Interesting day today. Was supposed to be ragging my car around Cadwell today. But yesterday my car had to be jump started. Wasn't sure if it was battery, alternator, short journeys or starter motor. Drove it around for 100 miles (had to be somewhere and took it the long route) to charge the battery, and it would start again. However getting up in the morning it needed to be jump started again. Pretty sure it's starter motor.

Went to fill up with petrol, turned the engine off (after a 20 mile drive) but it wouldn't start again.

Got a friend to come jump start me, but meant I missed the first drivers briefing at cadwell. Went there anyway, and decided to hire a caterham to get my fix of track action. It was going well, the car was great, although I got black flagged twice for leaking fuel! But it was quickly sorted both times. Then just before lunch I found a patch of BaT CAT 2 specific diesel. Well lets face it, every single accident that's ever posted here as been because of a transient patch of slippery surface

Only joking. Was going to pass someone on the approach to gooseneck, ran a touch wide and got a rear wheel on the grass, entirely my fault. Got car back in control but was in 4th gear when went on grass. Couldn't quite get enough control to get it back on the track and hit the tyre wall. Cue Red Flag, but as it was 12:25 and lunch was 12:30, all I did was call an early lunch.

Managed to damage front wing, rear wing and rear panel on the caterham. The only consolation is that if I'd have damaged my car the repair bill for the same situation would have been HUGE. As it is, I think it won't be too bad.

I'm fine though, and whilst my ego is slightly bruised, I know how it happened, and how to avoid it happening again. It was just a small error. Do I think anyone could have recovered without an impact in that situation? Maybe. But not most people. Would driver training have helped, yes, but only rally training as the grass was damp.

So it could have been a lot worse than it is. Ah well. Hopefully I'll get a contract soon so I can be back on track again.

 

so you trashed a rented track car? if so then if you are going to explore and go past the limits then do it the right way

 

It's not that badly damaged. It was drivable, I drove it back to the pits. It's mostly cosmetic, but it'll be a day or two before I find the full extent of the damage.

Always a shame to bend metal, but at the end of the day it's just metal.

And annoyingly, it wasn't really past my limits I didn't put a rear wheel on the grass because I was sliding, I just mis, positioned my car on the road. Cadwell's pretty tight, and the edges are uneven. It's not an excuse, but helps to explain it better.

 

I thought you were supposed to be good?

 

You ****ed up, we all do it

Would they not let you on in the S because you were late?

 

Sorry to hear that Mark.

How much is it going to cost you?

These things happen and it sounds like you have delt with it as such.

Good luck getting the S2000 fixed.Will you be at Rockingham?

Nick

PS: It will be a long time (read never) before we let you forget this!

 

Bad luck mate

IIRC BaT CATs have a large excess on repairs

Edit
[QUOTE]
Accidents: In the event of an accident the excess liability is always with the driver and not the purchaser

 

Bad luck; but if you didn't fark it up now & again, you'd never learn anything. Partly because it teaches one a bit of humility.

Success is 99% failure, as a famous Japanese man was fond of saying.

I cannot imagine the repairs should be that expensive.

 

Bugger, you have to pay for repairs!

 

[QUOTE=jonsey77,Feb 10 2008, 05:45 PM]I thought you were supposed to be good?