Tire Rack Street Survival

"BKRM3" (BKRM3)
08/18/2014 at 17:30 • Filed to: Happenings, Tire Rack Street Survival, BMW CCA, SCCA, Driving schools, Teen Safety

Yesterday I instructed at the Tire Rack Street Survival program co-sponsored by my BMW CCA chapter and the local SCCA chapter. It's a program for teens that focuses on driving skills and vehicle dynamics that goes above and beyond normal driver training. In fact, it's a lot more like an autocross.

The students drive whatever their normal car is - sometimes a nice new BMW, sometimes an old minivan. No matter what they bring, they leave the program with skills that might be life-saving in an emergency situation.

Most students are signed up by their parents. Here's a short video describing the program from the parents' perspective.

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This was my first time instructing for the program and I had an absolute blast. My student, a 17 year-old who received her license not long ago, was fantastically receptive to instruction. Before each exercise we went over what we'd do and how she should expect the car to react. She asked questions. We took it slow for each initial run so she could understand the course and then we added speed, more speed, quicker steering, more aggressive braking - whatever. All of it. She was a champ. We had her 2013 X1 (the xdrive 28i) 4-wheel sliding around the skid pad and punting cones as we pushed the limits of the slalom and emergency lane change exercises.

I'm 31 and I don't have any children yet, but man I wish this had been around when I was learning to drive. One student got his license last week and this was the first thing he really did in the car. Let me just say it: most ADULTS don't have this sort of driving experience, even if they've been on the road for 20 years. As a result of yesterday's program alone, there are now 32 additional skilled and aware young drivers on the road in PA and NJ. TRSS does over one hundred of these schools per year. Incredible.

Needless to say, I'll be volunteering to instruct again.

If you are a teen or you have a son or daughter who is new to driving and you're interested in this program I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have - please comment below!

In case you're curious, yes, they do a "combined exercise" after the end of the program/graduation ceremony and students can take their parents around. Instructors also get to run the course, and as you can imagine I was busy giving rides. Here's me taking my student's father around the course. I'm a race track guy, not an autocross guy, so this was my first cone course. Needless to say I could use some...refinement. Very weird not to have my harnesses, helmet, HANS, gloves, etc. Go easy on me, you cone killers out there!

DISCUSSION (17)

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 10:16

What are the requirements to instruct?

Trunk Impaired 318 > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 10:18

Ive been instructing for two years now and its always great to see reactions from parents and students when they see that Im their instructor, seeing as I'm only 21. I never thought I would've been qualified but at one autocross one of the senior guys who's also in the BMWCCA came up to me and told me they were short on instructors and that he thought Id be great at it since I handle myself so well at autocross. I usually make it to two or three every year and absolutely love it! Its also a good way to get kids interested in autocross!

BKRM3 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
08/18/2014 at 10:21

Sufficient prior autox or HPDE experience and there's an online training program you have to complete (which was created by the guy who prepared all the BMW CCA instructor training school materials). The instructors are all SCCA or BMW CCA members, so the people in charge are pretty familiar with the skill level of those volunteering to instruct before they get the go-ahead.

vondon302 > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 10:21

Kudos to you and tire rack for putting this on.

BKRM3 > Trunk Impaired 318
08/18/2014 at 10:25

Awesome! Yeah, by the end of the program a good number of the kids are asking "how can I do more of this?" I had a fantastic time and it's such a worthwhile thing to do. I didn't realize how much of a change I'd see in the students - not just mine but ALL of them - by the end of the day. Definitely volunteering again! I can't think of any use of my time that would make more of an impact for someone than this.

Hi there > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
08/18/2014 at 10:25

If I had to guess I'd guess some kind of background check and relatively informal interview process to sniff out obvious weirdos.

GTiceman > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 10:54

I also instructed with BKR at this event and was also my first time. I was the instructor oif the kid who got his license on Friday, that is mentioned, and it is also the same kid who brought a mini-van though it was not old it was a fairly new Honda Odyssey. His attitude was terrific. His mom was there and at the beginning of the day I made it clear to him and made her state, that he has permission to do the exercises as we instruct, as this is often a common fear of the teens that mom or dad will be mad that I am doing this to their car. His mom asked questions about safety and she sat through the classes as well. She even mentioned how much she learned.

My student and I discussed the fundamentals of each exercise and what you will feel, learn, experience, and how to react. I helped him realize that he could really avoid things in an emergency situation, what it feels like to understeer a vehicle (quite interesting in a minivan) and how to recover, and quite important was the activating of ABS. He maintained a cool head the whole time and used smooth inputs. I think it was great that this was the first thing he did after getting his license, he hadn't even driven on the highway yet!

His mother commented that she would have gladly paid 2x as much for this event because of the value she feels it provided and apparently has 2 other children, one of which she will be putting through the event next year. Tire Rack really did a great thing by creating this program and the volunteers help continue to make it a success. I imagine my student will be talking about this for some time and hopefully his friends will mention it to their parents or the parents themselves will talk and more teens will get this type of learning experience which I think is crucial to putting better drivers on the road. I feel everyone, not just teens, could benefit from programs like this.

Great write-up BKR, you knew this comment was coming.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 10:56

I don't know if you have any answers for this, but I am a real fan of this type of education. I was an MSF ridercourse instructor for a few years, and this looks like something similar. Looking through the Street Survival website, it was not readily apparent where the classes where being held within each State, not to mention the dates. You wouldn't happen to know whereabouts in Virginia they teach this class would you?

BKRM3 > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
08/18/2014 at 11:09

It's really the only way to learn these skills in a safe environment. I think it's impossible to overstate the value of that, especially for a new driver. Here are the future programs, looks like there are two in Virginia: http://streetsurvival.org/school-schedul…

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 14:55

Heck, I'd do it if they would let me! That would be a blast. Thanks for the link, I passed it along. I just hope it gets used.

BKRM3 > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
08/18/2014 at 15:03

Hahaha I said the same thing last year! It was a great time, even riding right seat for 90% of the day. I hope the link you passed along gets used too. These were some lucky kids getting to do this the other day, even if they don't realize that immediately.

Sam > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 17:10

I think I'm gonna sign up for this now. I've never experienced my car in skids (accidental ones) or panic stops. Plus $75 seems pretty reasonable.

BKRM3 > Sam
08/18/2014 at 17:11

You will LOVE it. Oh, yeah, and you'll learn a ton too =)

JGrabowMSt > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 17:38

I'm a few years beyond being a teenager, but can I still flog my wagon sometime with you guys?

BKRM3 > JGrabowMSt
08/18/2014 at 18:02

Max age is 21 for this particular program. If you're older than that, why not try an autocross or track day? With autox you can ask for an experienced guy to ride with you and instruct you (from what I hear), and with track events you'll 100% have an instructor with you the entire time as a novice. You don't need to have a sports car to have fun at either kind of event!

Spasoje > BKRM3
08/18/2014 at 18:49

I love to see this sort of thing! Advanced driving programs for new drivers should be mandatory, if you ask me...

BKRM3 > Spasoje
08/18/2014 at 18:59

Thanks! Completely agree!