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Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 7:29 am
by Gareth
When it's frosty and/or sub-zero, I make good use of the traction control system in my car.
If I think it's likely to be slippery, I press the traction control button in the centre console. Fortunately it's possible to do this on the move, so I don't need to make a one-time assessment at the start of my journey, or stop to change the mode.
A fairly bright warning light shows on the dashboard that reminds me to be more restrained in my driving, which I very much appreciate.
I think it works very well; for example, I don't get any of that front wheel scrabbling when pulling quickly out of side-turnings when the dashboard light is on that I sometimes get when it's off.
Bazinga
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 8:34 am
by akirk
Alasdair
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:29 am
by GTR1400MAN
Hmmmm.
In my car if I hold the Sport button in the same happens to ABS, Stability Control, Brake Assist AND Traction Control. A nice RenaultSport logo lights up to inform me.
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:50 am
by Horse
Gareth wrote: A fairly bright warning light shows on the dashboard
The family Altea has a light on the dash which illuminates when the TCS is operating.
Filly calls it the 'skiddy button' . . .
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:13 am
by jont-
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:33 am
by titian
My RR Sport, when it senses the temperature drop, automatically re-maps the vital functions for normal, on-road driving.
The one to be really wary of is the throttle response when, for instance, joining traffic from a side road or at a roundabout, as the sprightly pick up usually available is no longer there so gauging an appropriate gap in the traffic needs to be modified.
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 12:04 pm
by GTR1400MAN
titian wrote:My RR Sport, when it senses the temperature drop, automatically re-maps the vital functions for normal, on-road driving.
The one to be really wary of is the throttle response when, for instance, joining traffic from a side road or at a roundabout, as the sprightly pick up usually available is no longer there so gauging an appropriate gap in the traffic needs to be modified.
I don't mind buttons to turn things on/off (though I wish my stop/start function could be set permanently OFF), but I really hate vehicles that adapt automatically.
My old Lexus IS200 'learnt' how you drive. Spend a week bimbling in commuter traffic and then try to join a busy dual carriageway NSL RAB. The response was bleurrrrrrrrrrr. Not what I was looing for.
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:52 pm
by akirk
GTR1400MAN wrote:titian wrote:My RR Sport, when it senses the temperature drop, automatically re-maps the vital functions for normal, on-road driving.
The one to be really wary of is the throttle response when, for instance, joining traffic from a side road or at a roundabout, as the sprightly pick up usually available is no longer there so gauging an appropriate gap in the traffic needs to be modified.
I don't mind buttons to turn things on/off (though I wish my stop/start function could be set permanently OFF), but I really hate vehicles that adapt automatically.
My old Lexus IS200 'learnt' how you drive. Spend a week bimbling in commuter traffic and then try to join a busy dual carriageway NSL RAB. The response was bleurrrrrrrrrrr. Not what I was looing for.
but that is because your intelligence / driving skill is greater than the car's - not sure you can say that about every driver though...
Alasdair
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:54 pm
by waremark
Gareth wrote:When it's frosty and/or sub-zero, I make good use of the traction control system in my car.
If I think it's likely to be slippery, I press the traction control button in the centre console. Fortunately it's possible to do this on the move, so I don't need to make a one-time assessment at the start of my journey, or stop to change the mode.
A fairly bright warning light shows on the dashboard that reminds me to be more restrained in my driving, which I very much appreciate.
I think it works very well; for example, I don't get any of that front wheel scrabbling when pulling quickly out of side-turnings when the dashboard light is on that I sometimes get when it's off.
Bazinga
I don't understand what is happening here. What am I missing?
In virtually every car with electronic traction and/or stability aids, pressing a button and causing a light to illuminate solidly reduces rather than increases the amount of electronic assistance. For a given application of the accelerator, a car with a decent system would be less likely to scrabble for grip if you did not press the button. With suitable tyres, of which Gareth has been a leading advocate, and with a modicum of restraint, I would not expect to experience scrabbling for grip anyway. I have been out in the Aston on a slippery day and on summer sports tyres and have not experienced scrabbling. Of course, I am a model of restraint!
I have used snow tyres for the last three years - which has been a successful investment in keeping the snow away from my parts!
Re: Slippery conditions
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 7:01 pm
by akirk
I have a feeling that Gareth is slightly tongue in cheek - he is turning artificial aids off
Probably because he reckons as a driver that he can adjust to the conditions better than the car's computer (and is probably right
)
Alasdair