Tips from an old racer

Raced someone? Spotted a Member? Share with us here!
User avatar
prossett
UB Advanced Member
Posts:1055
Joined:21 Oct 2007, 1:09 pm
Vehicle:Honda Jazz
Location:Al Ain

Post by prossett » 21 Dec 2007, 7:17 pm

The tragic and sudden loss of our beloved uaeboost Moderator, Sparky, has hit me and the community hard – there couldn’t have been a kinder, livelier, friendlier person; yet, due to an unfortunate turn of events, he was in a car that overturned causing both his and the driver’s death.

This can happen to anyone, on any road, at any time; since our ultimate fate is beyond our control.

However, where we do have control, is in how we choose to drive our cars.

I realize most of you reading this will be young and full of energy – rebellious, in-your-face energy. I know because I was, too.

But I still hope you will tolerate a middle-aged guy’s advice because I too share the same passion with you – cars and driving.

Here is what I’ve learned from personal experience and perhaps something you might like to consider - they're not rules, you make your own decisions; they are just my thoughts from my experience:

1. At some point, realize that racing is not to show other people what you can do; racing is to show yourself how you can improve your technique and car’s performance.

2. Approach racing as an individual sport - it’s not a team sport. Always drive alone in your car and where you are sure your activity will not affect other non-racing people.

3. Choose your route intelligently – never race on impulse, only in the exact location planned. The route must have absolutely no entrance points for other traffic (intersections, driveways, etc.) – clearly, all residential areas do not qualify, nor do roads with traffic. Industrial estates after-hours and deserted roads are a better choice.

4. Prepare your route carefully. Even if you know it well, always do a slow run first to check for any changes or repairs to the road.

Be aware of the technical points, such as turns, and also be aware of the danger zones, including where your car might end up if control is lost (ie, side of the road – make sure there’s no trees or concrete pylons or parked trucks or spectators).

5. Prepare your car carefully – check tyre condition and pressure especially. I hope I don’t need to mention wearing a safety belt!

Proper seating position is as upright as possible, with belt low over hips; and close enough so that you can depress that brake pedal ALL the way with still your knee bent a little. Steering wheel about at wrist distance when arm straight, and airbag pointing down to your chest and not at face.

6. Remember that in case of an accident what causes injury and death is only one thing: SPEED.

You can drive as badly as you want at 15kph and if you crash it doesn’t matter much, but at speeds above 80kph you must assure you ride the inside limit of your and your car’s abilities at all times because a collision can cause serious injury or death from those speeds up.

80-0kph in 0.1 seconds is going to hurt bad no matter what you’re driving, or how lucky you are.

7. Lastly, racing is illegal on public roads; and it should be done only on a professional racing circuit. The topic of this post should have been “Don’t Race” but I’m realistic – I race, you race, probably 90% of all drivers go above the speed limit at least sometimes. So there’s no need to pretend – let’s face the truth.

However, there’s a big difference between crazy reckless driving and careful skill-based driving. If you understand and follow the above points, with God’s Will, maybe when you’re 40 years old like me, you will still enjoy the rush of taking a car to its limits, and the exhilaration of a perfectly-executed maneuver, but at the same time with carefully managed risk and minimal possibility of causing harm to yourself and others.

Image

I realize many people will disagree with the ideas above – some saying: “WTF, I’m a free spirit and I do what I like when I like – no limits, man.” Sure, but think about what I said and on a clear-thinking level you have to agree it makes sense. The discipline needed when a loud-mouth revs beside you at a traffic light, to stay calm and let the dude burn his own rubber, and refrain from being sucked in "to prove something" - that I cannot give you and is up to you.

Other people will disagree and say: “This is crazy; we should not encourage anyone to speed, in any circumstance, in any way, except in a professionally-controlled environment, like the Autodrome.” I know, I agree; but when faced with theory and practice, I will always choose practice. The reality is that many people do race on public roads, and that all-out reckless racing down Sheikh Zayed Road at rush-hour is very different to practicing a 90-degree drift on a closed industrial road at 11pm.

Thanks for your time reading the above; I say it sincerely with the hope it can help us all become better drivers while still enjoying our lifestyle.

Sparky will live on in our memories - please God let him be the last Booster to leave this world in a car wreck.

mastercontrol
UB Addicted Member
Posts:107
Joined:04 Nov 2007, 1:46 pm
Vehicle:Isuzu Trooper 2007

Post by mastercontrol » 21 Dec 2007, 8:08 pm

xcellent infooo
i miss sparky
smart guy...

User avatar
Tamu
UB Special Member
Posts:2834
Joined:02 Oct 2006, 12:55 pm
Location:Qatar

Post by Tamu » 21 Dec 2007, 8:40 pm

i agree with you prossett...thanks for getting the time to write this up!!!!

