Sorry about the title, couldn't think of a good way to phrase it.
Anyways, basically I have been wanting to test my car in a safe and legal way and also improve my driving skills.
I was bored tonight and couldn't sleep so I did some searching and came across these:
1) This is a defensive (or advanced) driver course designed to improve your ability to handle difficult driving situations you may encounter on the street.
http://www.godo.com.au/activity/AHGD106/?subcategoryId=7&state_id=3&categoryID=2®ion_id=1067
It is a pretty expensive course, but then again it may save your life...
2) The next one is a Performance driver course where you learn to drive your car on a track.
http://www.godo.com.au/activity/AHGD102/?subcategoryId=7&state_id=3&categoryID=2®ion_id=1067
This is much cheaper and may be a good way for us to learn to get the most out of our CJs, especially those who have performance mods, and have a heap of fun too!
3) The last option is more for people who have done the perfomance course. The main purpose is to test your car out on the track.
http://www.godo.com.au/activity/AHGD107/?subcategoryId=7&state_id=3&categoryID=2®ion_id=1067
This is the cheapest option, but is likely going to be more useful after we get more time on the track.
I imagine that if we approach them as a club (and with enough numbers) we can get a day to ourselves or even a discount on the cost. From the website it says that we wont need any safety gear or extra licences, which is why I thought it was a good option. I've never been to a track day so I'm not sure if we need anything extra for those or how they would compare to this but I guess it is just food for thought...
So if anyone is interested post an EOI here and maybe the mods can look into it if there is enough interest?
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Perth Driver Enhancement
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the first link should be basic knowledge/common sense IMO
"" - know what is going on around you and be ready to act accordingly if something goes wrong
" Emergency braking procedures" - learning how to stop in an emergency situation, truck runs a red light or person infront slams on their brakes should be something everyone should know how to do... to get your bike license you have to stop your bike from 60-0 in 12 meters.. why can't they do the same for a car license test?
"* Consequence of speed" - seriously? if you're knowlingly speeding and think that there's going to be zero consequences you're dreaming, braking is affected, handling is affected and it'll take you more distance to react to situations such as cars pulling out without looking or wildlife crossing the road
"* Threshold and ABS braking" - Don't stomp the brakes and you don't ever need to worry about ABS
"* Stopping distance" - we should all know when and how much pressure to apply to the brake, how many red lights and stop signs do we see a day? :s
"* Reversing" - If you don't know how to reverse your car you don't deserve to own a license or a car
- reverse parking can be tricky however but if you proactively spend 30 minutes a week practising it in a carpark you'll be a pro in no time.
" Hazard detection, perception" - there's alot to cover on this because hazards can be anything from a shitty old commodore having no brake lights to a train coming without the boom gates working. refer to "Vision and spatial perception"
"Defensive driving techniques and management" - this is the best part about the course, the best way to learn is to have someone teach or show you
"* Skid causation" - I'd say go practise losing control of your car and then trying to regain control in different environments but that's called hoonlaw.... unless you're comfortable practising this in the middle of nowhere with noone around i'd be sticking to the track for this one and learning legally there.
they're definitely a good thing because most perth drivers don't have common sense, and those that do you will probably always learn something new from these courses which could even save your life or another persons life one day
anyway that's my opinion about it
"" - know what is going on around you and be ready to act accordingly if something goes wrong
" Emergency braking procedures" - learning how to stop in an emergency situation, truck runs a red light or person infront slams on their brakes should be something everyone should know how to do... to get your bike license you have to stop your bike from 60-0 in 12 meters.. why can't they do the same for a car license test?
"* Consequence of speed" - seriously? if you're knowlingly speeding and think that there's going to be zero consequences you're dreaming, braking is affected, handling is affected and it'll take you more distance to react to situations such as cars pulling out without looking or wildlife crossing the road
"* Threshold and ABS braking" - Don't stomp the brakes and you don't ever need to worry about ABS
"* Stopping distance" - we should all know when and how much pressure to apply to the brake, how many red lights and stop signs do we see a day? :s
"* Reversing" - If you don't know how to reverse your car you don't deserve to own a license or a car
- reverse parking can be tricky however but if you proactively spend 30 minutes a week practising it in a carpark you'll be a pro in no time.
