Anyone ever put your kid thru the Tire Rack Street Survival School?

URY914 · 05:54 PM

I just signed my 17 year old daughter up for the school. It will probably, if not save her life, at least save on repair bills some day. She wants to drive my car in an a/x but I told her she needs to run one in her car first. This school is her first step it running a a/x.

Tire Rack Street Survival

Watch the video and check out the schedule.

BTW, it is co-sponsored by PCA, BBWCCA, SCCA, and others.

PorscheGAL · PorscheGAL's Garage

I would be interested to see what you think of this. My son is 12 but we already discuss safe driving. Here in SC we have the BMW driving school and they have something like this for new drivers there. I have said that he will be doing that. This is another option when it comes time.

widgeon13 · 09-13-2012, 02:08 AM

I haven't done that but I used to send my sales force through the Skip Barber one day driving course. It was fun and educational for all and I know it saved two people from a significant motor vehicle accident. Just having a fundamental understanding of the physics of what happens during a lose of control changes impression on how someone should drive.

Rick V · 09-13-2012, 02:23 AM

Things like this should be mandatory to get your license. People today are not actually taught how to drive , or change a tire or anything that us old people grew up having to know.

Laneco · 09-13-2012, 03:05 AM

Our son did a one day Teen driving course at Thunderhill last year. It think the group that put that on was NASA. Best $100 I have every spent in my life! The "drivers ed" in school teaches you how to space yourself in traffic and rules of the road, but it does not teach you how to DRIVE.

One of the instructors took our son out for a fast lap in a Dodge Neon (probably an SRT4). Our son was flabbergasted at how fast that car went and came away with a whole lot more respect for a Neon and a skilled driver.

angela

onewhippedpuppy · 09-13-2012, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick V

Things like this should be mandatory to get your license. People today are not actually taught how to drive , or change a tire or anything that us old people grew up having to know.

Amen to that. When my kids get older (oldest is 8) they will go through a course like this, change a tire, and change their oil, all before being allowed to drive alone. This applies to my daughter as well.

Joe Ricard · Joe Ricard's Garage

I started and taught the Street Survival here on the Gulf Coast. It is pretty amazing to watch a group of dis-interested kids sitting in the class room before the lecture.

We had the Chief of police come in at one point and talk about how NOT to get a ticket when pulled over. My postion of the lecture had them all ears talking about texting and driving and such. Then out to the course to apply the threshold braking emergency lane change skid pad where the intstructors got everyone of them to spin it even if it took yanking op on the parking brake in both dry and wet surface. and then a small course that instructors threw mini cones and nerf balls in front of them. Yea it made them more aware of stuff. better drivers? at least they got the tools to do so. Oh also got the MADD peeps out there with drunk goggles and a pedal car during the lunch break.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

PCA has a neat program. Anyone with a drivers license 16 to 18 can participate in a PCA autocross as long as BOTH parents sign the waiver and one parent is present. We have had a few parents bring a kid to the autocross just to show them the basics of driving.

URY914 · 09-13-2012, 04:31 AM

I'll be going along with her and I'll take photos and notes and report back and update this thread.

esample · esample's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by URY914

I'll be going along with her and I'll take photos and notes and report back and update this thread.

Paul
Thanks for sharing this. Where is the class that you are signed up for? I thought that it was going to be in Tampa until I checked their schedule. My son is 15 and will be driving on his own soon. He's excited, I'm nervous.

-e.

URY914 · 09-13-2012, 05:16 AM

We're going to the one on Oct 6th in Geneva, which is east of Orlando.

esample · esample's Garage

I was in Sebring with the Suncoast PCA this weekend and found out that they are planning to hold a Tire Rack Street Survival School here in Tampa "this winter". A specific date has not been decided as they want to wait for cooler weather, but HCSD will provide the venue and be involved. I'll wait and enroll my son in that one but will be watching for your report. Thanks again for the heads up on what appears to be a very good program for new drivers.

-e.

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

Both my kids have been through this with the BMWCCA in the Bay Area. Outstanding. Panic stops, evasive maneuvers, emergency lane change, skidpad, every driver regardless of age should do this.

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

In the parking lot at Candlestick park - here she is about to lift the inside tire:

widgeon13 · 09-16-2012, 09:03 AM

Couldn't agree more.

Quote:

Both my kids have been through this with the BMWCCA in the Bay Area. Outstanding. Panic stops, evasive maneuvers, emergency lane change, skidpad, every driver regardless of age should do this.

KNS · 09-16-2012, 09:48 AM

Bob Bondurant is here in Phoenix and our kids are already destined to do their course when the time comes. I wish all kids (and many adults) would go through this.

VaSteve · 09-16-2012, 12:39 PM

I have instructed at this.

Have your kids do the cones with both hands on the wheel. Have them then do it with a cell phone in their hand or otherwise distracted. Have them explain the difference.

Racerbvd · Racerbvd's Garage

We allow 16 year olds to do our Dark Side Drivers Eds.
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Zeke · 09-16-2012, 01:53 PM

I've checked into various schools. All want the driver to be fully licensed and many require 6 months road driving. And this is for a defensive course. There aren't that many drivers' schools close to us, but Danny McKeever @ Willow and Bodurant want drivers 18. And they all require you bring a car for the defensive course. The kid has a choice of the family truck or Suburban. Not.

We have some information about a cop that has 6 Mustangs and teaches real driving. Not racing. Need more info, but waiting on the granddaughter to get her permit. Insurance is holding that up.

Meanwhile, she wants to go to Jim Hall Karts. Can't hurt, but the half day school is still a couple hundred bones. Insurance or karts? What to do? Not my dog.

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

Meanwhile, she wants to go to Jim Hall Karts. Can't hurt, but the half day school is still a couple hundred bones. Insurance or karts? What to do? Not my dog.

I've done Jim Hall and think very highly of it. However, I probably would not put a teen into that as a prep for defensive driving. The kart has such a low CG, high grip, and no mass (= inertia), I think you'd come out with a bunch of confidence thinking you are the next Sebastian Vettel that would not translate well to a full sized automobile.