The guys who lack the experience to realize that this kind of thing can happen to anyone crack me up. Fact is, they're the stupid ones. Their smack talk and arrogance is nothing if not proof of their foolishness and inexperience. People who think they are great drivers, never really are. They're just dumb.

 

 

[QUOTE=thebig33tuna,Jun 6 2008, 09:04 AM]

 

To me, this is an ignorant post.

If you think this isn't a high-performance car, then you don't know how to drive it. The fact is, this is a purpose built machine that can be so sensitive to driver input at times, resulting in (to the inexperienced) unexpected results. Conversely, the same inputs refined and better applied can give you outstanding results beyond 90+% of the other road cars out there. You aren't going to learn how to drive well on public streets, and you aren't going to learn the physics of driving by being behind the wheel in traffic.

I wasn't there when OP crashed so this isn't in his defense, but what you call stupidity, I call being uninformed and unaware of the feedback and abilities of his car. Get in a controlled environment and let someone with the knowledge convey it, then attempt to put it to use. Are driving instructors perfect? No. I had one that spun out in my car, with me in it. Was it stupidity that he spun? Debatable, but I say no. It was his ignorance of the limits of the car. Basically, with just a little bit more seat time, that instructor would almost undoubtedly be a better driver than me that day - after I had already owned the car for over a year.

 

[QUOTE=MikeyCB,Jun 6 2008, 04:01 PM]To me, this is an ignorant post.

If you think this isn't a high-performance car, then you don't know how to drive it.

 

Typically, a "skills day" class (slalom, braking, cornering, skid pad, accident avoidence) will cost under $100.

A class involving a racetrack will typically be $200-300.

These are for classes taught by the car clubs (BMWCCA, PCA, etc.).

 

Yeah, see the FAQ in the PacNW forum on "2008 Track Info". I recommend the PCA driver skills days especially because they have so many.

There's also a 2-day track school in Spokane next month. $450 or so for two days on the track with instructors. That's an excellent deal.

 

Hi Mike.

I've got to throw in a plug for the Evolution schools. Evo P1, P2, and P3.

You are obviously more up to speed on the range of available schools than myself ... Are their currently any schools that focus on improving skills in the interest of improving one's ability to handle emergencies and avoid accidents? As you know I designed one of the first such courses, and it turned out to be extremely effective (statistically), and IMO that's actually the kind of thing that could provide the greatest benefit for the largest number of drivers. Is anyone still doing that kind of school?

 

LOL, around here the PCA members come to the SCCA for their schooling.

 

OP, any word from your insurance? As RedMX5 has said, you may want to look around at other companies too in case AllState drops you. Or get a fast estimate and see how much damage there is. I think you should be able to get out with under 4 grand of damage; in which case it may be worth it to just fork out the repair cost.

When you get the thing repaired, check out your local police departments too. Sometimes they offer civilian driving courses subsidized by taxpayers. Just another alternative to the big name driving schools.

I don't know where you're from OP, but for those in the Bay Area, http://sheriffacademy.com/classes/evoc/civ...afety/class.htm
They're really top notch guys and do great work. I took the motorcycle course with them and we got to see the driving training, which looked impressive.

And OP, stuff happens. Look on the brightside, you only hit a curb and it's a relatively minor fix in the big scheme of things. No one got hurt. Analyze what happened, learn from it, and move on better prepared for the future.