+1

User avatar
RasHooD
UB Special Member
Posts:2205
Joined:04 Oct 2007, 4:10 pm
Vehicle:Nissan Cefiro A31 Turbo
Location:Sharjah - UAE

Post by RasHooD » 23 Dec 2007, 2:41 am

+1

thanks prossett

User avatar
Accord98
Moderator
Posts:2521
Joined:22 Sep 2005, 8:48 am
Vehicle:Toyoda
Location:Dubai

Post by Accord98 » 25 Dec 2007, 7:30 pm

Nice write up. I have been reading some of your older articles in the Friday mag too.... i like em :)

Just to make things clear. Sparky was not racing.
I have just one more thing to add.....

As you rightfully mentioned, in the UAE it is as if every driver feels a need to "prove" himself.
I, unfortunately, feel i am becoming one of these people..... and i really dont know why.

When I drive home, i feel i must drive fast. When i stop at a red light, i feel a need to accelerate - pedal to the metal! When im on the highway, the speed limit doesnt apply....

I fear i have lost my patience.
If the driver behind Sparky had a little patience, he would be here today.

If you can not control yourself when driving on a day-to-day basis ... you cannot control your car....
Racing shouldn't even be an option.....

I need to get my patience back..... Hopefully, the rest of you have not lost it.

User avatar
albertho555
UB Special Member
Posts:1730
Joined:05 Dec 2005, 6:41 pm
Vehicle:B18C Civic HB
Location:deira

Post by albertho555 » 27 Dec 2007, 9:43 pm

prossett, thanks for the writeup. i hope all if u take it to your head.

i thought i should leave uaeboost & other sites that are full of street racers, but if we do .... there will be no one to put sense into your guys heads.

i lost a dear friend .... sparky was very close to me, kenny, accord98 & mikeh. we used to meet up and talk about cars till we realise its 4am. i wouldn't say we never raced, we did .... in a very safe environment. no traffic, no people, no junctions and no diesel on the road like some of you guys like it.

but because of a maniac who doesnt know the limits of his nissan patrol ... he took away our good friend & his best friend. no justice is being done, the culprit is from an influencial family.

you guys talk about doing 180kmph in a nissan patrol. im not bragging, but i daily drive a patrol ..... im not confident to drive it (in control) over 120kmph. being a racer, everyday on the track is a learning experience. ask Kenny.
i would like to meet these 180kmph drivers who im sure would be able to teach me some tips of keeping a nissan patrol in control at speeds of 180kmph. or should i cut the crap & say, there is no way on this damn earth you can keep a nissan patrol in control at speeds of 180kmph.....remember this !!! take it from me !!! who am i you will say .... but i think i know what is 'control'.

just take care guys, know your limits ... by driving recklessly, you put yourself .. and others in danger. maybe you are infuential and have brown sh&& contacts and all and maybe you will also get away like the guy who killed Sparky ... but hey, one day it can happen to you also.

User avatar
prossett
UB Advanced Member
Posts:1055
Joined:21 Oct 2007, 1:09 pm
Vehicle:Honda Jazz
Location:Al Ain

Post by prossett » 28 Dec 2007, 4:09 pm

Accord98 wrote:in the UAE it is as if every driver feels a need to "prove" himself.
I, unfortunately, feel i am becoming one of these people..... and i really dont know why.
Absolutely right - that's why it's important to talk about speeding and racing openly and seriously on forums like this.

And Albertho555, also exactly right: "i thought i should leave uaeboost & other sites that are full of street racers, but if we do .... there will be no one to put sense into your guys heads."

We are the senior guys now, not by choice, but by age and experience, and the fact that we survived so far. I can think of a hundred times when a near-miss (most not even my fault) could have turned real bad.

But involvement in clubs like uaeboost is incredibly important, to provide balance. Albertho555, the racing community needs you, so don't even think of leaving, please.

Accord98, as for your loss of patience, care to check out the autocrossing scene with me? I've never done it officially, though I quite often set up sand-filled Carrefour bags in empty parking lots! :D

I don't think we'd compete professionally, but putting in a uaeboost team would be fun! 8) No need to sign up for the whole championship (AED 600 each!) but we can just show up for the days we choose.

Maybe the calm focus of the racetrack can help bring back that in-traffic patience...

As for Sparky, RIP, I didn't mean to say he was racing or speeding - but anyhow, it wouldn't have mattered to me if he was. His tragic and untimely death occured, and that got me thinking, and then writing... that's all. It's a tragedy no matter how or why it happened.