" Hazard detection, perception" - there's alot to cover on this because hazards can be anything from a shitty old commodore having no brake lights to a train coming without the boom gates working. refer to "Vision and spatial perception"
"Defensive driving techniques and management" - this is the best part about the course, the best way to learn is to have someone teach or show you
"* Skid causation" - I'd say go practise losing control of your car and then trying to regain control in different environments but that's called hoonlaw.... unless you're comfortable practising this in the middle of nowhere with noone around i'd be sticking to the track for this one and learning legally there.
they're definitely a good thing because most perth drivers don't have common sense, and those that do you will probably always learn something new from these courses which could even save your life or another persons life one day
anyway that's my opinion about it
Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul.
Daily Driver: Yamaha R1
Weekend Warrior: BMW Z4 Roadster
Daily Driver: Yamaha R1
Weekend Warrior: BMW Z4 Roadster
I agree that most of the stuff is common sense and most people that actually have a licence should already know how to do that stuff, the benefit that I see in these things is, as you pointed out, where they take you out on the track and actually put you in slippery conditions and provide a safe environment to lose and regain control. I don't really care about the other stuff like reversing 
etc but it's learning how to regain control, or how best to minimize the damage if you can't, that interests me. As you said, we could all go and practice this at a carpark in the middle of the night with noone around, and have our cars taken away from us, because obviously it's better for us to have an accident and then be told "well if you'd done this the other person may be alive right now"...you get the idea (as with everything it is the minority that would take advantage of being able to practice this stuff and just do stupid crap that stop the rest of us having the opportunity...)
But I figured the ones that would be more applicable to CCJ WA were the bottom 2. I'm considering just doing it anyway if no one else is interested but it would be way more fun to have other CCJ members there, and possibly earn some bragging rights
etc but it's learning how to regain control, or how best to minimize the damage if you can't, that interests me. As you said, we could all go and practice this at a carpark in the middle of the night with noone around, and have our cars taken away from us, because obviously it's better for us to have an accident and then be told "well if you'd done this the other person may be alive right now"...you get the idea (as with everything it is the minority that would take advantage of being able to practice this stuff and just do stupid crap that stop the rest of us having the opportunity...)
But I figured the ones that would be more applicable to CCJ WA were the bottom 2. I'm considering just doing it anyway if no one else is interested but it would be way more fun to have other CCJ members there, and possibly earn some bragging rights
Well I just got back from a Performance Driver Course at AHG and despite being bloody hot, it was heaps of fun! Other cars were: Golf GTi, CLK 55 AMG, Ford Focus Turbo, 2006 WRX and a Soarer.
I let one of the instructors (who drives for a V8 Supercar team) take it around and he said it handled well, but could use a bit more grunt...He then put us all to shame (including the CLK 55 AMG) in his Tiguan...
Most of spend so much time and money improving the car when we should really be improving the driver! It felt so much faster when he was driving.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to see how much they have gained from mods, or just wants to learn how to handle the car better and understand it better.
I will definitely be going back, hopefully with the rest of CCJ WA for a track day sometime soon!
Here are some photos before our first lap and a couple of vids of me driving (Yes I got lost after they changed the course...
and yes my line was pretty terrible through the corners aswell but it is my first time and I feel more confident than I did this morning, also there is something about being filmed that makes you suck, most of my other laps were better than this!
EDIT: if you are wondering why my exhaust sounds so good at certain points in the vid, it is because it was the V8 Supercar on the track next to me
I let one of the instructors (who drives for a V8 Supercar team) take it around and he said it handled well, but could use a bit more grunt...He then put us all to shame (including the CLK 55 AMG) in his Tiguan...
Most of spend so much time and money improving the car when we should really be improving the driver! It felt so much faster when he was driving.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to see how much they have gained from mods, or just wants to learn how to handle the car better and understand it better.
I will definitely be going back, hopefully with the rest of CCJ WA for a track day sometime soon!
Here are some photos before our first lap and a couple of vids of me driving (Yes I got lost after they changed the course...
and yes my line was pretty terrible through the corners aswell but it is my first time and I feel more confident than I did this morning, also there is something about being filmed that makes you suck, most of my other laps were better than this!
EDIT: if you are wondering why my exhaust sounds so good at certain points in the vid, it is because it was the V8 Supercar on the track next to me
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