April IDS: A Cruel Intro To Canadian Driving

April’s icy, snowy, spring IDS session at CTMP

I’M SITTING DOWN IN THE FOYER and reading the article “Driver’s Seat” by Randy D. Gananathan in the latest Provinz (Vol 42, #4). How would he have known we’d be in foot high snow due to the last storm we just experienced this past weekend?

The week of April 9th, I was a nervous wreck as I was to attend my first event – the IDS at CTMP (Mosport), on the Driver Development Track. With bad weather warnings all over Ontario for the coming weekend and my car not even out of hibernation, I was in a dilemma – cancel and lose out for this year’s IDS event or take a chance and proceed with it.  

On Tuesday, April 10th, I got up and decided to take the car out of hibernation and get it going. By end of the day, I was very satisfied with how well the car was running. By the end of the week, I had made up my mind. I would proceed and tackle whatever weather was coming our way. Being 2 hrs away, I booked an Airbnb for Friday night.

It was a nice, leisurely ride Friday, April 13th, to my Airbnb where I got up Saturday morning to attend my IDS event.

Here I was… 7h45 at Mosport ready to go.

We were in class until 10h30. It had begun to rain by then. Thirty-five Porsches were signed up. Three groups were formed. I considered myself one of the lucky ones to be in group #1. One of the instructors hopped in my car and began showing me the lines of the track and so forth. On the second time around, the track had begun to freeze. In most corners we were sliding sideways. When pulling back in, the instructor spoke with the other instructors to discuss the weather and decide if they should continue. When he came back to the car, he said “You can continue on the track or not, your choice.” I said “hell yah.” Away we went, sliding and skidding, (in a controlled matter of course!) It was awesome. 

By the time we went back out, my Porsche Cayman S, with summer slicks, was having a tough time just trying to creep up to 5km/h to proceed with the other activities.

At that point it was time for lunch. During lunch hour, the freezing rain had changed to snow and did it snow! By the time we went back out, my Porsche Cayman S, with summer slicks, was having a tough time just trying to creep up to 5km/h to proceed with the other activities.  

As the snow kept coming down, I knew I was in trouble. There was no way I was driving home at end of the day. Then a light came on in my brain – Yes, let’s call CAA as I have the Plus package (200km plus). I called CAA but it was going to be a 3 to 4 hr wait… I had no choice, but no problem. I still had a good 2hrs of planned activity so I wasn’t worried.

Half an hour later, I got a phone call indicating that there was a flatbed coming from Whitby and it would be there within the next 90 minutes. I began mentioning it to others who were also worried about the roads and they gave me thumbs up for even thinking of it.

The tow truck driver took good care to load my car carefully and 2.5 hours later, with great conversations, my Porsche Cayman S was safely back in the garage and my PCA/UCR Driver Education Program “Advanced Driving Techniques” Certificate was proudly in hand.

Now, if I can only be called to attend one of the next DE events as I am on the “Waiting List…” Fingers crossed! </>

Story & photos by Albert Luce, UCR Member

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