VIR close call, today...

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Nothing

I feel they'd get your attention when you're mind has a chance to see the flag and process that info before the next corner. But I'm still a novice so what do I know.

Just my $0.02 but if you know you aren't able to process flags, should attenuate your speeed rather than wish the stations would move

[Nothing]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Just my $0.02 but if you know you aren't able to process flags, should attenuate your speeed rather than wish the stations would move

I know the flags. That doesn't mean that every corner workers station is in the optimal location.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Nothing

I know the flags. That doesn't mean that every corner workers station is in the optimal location.

It is up to the driver to see the flags. Work on your peripheral vision. Missing a flag is not a valid excuse.

[MaynardZed]

Originally Posted by Nothing

I know the flags. That doesn't mean that every corner workers station is in the optimal location.

True, they might not be in the optimal location for the driver, but they have to take into account the safety of the corner worker also. Quite often, that is the reason for the location versus convenience for the drivers.

There was a corner worker killed out here at Chuckwalla a few years ago.

[The Choosey begger]

Why are some saying nice save?

Spinning out of control 180 degrees is not nice save. Lol

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by SpeedN8

Why? Think it's possibly just the camera view? I feel comfortable and don't feel as though I'm reaching.

OP, you are definitely sitting too far away from the steering wheel. And your hand position is also not ideal. This is obvious as one of your hands lets go of the steering wheel with barely 90 degrees of rotation and you don't seem to have a good control over the steering wheel in general.

Your hands should be at 9 and 3 o'clock on the steering wheel. Your shoulders should be close enough to the steering wheel for your arms and forearms to be at a 90 degree angle when driving straight. A way to test the distance is to ensure that you can put your wrist on the top of the steering wheel with your shoulder-blades firmly planted in the seatback. With such a position, you'll be able to do over 180 degrees of rotation on the steering wheel while keeping both hands on at all times and be much faster on oversteer recovery.

Another point, less obvious just from watching the video, but it seems to me that you tend to “push up” on the steering wheel when you steer in general. You’ll be able to be more precise if you steer by pulling down instead (ex. left hand pulls down when steering left while right arm just follows the movement).

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by anglo

Why are some saying nice save?

Spinning out of control 180 degrees is not nice save. Lol

Agreed. I don't see any "save". Just a complete loss of control. OP got lucky.

[tropicalypso]

Nothing is more real than the OP crying out when he realizes he's skating sideways towards a 911 at 100mph.

[SpeedN8]

Originally Posted by tropicalypso

Nothing is more real than the OP crying out when he realizes he's skating sideways towards a 911 at 100mph.

You'll notice my "yelp" right when I thought the impact was going to happen. Didn't even realize that I did that until watching the video right after.

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

...

Another point, less obvious just from watching the video, but it seems to me that you tend to “push up” on the steering wheel when you steer in general. You’ll be able to be more precise if you steer by pulling down instead (ex. left hand pulls down when steering left while right arm just follows the movement).

When I was at the M driving school (Hokenheim) they taught us the opposite.
That we should always push up.

In your example, when turning left, you'd push up with your right arm since you'll be more precise, especially if you need to move the steering wheel past 90 degrees, where your left arm ("pulling" arm) would need to "switch" from pulling down, to pushing to the side if it were the one "driving" this.

[mcvaughan]

I guess "saved" can be interpreted different ways. I was referring to him "saving" his car from destruction.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by stormlv

When I was at the M driving school (Hokenheim) they taught us the opposite.
That we should always push up.

In your example, when turning left, you'd push up with your right arm since you'll be more precise, especially if you need to move the steering wheel past 90 degrees, where your left arm ("pulling" arm) would need to "switch" from pulling down, to pushing to the side if it were the one "driving" this.

That's interesting. Different schools different philosophies I guess.

