When did you realize you sent it a little too hard?

In reply to GM > MG :

Oh you reminded me of a good one.

My Showroom Stock C Miata; on the opening lap I blew past two Spec Rx7s in the brake zone for turn two and did a beautiful slide job into the corner.

Next lap there are three RX7s and I decided to repeat the manouver; I blow past all three car execute a beautiful slide job into the corner pick up the throttle and for a split second all was well..............then it wasn't.

I went form a glorious 4 wheel drift to a 4 wheel wash in a nanosecond. The car went pogoing through the gravel trap totally sideways, all the while gravel came pouring in the driver's side window like Godzilla spat out a mouthful of dirt, until finally the car came to a stop. When the dust cleared I couldn't have been more then 6" from the tire wall. 

I sat in the gravel trap and watched as the last place car droned past, twice!  My ego was stabbed in the heart and everytime the last placed car droned past it just twisted the blade. 

Thnakfully the Spec RX7 guys drove in their usual manner, so once I'd been pulled out of the gravel I manged not to finish dead last..................but my sutpidity still hurt. Especially considering I used the car as a daily driver.

In reply to NOT A TA :

I've had similar experiences racing DH and Enduro.  The best riders can ride on the edge of grip and let the bikes slide, all while being comfortable being slightly out of control.  I can't do that. I'm an "8/10ths" rider - good at riding within my limits, but not so good when I try to push it.  The only time this ever helped me was in mud races where if you could just stay on your bike, you'd do well. The whole "push too hard and hit trees" aspect of mtn bike racing tends to keep "send it!" in check.  There is a little bit of that when hitting bigger drops and jumps, but in my opinion those get easier with experience rather than pure bravado.

For autocross, no... at least not beyond an occasional spin, or under-steer plow.  Hopefully I'll get to one of the Bader events next year.  Those do look like fun.

dculberson said:

In reply to Matt B (fs) :

Oof. I made a pass going into the kink at CMP and as I settled into the line realized that a BMW had passed the same car on the right and we were headed for the same line out of the kink. He locked it up for a bit and I adjusted my line and we were fine but it was a brown shorts moment. I'm not sure how fast I was going then, but a prior GPS lap showed 110mph so it was not slow.

This object has been temporarily removed as we revise its facial expression, which was deemed zoologically improbable and/or terrifying to small children.

I've done that. There. About that fast. I wonder if I was next to you?

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Some places in the world you have to drill them out to avoid creating the mosquito breeding ground from hell.

Oh yeah, like here. 

65 Mustang Fastback.  Built engine.  GT350 springs and sway bars.

There was this interstate exit that crossed a major highway with a stoplight.  If I caught the traffic and the light right I could take this turn at 50 mph.  I did this all the time.  Except one time the road was wet, I was with my new girlfriend, not paying attention to driving.  I tapped the brakes when I started to spin, did a 180, lifted the brakes, front wheels were pointed to steer into the skid but the car was traveling backward by then.  So the right fender crashed into left side guardrail.  I fortunately could drive away before anyone could call the cops. 

Matt B (fs) said:

In reply to fidelity101 (Forum Supporter) :

100% worth it, especially since they are not running that stage anymore (yet) 

land owner/access rights/local drama etc

time will tell...

In reply to fidelity101 (Forum Supporter) :

That's too bad. Although I can imagine there are some that are happy not to have to deal with that particular part of the stage.

I'm too embarrassed to post pix, but let's just say the realization that you sent it a little too hard comes up fast.  it's pretty easy to cross that line that separates "FULL SEND" from "OH NO"

That time when time slowed down and the sky and the track had swapped places and it was kind of quiet and peaceful and you think to yourself. I bet this is going to need a bit more than a lick of paint.

Sent it a bit to far that time.

dean1484 said:

That time when time slowed down and the sky and the track had swapped places and it was kind of quiet and peaceful and you think to yourself. I bet this is going to need a bit more than a lick of paint.

I have been in 3 - yes, 3 - rollover accidents*, and it is exactly like that.

* Only one where I was driving.

Pocono North Course, turning into the infield.  Missed the braking point at the next turn and sailed off course.  My sole purpose in life at that point was to avoid being entangled in the chain link fence.  I paralleled the fence for what seemed like 20 minutes as the gravel, rocks, sand and whatnot beat the bottom of my car.  I had an 8mm in car video of me yelling "Frack, frack, FRACK! or something like it, the entire time.  No real damage except to my ego.

