WARNING!!

[LOWDOWN]

Aaron Gold did us all a HUGE favor @ VIR. Under controlled circumstances (at a race track), under relatively favorable (?!) conditions (run-off area, low-speed, tire wall present, someone else's car (!!!), safety crews present), Aaron executed a manoeuvre that could befall ANY ONE OF US...

All this talk about "needless winter tires", and "I can drive the thing ANY way I want to, whenever/wherever I want to" should now be seen for what it just might be: disrespect for your own driving capabilities (even under the BEST of circumstances) and disrespect for the true capabilities (and limitations) of an ultra-high performance vehicle.

Don't say, "It couldn't POSSIBLY happen to me!" Aaron proved it CAN! I am confident Aaron did not leave Pit-Out with the intent of bending/folding/mutilating the Team's pride 'n joy, nor himself, nor anyone else. BUT, as we ALL know, "stuff happens!"

Enjoy your rides...but RESPECT them, too...and respect yourself.

We do NOT look forward to hearing YOUR story of how the ZL1 you loved and lusted for "got away" on you...on a street/road/highway...with unfortunate photographic proof... And we sure don't wanna hear about folks being injured (or worse!) by someone who let their limited talents (and Murphy's Law) overrule their better judgement...

Be REAL! And real careful!

Carry on...

[motorhead]

You're in law enforcement I bet.

[LOWDOWN]

No siree, Bob! I'm as capable as anyone without diplomatic immunity or a pocketed badge of getting foolish...and getting a ticket...

This, folks, was simply a "reminder"...

No harm. No undo penalties. No charge(s)...

But the next time...??????

This, my friends, is my annual no-charge PSA...for now...

[motorhead]

I do agree with you anyway. I've had many hi powered cars and have been bitten a few times from not using my head. I've since then grown up a little and do try to respect them.


The problem with these hi-po cars these days is that they handle so good that when you do loose it ,there is no turning back most of the time.

[The Stig]

I do volunteer EMS and firefighting, and for some car crashes the career guys have to put down what they believe to have caused the crash. Whenever the patient is a young male, they put AMIS - Adolescent Male Immortality Syndrome.

Way to many men in their late teens early 20s believe that nothing can hurt them - this is just a generalization (be it an accurate one).

Respect the car, and she'll respect you.

[fbodfather]

Lowdown - very good PSA!

It bothers me to no end when I hear someone complain about why "Stabilitrak" defaults to "On" --

Yes - we have some people on this site that are 'invincible' - (...at least in their minds, anyway....) --

.....and while it's not my intent to belittle or upset anyone.......


CONSIDER THIS:

EACH TIME that someone wrecks a Camaro - it affects all of us - because the more wrecks and claims there are, the more the insurance is going to escalate. Now - some may say "so what?" Well - that is certainly your right to say that........ However, some of us witnessed the late 60s and early 70s - and we saw that many got priced right out of the market - they were good drivers - but because of their age, they could not even think about purchasing insurance for a Z28 or an SS-396 or Nova SS or GTO or *insert favorite muscle car name here*........

Now........

We (that's you and me) don't want to see you die. Nor do we want innocent bystanders to die. Nor do we want friends and/or family to die --

....and from a personal perspective: Dying isn't the worst possible outcome. Lying unconscious in a hospital bed for 15 years to me may be much worse.....

How many more pictures of wrecked Camaros do we need to post on this or any other site? How many more people have to die behind the wheel of their Camaro or Mustang or *insert brand name here* before it gets thru to some that Stabilitrak can save you???


sooooooo. (...once again on my soapbox....) I'm delighted that Lowdown posted this note.

I don't care HOW GOOD you think you are behind the wheel -- rest assured that you are not that good. I don't care who you are or what you do for a living or for sport. You are not that good.

I have watched any number of professionals (as have many of you) lose control while driving --

(all together in unison!) you are not that good!

How 'bout we leave the "nannies" (...I hate that word) on when we're driving on public roads? It was made standard on your new Camaro for a reason.

Lastly: IF I've upset someone -- GOOD -- I'm doing it BECAUSE I -- AND MANY OTHERS -- CARE ABOUT YOU!!!!



**OK guys -bring that fork lift over here and get the soap box out from under me!**

[Newportmedic]

Well spoken stieger. I am a fulltime paramedic/firefighter and I have seen this way to many time.

[IrocJack]

Fail...

[2010SLVRBULIT]

Originally Posted by IrocJack

Fail...

bad drivers

[motorhead]

More I think about threads like this one the more I come to the question of "Why make cars like this if we're not supposed to run them as they were intended to be run?"

The OP is right. Aaron was on a race track where it's okay to run a car hard ,and it still bit him. That's the way it goes sometimes. It doesn't mean he wasn't respecting what he had under him. What we do have to worry about is the nuts that hit the streets and act like they're Jimmy Johnson or John Force. But, what I've seen over the years is a lot of those type of people don't drive fast cars ,and they still kill themselves or others.

[jazznurse]

As Clint said "...A man's go to know his limitations". That's how I've managed 39 years of driving with out a crash, while having fun every time I'm behind the wheel. Driving is just as exciting for me now as it was when I was 16. I just keep my head on straight, minimize the risks, and drive defensively. " Hey! Driving is a serious buisness". -John Milner in American Graffiti.

[kbui]

Originally Posted by motorhead

More I think about threads like this one the more I come to the question of "Why make cars like this if we're not supposed to run them as they were intended to be run?"

The OP is right. Aaron was on a race track where it's okay to run a car hard ,and it still bit him. That's the way it goes sometimes. It doesn't mean he wasn't respecting what he had under him. What we do have to worry about is the nuts that hit the streets and act like they're Jimmy Johnson or John Force. But, what I've seen over the years is a lot of those type of people don't drive fast cars ,and they still kill themselves or others.

You should drive the car as intended! but not being stupid about it. Be mindful of the conditions you are driving in and use the nannies to save your a** in bad track conditions. Just because the car was designed to take that corner at 120mph on warm dried pavement, doesn't mean you should do 120 at the same corner when it's soaked. Read his writeup, he wasn't paying attention to the traction control mode he was in on that lap and was going too fast off the line.

[Happy_Dan]

I think the point is, when you go to the track, you have expectations that are different from the street. I know when I go to the track that some knucklehead might be do something stupid and take me out in the process. I know when I go to the track, that I might lose my car or even my life and to go a little faster I weigh that risk and may turn off the nannies.

However, that risk should not be present on the street. The other drivers didn't sign up for that same risk. Good idea to leave on the nannies and drive safely so you don't kill some mother of 6 kids just because you wanted to be cool.

And PLEASE, I beg you, put the distractions away (phone) when driving!

[lbls1]

Like I advise all curious potential camaro owners, that one should be well aquainted with their driving skills before owning a v8 camaro.

Camaros are excellent cars, but they are not well suited for beginning drivers or for care-free ownership. Camaros are very fast and powerful, and if not handled properly they can and will get away from you.