Over time, myself (and others) touched various aspects and methods of driving effectively. Today I am interested in whether or not these techniques 'hit home' amongst my more persistent readers, so I ask you to name the elements that you incorporated into your driving. Additionally, this thread is a good time to ask for guidance on each of these subjects, if you have further interest in them or if you fail to grasp or apply a certain aspect of them effectively.
To make it easier, I will list the different aspects:
- Car Maintenance
- Seating position in the car
- Mirror alignment for removing blind-spots
- Using the mirrors constantly
- Looking far ahead
- Proper steering technique
- Maintain the proper speed to the conditions
- Achieving effective steering through weight transfers
- Maintain the proper following distance in all situations
- Maintaining a following distance from the car behind
- Maintaining a following distance from cars in adjacent lanes
- Safe driving in night, summer and winter
- Safe driving in two-lane roadways
- Safe crossing of junctions
- Proper overtaking
- Effective driving lines
- Proper emergency braking and avoidance braking
- Managing the traffic behind
- Planning ahead and avoiding collisions
Astraist, you always give the most useful and precise advice!
Most of these points you've already explained well, but can you kindly explain for our readers, what achieving 'effective steering through weight transfers' means.
Also, by 'effective driving lines', I presume you mean, staying in your particular lane while driving?
My point was to list all of the subjects I have touched in my previous posts and see which of those points you all actually adopted into your everyday driving.
Achieving effective steering is done by braking prior to corners and entering the corners while still braking, albeit very gently. This will make the car push down on it's front tires, giving them more grip. By the time you finished turning the wheel into the corner, you foot should be lifted from the brakes and the throttle should be applied gently so that the car is kept at a constant speed through the corner. Once the corner starts to open up, increase the throttle to accelerate slightly.
This method makes the car react better to your steering inputs and have more grip. Brake (gently!) coming into the corner, keep the speed inside the corner and accelerate out of it.
The "driving line" also refers to the cornering technique: For a passenger car (unlike a truck) there is room inside the lane to move about from left to right. Coming up to a corner, we need to keep to the far end of our lane to increase the cornering radius. Coming into the corner we "dive" into it, "touch" the inside and than straighten the car out of the corner. The key is that in a mountain road, you remain on the outside of the lane until the corner starts to open up. This way you have a better view around the turn in advance.
So, what elements did you adopt into your driving? Have you checked and readjusted your driving position? Have you opened up your mirrors as I described in the past? Do you manage the traffic behind as I explained in the past, to prevent being rear-ended? What else have you adopted or not? List them.
I'll ignore most of the list and focus on the corners. I usually accelerate after I turn. I see them as separate activities, unless it's a long curve instead of a corner. It's a slower way to drive, but I can usually afford the extra minutes.
I'll ignore most of the list and focus on the corners. I usually accelerate after I turn. I see them as separate activities, unless it's a long curve instead of a corner. It's a slower way to drive, but I can usually afford the extra minutes.
He's not talking about time it takes to get somewhere. He's referring to the grip or "bite" that the tires have when your turning in and driving through the turns.
Most drivers do not know that the gas pedal and the brakes have a dramatic effect on how well or poorly your car turns. And just as importantly: whether or not you will slide in slippery conditions. Like in the rain or the snow.
If your turning into and driving thru the entire corner while still slowing down as your post implies: this is a poor driving technique. I don't mean to offend you, but it is a fact. And I'd hate for any drivers to be misled.
Try to understand the reason he suggested it, you can google vehicle dynamics and the friction circle. If you have any questions please post them. Or better yet start a new thread. I will try to answer them -- and hopefully Astraist will have a go at them too.
I don't agree with Astraist 100% on his turn in advice. However it is a valid and educated way to drive. -- in many situations.
Astraist, you always give the most useful and precise advice!
Most of these points you've already explained well, but can you kindly explain for our readers, what achieving 'effective steering through weight transfers' means.
Also, by 'effective driving lines', I presume you mean, staying in your particular lane while driving?
Thanks
Wow, I'm chomping at the bit to answer this -- but I've hijacked his thread enough.
Over time, myself (and others) touched various aspects and methods of driving effectively. Today I am interested in whether or not these techniques 'hit home' amongst my more persistent readers, so I ask you to name the elements that you incorporated into your driving. Additionally, this thread is a good time to ask for guidance on each of these subjects, if you have further interest in them or if you fail to grasp or apply a certain aspect of them effectively.
To make it easier, I will list the different aspects:
- Car Maintenance
- Seating position in the car
- Mirror alignment for removing blind-spots
- Using the mirrors constantly
- Looking far ahead
- Proper steering technique
- Maintain the proper speed to the conditions
- Achieving effective steering through weight transfers
- Maintain the proper following distance in all situations
- Maintaining a following distance from the car behind
- Maintaining a following distance from cars in adjacent lanes
- Safe driving in night, summer and winter
- Safe driving in two-lane roadways
- Safe crossing of junctions
- Proper overtaking
- Effective driving lines
- Proper emergency braking and avoidance braking
- Managing the traffic behind
- Planning ahead and avoiding collisions
Thank for explaining effective steering. I realize I'm not doing it as well as I should, and that I usually break too suddenly upon turning corners.
These are the things I mostly focus on:
- Maintaining distance from cars behind/adjacent lanes...
- Car Maintenance - the regular checks, tyre pressure etc.
- Seating position /Mirror alignment
- Making sure I then use those mirrors!
- Looking ahead and anticipating potholes, sudden changes in traffic etc.
- Safe driving according to weather and time of the day
I've even started to keep my car 'rolling' in a traffic jam and avoid stopping it completely. I guess, like many drivers, braking and steering are the things I need to perfect still!
Last edited by myownworld on Fri Sep 02, 2011 2:26 am; edited 1 time in total
Astraist, you always give the most useful and precise advice!
Most of these points you've already explained well, but can you kindly explain for our readers, what achieving 'effective steering through weight transfers' means.
Also, by 'effective driving lines', I presume you mean, staying in your particular lane while driving?
Thanks
Wow, I'm chomping at the bit to answer this -- but I've hijacked his thread enough.
lol no please go ahead Gerard! Healthy discussions are different from hijacking!
I'm very pleased to see that my former posts were taken to heart and my advice was adopted. Oh and, Gerard, feel free to "hijack" the thread. I too don't consider a discussion to be "hijacking", on the contrary.
I have incorporated some of the things listed here to my driving but sad to say also that there are some things mentioned here that I still haven't incorporated to my driving but I hope in time I can do so...
Astraist, you always give the most useful and precise advice!
Most of these points you've already explained well, but can you kindly explain for our readers, what achieving 'effective steering through weight transfers' means.
Also, by 'effective driving lines', I presume you mean, staying in your particular lane while driving?
Thanks
Wow, I'm chomping at the bit to answer this -- but I've hijacked his thread enough.
I've summarized ALL of these subjects into a series of articles I have published on articlebase. I suggest you all read them and apply the principles that are mentioned in them (and give me feedback).
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