driveWISE Frequently Asked Questions
by Jon Felton - Updated 3/1/08


NOTE: driveWISE is focusing on private events as of March '08
until we find a more suitable public venue and additional sponsors.
Watch for more events this summer and fall TBA. Thanks!

































Q: Who is eligible to participate?
A: Anyone at least 16 years of age with a valid
drivers license may enter any driveWISE school.
Minors must have a legal guardian present at all times.

Q: Where and when do these events take place?
A: For 2008, our schools will take place on a variety of Saturdays in the state of Virginia.

Q: How much do these events cost?
A: Our tentative 2008 rate is $35.00 per student for the half-day
Basic Training school or $70.00 per student for the all day Super School,
depending only upon how much our event sites cost to rent. Our time is free
and our only goal is to break even. None of us do this to make money.
Please contact us if you have a facility we can use or would like to be a sponsor.

Q: Do I drive my own car?
A: Yes, you drive your own car if it meets these requirements
(basically street legal, registered, inspected, insured, and safe to drive.)
We perform a technical inspection that day - the guidelines are also at this link.
Some SUV's and trucks are not allowed (on a case-by-case basis) due to their
higher center of gravity and theoretically greater potential for a rollover.
Although we recommend bringing the car you drive daily so you'll know exactly how
it handles emergency situations, some people prefer to bring rental cars instead.

Q: Will this hurt my car?
A: No, a driveWISE school will not hurt your car any more than driving
it on public roads will. Our schools may cause some minor tire wear and/or
brake and/or suspension wear, but usually the newer your car is, the less
wear and tear these events will put on it. Don't be worried!

Q: Are there any risks involved?
A: driveWISE organizers consider safety the #1 priority at all times.
We hold these events on large paved surfaces away from hard objects
and we have never had any incidents. Our driving activities involve
dozens of deformable 18" orange plastic traffic cones that will usually
bounce right off a car and cause minor cosmetic afflictions at worst.
(You'll need to attend an event to learn how to remove cone marks, though!)

Q: Are helmets required?
A: Yes, helmets are required for all participants during all driving activities.
We have a limited number of loaners available, but we request that you
please bring your own if possible (M95/SA95 rated, or newer/better.)

Q: How fast will I go?
A: At a driveWISE school, you will never go any faster than you can legally go on public roads.
(Remember, accidents can happen at 5mph just as easily as they can happen at 55mph.)
You might see 20-25mph during some Basic Training exercises or 35-40mph during some
Super School exercises. It depends upon the car and the driver, but these events
are definitely about car control and skills improvement, not speed.

Q: What should I bring to this event?
A: At the registration table, you will need to show your drivers license,
signup confirmation sheet, current vehicle registration, and proof of insurance.
You and your guests will then need to sign our insurance waiver and get a wristband.
At the vehicle technical inspection area, you will need to provide your tech form
with just the top portion filled out. Our inspectors will check your car thoroughly.
The classroom sessions are sometimes held outdoors so we recommend bringing folding chairs.
Food and drinks may not be available on-site, so we suggest packing drinks and/or lunch.

Q: What's the policy for bad weather?
A: driveWISE schools are held "rain or shine, hot or cold" unless otherwise specified.

Q: What's your policy regarding refunds?
A: 100% entry refunds are available if requested before 6pm on the Wednesday
before each event. No refunds are available after that time, but you may
defer to a later event or send someone in your place as long as you notify
driveWISE no later than 6pm on the Friday before each event.

Q: What's your policy regarding cancelled or rescheduled events?
A: Our event dates, times, and locations are subject to change at any time without notice.
If we cancel or reschedule an event, of course 100% refunds or credits will be available.

Q: Do you really have instructors for this stuff?
A: Yes. Our professional instructors have backgrounds in racing and/or
high performance driver education. They are available throughout either course
to ride with students and illustrate various principles of car control as necessary.
They may also be available to give rides in their own cars (or school cars) if needed.

