How not to instruct

[Dave_G]

All of the instructors I've ever had with COM have been top-notch -- helpful, constructive, and effective. I would ask any of them to ride with me again. Some people, however, are not so lucky:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwa9TMG63fM

[Mick]

Wow, what an a-hole. I thought the student was doing pretty well. Did I hear him correctly, it was his first track day?

[breakaway500]

He was a turd. Thunderhill was the first track I ever drove.(it was on a motorcycle) It's too bad it is 3k miles away, as COM members would really enjoy it! I was surprised to see them using the corkscrew section on an HPDE day. One lap and turd man was all done.Maybe he had the runs..

[Mark Swinehart]

The “Instructor” obviously wanted to go work on his own car and didn’t have time to deal with a student.

COMSCC students sure are lucky to have quality and dedicated instructors.

[brucesallen]

I have never been to Thunderhill but that driver looked quite good! Maybe the instructor never heard the rule "A squealing tire is a happy tire."

[agrabau]

If he wants to see some jerky shifting he should have a ride in my car with a dogbox, no-lift-to-shift and a twin plate clutch.

[Jet Jockey]

WOW! Just WOW!

A real lack of professionalism from that instructor.

[horizenjob]

dogbox, no-lift-to-shift and a twin plate clutch.

Does that mean you use the clutch to shift, instead of lifting? I start the shift with a little pressure and then twitch the gas and the shift just happens.

I couldn't tell what that instructor was upset about... It didn't look like you could actually even hit anything at that track either. It didn't use to be common for COM instructors to let students do the driving, but some would do that including me. One student drove straight at a cement wall until I realized that nothing was actually going to happen and so I had to grab the wheel and yank it. I can still see that piece of wall and we're talking early eighties here. We were running counter clockwise and it was the old turn eight, now turn 3 at the exit. It was very odd, I am glad this student was going very slow or yanking the wheel really wouldn't have worked... I don't recollect that person every coming back again. I still didn't get angry though... I think they expected more micro managing then they were getting, I suppose.

[agrabau]

..just not lifting off the gas to shift; makes for an abrupt gearchange

Alex

[horizenjob]

..just not lifting off the gas to shift; makes for an abrupt gearchange

DIdn't think you could do that... Maybe you should call it a "bang-box" instead of a dog box! . The dogs are undercut on my Hewland and I don't think it would shift while I'm on the gas. I timed a shift wrong once and it sucked the lever so hard into fourth, it really hurt my hand.

[WillM]

The video was taken at the end of the day, yet this was the first time in the car for this particular instructor. It is hard to believe, but some clubs do not make student-instructor assignments. Students are left to find an instructor or wait for a volunteer, and it is common to have a different instructors for each run session of the day. What kind of learning and/or community does that inspire?

Seems to me that the "instructor" was just an ass-hat. I understand he's been canned. Good. The best YouTube comment I read basically said that the student's only mistake was coming to a complete stop before letting the "instructor" out. No kidding!

[rajito]

That sounds like every instructor who's hopped in my car

Raj

[chaos4NH]

That sounds like every instructor who's hopped in my car

Raj

Ya, well, we know you are rather abrupt, especially when stopping so I can understand the instructor comments!
Hey Raj I have a trophy for you. How to get it to you? PM or email me.