, and everyone should watch his runs, even
from outside that big highway cruiser, it's very instructional. Pay
attention, class!
And a star for Jake right on his forehead! :) :)
Retired teacher, Pat K
----------
>From: "Jake Hodges" <jake_hodges@hotmail.com>
>To: ba-autox@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: SFR rule
>Date: Thu, Nov 15, 2001, 6:05 PM
>
>Someone mentioned they wanted to hear a Novice's opinion on the topic.
>Well, I'm a novice and I have an opinion, although it's totally unrelated
>and cannot further this discussion in any way whatsoever other than to make
>it drag on for at least six more posts as more knowledgeable folks rightly
>dismiss it as not being relevant.
>
>I've never ridden before my runs because I feel like it's sneaky. Now,
>being sneaky isn't in and of itself a sin, but it doesn't feel good to me.
>
>The few rides I've taken have been instrumental in the continued existence
>of tread on my tires. And the more I've learned, the more valuable they've
>been. My last ride with a certain fantastic driver (who pilots his Volvo
>S80 to greater heights than the Scandinavian sofa-mobile should rightly
>attain, and certainly to faster times than my zippy Honda will ever yield
>with me at the helm) taught me worlds about how to handle a car. (Other
>novices: Did you know it simply can't go full speed around corners? What
>an eye-opener for me!)
>
>Here's my complaint regarding the issue. When I'm two cars away from that
>green flag and thinking about the course, and someone strolls up to my
>inviting convertible and asks for a ride. I feel rude to say no, but
>regardless of how innocent and polite and appreciative and quiet and
>motionless they can stay, having another person in the car is distracting to
>me. Perhaps when I "know what I'm doing" it will be easier, but for now it
>kind of takes my mind off what I'm doing and put it squarely on "this
>person, no matter how nice, adds roughly [doing math] 14% of my car's curb
>weight to it's already bloated carcass." See how in the time you've taken
>to read that I've screwed up three critical corners which got me on to the
>straight wide and 1400 rpms lower than I where I should have been, so far
>out of VTEC that I might as well spin the car with the e-brake and drive the
>upcoming slalom in reverse?
>
>I know it's my own fault, and I wish I could give everyone a ride and let
>them drive my car and drive their cars all day and we could all get drinks
>together afterwards and then do it some more, again and again, dizzy with
>glee, but the frustrating fact is that I'm going to get less than three
>minutes on the "classroom" for my $25, and I really want to make them count.
>
>That's the hardest thing for an excited novice (well, for me anyway). It
>seems like so LONG until the next event. And the runs seem so SHORT! MUST
>DRIVE FASTER! MUST DRIVE FASTER!
>
>Have I mentioned that I love each and every one of you? I do.
>
>_________________________________________________________________
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