I made a promise to myself after March that I would think twice before strapping myself into the passenger seat of a student's car again. Overeager Novice in a fast car that took my off twice was the major impetus. In April, I just told myself that I didn't want to instruct--didn't have it in me to be strapped to a 3000 pound missile with fading brakes driving straight into a gully/puddle.
I also promised myself that I'd keep that in mind next time I had someone in the right seat of *my* car.
Edit: ****, hit post unintentionally.
At RA this past weekend, my instructor just rode along, didn't have a whole lot to tell me. Then I got in his car, and he, perhaps in his attempts to show me a "fast/er" line through 5, spun in 4. I kept thinking to myself that it was going to impact a wall (there isn't much runoff right there) and in that wierd time-lapse that happens, pondered if I should ever be in the right seat of ANYONES car. How does one do this and not have issues with a death wish? How does one get over being spun or offed? I certainly didn't have an issue with my own laps. Don't know if I will bother riding along ever again though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by madhatter &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Instructing, or just riding along?</TD></TR></TABLE>I ride along and instruct. :shrugg:

 

after instructing again this weekend....i too asked myself....do i have a death wish?

my students were good and fast.....but my only fear was do they know what to to and how to handle a 100mph off......but that was teh only issues i had with them....could they handle a major off?

 

Part of instructing a driver is where you evaluate his potential for disaster (hopefully early in the session) and then you use your instructional abilities to keep him within his limits.
Sometimes its not enough just to be able to show him the fast way around the track. Discipline must be taught.
Most experienced instructors rarely have dangerous off's...but I have seen rookie instructors get in trouble in a big way.

Anyways, if you are not comfortable in the right seat, you have answered yourself.