The value of SS?

[GingerGSR]

Sometimes it could be priceless...

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/27765406/detail.html

[Brigdh]

SS? Stainless steel? Super stock? Shitty Shocks? Subsystem?

Seriously, what are you talking about?

[mitrebox]

SS? Stainless steel? Super stock? Shitty Shocks? Subsystem?

Seriously, what are you talking about?

TRSSS OR SS = TIRE RACK STREET SURVIVAL or STREET SURVIVAL

http://streetsurvival.org/ or www.streetsurvival.org

Take a look, volunteer to help. Better yet, refer new, young drivers to the program.

Check our schedule.

[Brigdh]

Ok, that explains the SS, but I fail to see how it is supposed to have helped. The article implies that the driver was ejected due to not wearing their seatbelt. Are the implications of not wearing a seatbelt something Street Survival covers?

Although, I do feel like an idiot now that I've noticed this thread is in the Street Survival section of the fourms

[GingerGSR]

Better yet, refer new, young drivers to the program.
Brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, nieces, co-workers kids, neighbors... Anyone you can think of.

This is exactly the situation we train them to deal with. Sad, very sad.

[GingerGSR]

Ok, that explains the SS, but I fail to see how it is supposed to have helped.

It's the whole point of the program; To put new drivers into situations that emulate the real-world in a controlled environment so they know how a car will react to the inputs required to avoid an accident.
We also stress safety and proper car maintenance among other things. All while making it as fun and interesting as possible.
It really is fun to coach and/or work the events. Come out for one, you won't be disappointed.

[gordon0412]

Ok, that explains the SS, but I fail to see how it is supposed to have helped. The article implies that the driver was ejected due to not wearing their seatbelt. Are the implications of not wearing a seatbelt something Street Survival covers?

Perhaps it should be. When I worked at Sandia Ntl Labs we had a seminar that brought in a state police officer who dealt with accidents. No pictures, but the stories were gruesome. I'd always worn seatbelts, but since then I don't start my car w/o it on. If this young lady had been taught but that one lesson she might very well be alive.

[arniecoleman]

EDIT - Link fixed . . .

From the TRSS website (www.streetsurvival.org):

"The primary emphasis of the Tire Rack Street Survival® is a "hands-on" driving experience in real-world situations! We use your own car to teach you about its handling limits and how you can control them.

The students will become more observant of the traffic situation they find themselves in. They will learn to look far enough ahead to anticipate unwise actions of other drivers. As the students master the application of physics to drive their cars, they will make fewer unwise driving actions themselves. They will understand why they should always wear their own seatbelts, and why they should insist that their passengers wear seatbelts, too.
It's about more than driving - it's about LIVING!

The Tire Rack Street Survival® school is a safe teen program designed to go beyond today's required driver's education and give teens across the U.S. the driving tools and hands-on experience to become safer, smarter drivers. Trained and qualified in-car driving instructors as well as classroom experience for each student."

In this particular instance, besides encouraging seat belt use, the students are taught collision avoidance maneuvers as part of their car control exercises. Perhaps, had this girl attended a Street Survival school and adhered to its lessons, she would be alive today.

I've downloaded that article, and am going to use it during our next school on May 15 in Gypsum.

You should check out the rest of the website . . .

[Brigdh]

broken link in your post Arnie.

I've heard of the Street Survival program, and although I've never been to one (went to what I imagine to be a similar program), I think its a great thing.

However, I'm not really convinced that the program would have prevented the death. Now granted, I don't have all the information about the crash, but I really don't see how it could have gone "better" other than the driver wearing a seat belt to not be ejected.

Highway 6 around Breckenridge is a rural 1 lane each way highway with no lights and not a lot of visibility around the bends. One side of the road has a ditch, and the other side has a dirt shoulder. In that situation, you are going total the car, its just a matter of if you hit the deer or not. You can hit the deer, but without belts on, you are going to be ejected. You can dodge left, risking a head on collision, or right, which will likely roll the vehicle from the front left tire either catching in the ditch or digging into the dirt shoulder which is what I imagine happened.

It seems to be a lose lose situation, and its terrible that it happened, but I don't see Street Survival helping. Street Survival participation won't prevent every possible auto accident.

[SubySal]

Street Survival attempts to simulate emergency driving tactics, but promotes situational awareness and respect for the act of driving.

That said SS cannot fix arrogance or stupidity. The best piece of safety equipment anyone has is located directly between their ears. If not then it's all left to Darwin. There was a big fail here. Whether by the girl, or her parents, or whomever taught her to drive. Someone most certainly dropped the ball. SS could of possibly helped, but it is hard to say. In the end we all make our own choices.

