roadRacer

This is what some might call a rude awakening. I am an instructor for a few different school groups at HPDE type events. We are always reminded that is always a bad idea to drive a student's car for any reason. I STRONGLY follow that rule. I have some friends I have known a long time that I MIGHT consider it, but I absolutely would not drive a car belonging to someone I barely know, nor should any student ever let the instructor they met that track weekend drive their car. Read this and judge for yourself.

http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/1756486.phtml

ToyotaTechGeek

damn.

baileypicks24

"I will keep my opionion on how I feel about an instructer destroying my car to myself for now. You can imagine how I feel about it and will be exploring my options. "

Hmmmmm??????? Don't tell me he's gonna...



"I just need some reliable transportation for the next 18 months until I'm out of residency & fellowship and start getting a real paycheck. "

Good man. As fun as it all is, racing IS expensive and sometimes if you're still in school and the financial situation isn't solid, its always a good idea to wait. Good things happen to those who wait!

baileypicks24

And as far as the argument that "you shouldnt have let a stranger drive your car" is retarded.

Hes not a stranger. Hes an instructor WITH a background in Audi. Instructors are supposed to be trusted.

I hope he gets better soon.

roadRacer

I agree, but the owner had the option of not allowing the instructor to drive his car. He should have said "No" in that situation plain and simple. Also, the instructor should not have asked. If the instructor did do this, he should have taken the car very very slow to the point that there was no chance of losing the car.

You met this guy this morning and you haev known him/her a couple of 20-30 minutes sessions. That is quite a lot to trust someone with over that period of time. I am sorry, I would not, and I would advise all students against it -- ALWAYS.

The exception is if the instructor is someone you know, have known for a long time and you know what the arrangements would be if something did happen.

Driving cars fast around a race track can be dangerous and things do happen. In the HPDE environment it is very seldom, but we don't wear helmets and racing harnesses just because they look cool.

Cobra4B

Well being that I'm an insurance adjuster I'll throw in my $.02. This situation is no different than if you toss your keys to your buddy and let him run to 7-11. It's permissive use and the insurance follows the car. Thus, whether he wrecked it or the instructor did, then the outcome would be the same (coverage wise)

He's damn lucky USAA covered his butt. Most companies will cover you once, then drop your ass.

mAydAy

Thats crazy. I posted it on another forum I frequent. The instructor's carelessness, along with the owner's bad decision of allowing a stranger that he has known for all of a few ~30minute sessions since that morning, the instructors lack of familiarity and experience with a car of that sort, terrible conditions (on QUITE a killer stretch of track, those S's at the Glen are killers) in heavy rain and water, and some bad luck and WAY too much speed (What was he thinking if the car had been acting up all day? Sounds like it had some SERIOUS understeer there, I guess the tire pressures still weren't right huh ) lead for some big problems. Lots of things went wrong there.

-Andy

Crack Monkey

Nowhere in the car owner's description did he say the instructor was careless. Shit happens to all drivers.

In the description of the event, the owner stated the instructor had several Audis in the family.

It doesn't take a careless hack to total a car. F1 drivers total cars. Nextel Cup drivers total cars. And so do us mortals.

The only thing to take away from this is that loaning your car to anybody else has risks. If you can't deal with the consequences, don't hand over the keys.

I haven't driven a student's car in years because I don't want to risk totalling their car (I instruct for NASA-VA). I've only borrowed a few cars in the past two years - all of them easily replacable (early RX-7, Miata, Civic, Integra) -and all of them within my means to replace financially.

I rarely let anybody borrow my car - and I would be sure to let them know I expect them to cover any damage before they hit the track. But, I aslo drive cheap old sports cars (currently Miata, previously RX-7) that are easily replaced for not much money.

Any of you that are currently tracking your daily driver, owe money on that car, or have a closer relationship with the car than your spouse - get a dedicated track car already.

To0C0oL

"Plus he has a modified A4 and his son just picked up and S4 so I was confident that he would be familar with the charateritics of the Audi. "

looks like hes driven a few audis before..

even thought it was his mistake for letting someone else drive his car, i'm pretty sure i would have kicked his ass, even though it was my fault..

Gumbal

shutup