Eurotechnik/Joe, nice story. I can't blame Ron and probably others for buying it. Too bad it took over four days to prepare and doesn't track too well with the facts.
I think I'll start near the end because you make it sound as if you came by afterwards to talk and I was too angry and refused. Let's set the record straight on that right now because the truth, and the way you are twisting it, are part of the pattern and a window into who's really behind the pretty post-pressure damage control speech.
After getting the car back to our paddock I had to check in with medical and fill out CYA forms confirming I was OK and absolving them of any further responsibility for me. Part of that was checking my blood pressure, which I'm proud to say was 122 over 60 something, which was actually LOW for me. Having already asked me what had happened the guy exclaimed how impressive it was for someone who should be hopping mad. Indeed, I was perfectly calm and matter of fact about it until we met. After medical I went back to the trailer and took a closer look at the car, then pulled the video and looked at that a few dozen times, looked at the car some more, discussed options with Tom, looked at the video again, waited... I thought perhaps I'd get a courtesy visit from the guy who had trashed my weekend and my car, but nope. You kind of paint a different picture, implying that you approached me, which though not exactly lying was just as dishonest and only confirms first impressions.
So, not knowing who you were or anything other than I'm looking for a Miata with white & yellow paint, a white cage and a banner at the top of the windshield, I take a long tour of the paddock on a not exactly cool day after being knocked around in my car. When I do find you I'm perfectly calm, waiting for your side of the story. What I get is a "yea it's rough, shit happens, it's happened to me" (not a direct quote) attitude. I didn't hear even a hint of regret so I asked you exactly what you were thinking, and you said (direct quote) "I had a run on you guys", like that explained it all. I guess in a way, it did. My reaction was one of considerable dismay, asking what that meant and saying it's a test day, to which you rephrased the same answer. Now, yes, some frustration was probably starting to show as I expressed my thoughts on that justification. Then you told me that there was room inside so you took it, to which I replied, no doubt with a bit more passion, that quite obviously there was NOT room, as my bent car could attest. Nothing at the time about thinking I was staying wide to leave you room, or that you would have gone outside, just that you had a run and saw a gap. I expressed disbelief and went back and forth a bit more, and then you played the ever popular "I was fully alongside of you when you jerked the wheel into me" card. That's when I knew I was wasting my time, and that you were accepting zero responsibility and would say anything to push the blame to me.
THEN you tried to diffuse the situation by smiling and introducing yourself with a shake of hands. Yea, I backed away. A shake implies a certain level of respect, friendship and/or trust. So let's recap what I knew about you so far:
You seemed to have displayed very poor judgement to attempt a very high risk move, *on a test day* - Tentative Strike One
Despite being the one who made the move, and the one with a car still intact, you failed to come looking for me to discuss it, see how I was, whatever; I had to come find you - Strike Two
After I found you, you adamantly accepted ZERO fault of ANY kind and your initial justification for the move was simply that you "had a run" on us - Confirm Strike One
When pressed further you insisted there was room, and then as a last resort claimed that I jerked left into you after you were alongside - Strike Friggin Three
Why would I want to make nice and shake your hand??? So yea, by that point there was clearly no point in further discussions, and sure, I was a little angry. But "I attempted to introduce myself and discuss the incident at the track but you were understandably angry and ultimately refused to do so." isn't exactly honest, is it?
Obviously nothing you could have done after the fact would fix my car, my weekend, my budget or the rest of my season, but if you had come to find me, watched the video, and accepted that it was too late and too tight to dive inside, especially under the circumstances, you might at least have fooled me into thinking that you are a sincere and reasonable guy. Fortunately you were at least honest in that respect, and I want anyone else reading your flowery post to know it's pure PR damage control, not who you were that day, and apparently continue to be here by changing the story again to look like a nice reasonable guy who had the misfortune to underestimate the obvious incompetence of another driver, and how you're sorry for that, at least. Which really, is still all the blame you've accepted.
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