i like everything on my pizza except carp and FRUIT!!!!!!!!

 

OK, sorry, but WTF? Anti track school? I'd love to take one!

I'm just stating very clearly that some (inferior) insurance companies do not cover track accidents. Nor do they cover Auto-X, another event I'm very positive about (I'm still trying to get Kara to take one). If you do an event like this, odds are you'll have no issues, but if you do, you might find yourself having to cover the cost of repairs - that's all I'm saying.

As for Paul - I believe he had Nationwide insurance, which covered him. Yay! I love Kermie and I'm happy that he was able to replace the car . If it had been me, I would NOT have been able to do the same. Due to my own little "racing fantasy" (nice dig, BTW), I totaled MY car, but since it happened on a public road, even my crap-tacular insurance covered us. If I'd had the same mechanical failure on Mid-Ohio or even on an Auto-X course, and the car got wrecked, I'd not have a MINI any more, period.

People are adults here, Chuck, but that doesn't mean that reminding people that not all insurance is equal has no value - I had no idea I would not be covered until someone else suggested I check on it. But that doesn't mean that I'm not all for anything and everyhting that makes all of us better drivers - quite the opposite in fact.

 

WTF indeed!

Every time the word track day or school pops up here in a thread you see fit to go off on your insurance won't cover ya band wagon. Yes we know & we are all adults who assume the risks we take. But this is laughable. Controlled speeds in the church parking lot. I'm guessing a person might hit second gear if they tried real hard. No competition & no flat out driving. That scares you?

Where's my umbrella? It's starting to rain on my parade again. - that's all I'm saying.

Crashing a car is bad everywhere, especially on public roads without the benefit of safety gear & first responders seconds away.

The point of the post was about self improvement & becoming a safer driver. That seems to have somehow been lost in the way I explained it. Insurance is important, but safe driving is even more so.

Just my .02.....

Motor on, safely.

 

When I was in Brazil they had all sorts of strange pizza's. I tried them all. Some were very tastey.

 

No no no - I totally agree - this is why I've been trying to get Kara into an Auto-X since day one.

I took a few motorcycle driving courses when I was younger (all on race-prepped bikes the school provided so there was no risk to my own bike) and I'm 100% sure that the investment saved my life more than once. I truly do believe that until you have felt your car at the limit of its traction (or beyond) that you have a much more likely chance of tensing up/freezing and getting into an accident. Track days, Auto-X and driving schools are all the safest ways I know of to experience the sensation safely (or safER anyway) so you know what to expect later on. Driving instructors will watch you as you drive and provide direct feedback - AWESOME!

However...

That does not change the fact that even a great driver (yes, like Paul) can have a mechanical failure and wreck. It happens. Tracks are very safe, so the likelihood of a real disaster that totals the car is rare. But obviously it CAN happen - all I was saying was "ask your insurance guy what you're covered for - you might be unpleasantly surprised". I know I was when we asked - imagine how much unhappier I would have been if I'd found out I wasn't covered from beside the wrecker. () If that makes me a jerk, then I guess I'm not sure what to say, other than I'm sorry you feel that way (I really am).

Let us know when you finalize the date(s), Chuck, so we can add it to the calendar.

 

No insurance will cover you on track. Anyone who thinks that isn't very sharp are they? That is one of the risks one takes & a very good reason to drive within ones own abilities. Be it on track or on the road. Life is full of risks. You make your choices & live with those choices.

These are our street cars & not race cars. I drive at 70% of what I did in my race cars & still have way big fun. I have kicked it back a notch or two since two friends totaled their MINI's, one on track & one on the road. If something mechanically fails I'd sure as heck rather be on a track as opposed to a road in the Smokies with zero runoff room & help 20 some miles away. IMO the track is a very safe place, even safer that the street. And yes it makes you a better safer driver everywhere.

No one thinks you're a jerk. If I thought you were I'd tell you. I just don't understand why insurance coverage is more important that self improvement. Driver education is a sad joke in this country. There are things like DSC on cars now to save people who get in over their heads. But it doesn't work all the time. It didn't help you & yours. More driver education may have.

***** I need more peoples opinions on when they'd like the Amish lunch to happen. So far of those I've heard from April is looking like it. Lets give it another week or so before deciding on a firm date. *****

 

April 19 is the only Saturday that really works for me, unless something in May comes available. Of course, in May, many BCDs start up, and that makes it even more iffy....

 

BCD's?

British Car Derby?

 

Bodacious Cigar Demos

Bountiful Cars & Donuts

Binary-Coded Decimal

 

Pretty naive, aren't we? Guess you don't show your car, huh? BCDs are "British Car Days", aka car shows.

 

The first description MIGHT apply to me, given my liking of those aged, handrolled and wrapped burning leaves. However, the second one is DEFINITELY CHUCK, ever-ready with his camera in one hand and food in the other! The last one is for you techies to fight over....

 

Paul's insurance replaced Kermie because he was at a driving school (IIRC). If he'd been at a track day, he would have been screwed, of course.

Whatever insurance he has, I wish I could afford it, but Kara needs special insurance for her business driving, and all our cars are under it - THAT insurance would not have even covered the instructor-led driving school. It's not that I don't feel it's important - obviously I do - but Kara's not comfortable risking our MINI, even in a school setting, after what happened to Kermie, and I'll respect that (even if I think we would both improve our skills in a school). Sorry if I wasn't clear on that point.

Moving on...

 

I LOVE Cigars... and maintain a nice humidor!

 

You need to get on the Cigar Thread, then [do a search], ok? There, you will meet other denizens of the deep [Profs. Bob and Dave, yours truly, and others like Keith and Sean]...lol. I also co-run the Cigar Sampling Salon at Minis on the Dragon, every Spring!

 

Sure hope you have moved on. Or is this is going to be the endless driving school / insurance thread?

The suggestion here was for a BMW Street Survival School not a track school. Held in a church parking lot with lots of supervision in a very safe manner. No competition of any kind, no flat out driving involved. Just seeing how a car reacts in everyday situations that one may encounter. If someone isn't comfortable doing it. Great their choice, but to say it is over the fear of their insurance company is just ludicrous.

Heck you couldn't take a HPDE on a track even if you wanted to. You have a cabrio & they are not safe on a track at track speeds. So that's a non issue.

You said you'd like your other half to do an autocross & learn car control, but unless it was an autocross school I'd recommend against it too. It's a competition & the red mist is always there waiting for the unwary. And lets not forget the insurance.

 

I am contacting the moderators to make insurance and parade illegal words.

 

What did you say about illegal parade insurance?

 

The competitive word of illegal parades is fraught with much peril. Please check with your insurance company before participating in or even watching an illegal parade.

 

Attachment 29662

 

Amish Country run on April 19th works for me the best as well! Let's get some more people signed up

 

Thanks for your input Robb.

 

you can bring that CAI with you, ok?

maybe I can interest ALLEN in it....

 

Sure thing! I REALLY need to make a trip up that way to just drop it off...so sorry I've had it this long...it kinda got placed on a shelf in the abyss that is the garage right now...

 

<--- smokes a lot of cigars during tailgate season gimme COA and i'm happy.

 

What is the story on this CAI?