Sierra Chapter’s Street Survival
It was a “different” Sierra Chapter Street Survival in 2015. To be clear, our host venue, the Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program, had come to our rescue two years ago when road construction material storage found us unable to use the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe main parking lot a few miles further up the mountain. Not only did Sky Tavern welcome us, they did not ask for a dime… which, BTW, was exactly the same fee @ Mt. Rose. We knew from the outset that the Sky Tavern pavement footprint was “tight”. Our first year DID show us those limits, but it came off without a hitch and we made adjustments to optimize the use of the small space for this year. The lodge was great for the classroom presentations.
However, this year… we had an incident. MOST fortunately, nobody was injured, but that might possibly have been due to divine intervention. Once the (air bag) dust settled, it was clear that things could have been much more serious. Okay, we actually did plan and brief for the possibility of the exact incident that occurred. As an aside, had the exact same scenario unfolded @ the larger Mt. Rose venue, the car would have impacted a wall of very large boulders instead of the dirt bank that it “flew” up @ Sky Tavern. The result @ Mt. Rose would surely not have come out well… at all.
So… off we went to secure a new location for future Street Survival events put on by Sierra Chapter. We have two possibilities and will announce the new location in a future newsletter and will post it on the club web page.
Yet another phenomena that happened this year for the very first time, we had seven “no-shows” with not a single contact from any of them. ???? Not sure what that was all about, but will try to communicate better to prevent a reoccurrence. Again, we had great help from chapter members to man/wo-man the registration table, deliver coffee, bagels and lunch, direct the cars through the exercises and coach the young drivers from inside the cars. Thanks.
Steve Polimeni has stepped up to help run this very beneficial program and we will travel to the national Street Survival conference in Las Vegas next month. THANK YOU Steve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It actually is fairly astounding that a nation that taught men how to fly to the moon and back has decided not to teach future generations how to better stay alive going to Starbucks. This program that the BMW CCA Foundation birthed is the one and only of its kind in the whole country. Our club has truly become more than our interests in things BMW. Friendships have eclipsed that and our commitment to Street Survival also goes beyond fondness for our favorite marque and reaches out, into and beyond our community, to give young people a better shot at staying alive behind the wheel. It’s an effort that everyone in the chapter can feel good about. Thanks again to all who take part and please come join in next time if you can.
Merry Christmas,
Jeff- Your Janitor
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Parental quotes:
“Great program.”
“Obviously experienced instructor, thank you.”
“He’s been to two other Street Survivals, and this one was the best.”
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Air bag demo quotes: “WOW!”; “Man, did you see that?” (New objects added to the launch this year: pickles.)
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Here’s a roster of all who chipped in to make this year’s Street Survival another worthwhile event. (Gee, I hope I didn’t leave out anyone!!!) We had help from outside the club (denoted by an *), from our venue host, Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program… and from other individuals who care about the effort to give new drivers a better chance to survive.
Registration was manned… errr, wo-manned… by Diane Ona, Carmina Nicasio and Jackie Douglass. We would have starved without Joyce Sharp and Sharon Rachow… okay and DeArmond for bagels and coffee first thing.
The course workers kept the flow going: John Strom, Ed Smith, Art Ona, Duane Meyer*… plus some parental help.
Fred Watson was a moving target as the event photographer.
A HUGE thanks to all of our COACHES/VOLUNTEERS (see below)
Sky Tavern and Captain Duane Meyer
And mostly to our fearless Leader: JEFF WARNER, without you this event would not be possible!
Thanks Parents, because you care
BMWCCA Sierra Chapter White Knuckled, Fearless Coaches (in alphabetical order):
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Alex Anastassatos
Bill Henderson
Craig Eisenberg*
Dan Wink
DeArmond Sharp
Eric Rudd*
Floyd Hernandez*
Gary Balleisen
Gilbert Dayao
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Greg Batchelder*
John English
JR Fent
Jim Whitfield*
Pat McGoff
Paul Georgeson
Ron Nicasio
Steve Polimeni
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