[BLACKJACK]

STEVE - - D.V. - -

SOME OF THE "23" ARE NOT REALLY APPLICABLE TO COBRAS, ALSO THERE ARE A LOT OF ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE ON A "CHECK LIST" THAT ARE NOT THERE.

PART OF THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE IN STANDARDIZATION AMONG THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF COBRAS. IT COULD BECOME VERY CUMBERSOME IF WE HAD TO HAVE A CHECK LIST FOR EACH MANUFACTURER'S CAR. I KNOW VERY WELL THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MY ERA AND MY EXCALIBUR. A STANDARDIZED LIST WOULD HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED.

HAVING A GOOD "SAFETY CHECKLIST" FOR OUR CARS IS A GREAT IDEA EVEN WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF INSURANCE BENEFITS.

HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE THAT THE LOGISTICS WORK WITH REGARD TO THE INSPECTIONS??? SOME THOUGHTS: - - - -

1. MANY OF US BELONG TO LOCAL COBRA CLUBS AND MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE BUILT GREAT AND SAFE CARS FROM MINIMAL KITS. (ENGINEERS ARE LIKE LAWYERS - - THERE'S AT LEAST ONE IN EVERY GROUP).

A. THE CLUB COULD APPOINT A "CLUB SAFETY CO-ORDINATOR" WHO WOULD HELP OTHER MEMBERS GET THEIR CARS INTO COMPLIANCE, AND WOULD EITHER CONDUCT THE INSPECTIONS (IF HE'S QUALIFIED) OR SELECT A REPUTABLE SHOP TO DO THEM.

B. THOSE OF US WHO LIVE WITHIN A CONVENIENT DISTANCE FROM OUR CARS MANUFACTURER COULD HAVE THEIR WORK INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. OBVIOUS BENEFITS HERE FOR ALL CONCERNED.

C. PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENT BUILDERS - - DV, JAY, DON AND OTHERS COULD CHARGE AN APPROPRIATE FEE FOR THE INSPECTIONS. I WOULD TRUST THESE GUYS WITH "ANY" BRAND OF COBRA.

D. LOCAL AREA SHOPS THAT PREP RACE CARS (SUCH AS "B.D.M." IN THE NO. VA. AREA) COULD CERTIFY COMPLIANCE WITH THE INSPECTION STANDARDS FOR A REASONABLE FEE.

2. GETTING BEYOND LOGISTICS AND INTO ADMINISTRATION - - -
(THIS MAY SOUND COMPLICATED AND CUMBERSOME BUT IT REALLY NEED NOT BE).

A. WE LIVE IN A VERY LITIGEOUS SOCIETY. (IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME - - JUST COUNT THE NUMBER OF LAWYERS WHO CAN AFFORD COBRAS). A SIMPLE CORPORATION COULD BE FORMED TO HELP "SCREEN" THE BELOW INDICATED PARTICIPANTS FROM UNWARRANTED LIABILITY. "DIRECTOR INSURANCE" IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT A REASONABLE COST FOR SMALL CORPS.

B. THE "CORPORATION" (READ "CLUB") COULD HAVE DIRECTORS CONSISTING OF PEOPLE LIKE D.V, JAY NORDSTROM, BOB PUTNAM, DAVE SMITH ETC, ETC, WHO WOULD SET THE "STANDARDS" AND APPOINT / APPROVE LOCAL - HIGHLY RESPONSIBLE - COBRA OWNERS AS "SAFETY CO-ORDINATORS".

C. THE SAFETY CO-ORDINATORS COULD SEARCH OUT AND SCREEN THE SHOPS IN THEIR AREA THAT WOULD BE APPROVED AS "AUTHORIZED SAFETY STATIONS", AND CO-ORDINATE WITH LOCAL CLUBS OR INDIVIDUALS ON GETTING THE INSPECTIONS PROPERLY ACCOMPLISHED.

THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A LOT OF WORK - IT'S REALLY NOT. ONCE THE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN AGREED TO BY THE "BOARD OF DIRECTORS" AND LOCAL SAFETY CO-ORDINATORS ARE CHOSEN, THE TRAIN WILL BE "ON THE TRACK" AND SHOULD ROLL ALONG RATHER SMOOTHLY.

