Driving in the wet - my thoughts...
07-27-2005, 05:19 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Driving in the wet - my thoughts...
Ok, ive had the car 5 months now, and a good mix of wet / dry weather.
I drive the car pretty hard - just scrubbed a set of nearly new Bridgestones which are now nearly bald. Ive been driving on the scrubbed tyres during hte last week of wet weather....
Driving in the wet used to scare me when I first got in (came from Subaru) but I now believe you do have to really get it wrong to spin the car - or am I missing something?? I dont rate myself as a great driver, but I find I can drive at a reasonable pace over roundabouts with a big margin of safety.
I might be wrong here, but have others found they've been caught out even while being quite sensible???
Ive worked out that much more than 20% on the throttle on or coming off a roundabout will induce the back end to pop out. Heard in a recent post that someone was on 80% which doesn't surprise me that it spun! Also uneven rear tyre pressure really causes problems in the wet in a straight line
My mentality is that I like to push it, but not to let that overshadow the potential of stacking the car - not worth it!
Just put some 18's on with new T1R's so will report on those later!
MB
I drive the car pretty hard - just scrubbed a set of nearly new Bridgestones which are now nearly bald. Ive been driving on the scrubbed tyres during hte last week of wet weather....
Driving in the wet used to scare me when I first got in (came from Subaru) but I now believe you do have to really get it wrong to spin the car - or am I missing something?? I dont rate myself as a great driver, but I find I can drive at a reasonable pace over roundabouts with a big margin of safety.
I might be wrong here, but have others found they've been caught out even while being quite sensible???
Ive worked out that much more than 20% on the throttle on or coming off a roundabout will induce the back end to pop out. Heard in a recent post that someone was on 80% which doesn't surprise me that it spun! Also uneven rear tyre pressure really causes problems in the wet in a straight line
My mentality is that I like to push it, but not to let that overshadow the potential of stacking the car - not worth it!
Just put some 18's on with new T1R's so will report on those later!
MB
07-27-2005, 05:52 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Ashford, Kent
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well i have had mine nearly two month now but when i got it the tyres was low on tread and when it was wet god 
normal drive was side ways round a round about. But with my New So2s (people don't rate in the wet) i'm not having any problems. Was very surprised!!!
Stefan
normal drive was side ways round a round about. But with my New So2s (people don't rate in the wet) i'm not having any problems. Was very surprised!!!Stefan
07-27-2005, 05:59 AM
#3
The car is very progressive and handles superbly yes.
But people don't understand the RWS and the effect camber changes can have on the car. This can lead to an increase in oversteer. I expect the 18" should exacerbate this effect, because the increased wheel offset will increase leverage forces on the bushes that allow RWS compliance.
Also, you must read the road surface - a sudden switch from Delugrip to polished Tarmac will cause the front to step out, followed by the rear. I think it is such thing as this, which cause people to over-react.
Stefan's right - S-02s are brilliant new & warm, crap at over 50% worn.
But people don't understand the RWS and the effect camber changes can have on the car. This can lead to an increase in oversteer. I expect the 18" should exacerbate this effect, because the increased wheel offset will increase leverage forces on the bushes that allow RWS compliance.
Also, you must read the road surface - a sudden switch from Delugrip to polished Tarmac will cause the front to step out, followed by the rear. I think it is such thing as this, which cause people to over-react.
Stefan's right - S-02s are brilliant new & warm, crap at over 50% worn.
07-27-2005, 06:08 AM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Ta both - im finding the Bridgestone slicks ok to be honest, just cant push it too far!
Nick - at wet corner speeds I wouldnt have though the RWS was having too much input? Do you know what the maximum movement it has is out of interest?
Imagine the 18's will be better in that instance, as they have a better footprint. True on the surface also, there are a lot of roundabouts with the grippy stuff, but tarmac on the exit which can be disastarous! Went on a good defensive driving course once, which taught where to look for likely oily surfaces etc...
All in all, im pretty happy in the wet, just worried by the stories that the car can just let go - which is totally against what ive found. Maybe people just pushing past the limits?
MB
Nick - at wet corner speeds I wouldnt have though the RWS was having too much input? Do you know what the maximum movement it has is out of interest?