When I did BMW driver training way back in 2001, they tought us to pull down on the wheel. I also did 3 other racing schools and all tought us to pull down on the steering. The muscle movements are much more more precise pulling down using stronger muscles and to use gravity to your advantage (when you push up you need to fight gravity to lift your arm). One occasion that particularly got my attention is at a F1600 racing school I did back in the 1990s, where the instructors were track side and were only giving us feedback after our sessions. One intructor told me I was imprecise on turn-in where he could see the car weave slightly. He told me I was likely pushing up on the steering wheel instead of pulling down. He was bang on, next session I focused on pulling down and my problem went away (Keep in mind that F1600 have a very quick steering ratio with no power steering). I was amazed that the instructor could pick that up not even being in the car with me.

As for when you are at 90deg lock, yes, it is simply the other hand that takes over and pulls down on the wheel, and it does work great. As a tidbit, at BMW driver training, the technique they tought actually had us release the grip on the steering wheel from the bottom hand when reaching 90deg lock and to just let the wheel slide inside the hand while the top hand continued the movement by pulling down. The other racing schools I did just told us to keep both hands at 9 and 3.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by mcvaughan

I guess "saved" can be interpreted different ways. I was referring to him "saving" his car from destruction.

It's not "him" that saved the car, it's lady luck

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

That's interesting. Different schools different philosophies I guess.

When I did BMW driver training way back in 2001, they tought us to pull down on the wheel. I also did 3 other racing schools and all tought us to pull down on the steering. The muscle movements are much more more precise pulling down using stronger muscles and to use gravity to your advantage (when you push up you need to fight gravity to lift your arm). One occasion that particularly got my attention is at a F1600 racing school I did back in the 1990s, where the instructors were track side and were only giving us feedback after our sessions. One intructor told me I was imprecise on turn-in where he could see the car weave slightly. He told me I was likely pushing up on the steering wheel instead of pulling down. He was bang on, next session I focused on pulling down and my problem went away (Keep in mind that F1600 have a very quick steering ratio with no power steering). I was amazed that the instructor could pick that up not even being in the car with me.

As for when you are at 90deg lock, yes, it is simply the other hand that takes over and pulls down on the wheel, and it does work great. As a tidbit, at BMW driver training, the technique they tought actually had us release the grip on the steering wheel from the bottom hand when reaching 90deg lock and to just let the wheel slide inside the hand while the top hand continued the movement by pulling down. The other racing schools I did just told us to keep both hands at 9 and 3.

That's really interesting. I'll keep all of this in mind.

Thanks for the extra info!

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by stormlv

That's really interesting. I'll keep all of this in mind.

Thanks for the extra info!

Same here...All schools I’ve attended, as well as pro racers I’ve had in the car, have told me to pull, not push, on the steering wheel.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

Same here...All schools I’ve attended, as well as pro racers I’ve had in the car, have told me to pull, not push, on the steering wheel.

+3

I've found in cars without power steering pushing up on the wheel is very taxing anyway, and pulling down is much easier with gravity and stronger muscles (as previously discussed)

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

+3

I've found in cars without power steering pushing up on the wheel is very taxing anyway, and pulling down is much easier with gravity and stronger muscles (as previously discussed)

Well then, that I guess I'll take this tip when I go next time to the track

[MaynardZed]

Could be OP has some karting experience? I’ve been telling my 12 year old son to pull down on the steering wheel based on my sports car racing experience. I’ve since learned this is totally wrong for karting. With no power steering and no rear suspension in a kart, you have to physically push the kart off the ground by doing an incline bench press on the outside corner part of the steering wheel.

[drroc]

Originally Posted by MaynardZed

With no power steering and no rear suspension in a kart, you have to physically push the kart off the ground by doing an incline bench press on the outside corner part of the steering wheel.

Karts don't have suspension on the front as well. Just pointing it out

Edit: when I drive karts, I find that I pull down and push up with both hands with equal force.

[MaynardZed]

Originally Posted by drroc

Karts don't have suspension on the front as well. Just pointing it out

Edit: when I drive karts, I find that I pull down and push up with both hands with equal force.

True that. Unfortunately, for my 12 year old son, I am his crew chief and don’t know squat about karts. I will say that his wheel has only flown off once this season during a race. :