Subarus, especially newer ones have ridiculous safety standards. The girl who was belted in only received minor injuries. Unless they hit a tree I figure it would've been the same for the rest if belted in.

There are no such things as accidents, only exercises in bad judgement.

[mitrebox]

Street Survival attempts to simulate emergency driving tactics, but promotes situational awareness and respect for the act of driving.

That said SS cannot fix arrogance or stupidity. The best piece of safety equipment anyone has is located directly between their ears. If not then it's all left to Darwin. There was a big fail here. Whether by the girl, or her parents, or whomever taught her to drive. Someone most certainly dropped the ball. SS could of possibly helped, but it is hard to say. In the end we all make our own choices.

Subarus, especially newer ones have ridiculous safety standards. The girl who was belted in only received minor injuries. Unless they hit a tree I figure it would've been the same for the rest if belted in.

There are no such things as accidents, only exercises in bad judgement.


Well said, Sal. Couldn't have put better myself.

Thank you.

[Goku]

SS is great. I did the alive at 25 as a teen. While its no where near what SS teaches you. I personally wish getting a DL was much harder. IE: more training on how to drive. Not, just knowing that a stop sign means stop. I'd love it if we were similar to Germany on this. I've heard it takes 2yr's to get a DL there. Sadly so many people don't understand the huge advantages of just knowing how to drive.

And note, I am a static. I crashed my first car 5 months after getting my learners permit. All because I was lost, and didn't know what to do in a poor situation. Lucky for me all parties were ok, but both cars were totaled.

[Matt Leicester]

My driver's ed teacher waaaaaaaaay back in high school said there are no accidents, there are only crashes. Absolutely true. He then added..".Okay, maybe a helicopter falls out of the sky and lands on your car, that might be an accident. No it isn't, it's a crash caused by something with the helicopter." Not all crashes are preventable, getting caught by a falling rock comes to mind, but all impacts are crashes. SS tries to teach how to avoid crashes.

On a separate thought, I always thought it would be a good idea to take the students around any of the exercises without wearing a seatbelt. Point out that what is happening on the slalom in an SUV on all season tires may be generating forces around 0.7 g, I think the Snell foundation lists a "survivable" crash at something like 200 g's. How hard is it to hold on at less than 1g, and do you think you can stay in place at 200 times that?

I had a delivery driver working for me many years ago that never wore his seatbelt in his own car (if he wanted to keep his job, he wore the seatbelt in the parts store's car...). I gave him a ride at an autocross in the Hotruck once (and yes, he wore the harness), and he was amazed at how hard it was to stay in place even with a five point harness while cornering at a bit over 1g, when he could see the turns coming. He got much better at wearing his seat belt after that.

Matt Leicester

[Goku]

This makes it even sadder

http://www.rmsolo.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9933

[LoCore]

In Iowa, a long time ago, the high schools offered Driver's Ed asva regular class that was available. Everybody took it because of a clever incentive: take it, and get your license at 16.

Dont take it, and the earliest you could get your license was 18.

I remember thinking how odd it was Colorado didn't do the same. Why driving a car isn't considered basic education I'll never know.

It's time for the US to take driver training seriously. With the power and handling that new cars have, training needs to be a priority for everyone's safety.

Please, make time to teach just one TRSS this year. And if you have kids that are new drivers, get them trained!

[Brigdh]

In Iowa, a long time ago, the high schools offered Driver's Ed asva regular class that was available. Everybody took it because of a clever incentive: take it, and get your license at 16.

Dont take it, and the earliest you could get your license was 18.

I remember thinking how odd it was Colorado didn't do the same. Why driving a car isn't considered basic education I'll never know.

It's time for the US to take driver training seriously. With the power and handling that new cars have, training needs to be a priority for everyone's safety.

Please, make time to teach just one TRSS this year. And if you have kids that are new drivers, get them trained!

Drivers ed classes are extremely expensive. Many school districts don't have the resources

[mitrebox]

in iowa, a long time ago, the high schools offered driver's ed asva regular class that was available. Everybody took it because of a clever incentive: Take it, and get your license at 16.

Dont take it, and the earliest you could get your license was 18.

I remember thinking how odd it was colorado didn't do the same. Why driving a car isn't considered basic education i'll never know.

It's time for the us to take driver training seriously. With the power and handling that new cars have, training needs to be a priority for everyone's safety.

Please, make time to teach just one trss this year. And if you have kids that are new drivers, get them trained!

Amen!!