Everyone wants to be a better driver. Actually, every Porsche enthusiast wants to be a better driver. That’s probably more accurate. I think it comes with the territory when you love Porsche cars. Largely because driver training often comes with the opportunity to go fast in a controlled environment (or at least that’s how it plays out in my head). And who doesn’t want to go fast?!

Mix in some crazy conditions like a training course designed on snow/ice and all of a sudden the kid in us comes out. Just watching videos of Porsche’s winter training schools makes me want to jump in an old 911 with no traction control and start doing cookies in a snow covered parking lot.

Fortunately, Porsche has a lot more in mind with their 2010 Sport Driving Schools than boring old parking lot shenanigans. They have some really serious and seriously cool training options that are enough to challenge any driver at any level. Here’s a quick list from Porsche’s site:

• Onroad Training Level – Return to school. You start off with the basics in active and passive safety. From there on, we’ll take you step-by-step all the way to a motor racing license. And even beyond that, if you want. The Warm-up or Precision training is your entry to the Porsche Sport Driving School. The Performance training helps you to optimise your control over the vehicle. The Master training prepares you for your introduction into motor racing. Our special training g-Force allows you to perfect the art of drifting. In our Telemetric Session you will optimise your ideal driving line supported by telemetric data.
• Offroad Training Level – Make sure you are prepared for all eventualities by completing one of our off-road training courses in a Cayenne. Set amidst an unspoilt natural haven, eighteen training modules simulate scenarios you are likely to encounter when negotiating off-road terrain. Here, you’ll find tree trunks to drive over, walls and bunker crossings, as well as an extreme ramp with a 60% gradient. You can test your nerves on a slanting section with a 35-degree incline. And if that’s not enough, you can look forward to tackling a wading trough, a corduroy road, a pothole track, sand and gravel tracks and a 50-metre water ditch.
• Ice Training Level – So far, you have avoided particular streets in winter for reasons of safety? In controlled conditions, the Porsche instructors will confront you with critical situations likely to occur in road traffic. You will be prepared for wintry conditions in a targeted manner. One thing will certainly not be lacking: driving pleasure. In a Porsche.
• Circuits – The most demanding circuits, the most renowned corners, the most beautiful combinations. You’ll have the opportunity to drive where some of the best have raced like Nürburgring, Hockenheim and Salzburgring.

Any of those options would be worth time in your Porsche. My two favorites have to be the ice training and the circuit training opportunities. Driving on ice is supposed to do wonders for helping you learn to better drive not only under similar conditions, but ideal conditions as well. Understanding how your car will respond, where the limits are, etc. The circuit training would be amazing just to drive where lots of famous people have raced. Kind of like playing Pebble Beach or a similar experience.

Check out the link below to see all of the options. Each one has a cool little promo video as well, so it provides for some great Friday day dreaming.

[Source & Image: Porsche Sport Driving Schools]

I’ll admit I’ve tried to replicate this practice in other rides. I drove a Dodge Charger for a while and tried the two finger/peace sign type wave at other Charger drivers when I passed them. No go. Got a few “you’re an idiot” stares back along with a whole lotta nothing else.

I also tried to get a little something going in Portland in my Dodge Magnum. I’ve tried both the light flash and the two finger hand on the steering wheel wave. This time I had the pleasure of mockery from my wife as a benefit for my efforts. I’ve since given up on Dodge owners.

Now that I drive a Porsche, and not just any Porsche, but a 911, I figured I had some greeting time to make up. I must say, I’m a bit disappointed. On a couple of occasions I’ve missed the opportunity to flash a fellow Porsche driver. But the rest of the time I’ve been greeted with the same thing as my previous attempts: a big fat nothing.

Is it that all of the same Dodge owners I tried to get comradship (take THAT WordPress!) started with decided to buy Porsches? What happened to all of the owners with a passion for the cars and a love of recognizing others in “the club”?

As it turns out, I’m not alone. Fellow Porsche owner, PorscheGirl (aka Valerie), wrote a two part post over at PorschePurist.com about the Porsche “Salute”. Here’s a little bit of what she had to say:

The campaign to highlight Porsches greeting one another got us thinking about the kinship that exists between owners. is it a myth, or not? Has it changed in the last decade because of the incredible growth the company has experienced (from single-digit cars sixty years ago to over 100,000 automobiles per year in ’07)?

Many seem to think so. In the October ’08 issue of Excellence magazine, a reader wrote a letter to the editor asking, “Is the Porsche Salute no longer in vogue? It’s definitely not in use in my area any longer…” The editor responded that he “suspect[ed] the sheer number of Porsches on the road today has something to do with it,” adding, “a couple of times a year… I am flashed by another Porsche driver. I’m usually so surprised I end up staring back blankly!” My Dad agrees. “Once upon a time, if you drove a Porsche and saw another, you offered a greeting. And if someone in a Porsche waved at you in yours, you acknowledged the wave gracefully.” He added, “if a driver took the time to wave at you, he or she was essentially saying, “I like the car, I believe in it!” [Via PorschePurist.com]

Valerie goes on to take an in depth look at what’s happened, what types of salutes are appropriate and makes a case for doing something about this lost art. Definitely worth a read.

I’m going to do something about it as well…Say my peace right here. I bought a Porsche, not because I think I’m better than anyone else, but because I love the cars and the brand. I still love seeing other Porsches on the road. Also, everyone loves their particular model for their own reasons, so there shouldn’t be any segregation in our ranks. A Porsche is a Porsche, whether it’s a Porsche Tractor or a Porsche GT3.

I say we Bring Back the Flash!!!

This may sound like a little bit of an odd post, but bear with me. I think you’ll find it useful no matter what you drive and it might even end up making you a better driver.

This all came about as I was hopping in the car (not the Porsche thankfully), in the passenger seat actually, with my 15 year old daughter for a little driver’s ed session. It didn’t occur to me until probably 7 or 8 driving sessions after she got her learner’s permit to talk about adjusting her mirrors…and actually making sure she did it. Guess I don’t have much of a future in driver’s ed.

About the same time, I ran across an article that talked about adjusting your mirrors. Next thing you know, I’m Googling “how to adjust your mirrors” and the rest is history.

Although everyone has their own take on how to do it, the basic reasoning behind it, avoiding blind spots as much as possible, is the common thread. The method I like the most is a pretty simple process. The concept is you don’t need to see the same thing in all 3 of your mirrors. Here are the 3 steps:

1. Windshield/Center Mirror – Adjust it so you can see straight back.
2. Right Mirror – Adjust this one so that as a car is passing you on the right, as it leaves the center mirror, it begins to show up in the side mirror. Once the car gets to the end of your side mirror, you should be able to see it out your side window.
3. Left Mirror – Adjust it the same as your right mirror only accomplishing the same thing on the left side.

Contrary to common practice, adjusting your side mirrors according to the above method means you won’t be taking up a third (or more!) of your mirror seeing the back tail end of your car. Really, the only thing that view is good for is to see where you’ve gotten hit when you plow into someone next to you.

Instead you’ll be seeing empty lanes in your side rear view mirrors. It takes a little getting used to, but after a few days, I think you’ll find you have a much better view of those typical blind spots and are more aware of what’s around you.

Here’s another article with some pictures if you want to try out a little bit different method: How to Adjust Your Mirrors