Re: Convertibles at driver's schools

[Keith Wollenberg <MFreude@xxxxxxx>]

Once again, I find myself agreeing with Gary Bossert, Duane Collie and
Kathy Lyle about convertibles at driver's schools.  As I said in December
about this same issue:

>I know that many of our (Golden Gate) volunteer instructor core have
expressed to me a reluctance to drive in an open car, in the absence of an
SCCA approved roll bar, at the least.  
>
>At a recent visit to the museum at the Zentrum during M-day, they were
showing a film of rollover testing of the Z3.  While it was intended to
promote a sense of security about the extensive testing of the car, it had
the opposite effect on me.  I could not help noticing how the "A" pillar
collapsed as the car landed on it in the rollover.  This makes the SCCA
requirements seem more reasonable to me than they did before I saw this
factory video.
>
>As someone who has seen several cars rolled at driver's schools, the
requirements strike me as lees arbitrary than they seem to you.  I have
been doing track schools myself for more than 25 years, and have never
rolled a car, but that does not mean it does not happen.  Nor,
unfortunately, does it mean that rules can be made just to keep
experienced, competent drivers safe.
>

Regards,

Keith
Keith Wollenberg
__________________________________________________________________
BMWCCA, V.P. Golden Gate  ( # 73293)  *As should be obvious,*
BMWACA Seattle  (Since 1972)      *all opinions expressed*
                                                   *are solely my own.*
'88 ///M5 (MFREUDE)       '72 tii Touring (TOURING)    
'95 M3 (M-Tschuss) [Kelly's car, which I get to drive sometimes.<g>]         
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