I HAVE DEALT WITH GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES AND LARGE (NOT ALWAYS PROPERLY INFORMED) CORPORATE ENTITIES FOR MANY YEARS AND THE ONE THING THAT THEY ALL WANT TO SEE BEFORE THEY "BUY INTO" AN IDEA IS AN ORGANIZED PLAN ON PAPER. THE PLAN NEED NOT BE LARGE OR COMPLICATED - - IT JUST HAS TO MAKE SENSE TO THE PEOPLE READING IT.

A LOCAL "ADMINISTRATOR" COULD BE AVAILABLE TO HELP THE SAFETY CO-ORDINATOR IN MAINTAINING RECORDS (ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT) AND IN HANDLING CORRESPONDENCE WHEN NEEDED IN LARGER AREAS.

A REALLY SIGNIFICANT "SIDE BENEFIT" HERE IS THE OBVIOUS ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL COBRA DRIVERS TO ASSOCIATE WITH, OR TO FORM, A LOCAL CLUB. THE MORE COBRA DRIVERS WE CAN GET INTO LOCAL CLUBS THE BETER THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY IS GOING TO BE. I'VE LEARNED FAR MORE ABOUT MY COBRAS AND DRIVING SAFETY FROM THE CAPITAL AREA COBRA CLUB MEMBERS THAN I WOULD HAVE EVER LEARNED (SAFELY) ON MY OWN. (THANKS WADE, DOC, ET ALL). I'VE ALSO HAD A HECK OF A LOT MORE FUN THAN I EVER WOULD HAVE HAD ON MY OWN. ADDITIONALLY, CLUB EVENTS SUCH AS ATTENDING DRIVING SCHOOLS TOGETHER, ETC. ARE FAR MORE CONDUCIVE TO INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION. A DRIVER WHO ASSOCIATES WITH A CLUB IS, INHERENTLY, GOING TO BE A SAFER DRIVER. HE / SHE HAS AN ENTIRE "POOL" OF EXPERIENCE (GOOD AND BAD) TO DRAW UPON AND TO LEARN FROM - - RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO OUT AND LEARN IT ALL BY THEMSELVES.

IN SUMMARY - - THE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE NEED TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE WE CAN REASONABLY APPROACH THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY ARE:

1. A VIABLE AND SPECIFIC SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAM.

2. A FORMAL (REALLY SEMI-FORMAL) ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM WHICH WILL ORGANIZE AND CERTIFY THE SAFETY PROGRAM.

3. AN ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE, IN PLACE, THAT WILL ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVERS, THE CLUBS, THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY - - AND THE "ORGANIZATION". WE NEED A COMPLETE PACKAGE TO PRESENT TO THEM - - NOT A LOT OF GENERAL "RAMBLINGS". WE NEED TO "SPEAK TO THE INDUSTRY" IN ONE CLEAR, CONCISE AND ARTICULATE VOICE. (STEVE - - ARE YOU STILL WITH ME??)

4. WE COULD ALSO - ONLY HERE IT STARTS TO GET COMPLICATED - CERTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVERS. SUCH THINGS AS:

** CLUB MEMBERSHIPS - THE MORE THE MERRIER.

** DRIVING SCHOOLS OR COURSES ATTENDED.

** DRIVER EXPERIENCE AND DMV RECORDS (NOW THE PLOT GETS THICKER - ALTHOUGH FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES THE DRIVER COULD FURNISH HIS DMV REPORT TO THE CLUB IF HE/SHE CHOOSES).

THERE IS A LITTLE WORK IN SETTING THIS TYPE OF ORGANIZATION UP INITIALLY (NOT AS MUCH AS YOU MIGHT THINK) BUT, ONCE IN PLACE - IF IT'S DONE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING - IT'A RELATIVELY "MAINTAINANCE FREE".

IN MY OPINION - - THIS EXERCISE HAS A LOT LESS TO DO WITH INSURANCE BENEFITS AND A LOT MORE TO DO WITH MAKING OUR CARS SAFER AND EACH OF US A BETTER DRIVER.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF MY "INITIAL" THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER.

WE SEEM TO HAVE DEVELOPED SOME MOMENTUM IN THIS DIRECTION - - LET'S KEEP IT ROLLING.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT - AND SAFE - DAY,

BLACKJACK