User avatar
Sarah S.
UB Junior Member
Posts:22
Joined:01 Jan 2008, 8:35 pm

Post by Sarah S. » 02 Jan 2008, 8:34 pm

Excellent tips up there PR... the way i c it is that there's no point speeding let alone on a daily basis... and if u need 2 feel that "rush" make sure ur alone on the road... cuz u may have full control over ur car, but u can never have control over the ppl driving around u....

RIP Sparky.. i havent personally met Sparky but from our little communication i know he was a great and kind guy..always ready 2 help out :( .. may his family/friends have the patience and strength 2 over come his tragic death...

User avatar
Eleanor
UB Special Member
Posts:1691
Joined:06 Jun 2006, 12:11 am
Vehicle:Honda civic 99 EK-Evo 8

Post by Eleanor » 02 Jan 2008, 9:15 pm

Well said PR ....

i thought the other driver was driving a Toyota landcruiser albertho ?
i heard, not sure...

but this is some good info - im aware of a few.

oh n thanks Uncle;s :D :D
i like u guys.
u guys r like bigger brothers to me. i'd like to keep it that way-

SD -

User avatar
WKZ
UB Advanced Member
Posts:902
Joined:18 Mar 2007, 12:48 am
Vehicle:EP82 Starlet+Jeep Wrangler
Location:Ajman,Melbourne

Post by WKZ » 05 Jan 2008, 3:47 am

(Y) +1

Thanks for the write-up Prosett!

Accord98,like you most of us don't really have that patience even though we think we do or advise others.When we are in the mood and get the adrenaline rush,we tend to forget these issues.So it won't be easy for most of us to drive within the limits,we have to get it in our system and before we feel the need to accelerate we should think of the people who,like our dear friend Sparky,can be seriously harmed by our mistakes.I am not doubting your or anyone's driving skills,its just that the most experienced driver can lose control too.

Cheers,
WKZ

turrbo
UB Junior Member
Posts:19
Joined:03 Jan 2008, 12:14 pm

Post by turrbo » 06 Jan 2008, 2:57 pm

nice information...

Stasudedoss
UB Junior Member
Posts:5
Joined:30 Nov 2007, 8:51 pm

Post by Stasudedoss » 13 Jan 2008, 1:43 pm

Nice points and very informative 8) .

One thing I would like to suggest is that if you are racing basically always on the same "track", as Prossett pointed out, to check the conditions eveytime. Do not give for granted that everything is as usaul, there might be some new oil which was not there previously or some gravel on some bends.

I do not race on the roads but together with my bro and friends, I race pocket bikes and set up the track each time, scoping for stones, gravel, etc.

Enjoy and always drive within your limits (Y)

User avatar
theshadow
UB Junior Member
Posts:26
Joined:08 Jun 2006, 10:59 pm
Location:Dubai
Contact:

Post by theshadow » 14 Jan 2008, 12:35 am

Good writeup, Prossett. This jibes precisely with my "philosophy of reckless driving". I've often been at pains to describe what differentiates me form your average street punk and anyone who knows me knows that I drive pretty fast but I think you've isolated the crucial defining element quite eloquently...I have always believed in *calculated* risks for one and having my fun *far away* from the public eye, if not on a racetrack.

Perhaps the best thing you said is that driving isn't about showing off to the next guy, it's about mastering yourself and becoming one with your car's abilities. Which is why you guys won't see me around any of the regular places wh0ring the Evo around!

For me it's all about finding one of my favourite roads or an empty parking lot at 2am and spending about an hour or so doing the same thing over and over and over at 90% until everything just flows...that extra 10% is there for emergency cases only and that's not a cheque I plan on cashing in anytime soon!

Empty Carrefour bags filled with sand...damn now why didn't I think of that one??? :D

User avatar
prossett
UB Advanced Member
Posts:1055
Joined:21 Oct 2007, 1:09 pm
Vehicle:Honda Jazz
Location:Al Ain

Post by prossett » 15 Jan 2008, 8:38 am

(Y)

That's the way to do it! 8)

Just a second of stupidity can bring about a lifetime of remorse.

User avatar
Acs_Bimmer
UB Junior Member
Posts:48
Joined:10 May 2008, 9:24 pm
Vehicle:Bmw

Post by Acs_Bimmer » 11 May 2008, 12:46 pm

Sarah S. wrote:Excellent tips up there PR... the way i c it is that there's no point speeding let alone on a daily basis... and if u need 2 feel that "rush" make sure ur alone on the road... cuz u may have full control over ur car, but u can never have control over the ppl driving around u....

RIP Sparky.. i havent personally met Sparky but from our little communication i know he was a great and kind guy..always ready 2 help out :( .. may his family/friends have the patience and strength 2 over come his tragic death...

i think sarah is very pretty



Post Reply