2 ms·

Just to clarify here, I'm talking about driving on the edge of available grip, NOT the wholesale sideways drifting tech - that is mostly for show. Of course, i

by toss1 7y ago

Just to clarify here, I'm talking about driving on the edge of available grip, NOT the wholesale sideways drifting tech - that is mostly for show. Of course, in road racing, these skills are critical multiple times per lap. On the street - there are still too many examples to list from direct personal experience. Long trips, find myself in a severe snowstorm, or an ice storm where it's too slippery to even stand, cars off the road everywhere, I'm able to drive (w/ managed sliding) to make it through to destination or shelter just fine. Similarly, coming onto a muddy or oiled patch, same thing -- very handy to be able to both minimize the consequences of lost grip, or recover from a sliding situation without hitting anything. Also the occasions where an obstacle is in the road by surprise behind a visual obstacle -car pulls out, parked in road behind corner, whatever, available space is closing -- being able to drive with precision at the limits of available grip makes the difference between a <whew - close one!> and a <mash the brakes, turn the wheel, bash into whatever> incident. Obviously, alertness is key to everything (even w/ the best skills), and of course maintaining safe distances, etc. is also key, and the basis of any sound skill set. Edit:, additional clarification, the traction controls in many modern cars also eliminates the option for many of the high-slip-angle moves. You'd have to turn of all thise features, or unplug the fuse, which is not possible on the timescale of an emergency maneuver.

zzzeek 7y ago
great, knowing how to oversteer at low speeds in snow, of course we all need to know that and yes with my current Subaru it's hardly something that really happens anyway, the scariest thing that has happened with that car was a sudden whiteout where I had to cross down a hill that ended at a red light, for which cars weren't even able to stand still on said hill due to slipperyness. I basically plotted a course to what embankment I would use to break the movement in case I kept slipping but the Subaru was able to stop. Overall I was curious if you were suggesting I'd need to go to racing school and learn drifting in order to keep my family safe. thanks for clarifying.
- toss1 7y ago
  >> Overall I was curious if you were suggesting I'd need to go to racing school and learn drifting in order to keep my family safe. thanks for clarifying. Excellent question Absolutely need it? probably not. Many situations are like the tricky one you described, where picking the least-worst snowbank was probably your best move. That said, only chance will tell if anything more hairy comes up (the thing that wigs me out most is dashcams of things coming in from the oncoming lane -- gotta be really alert, quick, and dynamic to survive). Highly recommended? Absolutely! I cannot recommend enough going to some classes that are typically called Car Control Clinics, and are often offered by the local SCCA (Sports Car Club of America), BMWCCA (BMW Car Club of America), and others. IMO, these should be obligatory for all new drivers. They cover the general principles of the limits of grip, and how to manage the car at the limits, and how to drive more precisely both at ordinary speed and in quick situations (e.g., sudden-lane-change drill), how to keep the car balanced in maneuvers, how to get the most out of brakes, steering, etc. I took my mom to one once, and she had decades of experience in snowy climates, and she learned a huge amount and had a ton of fun - started out timid and was smokin' the brakes by the end of the drills! A great investment of a day and entry fee to cover the site, and a lot of fun. If you want to move up into track day classes, autocross, and road racing - you'll learn all kinds of hings you never knew existed (true for me even w/top-level experience in other speed sports) and have the most fun you cna have with your trousers on Please ping me if I can help you find options in your area.

by toss1 7y ago

zzzeek 7y ago

great, knowing how to oversteer at low speeds in snow, of course we all need to know that and yes with my current Subaru it's hardly something that really happens anyway, the scariest thing that has happened with that car was a sudden whiteout where I had to cross down a hill that ended at a red light, for which cars weren't even able to stand still on said hill due to slipperyness. I basically plotted a course to what embankment I would use to break the movement in case I kept slipping but the Subaru was able to stop. Overall I was curious if you were suggesting I'd need to go to racing school and learn drifting in order to keep my family safe. thanks for clarifying.

toss1 7y ago
>> Overall I was curious if you were suggesting I'd need to go to racing school and learn drifting in order to keep my family safe. thanks for clarifying. Excellent question Absolutely need it? probably not. Many situations are like the tricky one you described, where picking the least-worst snowbank was probably your best move. That said, only chance will tell if anything more hairy comes up (the thing that wigs me out most is dashcams of things coming in from the oncoming lane -- gotta be really alert, quick, and dynamic to survive). Highly recommended? Absolutely! I cannot recommend enough going to some classes that are typically called Car Control Clinics, and are often offered by the local SCCA (Sports Car Club of America), BMWCCA (BMW Car Club of America), and others. IMO, these should be obligatory for all new drivers. They cover the general principles of the limits of grip, and how to manage the car at the limits, and how to drive more precisely both at ordinary speed and in quick situations (e.g., sudden-lane-change drill), how to keep the car balanced in maneuvers, how to get the most out of brakes, steering, etc. I took my mom to one once, and she had decades of experience in snowy climates, and she learned a huge amount and had a ton of fun - started out timid and was smokin' the brakes by the end of the drills! A great investment of a day and entry fee to cover the site, and a lot of fun. If you want to move up into track day classes, autocross, and road racing - you'll learn all kinds of hings you never knew existed (true for me even w/top-level experience in other speed sports) and have the most fun you cna have with your trousers on Please ping me if I can help you find options in your area.