punky

We live in FL but can travel nationwide for a good 2-3 day driving school for my gal. She got her drivers lic. at 55 and is not comfortable in FL traffic where there is insanely aggressive driving. She needs closed course instruction to gain confidence. Does anyone have a suggestion where we can go, I could use some road course training also.

rocsvette

Where in Florida? You are referring to HPDE type of driving education correct? Contact me at roc.linkov@gmail.com

SouthernSon

As Roc knows, one feels safest on the track. Everyone is going in the same direction (generally) and the driver is in complete control. The scary part is driving on the highways to and from events. You never know what oncoming drivers will do or the one beside you may be texting while driving. Very few people text while on the racetrack.

smitty2919

Find a local autocross. There should be seasoned people there willing to give instruction. Cheap and low cost.

It will teach her car control at fairly low speeds.

CraigStu

Normally I am a huge proponent of autocross but that is for people who like driving and want to move upward in their skill. I don't think she needs any normal autocross or track training. She needs comfort in what the rest of us feel is normal. There are schools that emphasize safe street driving. She may feel a little weird because most of their students may be much younger, but getting over that will prove worthwhile.

NVR2L8

Speak for yourself, Arte.

mfain

If you are willing to travel, I would go to Spring Mountain for one of Ron Fellow's courses. They teach basic car control all the way up through advanced road course driving. Their controlled environment would do a lot to instill confidence in your lady to handle adverse conditions in a deliberate, building block approach.

Pappy

smitty2919

FEELING safe is more just doing it IMO and getting comfortable.

Does she know how to drive and know the "rules of the road"? If not, just find a drivers-ed course.

SouthernSon

You have a good point here. When one feels they are in complete control of the car, knowing what it can do, then little aggressive surprises from other drivers aren't that disconcerting. Make that two of us for the autocross vote. Let her ride with someone to see just how much a vehicle can take. It will be eyeopening. Then she can take her own turn at the course. I might mention this, there was a lady in our corvette club that would experience panic attacks occasionally on the street but she could yank the gear shifter out of an autocross vehicle. She was impressive on the course. A very strange irony.

Zjoe6

Her fear is justified. The street is just loco. The track is way safer.

davidfarmer

Teen driving program would be the best suited........

harrydirty

Look up the driver control programs at Sears Point and Thunderhill..........the one at Sears Point uses their cars (Audi) and costs about $1K. Thunderhill program uses your own car and costs $129.

Hitman227

C5 Frank

Here you go.....
https://bmwperformancecenter.com/teenschool/
Both my boys will be taking this before they start driving.

SouthernSon

All good ideas. To elevate the confidence for always being in control will be the continuing practice. Once a person obtains muscle memory in countersteer/correction very little will concern the driver on the street, not to mention learning to float the throttle or maintain a little power in the process instead of jumping off the throttle. HPDE's are excellent to firmly implant this skill in the driver.

rbl

I disagree with most all of the suggestions. Car control and all the track stuff will likely do much more harm than good. She is a late driver and will simply need some time before she is comfortable. Sliding the car around and learning to countersteer are nonsense for a lady driving modestly on the street. Additionally, if you push that she may feel overloaded.

Florida has no more "insane" drivers than other places. Too damn many people and in FL. most have gas money and nothing to do. I was in Port Charlotte awhile and nothing remarkable there ... just a LOT of people!

If you want to go to the track or autocross to have fun that is a different story. Just a thought

SouthernSon

Do you have any idea what countersteering and correction mean? It is not drifting. One does not have to drift or slide the car around. You might need more track work to know the difference.

rbl

Give me a break dude. No one said drifting. Do you realize how stupid this sounds to a middle age lady who knows how to drive but is a bit timid because she is a relatively new driver?

Once a person obtains muscle memory in countersteer/correction very little will concern the driver on the street, not to mention learning to float the throttle or maintain a little power in the process instead of jumping off the throttle.

You're a smart guy so you should have understood exactly what I was saying ... maybe not? However, it seems you want to argue, as usual, so possibly you need some attitude adjustment ... have fun, I'm not playing.

SouthernSon

A full slide may not even make it to the 'correction' part. Sometimes it only invokes the countersteer, depending upon where the vehicle comes to rest. The countersteer AND correction is employed to keep the car under control BEFORE the slide. I am sure most that know how its done correctly are amused at your equating it with SLIDING.

harrydirty

Generally I agree, BUT you did not take into account other driver's actions which may put her into uncomfortable situations......for example, she may be putting along in the right lane of a highway and someone dive bombs her to make an exit. Natural instinct is to brake and swerve the wheel, which may put her into a slide. We can all name many other scenarios, but it all boils down to unexpected actions of others; this really has not much to do with her driving style. One class will not fix this and I agree that doing track days does build the muscle memory (and vision scanning, anticipation, etc), but even if the one class shows how hard she can brake and still maintain control, it may be worth it.