In a message dated 12/8/01 11:11:14 PM Pacific Standard Time,
black94pgt@pacbell.net writes:
> while teaching beginning drivers, i notice that they aware they have lost
> control of the car MUCH later than i notice. i remember this myself when
> driving around sear's point a few years back, and my instructor suddenly
> saying "We're going off!". i was still happily looking for my apex.
>
Amen, James!!! Sometimes while watching a run, I can see a spin coming 2 or
3 slalom cones before it happens, and it's obvious that the driver is still
unaware that (s)he is in trouble. I've seen this from inside the car while
instructing, too.
I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the line my seat of the
pants feel got better. I used to think I was a slow learner, but now I get
the feel of a car (with the notable exception of Katie Kelly's Miata) much
faster. In '99, Derek and I changed the MR-2 more times than I care to think
about, including switching to Hoosiers in August, and changing the front
swaybar just before Nationals, and I managed to trophy in Topeka. I don't
think I could've done that 10 years prior. What I can't remember is how many
times that ability has come and gone in the 27 years I've been autocrossing.
Charlie
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