I have no issues with having a passenger, but that guy is annoying.

Sam, you don't like me in passenger seat :/

 

^ I know chu always be yelling in my ear when you're in the car with me. You talk to damn loud... Need to turn that volume almost off.

I like having you in the car with meh though.

 

I got the mic turned up cause i can't hear, your car is too freaking loud.

 

there is a huge difference between a "passenger" and the co driver....
Of course in circuit racing or one road racing the co driver is not useful, unless the course has a lots of unseen turns and or different surfaces or those mix. Like some hill climbs where the road long etc.
But i think if you are a rookie or you are new on the track, untill you get comfortable some pointers never hurts...

 

The key, for road racing tracks, is for both the instructor and student to have a very clear job of the instructor's role. I'm not being flip. To Robs points above, the student and instructor need to discuss what they are trying to accomplish, before climbing in the car. Is it learning the track, learning how to handle the car, learning the line for a specific set of turns. It might even be just getting comfortable with the car at higher speed. This needs to happen first so that the instructor's contribution is constrained to the areas in which they've agreed to focus. Otherwise it becomes something of a free for all, where the instructor is really just imparting their style and perspective on the driver, with no real instruction or value.

 

No question for rally, co-drivers are crucial... but most of us are circuit guys and don't have co-drivers. At best my passenger is my coach. He gives awesome instruction, but I still find it distracting.

 

Good point John

 

^^^ rt on. I think the driver would have been better served with the instructor taking him around the course driving the car himself--then turning it back to the owner and coaching him on position, not every movement all at once.

 

I think a lot of instructors try to be driving coaches. Two different things!

 

^ well said.

 

Wow, that guy in the first video is obnoxious.

 

 

The extra 140-160lbs throws off my "corner balancing"

 

I haven't done many autocross, but I didn't know there was such a thing as an instructor for one of those. I actually don't mind the guy in the first video, he's giving visual and verbal commands at a pace necessary for the passenger to be prepared for each turn. He was well ahead of every turn and gave precise directions (that I could tell), he and the driver seemed to work well together. If that was a beginner, bravo to the instructor because it was a nice run IMO.

For the second video, my first instructor was a woman just like that one. Petrified of me touching the gas pedal, even 50% on the straights. By the time she got out of my car, I was a worse, jittery, nervous wreck. Took me a whole day running solo to get that out of my head. I think it was about 90% her and 10% rambunctious beginner who want's to punch it on the straight. If she's scared then she shouldn't be instructing. People like that make you a worse driver.

I don't mind having someone in the right seat anymore, didn't like it at first unless it was someone I had a decent comfort level with. No scaredy cats.

 

Exactly! she's was probably instructing to get free/discounted track day out of the deal.