Cornering discussion.

[waynne]

When you are out for a fun drive how do you corner? I prefer a trailing throttle and if the road is clearly empty I will move over and take a "racing line" safely using up the full width of the road. Am I alone here?

Does anyone power though corners?

I know that rule 1 is never to brake on a corner but this rule seems obsolete with the arrival of ABS brakes. (Old habits die hard though!)

[Prince]

If the road is clear then I take the racing line. Let off the accelerator, steer through and accelerate out of the corner.

[pgarner]

im normally use a better line than what the corner might give. this is the first car with ABS so i never brake in the corner unless the idiot in front of me does

i cant power through the corner as its FWD i would just understeer

[Se7eN]

Yeah taking the racing line mmmmm....

better be careful about who's behind you or Mad Max the Highway Sheriff will have you stopped at the road side faster than you can say ABS.

Personally I'd save the racing line for the race track, that's why they call it the racing line after all

Personally I've found the best compromise in a FWD'er is brake as late as you feel comfortable with in order to carry as much speed as you feel comfortable with obviously as your on the road give yourself some margin for error or idiots.

Then as you enter the bend feet off the pedals on the initial turn in if the tyres bite start to input the throttle until a) the tyres squeal b) your steering wheel lightens a touch as your on the verge of oversteering (I've found this to be the case driving a corsa an clio and a golf don't know if it works for anyone else tho)

obv. the tyre squeal gives you a better indication but they aint gonna squeal when its wet!

[HDi fun]

This is a very abstract discussion really. No two corners, cars, drivers and situations are the same on the road. Things aren't repeatable as they are on a track.

Having said that, I adopt many different stances and methods depending upon the situation and how I want to drive at that time. I will never select a driving style that is likely to cause danger.

The racing line doesn't really help on the road too much as the change of corner radius is often sudden and unsubtle. Throw in camber changes as well and things can get difficult. Poor road surfaces don't help either.

You're also compromised on vision. On a track there are no hedges and other roadside features to block your vision. And generally there's nothing coming towards you in the opposite direction either.

As for ABS alone, it's not going to dig you out of anything and everything. It's an emergency device, which works well to try and make the most of the available grip. If you drive 'on it' you'll end up slower through bends anyway.

There's all manner of other grip 'maximising' systems fitted to cars. Again, they're there to help you out in a tight spot. Not to enable you to go fast on the road.

All this makes me sound like a doddery old git who:

1: never goes over 2500rpm, and,

2: always corners at 'horse drawn cart' speeds.

Guess what?

1. I do, and;

2. I don't.

[waynne]

This also raises a question - is it illegal to make full use of the width of the road if it SAFE to do so? I would have thought the racing line is only a problem if you are using illegal racing speeds?

I would rather go quickly through a series of bends than flat out on a straight bit of track. It is really cornering which makes the difference between a good driver and a bad driver.

You need to sense the balance of the car and keep it smooth. HDi is right that no two bends are alike but there are certain procedures which apply in all types of corner.

Observation, Set speed, trailing throttle, apex direction adjustment and exit.

I read in an advanced driving manual that it is safer to turn a corner into a series of short straights. Anyone else subscribe to this theory?

[HDi fun]

Using the whole road is completely legal so long as you don't cross solid whites etc.

[Se7eN]

Its not illegal per se to cross the broken lines however check out rule 106 of the highway code ok so mine is the '04 edition and could be considered out of date.

Nevertheless:

106: A broken white line. This marks the centre of the road. When the line lengthens and the gaps shorten, it means there is a hazard ahead. Do not cross it unless you can see the road is clear well ahead and wish to overtake or turn off.

Also imagine this if you will

Officer: I'm going to caution you now. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say may be given in evidence in a court of law. Why were you weaving across the road back there?

Driver: I haven't done anything wrong, I was using the racing line...

Officer (interrupts): does this look like a race track to you Jenson? do you know how many people have been killed on this section of road? etc etc

so if you do decide to use the "line" then keep your eyes cause if maybe the two guys in the blue 3.0 V6 Omega behind you are .

I'm not trying to tell any one how to driver their car. I'm just presenting the facts with a bit of worst case scenario. It's up to you all to decide for yourselfs.

[pgarner]

it is out of date as the online version shows it as 127 but reads the same

[HDi fun]

You won't get stopped, never mind cautioned for making use of the available road for vision and vehicle stability. Go and undertake a couple of day's instruction from a Class 1 Police Driving Instructor. (www.ridedrive.co.uk) It's very informative, especially when it comes to the law and its application.

Traffic police are generally very measured and sensible when it comes to such issues. OK, if you're doing 105 in a 60 limit they'd almost have to query it and report you if there's enough evidence to do so.

The police driving the smaller cars can be a bit silly at times. But they have minimal knowledge of traffic law so you're unlikely to incur much more than a bollocking.