Someone mentioned they wanted to hear a Novice's opinion on the topic.
Well, I'm a novice and I have an opinion, although it's totally unrelated
and cannot further this discussion in any way whatsoever other than to make
it drag on for at least six more posts as more knowledgeable folks rightly
dismiss it as not being relevant.
I've never ridden before my runs because I feel like it's sneaky. Now,
being sneaky isn't in and of itself a sin, but it doesn't feel good to me.
The few rides I've taken have been instrumental in the continued existence
of tread on my tires. And the more I've learned, the more valuable they've
been. My last ride with a certain fantastic driver (who pilots his Volvo
S80 to greater heights than the Scandinavian sofa-mobile should rightly
attain, and certainly to faster times than my zippy Honda will ever yield
with me at the helm) taught me worlds about how to handle a car. (Other
novices: Did you know it simply can't go full speed around corners? What
an eye-opener for me!)
Here's my complaint regarding the issue. When I'm two cars away from that
green flag and thinking about the course, and someone strolls up to my
inviting convertible and asks for a ride. I feel rude to say no, but
regardless of how innocent and polite and appreciative and quiet and
motionless they can stay, having another person in the car is distracting to
me. Perhaps when I "know what I'm doing" it will be easier, but for now it
kind of takes my mind off what I'm doing and put it squarely on "this
person, no matter how nice, adds roughly [doing math] 14% of my car's curb
weight to it's already bloated carcass." See how in the time you've taken
to read that I've screwed up three critical corners which got me on to the
straight wide and 1400 rpms lower than I where I should have been, so far
out of VTEC that I might as well spin the car with the e-brake and drive the
upcoming slalom in reverse?
I know it's my own fault, and I wish I could give everyone a ride and let
them drive my car and drive their cars all day and we could all get drinks
together afterwards and then do it some more, again and again, dizzy with
glee, but the frustrating fact is that I'm going to get less than three
minutes on the "classroom" for my $25, and I really want to make them count.
That's the hardest thing for an excited novice (well, for me anyway). It
seems like so LONG until the next event. And the runs seem so SHORT! MUST
DRIVE FASTER! MUST DRIVE FASTER!
Have I mentioned that I love each and every one of you? I do.
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