200k Write Off.

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:21

You still need to take responsibility for your right foot as no system in the world will save your from every mistake, even less so when it's wet. I have no idea what happened here. I do know of people who have been driving in a straight line well within the speed limit and have lost their car and binned it big in bad weather due to track biased tyres. I have had a few aquaplane situations in my driving life, luckily I have got away with it.

I suspect however this was a running out of talent event, a person with no control or lack of experience taking no time to play themselves into their new car. I have seen it before, people get in and drive it like a Focus but don't realise that the pace, dynamics and speed at which you can get into trouble are many levels on.

peterwalkley · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:22

Do ferrari not do some sort of driver training for new customers ? I know porsche do as my brother went on it when he got his Boxster S.

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:23

peterwalkley said:
Do ferrari not do some sort of driver training for new customers ? I know porsche do as my brother went on it when he got his Boxster S.

There is no compulsive training for any car I know of and we are all the best drivers in the world aren't we?

Cleisthenes · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:33

Housey said:
There is no compulsive training for any car I know of and we are all the best drivers in the world aren't we?

You don't even drive a RWD car these days, if you want to be a pro go back to driving your wife's MX5

V F · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:35

Housey said:
You still need to take responsibility for your right foot as no system in the world will save your from every mistake, even less so when it's wet. I have no idea what happened here. I do know of people who have been driving in a straight line well within the speed limit and have lost their car and binned it big in bad weather due to track biased tyres. I have had a few aquaplane situations in my driving life, luckily I have got away with it.

I suspect however this was a running out of talent event, a person with no control or lack of experience taking no time to play themselves into their new car. I have seen it before, people get in and drive it like a Focus but don't realise that the pace, dynamics and speed at which you can get into trouble are many levels on.

Or so many they think they're Lewis Hamilton. Like so many of the bikers as well. First sunny day and they're out racing on public roads as the bike has sat all winter thinking they're Valentino Rossi.

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:44

Cleisthenes said:
You don't even drive a RWD car these days, if you want to be a pro go back to driving your wife's MX5

My red one is mostly RWD, it's nearly the same and I often reverse the Polo so that's RWD and RW steer!

Cleisthenes · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:46

Housey said:
My red one is mostly RWD, it's nearly the same and I often reverse the Polo so that's RWD and RW steer!

By often reverse what sort of percentage of the time are you in reverse?

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:48

Well I did get a stone in a disc brake and the noise.....god the noise!!! Neighbour said "just reverse it" so I did and after 10 feet there was a PING and out came the stone. So I have decided now that it makes sense to reverse it everywhere.

Cleisthenes · 28 Jul 2017 at 13:49

Housey said:
Well I did get a stone in a disc brake and the noise.....god the noise!!! Neighbour said "just reverse it" so I did and after 10 feet there was a PING and out came the stone. So I have decided now that it makes sense to reverse it everywhere.

Hahaha, this explains why you've been so successful

wolfie138 · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:06

always been my opinion that there should be a seperate driving test for super cars. you have an HGV test, motorcycle test etc, so why not. people just don't seem to appreciate how differently some of these machines can handle.

Six6siX · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:08

wolfie138 said:
always been my opinion that there should be a seperate driving test for super cars. you have an HGV test, motorcycle test etc, so why not. people just don't seem to appreciate how differently some of these machines can handle.

How do you define a 'supercar' though?

Should there be a test for 'superbikes' too?

What about hypercars? Different test for those too?

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:08

wolfie138 said:
always been my opinion that there should be a seperate driving test for super cars. you have an HGV test, motorcycle test etc, so why not. people just don't seem to appreciate how differently some of these machines can handle.

Nah, the vast majority do, get driven without incident. It hits the news because people like to laugh at perceived successful sorts bending expensive stuff, sad but true.

peterwalkley · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:08

Housey said:
There is no compulsive training for any car I know of and we are all the best drivers in the world aren't we?

I know its not mandatory, but porsche did push it pretty hard at him and I'm fairly sure it was free (i.e. buried in the price somewhere). He found it very instructive, especially as the car was a quite a step up from the TT he had before.

Stories like this are hopefully a lesson for when we can buy that willy waving toy we've always dreamed of. In the meantime, i'll stick with my XJ: If the werthers and golf clubs brigade can manage to not bin them, then I reckon I'm ok too.

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:11

peterwalkley said:
I know its not mandatory, but porsche did push it pretty hard at him and I'm fairly sure it was free (i.e. buried in the price somewhere). He found it very instructive, especially as the car was a quite a step up from the TT he had before

I know how Porsche works having bought one of their GT cars....

It is not pushed, it is a free half day to have some fun and explore what your car can do, not an advanced driving test or a lesson in the dynamics of, in my case, the 911.

V F · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:14

Housey said:
Nah, the vast majority do, get driven without incident. It hits the news because people like to laugh at perceived successful sorts bending expensive stuff, sad but true.

You mean the bad is always reported?

Housey · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:15

V F said:
You mean the bad is always reported?

I mean what I said

V F · 28 Jul 2017 at 14:16

The bad things are always reported. You rarely hear the good things.

Kreeeee · 28 Jul 2017 at 15:13

Six6siX said:
Should there be a test for 'superbikes' too?

There already is, kind of.

You can't ride a powerful motorcycle until you are above a certain age and have passed your test on a machine above a certain capacity and power.

bimbleuk · 28 Jul 2017 at 15:19

Nasher said:
If you go in to a corner like he did in a RWD sports car, it won't save you. It will only stop you spinning.

Watch when they rag the GT86 around the track on top gear, there still a lot of movement (they keep the TC on). That's "only" a 200hp car.

They do appeal to me as my current car is too track orientated for today's congested roads. I got away with it a decade ago now I'm just finding more excuses not to drive it.

I paid for a coaching day with Don Palmer and that was worth every penny to me and has stuck with me ever since.

Yaayuh! · 28 Jul 2017 at 15:31

Kreeeee said:
There already is, kind of.

You can't ride a powerful motorcycle until you are above a certain age and have passed your test on a machine above a certain capacity and power.

Indeed, and it's damned required too! Considering how cheap you can get a bike that's quicker than 95% of other vehicles on the road and easily above 150mph.

One of MANY examples: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ising-location=at_bikes&model=GSXR1000&page=1

Though many ignorant people could still pass their DAS in their 20s and get on one.