Insurance At Driver's Schools

[Duane <drcollie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ya know....what you really gotta do on this is READ YOUR POLICY.  No matter
what the agent on the phone sez, your coverage will be determined by what
is printed on the policy. That is the guiding document for all claims, big
or small. Be alert for buzz words like "off-road" (that means race track),
"timed" events, and "private property" (that's race track again). 

This is why most schools forbid stopwatches.  Anything timed is deemed
competitive. A classic Driver's School is considered educational, while an
autocross or time trials will void out your insurance, strictly speaking.

This brings us to things the well prepared student should bring to his/her
track experience. 

1) Phone number of the local tow truck company - flatbed of course.

2) Mentally locate and remember the location of good roadside ditches and
trees within a 3 to 4 mile radius of the track.

3) If you can find a dead deer that is not too ripe, stick him in your
trunk. Big bucks work best. Antlers add drama. Prop up carcass alongside
tire wall while at the track.

4) Camera

In the event of a track mishap, combine items # 1, # 2, # 3 and # 4 above
to facilitate the creation of your very own intractive wildlife/ personal
off road experience for your insurance company.

Should you have a paint swap with a fellow driver, you should get a spray
can of that same color as the car that hit you and place in it the dead
deer's mouth.  Obviously, the story then is that the deer was spraying
graffiti on the roadside tree - you were distracted by the animal vandalism
- - hit the deer AND the tree - and the paint discharged onto your vehicle
during the incident.

Works for me everytime.

Duane Collie
PizzaFest 2 - A month away
National Capital Chapter

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