Passenger Rides On Meets...

[MattyB]

Its very quiet here at the moment, so I thought I'd ask you lot about this...its something I've discussed on another board before...

 

Does it bother you having a passenger for meets, or taking people out in your car when your pushing on? I've taken planty of people out in the Elise, I did so on the last non-Midlands meet I went on - and obviously people want you to drive quick to show the capabilities of the car.

 

However I have to say I'm not entirely comfortable with it. When driving fast on roads, your taking risks...we do everything we can to minimise this by driving well within our and the cars limits, driving sensibly taking into account the conditions and leaving that margin for error. However there's always the uncontrolable factor - oil on the road, some tit on the wrong side of the road, or maybe a poor judgement on your part.

 

Accidents can, and do, happen.

 

And if its only you in the car, and you have an accident, its only affecting you (assuming you've not hit anyone) and the car your in. But what if you've got a passenger? What if they get seriously injured? Suddenly the blame could be on you, the driver of the car.

 

I, myself, find myself driving alot more cauciously with passengers. Its always in the back of my mind that I'm responsible for that persons well-being for the short time I'm taking them for a "blast"....does anyone else get this, or is it only me whos not entirely comfortable? I know alot of you take loved ones along...?

 

And on the flipside, how do you feel passengering a car thats being driven hard? That doesn't bother me aslong as the person looks like he/she is in control...although I do find myself pushing the imaginary passengerside brake pedal

[GCCK]

I think you've answered your own question Matty - but it's a good question. The driver has to take responsibility for his passenger and drive accordingly.

 

FWIW, one of the reasons why we take out liability insurance for the Midlands runs (via SELOC) is that it clarifies things for all participants.

 

Graeme

[malbon]

Tis a good question.

 

I think its a decision made by both passenger and driver.

 

The passenger know's he is going to be in a car that will be driven hard and must fully understand the consequences if anything goes wrong.

 

Personally, I only take passengers who are 100% comfortable with me (usually bike driving loonies) who laugh all the way through it rather than squirm and hit the imaginary brake pedal !

 

I'm no more cautious with passengers than I am with myself - I mean - call me selfish - but My life is very important as is my car and that risk limit doesn't change just because someone is sat next to me (well prob. bar me mum !)

 

As for passengering - I don't - because in something this potentially injury or life threatening - I wouldn't want to put my fate in someone else's hands.

 

So to answer.

 

Yes - From a drivers point of view I would take responsibility for my passenger though wouldn't change my driving technique

 

and

 

No - From a passengers point of view I wouldn't allow someone to take responsibility for me.

[Kris H]

For me, when I am driving on my own I definitely drive differently than when I have passengers or even more when I have my son in the car. This is probably not a good thing to say on a public forum, but there we go...also I absolutely hate not driving when I am in a car and don't make a good passenger. Got hit by a car when I was 14 and think it's probably a legacy of that.

 

Kristian

[Phoenix]

When driving on the road I always keep it sensible & don't take risks, either with or without a passenger.

 

When taking a passenger out for the first time I take it easy so they can get used to it for a little while, If they are comfortable then I can start to make swift progress.

 

Same goes for track days. With or without a passenger I will try to drive at a pace that I am comfortable with, that is reasonably quick but still leaves a little margin for error. With a passenger I will do a gentle out lap so they get an idea of where the corners are and what to expect & then start building the speed.

 

When driving I am fully responsible for my passenger, my vehicle and our safety. As a passenger I am also very wary of getting into other peoples cars unless I have seen their driving.

 

Now lets stop typing and get out in the sun & drive these things

 

Have fun

 

A

[malbon]

I don't get what people mean when they say they drive differently with a passenger ?

 

Day to day driving - if your ferrying your little wipper snapper about of course your not going to drive fast

 

but if were talking on a hard road run, do you really drive any differently ? and if so why ?

 

Do you hold your passengers safety in a greater esteem than yours ? (or your car for that matter !)

 

Please somebody explain !

[JohnnyM]

if i am driving by myself on the road i will push harder than if i have a passenger in the car, regardless of who it is.

 

Imagine having a big off when you are carrying a passenger, i would not want the responsibility for the rest of my days of knowing that my driving had injured/killed them.

 

That said, if you are pushing hard on your own and get it wrong, you can still kill/injure someone. To me it's all about being sensible and only pushing in the right situations and where you feel comfortable that you are in total control.

 

I would imagine you would regard this differently if you were talking about on track ?

 

John

[Fiona]

Invariably if I'm driving on a run Steve's next to me. We're both terrible passengers so I get a bit of left seat braking if he thinks I've overstepped the mark.

 

I've taken a few people at work out into the Peaks at lunchtime and, as I know the road well, do push it a bit but no more so than if I'm on my own.

[Steve J]

Tend to push it more when on a run than when on my own. Pushing with a passenger, depends on the passenger. Sometime get told to slow down and not drive like a hooligan (couldn't possible tell you who the passenger is then )

[Scott_Mac]

Malbon, as the others have said, i drive slightly more cautiously with a passenger no matter who it is... I rarely take people out who are "bad" passengers but i still take it slighly more steady with someone sat alongside me.

 

The way i always describe that to myself is that if i killed myself then that's that.. if i killed someone else then thats a very different story. Difficult to sum up in words - i tried to explain it to Emma the other day and don't think i really did. But hopefully you understand what i'm getting at.

 

I don't mind taking people out though, i generally assume that they know what car i drive and how i drive (certainly if they are a Lotus owner) but if they aren't I do mention it and ask if they are comfortable, would like me to slow down etc.

[Ladders]

Thought you might be interested to hear what a girl I used to work with sent me the day after I gave her a pax ride one day

 

 

 

U.............NUTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dave I hope you have life insurance?

What a rush!

I had to drive home last night at a steady 80mph and with no music, and

that s not like me!

Had to keep telling myself last night when I was in the car with you

"Dave is a good driver", "He knows what hes doing".

Thanks Dave, what a rush, I can officially say that you sceared the

living hell out of me and Iv never used the "F" word so much the space

of 20 minutes.

 

 

 

Then I told her that I drive quicker than that on our runs, and asked if she fancied come out on one some time - she turned the offer down!

[Scott_Mac]

"He knows what hes doing".

Thanks Dave, what a rush, I can officially say that you scared the

living hell out of me and Iv never used the "F" word so much the space

of 20 minutes.

You sure it was a lift home you gave her?

 

[Ladders]

[Ladders]

Yes, I am sure!