Last month I asked the membership for suggestions to improve the Driver Education program. What works well? What would make the events even more enjoyable? One of the suggestions I have received from several drivers is regarding classroom sessions at the track. I also heard the same thing from Bill Gilbert, one of our chief instructors, who has received the same feedback. What might seem surprising is that the request has more often come from Blue, White and Black run group drivers. I say ‘surprising’ because there are times when solo drivers think that because they have progressed to the point that they are in a non-instructed group, that they have the knowledge base to continue to improve on their own. While to some degree that is true, in many instances new solo drivers do not know what they do not know. This has a number of consequences. One, progress is

usually stymied at a point where improvement is measured in smaller and smaller steps. Frustration can result and drivers find themselves stuck in a rut. Here is where some further instruction on topics such as weight transfer, slip angle, vehicle dynamics, braking theory, etc. can supplement the learning on the track. A second big consequence of an insufficient knowledge base is the inability to correct something once things go wrong, and/or understand why something just happened. Some additional classroom education might make the difference in a sticky situation.
Classroom instruction is not a new idea and a number of regions conduct it routinely. I believe we have the talent within the region to conduct useful and informative classroom sessions, but there are some logistical challenges to overcome. By the time you read this, the topic will already have been discussed at the January chief instructors meeting and I should be able to share some additional details in a subsequent column. If you have been to non-NNJR events with classroom instruction, drop me a line or give me a call on your thoughts (and you will also need to explain why you went to other region’s event in the first place, rather than NNJR’s!). The other area where we have an opportunity to further educate our drivers is through additional articles in Porscheforus devoted to aspects of high performance driving. These may come from instructors, the chiefs, or other drivers in the region. If you are interested in contributing, let me know.
Continuing the topic of education and instruction, this is the perfect opportunity to remind everyone that Ross Bentley will be speaking at the Advanced Driver Seminar on February 28 (registration is required, see ad in this issue). Ross is author of the series Speed Secrets on high performance driving, and is a driving coach for both amateurs and professionals alike. The session is guaranteed to be very informative and entertaining. The annual instructor meeting will be held prior to the seminar (by invitation only) where Ross will also conduct a presentation. I hope to see you there!
At a time that the winter doldrums may be starting to set in, I will try to remedy that: registration for Lime Rock opens this month! Lime Rock will open the Driver Education season on April 14 and 15, check the ad in this issue for details. With driving clubs needing to share days with Lime Rock members, this event may indeed be the only full two-day event at this track during 2010. A tentative schedule for the remainder of the season is also provided elsewhere in this month’s issue.
Driving Tip of the Month:  Last month I mentioned the importance of looking ahead, but I am continually astounded by how many drivers on both the track and the street seem to forget that they have mirrors to watch what is behind them. Managing traffic and giving prompt passing signals can be made much easier by routinely scanning your mirrors and keeping tabs on what the cars behind you are doing. By the time a driver is an advanced Yellow student, they should be very proficient at managing traffic and giving prompt signals. While the occasional oversight is forgivable, in the White group and above, poor passing skills are frankly unacceptable. Continuous monitoring of cars behind you is essential. Am I pulling away from the car behind me, or is he/she gaining on me? Where am I faster/slower? As many have noted, if a car suddenly appears in your mirrors, a supreme being did not just place them there, they are faster than you. If you had been closely watching your mirrors, you would not have been surprised and could have given a passing signal before they were able to read the fine print on the back of your helmet. Too many times I have observed even experienced drivers wait until the car behind them has to brake significantly and the trailing car is almost in their back seat before giving a passing signal. 
Drivers should practice looking rearward while traveling on the street. Based on some recent observations, much practice is needed. Several times a week I drive a stretch of Route 80 when the daytime traffic is fairly light. Hardly a week goes by where I don’t spot a State Trooper cruising in the left lane going a bit faster than the rest of traffic. As the Trooper approaches slower cars, invariably a good portion of drivers do not move over until the Trooper is on their rear bumper. Coming back from our December charity auction, a similar situation arose, but this time it was 11:45 pm and the cruiser had his emergency lights blaring. I spotted the car a good half-mile back, and moved to the center lane. You might think that bright red and blue flashing lights filling up someone’s rear view would be obvious, but you would be wrong! At least three times the officer had to wait until the car in front of him moved over. A few days later I was traveling on Route 15 on the way to the NNJR holiday party. The Sparta-Jefferson corridor is “vigorously” patrolled for speeders, especially on the weekend. As I entered Sparta, there was a patrol car parked in the median. After I and several other drivers went by, the patrol car pulled on to the highway. We all dutifully obeyed the 55 MPH posted speed limit and the cruiser passed us and continued on his way. After the cruiser was well ahead, a white mini-van some distance behind me pulled into the left lane and accelerated. Before doing the same, I checked my mirrors and spied a second cruiser coming up from behind. While I maintained the legal limit, the patrol car caught up to the mini-van. The driver was completely oblivious to this and continued to proceed at 65-70 MPH. After a bit of time, the officer turned on his lights. It still took another fifteen seconds before the driver realized he was busted and made the move to the side of the road. Conclusion: Whether on the track at Watkins Glen or on your morning commute, mind your mirrors!