[merlin3008]

When I picked up my M235 last year, I could not have been more impressed with my PCD delivery experience. My father and I loved learning about everything my new BMW could do and getting first-hand experience at many of its safety features. Total class operation. However, I had no idea how useful my time there would be.

At the PC, it was difficult for me get used to the feeling of applying FULL brake pressure at high speed to fully engage the anti-lock system. I was always taught to pump the brakes so it was a hard habit to break. It took a lot of repetition, but I ultimately got it.

Fast forward to last weekend. I was driving on the Massachusetts turnpike at full highway speed, when there was an accident in front of me. The car immediately ahead, wound up rear ending the car in front of him and locked us his brakes after he hit going slightly sideways in the lane. From 70mph, I instinctively went to the brake pedal and went full anti-lock stopping less than an inch from disaster. My wife was convinced we were going to be seriously injured. When she looked up after we stopped she said with a sigh of relief "How did you do that?" Now this isn't exactly a highly skilled driving maneuver. And I'm far from the worlds best driver. I just don’t think I would have had the same reaction last year.

[BEM-S4]

PCD or otherwise, EVERYONE driving the cars we do should do some advanced training. Your situation is just one of many potential problems. It's very easy to injure yourself or others with 300+ hp at your disposal.

[overcoil]

Merlin3008 what did the performance class say about full braking on ice? or did they ?

[Fugly M3]

My Nurburgring instructor had the same issue with my braking...too soft on brakes!

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Merlin3008 what did the performance class say about full braking on ice? or did they ?

Response was same as BEM-S4's avatar!

[2M]

Congratulations, you stepped on the brakes hard because you were about to rear end someone. Do you have a Super License?

[aerostar]

In before he turns into a F1 driver.

At all his interviews, "I slam on the brakes rly hard"

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by E46M54325Ci

My Nurburgring instructor had the same issue with my braking...too soft on brakes!

Response was same as BEM-S4's avatar!

Poooooowwwwwweeeerrrr!

[pruettfan]

Riding with the pro drives at M School it is impressive to see how hard they brake. It took me most of the first day to learn that technique.

[Maynard]

Thanks for sharing this. I wish these driving schools would catch on more. I work in rehab, and sad how many kids we would get in from car wrecks where parents had spent more on sports training or music camps than on drivers ed. Nobody wants to face the fact that it is the most dangerous thing most of us will ever do.

[msej449]

I've done driver training days at the Lotus' testing circuit in England; a Lotus at a racing track; mixed (Formula Ford, XR2i, BMW 3 series) at another track; plus a BMW skidpad. Best investment I've ever made - saved me from three potentially fatal/serious accidents. Two were on my own and my fault, one was a side-swipe by a truck on the freeway: but at least I reacted and corrected properly each time and ended-up safe and sound.

On the Lotus training it took at least five attempts before handling an induced oversteer properly, two of those spinning off the track completely. It took another 4-5 attempts at controlled emergency braking +steering before I managed not to knock over any of the cones standing in for pedestrians. It was these two session that saved me when I got it completely wrong on a local freeway exit, and when I came across an accident on a country road blind bend. The great thing is you can push the cars to their limit and beyond and get some practice in handling things when they go wrong. Without this sort of programming, you'll just not react properly the first time it happens.