This nonsense drives me nuts

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/please-stop-killing-my-friends-1697610915/+pgeorge

Doesn't very track worth its salt have a safety czar with the power to shut things down if he sees a treacherous condition like this? Tell you what: of the four track-day organisations that I've run with, only one runs what I would call a tight ship (NASA's home region - Northern California) The others engage in negligent practices that could have fatal results. Sorry if I sound like a drama queen, but this really isn't good for our sport, and is even worse for the family of the instructor.

Stop reading Jalopnik and you'll be less angry....

Its an anger fueled piece. But all the things he said make sense, they were running the track in a configuration it wasn't setup for and it amplified the accident.

If I've learned anything this year from racing (NASCAR no less) it's that a spinning car will manage to find the place in the wall that will cause the occupants the most harm. Running the track in reverse and not having some protection at those points isn't the brightest of ideas, and just because it has never happened doesn't mean it never will.

Ironic that the author uses a Disney trick in his writing. Ever notice that all Disney shows start with a missing parent or personal tragedy to get you moving emotionally in the direction of the story and suspend disbelief for the duration?

The authors points were all valid. However, he does make it seem like the evil empire is behind this conspiracy and hints at punishment fair that must be dispensed to avenge the wrong. Closing the article with the picture of the wife and baby did leave me a bit verklempt.

The short version of this story would read "Random E36 M3 happens to good people, proving once again that nobody gets out alive, so make your decisions accordingly". But without a pulpit, that story don't sell.

No, random E36 M3 is like the cricket player who took a ball to the neck and died. That was random. This was a negligently stupid accident. Back when the big popular track by me was running on a ghetto budget, they used huge piles of old tires as barriers to prevent this very kind of accident. Disney couldn't have at least done the same?

I see it as negligent. Why was the track being run backwards at all? Let a bunch of novice drivers out in high horsepower cars go as fast as they can and you want to make the track LESS safe? That makes no sense. You couldn't pay me enough to be a instructor at those types of events. It sounds terrible. There are only a few of my friends I will ride with when driving with any kind of speed, and only about 1 I would ride with on a track. Jumping into a exotic, with a complete stranger and hope they listen well enough to not kill you??? No thanks!

I could have linked to a less sensationalist source, that's for sure. But the point stands that there needs to be an experienced grown-up around who understands that cars can crash on the inside of tracks as well as the outside. I've gotten a wheel off on the runout of a curve, sending me into a spin that took me back across and into the infield. That could have been any of us.

Mickey-mouse operation indeed.

I once offered to co-drive for a newb rally driver. He scared the EVER-LOVING -E36 M3 out of me and I don't know if we ever got over 80km/h.

Luckily, this was at a test day before the actual event. I managed to wiggle my way out of it... Not my best moment of character, but there was no helping him.

Edit- As to the story, complete negligence. If you use something outside of its designed specifications, you are liable for E36 M3 that happens.

Hmm, Disney was not the operator, I'm sure they simply leased the facility to RPDE. Anyway, knowing Disney's legal team, I'd be amazed if another wheel ever turns at this facility before it returns to it's parking lot role.

"Aaaand, you are parked at Lamborghini 350 folks, that's Lamborghini 350.
Please hold on and keep your hands and feet inside the tram, we are departing for the TTC, the Ticket and Transportation Center.
We are clear, driver."

All indications are that the instructor WAS the one in charge of safety.