[Too Tall]

I'm too cheap to spend large for a therapist, thus DORKIPHUS.

At my second Autocross I believe I missed the same gate 5 out of 6 times.
What the absolute @#$%? My speed and car handling is coming along decently. Seeing the stinking course in full, not so much.

Considering a guide dog or tying a string to each cone and following it with my hand.

[N0tt0N]

[Lara]

Originally Posted by Too Tall

At my second Autocross I believe I missed the same gate 5 out of 6 times. What the absolute @#$%?

My advice is to read some books that discuss how to walk the course. Or search online. Imagine the line your car will travel -- stand in one spot and imagine it over and over again until you know that part of the course solid. There are other tips, like make sure you walk it once alone without the distraction of others talking. When you drive, you have to look ahead and remember that line you drew in your head, instead of driving gate to gate. It takes time, but the course walk helps a ton with that.

Also, when you go off course and don't know where, get an instructor in the car the next run. Video recording also can help because it allows you to re-visit the course. Keep at it! It gets easier to read the course the more you do it.

Now, if you go to an event at Fed Ex (SCCA, BMW), you'll really want to scream -- you pretty much have to keep your eyes up and read the course on the fly because it's so long.

[John Clay]

I few things to try:

Walk the course 4 times. The first two times are for navigational purposes only.

1) We (PCA Potomac AX course designers) are not scientific in our course drawing process and there are "lot issues" that are hard to account for. Accordingly, there will be differences between what is drawn and the actual course. Use the first walk through to mark up your map for what is actually there.

2) Do a second walk only thinking about navigation. Don't even think about speed, car position etc. Break up the course into sections. There will be sections (like slaloms) where you know you won't get lost so run past those, and other sections where you may get lost. Slow down in those sections and get a good look at the cone placement. Do not look at your map except to add comments to help yourself out.

3) Third walk. Now you can start thinking about the course from a speed/car placement stand point. Decide whether entry or exit is more important. Should you give up speed for a shorter route, etc.

4) Fourth walk. Typically this would be for fine tuning your plan, but you may just want to think about navigation again.

[cmartin]

Originally Posted by Too Tall

I'm too cheap to spend large for a therapist, thus DORKIPHUS.

At my second Autocross I believe I missed the same gate 5 out of 6 times.
What the absolute @#$%? My speed and car handling is coming along decently. Seeing the stinking course in full, not so much.

Considering a guide dog or tying a string to each cone and following it with my hand.

You arent alone. I did the auto x school then the following event and never went back. Looked to me like a parking lot full of cones. Stick with it, I hear it can be fun.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by cmartin

Looked to me like a parking lot full of cones.

Made it hard to go fast, didn't it? It's like fo' fo' drivers took over the world

[N0tt0N]

[Lupin..the..3rd]

I like to practice on the GW Parkway. Pretend the pot holes are cones. It's a real challenge to reach the other end without hitting any! For added effect, try it wearing nomex, and with a bottle of bubbly in the trunk to celebrate your victory.

[cmartin]

Originally Posted by BlackTalon

Made it hard to go fast, didn't it? It's like fo' fo' drivers took over the world

Thats funny. I actually thought it was fun, just had no idea where I was supposed to go.

N0tt0N - good stuff. The last one could be sitting around getting sunburned

[joep]

Originally Posted by Too Tall

...At my second Autocross I believe I missed the same gate 5 out of 6 times..

Nothing more needs to be said here.

There's some good advice above too, but really once you get more experience, you'll find that you settle down, and get used seeing a "new track" every time, and the anxiety & adrenaline goes away and this will take care of itself.