Bar none?....Bar all!

["Gary Bossert" <mpower@xxxxxxx>]

I think our editor is totally out of touch in his recent article
(editorial?) in the Jan. Roundel.
That is, if he even wrote it since there is no credit given to the author
(was this on purpose?).

He suggests that the BMW CCA allow roadsters at driver schools and that to
do so is not compromising safety.
Satch? then goes on to quote Steve Dinan who says, "Every formula car is a
roadster".  I say, so what?  What does that have to do with anything?  How
many formula cars have two seats and an instructor?  How many formula cars
have JUST a rollbar or no bar at all instead of a full rollcage?  Are the
safety systems of formula cars built for crashes such as rollovers?  How
many injuries and deaths do we see in formula cars even with FULL
rollcages?  It's obvious from Mr. Dinan's quote relating to the subject
that he is either totally clueless or is gearing up to sell a lot of
aftermarket parts for the Z3's set to hit the track.
I agree with Mark Morrissey and the majority of the Driving Events
Committee, I won't get into a convertible at a driver school either and I
think 
the committee needs to ban any convertible that doesn't have an SCCA
approved rollcage and arm restraints.

As for the aftermarket rollbars on the market, I think they are a joke. 
First, they are built so that you can raise the factory roof which means
that most tall drivers will have their helmets sticking up higher than the
bar.  Second, what about the front windshield and A-pillars?  Yes, they are
stronger on the convertible cars but they still fold (I've seen it). 
Notice none of the manufacturers will go to bat and say that their bar will
protect you.

Later in the article Satch goes goes on to talk about the virtues of having
a rollbar for extra chassis stiffening.  Here I agree until he again quotes
an "expert" who says, "They're virtually impossible to roll."  Uh, what
about when they go off the track and hit an embankment or a tire wall.  I
don't know of too many cars that can be made to roll over while driving the
perfect line but I've seen showroom stock racers roll from hitting the
track apex curbing the wrong way.

To the folks that say, "Leave me alone, it's my life", I say, what about
the instructor?  What about the Clubs' insurance policy that will be sure
to go up when you kill yourself?  That is if we can hold onto doing driver
schools at all.  If we do have a fatality, who knows, maybe it could spell
the end of driver schools forever.  

I say, why risk it.  I've instructed and raced for over 10 years and I've
seen more rollovers than I care to.  And to those rabid Z3 owners who I'm
sure will be attacking me, I owned and loved a Z3 but I would never
consider tracking it without a full rollcage and arm restraints.

I think it was wrong and extremely low class to write an article such as
this two weeks before the driving conference without even giving the other
side a chance to respond.  The political B.S. of this club has hit a new
low.

I hope the committee has the guts to do what is right and sensible.

///Gary Bossert
President NJ Chapter
BMWCCA Instructor/Club Racer
BMWCCA 33005
mpower@domain.elided
http://members.aol.com/e30m3power

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