Re: passing at school

["Legerlotz, Alan" <alegerlotz@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>>i thought i should share my experience at a recent
>>BMWCCA driving school at loudon (NH).
>>
>>during the last session of the day, i was exhausted so i wasn't
>>going as fast as i had all day. at one point on the straigtaway
>>before turn 1, i signalled a couple of cars to pass me. they
>>passed safely. then i got ready to turn into the banked oval,
>>lifted, and suddenly VROOOMMMMM.... a 3rd car dived inside
>>and passed me. my first reaction was: what the @#$% ?!!

If you were running the Chicane at NHIS, this may explain it somewhat.

There are 2 lines people take heading into that chicane.  There is the
traditional
"high" line, which about 75% of the drivers use, then there's the "low"
line, which
the others use.

I personally use the low line because the transition is smoother where you
go from
the oval to the chicane.  I also find that I get a faster exit speed because
I can
use turn 1 as the throw-away part of the chicane, rather than turn 1a (the
middle of
the chicane) when running the highline.

My point in bringing this up is that if you were running the chicane and
taking the high
line, the car you mentioned might have been taking the low line, which gives
the illusion
that he's going to pass.  Using the low line you brake later and do "dive
down inside".

I personally back way off when I am the low line car in this situation.  If
you arrive at the
turn at the same time there is far too much potential for an incident.

- -Al  "You take the high line and I'll take the low line, and I'll get to
turn 3 before ye!"

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