Imagine the 18's will be better in that instance, as they have a better footprint. True on the surface also, there are a lot of roundabouts with the grippy stuff, but tarmac on the exit which can be disastarous! Went on a good defensive driving course once, which taught where to look for likely oily surfaces etc...
All in all, im pretty happy in the wet, just worried by the stories that the car can just let go - which is totally against what ive found. Maybe people just pushing past the limits?
MB
07-27-2005, 06:09 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: West Berkshire, UK
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You should be REALLY careful about your "margin for safety". Cars as well balanced as the S2000 have a habit of biting hard with zero warning and although the balance helps the ease with which you can catch the spin it means you have virtually zero warning (especially in the wet) when it's about to go.
Generally speaking I drive the S2000 in the wet very sedately. I do not push the car and pushing it on bald tyres sounds like asking for trouble. You may have been fine 99 times so far but it only takes one mud puddle or one patch of diesel to take a car that's close to the line into a tree, hedge or bus.
Please understand that I have as much fun in the S2000 as anyone else. Please also understand that I can drive hard when I want to. I don't think public roads, roundabouts, bald tyres and wet weather are the place to experiment with your own driving ability.
Generally speaking I drive the S2000 in the wet very sedately. I do not push the car and pushing it on bald tyres sounds like asking for trouble. You may have been fine 99 times so far but it only takes one mud puddle or one patch of diesel to take a car that's close to the line into a tree, hedge or bus.
Please understand that I have as much fun in the S2000 as anyone else. Please also understand that I can drive hard when I want to. I don't think public roads, roundabouts, bald tyres and wet weather are the place to experiment with your own driving ability.
07-27-2005, 06:33 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North Yorks
Posts: 10,979
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by StuartL,Jul 27 2005, 02:09 PM
I don't think public roads, roundabouts, bald tyres and wet weather are the place to experiment with your own driving ability.
Also, if I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times, in the wet, the Bridgestones are no worse than any similar tyre, in fact, they shed water relatively quickly for such a wide tyre. But when they're cold, they don't perform so well.
07-27-2005, 06:36 AM
#7
Member
Thread Starter
There's always one do gooder Im not about to go experimenting when others are present. Pushing the car is all about knowing / learning the limits - and going past them ocassionsaly so you know where you are. Makes you a safer driver in the long run.
If its not the case with this car then thats the point of my post, to find out if it is very unpredictable- but my experience to date - even in the wet, is that ive always been able to feel the back start to go. The key for me is that I never approach a corner or roundabout at speed otherwise your margins for error have gone. It then allows you to gently push through the corner safely. Most good driving dynamics courses teach this.
In the dry its fast in fast out
And as said, I now have new 18's on.
MB
Im not about to go experimenting when others are present. Pushing the car is all about knowing / learning the limits - and going past them ocassionsaly so you know where you are. Makes you a safer driver in the long run. If its not the case with this car then thats the point of my post, to find out if it is very unpredictable- but my experience to date - even in the wet, is that ive always been able to feel the back start to go. The key for me is that I never approach a corner or roundabout at speed otherwise your margins for error have gone. It then allows you to gently push through the corner safely. Most good driving dynamics courses teach this.
In the dry its fast in fast out
And as said, I now have new 18's on.
MB
Trending Topics
07-27-2005, 06:52 AM
#8
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 17,824
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My personal rules for wet driving are to never dial in much more than a wrist-full of steering lock, and not to plant it coming out of a corner unless I have room to correct it if it goes wrong.
It's held me in good stead so far.
It's held me in good stead so far.
07-27-2005, 06:59 AM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North Yorks
Posts: 10,979
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you'd seen me drive, you'd know I was no do-gooder 
In the main I agree, the car is no worse than many in that it does communicate it's limits, though it's by no means the most communicative or progressive car on the road, which is why it catches a lot of people out.
The fact that for many it's an entry level RWD car doesn't help either, experience is a big factor in what you do when a car reaches it's limits of traction.
In the main I agree, the car is no worse than many in that it does communicate it's limits, though it's by no means the most communicative or progressive car on the road, which is why it catches a lot of people out.
The fact that for many it's an entry level RWD car doesn't help either, experience is a big factor in what you do when a car reaches it's limits of traction.