The most difficult aspect of Advanced Driving

[hir]

I don't think it was a sneaky little post at all!

I rather think it was a somewhat mild response to the 6 pages devoted to a dog training complaint... "£40 for an hour, he spend 25 minutes making small talk in my kitchen. Then a little walk around the block… Basically I feel I got ripped off, I want to question why his fee is so high," ... which had been posted on a brand new advanced driving forum.

TheInsanity1234 said the most challenging thing for him was sitting through another dull discussion on steering whereas for me it happened to be a rather dull discussion regarding someone feeling aggrieved about the high cost of dog training.

PS: Will it be OK if I just drive around Craven Arms on my own? Promise I shan't speak to anyone.

I don't even want to see you! Not even for a moment, either sneaking around in the pub or driving on the same roads!

As for you John, you'll find yourself banned as well for fraternising with the enemy.

Back on topic!

OK, so I've completely missed the point! What exactly is your problem? What exactly do you see as being my problem?

Why do you have a predilection for the use of the word "sneaky"? ... "a sneaky little post" and "sneaking around the pub". What's all that about?

Why the ad hominem vitriol? All I did was make an ad Canis canis comment!

[Playtent]

OK, so I've completely missed the point! What exactly is your problem? What exactly do you see as being my problem?

Why do you have a predilection for the use of the word "sneaky"? ... "a sneaky little post" and "sneaking around the pub". What's all that about?

Why the ad hominem vitriol? All I did was make an ad Canis canis comment!

I actually think your great and like you nearly as much as dogs..... I do like the word sneaky and it was just my word of the week!

[Horse]

Dogged-off? No, brake off. Something I notice that's 'unsmooth' in my driving is lifting off the brake when I've been braking firmly.

I guess the implication is that I need to release the brake pressure more gradually, which will take more time (and distance), so will require earlier braking . . . so starting the entire process sooner.

[jont-]

Dogged-off? No, brake off. Something I notice that's 'unsmooth' in my driving is lifting off the brake when I've been braking firmly.

I guess the implication is that I need to release the brake pressure more gradually, which will take more time (and distance), so will require earlier braking . . . so starting the entire process sooner.

Or firmer during the main part of braking. (I suffer with the same problem, although it's noticeably better after a session with an instructor at Porsche silverstone where we were working on just that).

[IcedKiwi]

Yup that's another one I find tricky!

Another thing pointed out to me on the HPC YDD was that by following someone too closely I was having to alter my speed to maintain distance and if I dropped back then I could keep a steady pace uninfluenced by the driver in front. On the morning drive I missed a textbook overtake off a right bend because I was too far off the back and so on this second drive I was maybe trying to make sure it didn't happen. How do you find the balance? Was I just not recognising that there was no chance of an imminent overtake anyway?

[akirk]

Yup that's another one I find tricky!

Another thing pointed out to me on the HPC YDD was that by following someone too closely I was having to alter my speed to maintain distance and if I dropped back then I could keep a steady pace uninfluenced by the driver in front. On the morning drive I missed a textbook overtake off a right bend because I was too far off the back and so on this second drive I was maybe trying to make sure it didn't happen. How do you find the balance? Was I just not recognising that there was no chance of an imminent overtake anyway?

There is a lot more adjustment in my experience than you might expect - there is a continual dialogue going through your mind to decide where you sit - the road allows / disallows an overtake, too much traffic, now empty roads, junction ahead, aht is the car ahead doing, speed limits, white lines, etc. etc. - all continually changing which if you were to map it as a matrix would see a figure for legal to overtake / safe to overtake etc. going up and down continually... so there will be times you drop back, times you come up closer, times you sit to the left, times you sit to the right and continually being adjusted...

so with the right hand bend, what was the thought process as you approach the bend, did you move into a position to maximise your view, make it earlier / move up to allow an overtake, but not crowd?

were you recognising at other times that it was unlikely so eased back a little to help maintain a steady pace...?

steady pace in my view doesn't mean the same speed the whole time - far from it, it simply means not having to brake suddenly (too firmly), or accelerate suddenly to compensate for being in the wrong place - it is about smoothness of drive not one speed...

Alasdair

[jcochrane]

Ah, yes the "elastic band" The following position varies as required. For example if approaching a RH bend that you assess might provide an overtaking opportunity you close up a bit and move a little to the left. The aim of the change in position is to improve and get earlier vision round the bend. If the overtake does not develop ease back to the earlier following position. On LH bend you might need to drop back a little to aid the search and earlier view down the nearside of the vehicle being overtaken (you want a view that extends to the offside road edge). Again if overtake is not on resume the following position.

ed. cross posted with Alasdair

[akirk]

ed. cross posted with Alasdair

but phrased much better in your post!
Alasdair

[Horse]

Dogged-off? No, brake off. Something I notice that's 'unsmooth' in my driving is lifting off the brake when I've been braking firmly.

I guess the implication is that I need to release the brake pressure more gradually, which will take more time (and distance), so will require earlier braking . . . so starting the entire process sooner.

Or firmer during the main part of braking.

Hmmm . . . yes, I'll try that.

[StressedDave]

It is, in my experience, the only solution. It tallies with my comments in the cornering thread. Try asking yourself 'can I start to come of the brakes' rather than 'can I come off the brakes'.

Losing more speed to give yourself time (and distance) to make things better is always a better option.