Huh?

Y'all are not quite on the mark- except for S2Kguy although even his assesment of Michael Schumacher is abit off.

The absolute most important thing to remember- know both you and your car's limitations. Complete your braking before turning. Begin your acceleration after completing your turn. Concentrate on making smooth transitions between braking, turning and accelerating out. Consistently hit your threshold brake marker, brake lift, apex, and track out markers. Losing traction anywhere is NOT a sign of experience- rather, it's a sign of lost concentration somewhere during the process. Driving very fast, consistently, is a skill of repetitiveness, not flamboyance. The best drivers are not the one lap wonders, but the ones who make the fewest mistakes under pressure and the ones who can tune the car to his/her driving style, or can adapt their driving style to suit the car/ driving conditions.

If you haven't figured it out yet, practicing those sorts of things require the use of a track. Taking a three day course in a good school will help- in the USA Skip Barber is known as the defacto standard, although any three day school will be enough time for you to tell if OTB (other talents beckon). Good multiday schools will supply you with all the necessary equipment- single seater jalopy (aka Formula syle low HP car), driving suit, helmet, insurance, track, instructors who have qualified experience, etc. and will improve your ability, no matter what level you are at (at least, for most of us in this forum!).

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sunchild
[B]Play Sega Rally II, or Test Drive: V-Rally.

 

[QUOTE]
As far as staying on the throttle, I was taught to stay off the throttle, so I would have to go with S2WOOOW.

And Sunchild is right also in saying that we have to look at where we want the car to go and not where we are heading. If you look where you are heading, your hands naturally steer towards where are are likely to crash, which is BAD.

 

Step 1) Don't listen to the posters on this board. I'm sure you've nioticed several contradictions.

Step 2) Contract you local highway patrol and ask the desk officer to put you in charge with your local CHP instructor. If you luck out (like I did) you may even get to "play" in one of their cars after training. Your interest in safety is rare, as mine was. I got to play for a good period of time at the Los Angeles Fairgrounds (Pomona, California) after a CHP training session. Of course I did have to let my instructor take the Big Cat (i.e. Pantera) for a quick spin.

Contrary to most opinions their sole existence is driver safety both yours and others.

 

There are actually two distinct answers on what to do with the throttle when the rear end steps out (which is treated slightly differently from a fishtailing condition).

When the rear end steps out because of throttle oversteer, lifting the throttle is normally the better thing to do - though not too abrubtly.

If the rear end is stepping out because the driver chickened out in a turn and lifted or braked, then the steering correction needs to be accompanied by applying the throttle (to plant the rear end) gently (too much throttle may give you the worst of all worlds - throttle induced oversteer at the limit of lateral adhesion).

If you get into fishtailing mode, normally caused by the inability to properly time the steering correction to either of the above (and sometimes throttle application), the two above conditions still apply - did you get into fishtailing mode from lifting at the limit of adhesion in a turn or from power oversteer? The main thing you need to do in correcting a fishtailing situation is to not overcorrect and know that the time takes time to react (yes, even in the S2000). You almost want to start turning the other direction before the car actually turns - practice makes perfect.

Power oversteer - from stationary or low speeds on slippery roads is easy to control. Lift throttle oversteer - normally at higher speeds at the limit of adhesion is much harder to deal with.