Friday Jan 24th, 2003

.I have been wanting to do one of these courses for a while. Getting into a skid car, and learning swerve, and recovery techniques, braking techniques, and doing a few vision exercises.

The day started with us doing a slalom in our own cars in reverse. Brad the instructor just told us to go for it. We all managed to knock over a couple of cones each. Then Brad explained what we were doing wrong, and taught us the correct way to position the mirrors, and then we went at it again, and voila!! no cones falling over, and we went through it a lot faster.

Then came the forwards slalom. No cones knocked over, but it took a while. Then Brad explained the where we should be looking, etc etc - and we all went through a lot quicker.

Then it was time for the skid car. Simulating understeer and oversteer, and teaching us the way to recover from it. That was heaps of fun, and I did a lot of spin outs.

At the end of the day we did braking techniques, which involved trying to stop within a very short distance, and swerve to avoid the cones, without locking up and hitting any of the cones. Took us a few goes, but we eventually got it right.

After everyone left Brad and I jumped in the skid car for a few quick laps / spins before taking it back.

Some Video's from the Day

Spining out (1.3 Meg)

More Spinning out (1.3 Meg)

Spinning out again (1.3 Meg)

Almost there. (1.3 Meg)

Braking techniques - what not to do (927 KB)

Braking techniques - Another thing not to do (1.3 Meg)

Braking techniques - "Yay - I didnt hit any that time" (991 KB)