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Bridgehampton: Replies to Harsh Criticism

The following is a post from Walter Selva ([email protected]) who does not
have digest access:
- ---- 

Mr. Bernstein,

I'd like to address a few comments you made about me publicly; I will do the
same:

>Just as a datapoint, I do prefer NHIS and Lime Rock to the Bridge, since I
believe I can >concentrate on developing my skills on a slower track
better...

Why?  Does your brain overload once your vehicle attains a particular speed?
 Or is that your attention span is too short to handle a 2.85-mile track but
can "handle" a 1.5-mile track?

>What *deeply* bothers me is the...remarks of Steve Musolino and Walter
Selva...through >their Psychic Advisor, Mr. Jeff Tarr...

First of all, Jeff is not my Psychic Advisor (I think it's sooo cute the way
you start each of those words with a capital), he's an advanced driver who
spends more time at a variety of tracks in a single year than you (probably,
I'm guessing) have in your driver school career.  Anyway, why do you feel the
need to insult the three of us?  Did we do something to you that we're not
aware of?  Did Jeff lap you in a session? Or did you think the comments made
by me (such as "candy ass") were directed at you?  I never heard of you
before, but the pusillanimous tone of your letter leads me to believe that
you perceived I was writing about you when I used the term "candy ass."

>Knowing that you have these inexperienced Boy Racers signing up for your
schools...

Mr. Bernstein: how could anyone know that Boy Racers are signing up?  Every
school brings a group of about two dozen novices.  Do you know ahead of time
who is a boy racer and who is a student willing to learn? Do you organize any
driver schools or do you just like to sit back and criticize?

>Er, I don't know why you feel the need to brag about your personal driving
skills...

Er, Mr. Bernstein, I wasn't bragging, I was illustrating a point that the
Bridge is a safer track to drive in many ways than some others: the fact that
there is enough run-off room at the end of the Main Straight and the
following two turns.  If you come off track at the end of NHIS' main
straight, you smack into a concrete wall.  I used something that I experienced
, rather than someone else's experience, to give the example.  Get it?

>I would expect these types of remarks from a Boy Racer, but from the bloody
CHIEF >DRIVING INSTRUCTOR???

What would you rather have me do, tell a story about how I couldn't handle
the off-track excursion and crashed my car?  Would that make you happier, Mr.
Bernstein? The point  is that anyone, yes, even the CI, can get into a little
trouble, and can safely get out of a potentially dangerous situation, even at
the Bridge, if they do the right things when they leave pavement.  I could
tell you stories about other Instructors that are even more outrageous, but I
won't because you probably wouldn't approve.

>Perhaps a track walk for ALL drivers...should be mandatory.

It is.  But it's on Sunday morning, so we can make good use of
Bridgehampton's "No Driving On Sunday Till 1 PM Rule."  

I disagree totally with your idea that students should be preferable to
professional flaggers.  I think it's a great idea that students should
observe from flag stations, but I know that I feel safer driving on the track
when there are professionals flagging, rather than students who may or may
not know what to do at a dangerous moment, and might let a few precious
seconds tick away while they wait for instructions from the tower to get
their act together.  The very fact that you made such an inane comment proves
to me that you know not from what you write.

>I think the "danger" in Bridgehampton is not the track as much as the Boy
Racers...that >attend the schools combined with the few marginal instructors
(most are excellent)....

 Mr. Bernstein, since you have not attended a NY Chapter school in what must
be at least a year or two,  (maybe longer, if ever, I don't know) I guess you
really have no bloody idea what you're talking about, do you?  Have you
received instruction from each and every member of the NY Chapter instructor
corps, which would entitle you to make a blanket judgment on the entire
roster?  Of course not, but that doesn't stop you from making blanket
statements. You might be surprised to know that virtually all the instructors
we use are the very same ones that instruct at other chapters---including the
events you attend!  Do you know what kinds of performance-based tryouts and
evaluations a new Instructor has to go through before he instructs for us?
 Are you aware that our new Instructor tryout is among the toughest in the
club?  No, you wouldn't know any of that, now would you?  Because you just
sit there and criticize from a distance, don't you?

>After reading these remarks, I have to wonder whether the general tone of
instruction at >the NY schools adds to this perceived "danger."

There you go again, making judgments when you have no credibility, evidence,
or knowledge of  the FACTS.  You don't attend events at the Bridge, so you
really don't know what the general tone of instruction is.

>I have spectated, and I have heard first-hand recounts of both students and
instructors at >NY Chapter Bridge schools.  I'm certainly not an expert.

Mr. Bernstein, doesn't that mean that we should discount all of your previous
comments?  I believe "I have heard first-hand recounts" would be considered
hearsay.  At any rate, I find it interesting that you will accept these
so-called "first-hand recounts" as gospel, but quickly discount the comments
made by Dr. Musolino and myself. What is your statement supposed to be---your
subtle way of acknowledging that you lack credibility?

>But these attitudes expressed by Steve and Walter seem to be equally
dangerous...

 Mr. Bernstein, what exactly is equally dangerous---the fact that NY Chapter
events since Steve and I took over have been among the safest of the entire
club?  Or is it that this is happening somehow despite our "dangerous
attitudes"?

>I'd like to simply assume they were having a REALLY bad day when they spoke
to >Psychic Tarr.

There you go again, insulting us for no reason.  Seems to me that you were
having a REALLY bad day, Mr. Bernstein.  Did one of the boy-racer-rich-kids
embarass you at NHIS?  I already told you, Jeff is not my Psychic (with a
capital P).  He's a friend of mine that forwards the digest to me when he
thinks there's something of interest to me.  (No, I don't subscribe, but that
may change.)

One more thing, Mr. Bernstein: I am personally inviting you to a NEW YORK
Chapter Bridgehampton school.  Not only that, I'd be more than happy to be
your Instructor.  (If you want to check on my credentials, feel free to ask
students who have had me be their Instructor---I'm confident that they'll say
their experiences were positive, educational and fun.) And then you can
actually report on something you've witnessed personally, rather than attack
remotely from afar. But I warn you: if you're not driving as well as I think
you should be, I might just call you a candy ass (to your face).  If I do,
don't take it personally.  I call lots of people that---even myself when I
tap the brake under the bridge before Turn One.

Keep the shiny side up.

Walt Selva
BMWCCA NY Chapter
Chief Instructor