Q: What is the schedule?
A: The driveWISE Basic Training school takes less than four hours to complete.
We often run two Basic Training phases on the same day, 9am-1pm and 1pm-5pm or similar.
The Super School usually takes place from 9am to 5pm with a break for lunch.
Please check the event page for the exact schedule of a particular event.

Q: Do you offer more advanced training?
A: We have several programs available that begin to address some of the more
high performance driving principles. We're happy to tell you all about them
AFTER you pass the Basic Training and/or a Super School.

Q: Who puts on these events exactly?
A: Ownership, management, marketing, staffing, and equipment is all provided by Get Fast LLC.
The Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Auto Sport Association provides sanctioning and insurance.

Q: Why are driveWISE events only held in Virginia?
A: 2006-2008 are the "phase one" years, in which we are optimizing the program
from our home region, with our trusted staff. For 2009 ("phase two") and beyond,
we plan to hold many more of these events in approximately half a dozen
regions nationwide. Please check back later in 2008 for further details.

Q: Will this get me less points on my license or an insurance deduction?
A: Not yet, but we're working on it. Unfortunately programs of this type
are not yet standardized enough (unlike similar ones for motorcycles) and there
are many complicated factors involved. Our best advice is that you should take
a driveWISE school because you want to be a better/safer driver (i.e. sign up
voluntarily from your self-preservational instinct, not for your wallet.)

Q: I'm a good driver, with no tickets or accidents on my record. Why should I enter?
A: Congratulations on being a safe driver! The reality of the situation
is that driving a 4000-pound chunk of metal at highway speeds can be very
serious business sometimes. I'm guessing that you probably don't have much
experience with driving your car in an emergency situation. This school
exists to show you what to expect, and to prepare you for the "what if" factor.
Knowledge is power, skills come with practice, and driveWISE could save your life!

Q: I'm a concerned parent. May I watch my child participate?
A: Of course! You are welcome to attend at no charge and be with your child
during every portion except the in-car exercises. We recommend bringing
a folding chair (and some artificial shade just in case.) Or better yet,
why not enter along with your child and learn together?

Q: Aren't you basically just teaching young drivers how to race?
A: driveWISE is not teaching anyone how to race anything. driveWISE is
preparing drivers for the road ahead by introducing basic principles of car control.
Our hope is that everyone (young or not) will go away from our events with a
much greater respect for the limits of their vehicles, and become safer drivers
as a result. But unfortunately, we cannot teach maturity or self control.
We can only give young drivers the tools and skills they'll need someday.
Those who don't believe us are more than welcome to come out and see
for themselves. We have a lot of fun, but we're teaching safety (not racing.)

Q: Can you do a special event for my club/group/sorority/etc?
A: Absolutely! The driveWISE program can be customized to meet the needs
of any corporation, group, facility, or timeframe. We can include presentations and
discussions about vehicle maintenance/service, ownership of a particular marque,
less advanced or more advanced training, catering, lodging, transportation,
entertainment, a fleet of cars to drive at each event, and much more.

Q: What are the details of driveWISE's corporate identity?
A: driveWISE was formed in 2006 by a group of individuals with decades of related experience.
We are one part of a Limited Liability Company started in 1998 in Richmond, Virginia.
We are unique because of our extensive background and thorough understanding
of vehicle dynamics at any speed. Even better, we all still like to have fun
teaching the basic principles on blacktops. Please sign up and see for yourself!

Q: How can we help you make your program bigger and better?
A: Since we are an all volunteer group, anything anyone can do to help is greatly appreciated!
If you would like to come out and help us put on an event, please let us know.
If you know a group that would benefit from one of our events, please let us know.
If you know of a site we can use (at least 400' x 400' and paved), please let us know.
Similarly, if you would like to be a sponsor and help us defray some event costs
while spreading the word about your business, please let us know. One of our
long-term goals is to secure enough sponsorship to make these schools
100% FREE OF CHARGE for anyone who would like to enter them!


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