Question for track fiends!

[immiketoo]

So I have been an amateur motorcycle road racer and I do a fair amount of track days. I am very comfortable with vehicle dynamics and proximity to other vehicles in traffic. I have a pretty good sense of distance and I know what spaces my car fits into.

Has anyone else noticed that friends are not comfortable with they way you drive on account of it? My M3 is a precision machine, and I drive it as such, but a lot of people I know seem to get nervous when they ride with me. None of my racer friends care, but the non car people do.

Am I alone here or have others experienced this?

[rdollie]

Yes and I'm married to the primary non-racer friend who doesn't like my driving...even though I've never had a real accident (had a taxi back into when it was going the wrong was on a one-way through an intersection so I don't count that one) and haven't had a ticket in nearly 20 years!

[pokerface]

Originally Posted by immiketoo

I am very comfortable with vehicle dynamics and proximity to other vehicles in traffic. I have a pretty good sense of distance and I know what spaces my car fits into.

Is this just another way of saying you engage in activities that may be misconstrued as DB-like behavior?

[Blotman]

Ever since I've been tracking I've been shortening my braking distance and taking turns faster and faster on the roads. However, I've also been very conscientious about making every action as smooth as possible. My parents have never been so nonchalant riding in my M3, and I get the feeling my passengers think I'm actually driving slower!

[persian54]

Originally Posted by Blotman

Ever since I've been tracking I've been shortening my braking distance and taking turns faster and faster on the roads. However, I've also been very conscientious about making every action as smooth as possible. My parents have never been so nonchalant riding in my M3, and I get the feeling my passengers think I'm actually driving slower!

Smoother is faster

[SenorFunkyPants]

When I'm alone I drive my car as fast as I dare given the conditions.
When I have anyone else with me I drive as carefully and as smoothly as I can.
You have a responsibility for your passengers..if you are making them nervous then you are probably not the great driver you think you are.

[schnell325]

Originally Posted by persian54

Smoother is faster

[CBS]

Originally Posted by SenorFunkyPants

When I'm alone I drive my car as fast as I dare given the conditions.
When I have anyone else with me I drive as carefully and as smoothly as I can.
You have a responsibility for your passengers..if you are making them nervous then you are probably not the great driver you think you are.

My passengers comfort, safety and peace of mind come first. My driving style changes when I have passengers. Alone in the car and alone on the highway I admit to practicing a few techniques learned on the track. Just need more track time!

[RudyP]

Interesting - a lot of people (me included) behave somewhat the opposite. The more I track, the slower and more sedate I drive on the street - just feels like there is no point in driving at 6/10ths on public roads when you can get your 10/10ths thrills on the track. My most aggressive driving tends to be in the early spring and most relaxed in the fall (I am not lucky enough to live in a climate with year round road course potential).

[dizzyj]

I don't drive like a d-bag. But I'm not afraid to use the cars capabilities to escape a situation. The main thing I get comments on is heal/toeing. Everyone asks why I'm re ing the engine. I respond by downshifting without rev matching and ask ifthey prefer that way. None do

[///My5UV]

All it takes is one person barfing in your car and you'll learn to be considerate of your passenger's comfort :-)

But seriously, you should always leave more margin on the street than you do at the track, because it's an uncontrolled environment full of untrained drivers and no corner workers to help you out when something goes wrong.

[stefan]

Sounds kind of like you are driving like an idiot. If you track often, you should have no urge to take any risks on the street. It's nice you can size up distances and spaces but you can never account for everyone else.

Literally NOBODY will be thinking "oh that guy knows what he's doing". They will think "wow what a huge DB"

[James T. Kirk]

I adjust my driving according to the sensibility of my passenger(s). To do otherwise would be rude.
.

[MKE_M3]

I think a lot of you are being harh. Many people are irrationally nervous about even modestly aggressive driving.

[1sikbmr]

tell me this. do you use the M as your squad car?

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by stefan

If you track often, you should have no urge to take any risks on the street.

I'm gonna call BS on this... Even when I was racing or practicing at least once a month I had no patience for people driving under the speed limit. Maybe I just never took stupid risks, but I haven't really changed much about driving, I just do it much better. Unless you never leave your driveway, you cannot avoid risks on the street, you can only minimize them. Look far down the road, anticipate how the car and other drivers will react, leaving enough space to react to the unexpected (which is way more than leaving enough space for moves you plan to make)...
Or maybe I'm not thinking of the same risks you're thinking of?

[elh0102]

The best measure of your driving competence is your passengers’ comfort. Competence behind the wheel means more than a high level of understanding of vehicle dynamics, and the ability to control the car. People get in our cars for different reasons, and we need to satisfy them all.

[stefan]

Originally Posted by ///My5UV

I'm gonna call BS on this... Even when I was racing or practicing at least once a month I had no patience for people driving under the speed limit. Maybe I just never took stupid risks, but I haven't really changed much about driving, I just do it much better. Unless you never leave your driveway, you cannot avoid risks on the street, you can only minimize them. Look far down the road, anticipate how the car and other drivers will react, leaving enough space to react to the unexpected (which is way more than leaving enough space for moves you plan to make)...
Or maybe I'm not thinking of the same risks you're thinking of?

I see you're from Austin. I'm going to say the roads here are different.. we have a LOT of really bad drivers in really cramped spaces. We 80km/h two lane secondary highways that have traffic lights on them and turns that don't have a constant grade. We have people who do 120 on these roads and people who do 60. We have ice, craploads of potholes, etc. I'm not chancing anything by shooting gaps or riding bumpers.

Where I'm coming from on this, I want to really minimize the risks. I've seen so many accidents that I know I'd rather not be a part of it. I used to drive more aggressively, but those days were before I discovered the track. Certainly, nowhere near what OP is describing.

[Nine]

Originally Posted by stefan

Sounds kind of like you are driving like an idiot. If you track often, you should have no urge to take any risks on the street. It's nice you can size up distances and spaces but you can never account for everyone else.

Literally NOBODY will be thinking "oh that guy knows what he's doing". They will think "wow what a huge DB"

I'm going to agree with this, pulling track stunts on open public roads without appropriate safety, well that makes nervous as well.

If you are braking later, driving faster, turning harder, as a result of training at the track, well obviously that is going to be scary to a person who drives 10-20mph over the speed limit on average70mph, not 110+mph learning what the 'limit' is, going straight is one thing, but turning at 90+mph, well that can be rather scary for the untrained brain/passenger.

Some girls love when I drive fast, hell it used to turn one girl on, it would get her going! My current girl, no so much, so if you see me...I'm probably getting yelled at or doing 10mph over the speed limit.

[stefan]

Originally Posted by Nine

Some girls love when I drive fast, hell it used to turn one girl on, it would get her going! My current girl, no so much, so if you see me...I'm probably getting yelled at or doing 10mph over the speed limit.

LOL.. I hear ya. Does she grab the 'oh shit' handle as well? How about putting her hand on the dash even under normal braking? I have gotten used to it. And again, I drive pretty much like a grandma on the streets but still!

[klammer]

Originally Posted by rdollie

Yes and I'm married to the primary non-racer friend who doesn't like my driving...

Mine too

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

I don't track my car, therefore I cannot comment in this regard.

However, I realize that as a passenger there one has a different feeling and due to this I adjust my driving habits based upon who sits besides me One can tell within minutes if the passenger is comfortable or not.