Duke said:

dean1484 said:

That time when time slowed down and the sky and the track had swapped places and it was kind of quiet and peaceful and you think to yourself. I bet this is going to need a bit more than a lick of paint.

I have been in 3 - yes, 3 - rollover accidents*, and it is exactly like that.

* Only one where I was driving.

 

I had another picker moment in the last corner at Bridgehampton but it was due to tire failure not me sending it. 

dean1484 said:

Duke said:

dean1484 said:

That time when time slowed down and the sky and the track had swapped places and it was kind of quiet and peaceful and you think to yourself. I bet this is going to need a bit more than a lick of paint.

I have been in 3 - yes, 3 - rollover accidents*, and it is exactly like that.

* Only one where I was driving.

 

 

For me I find it to be the opposite; when I'm really dialled in everything goes in slow motion . 

When things go wrong it's like someone pressed fast forward on a video. This seems especially so with some of my more violent motorcyle crashes.

With that said I can vividly remember every detail as it's etched in my mind.

nderwater said:

I'm too embarrassed to post pix, but let's just say the realization that you sent it a little too hard comes up fast.  it's pretty easy to cross that line that separates "FULL SEND" from "OH NO"

I'd like to see the pics...

Tom1200 said:

For me I find it to be the opposite; when I'm really dialled in everything goes in slow motion . 

When things go wrong it's like someone pressed fast forward on a video. This seems especially so with some of my more violent motorcyle crashes.

With that said I can vividly remember every detail as it's etched in my mind.

I think it depends on what kind of going wrong you've got.  When it's the "I can no longer do anything useful and just need to ride it out" type it goes slow motion.  When there's still control and a chance of saving or improving the situation, then it's usually the fast forward, runing on pure instinct, have to work to remember afterwards exactly what you did to get yourself out of that kind of thing. 

I once hit a railroad crossing in my Crown Victoria at about 55-60 mph.  Unfortunately, it was one of those crossings where the road is slightly below the tracks on one side and quite a bit lower than the tracks on the other.  I was truly surprised that I didn't break something under the car, but as a " retired " police car I guess it was engineered for that type of driving.

rslifkin said:

Tom1200 said:

For me I find it to be the opposite; when I'm really dialled in everything goes in slow motion . 

When things go wrong it's like someone pressed fast forward on a video. This seems especially so with some of my more violent motorcyle crashes.

With that said I can vividly remember every detail as it's etched in my mind.

I think it depends on what kind of going wrong you've got.  When it's the "I can no longer do anything useful and just need to ride it out" type it goes slow motion.  When there's still control and a chance of saving or improving the situation, then it's usually the fast forward, runing on pure instinct, have to work to remember afterwards exactly what you did to get yourself out of that kind of thing. 

So at the risk of being completely contrary: 

When you're getting a beat down from the tarmac (motorcyle) the raw violence of the moment is happening way faster than your mind can process, your brain says "ouch my ankle felt like it snapped" followed instantly by "ouch I think my wrist just snapped" hence the fast foreward.

The car is the same to a lesser degree; a spin at 80mph is no big deal but bouncing through a gravel trap sideways 80 mph feels like 80mph........especially when you can't see a damn thing other than scenery whizzing past the windshield at 90 degree angle.

I sent it too hard when the spinning stops you need the wipers to clear the dirt off of the windshield to see when it's safe to re-enter the track.

car39 said:

Pocono North Course, turning into the infield.  Missed the braking point at the next turn and sailed off course.  My sole purpose in life at that point was to avoid being entangled in the chain link fence.  I paralleled the fence for what seemed like 20 minutes as the gravel, rocks, sand and whatnot beat the bottom of my car.  I had an 8mm in car video of me yelling "Frack, frack, FRACK! or something like it, the entire time.  No real damage except to my ego.

Fun fact: if you brush a chainlink fence at speed with your mirror, it makes a noise like a giant zipper.

GameboyRMH said:

Fun fact: if you brush a chainlink fence at speed with your mirror, it makes a noise like a giant zipper.

That's hysterical..............my subconscious now wants to try it.

Tom1200 said:

GameboyRMH said:

Fun fact: if you brush a chainlink fence at speed with your mirror, it makes a noise like a giant zipper.

That's hysterical..............my subconscious now wants to try it.

My mom used to work in an oral surgery/reconstruction clinic.  I got to see some neat stuff (photos/X-rays).

Ever see the effects of the top of a chainlink fence (the horizontal pole) going through someone's face?

The surgeons were very, very good at their job...

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

...got pics?