Reg Local - How to pass an Advanced Driving Test

[waremark]

"Whenever I've tested a stability system - eg at Porsche doing things like split grip braking - I've been very impressed how clever they are."

At the Porsche Experience Centre and at North Weald with Car Limits I found no difference in the ability of the car and driver combination to cope with a limit situation whether the system was on or off. What I mean is that at the speed at which I lost control with the system off, it was no better with the system on (happened in different cars). But that was with a fully alert driver anticipating the emergency, I certainly want all systems on if I hit a patch of diesel unexpectedly.

[hray]

I have the same problem, Mark. Digital speedometer tends to drift up to 2mph over or under a desired speed.The analogue speedo does not reflect this drifting so assures me I should not beat myself up. Aiming for a speed under the limit only results in the analogue speedo showing that I'm not driving up to the limit as expected in some tests.

Agreed. At 50 my cruise control is quite happy to allow itself to drift up to 52, so I wouldn't be chastising myself over the same!

[RiK]

The next video is up, Steering

[GTR1400MAN]

Have just watched this and came here to see if anyone had added it

I found it very good explanation and for once he acknowledged that our own footage/driving/riding is never 100% text book.

The bit about thumbs will get some to bite, but that quarter to three position has thumb places on most cars these days.

[waremark]

I have often been surprised by how much Reg takes his hand off the wheel to 'talk with his hand' - it is particularly ironic for him to do it in a steering video as he encourages you to keep both hands on the wheel as much as possible. Reg, any comments?

[waremark]

Much as I admire Reg, and indeed accept that following his advice will get you through an advanced driving test, I disagreed with a lot of his comments.

He says fixed grip is acceptable up to about 90 degrees. Rather than merely 'acceptable', I would prefer to hear that Roadcraft now shows that fixed grip is the recommended technique for minor changes of direction.

He is dogmatic about not going beyond 12 o clock. I thought that Roadcraft tells us that rotational steering is acceptable, and that the IAM says 'If it isn't broke, don't fix it'. He says it is acceptable for slow speed manoeuvering but Roadcraft does not mention that limitation and we know it can be applied very effectively in other situations.

He is dead against starting PP with a push. As it happens I do start PP with a pull, but I am not convinced that a pull is a better controlled action than a push. I don't think the push is any more driven from the shoulder than the pull (that is what he says), and the pull involves resisting gravity to start the steering gently. Others' views?

He then goes on to demo PP on bends not needing more than a 45 degree turn of the wheel for which the best technique might be fixed grip.

When using fixed grip, he explains that he steers with the pulling hand, rather than using both hands in a balanced way which is what I do. Views?

He doesn't mention a pre-positioning technique, or make any effort to have the hands at quarter to three in the middle of a turn. And he doesn't mention sensitivity to grip levels.

I am posting here on the grounds that most forum members are fairly expert, rather than under the video or on Pistonheads where I would be putting doubts into the minds of less experienced advanced drivers. If you have read this and you are just starting on your advanced driving journey please go back and read my first sentence!

[GTR1400MAN]

Regarding past 12 o'clock. It was something I mentioned at the start of this topic on the System video.

I haven't watched this latest one yet. I did look at the bit you referred to (around the 3:25 mark) and saw a mix of techniques on the steering for the that mini RAB. I guess the discussion would be around slow speed manoeuvring vs pull push. I'll certainly take a past 12 technique on tiny mini RABs if turning right, though watching the video it looked almost straight and I wondered about the indicator (though the camera lens can make things look different to real life).

That was with reference to my first grab in preparation for the pull.

The past 12 'rule' can be relevant at times for fixed steering as you can run out of steering if something happens.

Flexibility.

[Gareth]

He is dead against starting PP with a push.

I shall watch later but, even without watching, I feel the urge to say this

The really big question, for systematic steering that primarily uses fixed grip and p-p, (avoiding being drawn into which starts first for this sentence), is how the transitions are managed.

Assuming no fumble then, I suggest, p-p takes over when the fixed-grip deflection has reached a certain point where it is obvious that, for normal road driving, fixed-grip will not provide sufficient steering deflection.

I find it better if the decision is made earlier rather than later, to avoid a tangle of arms and hands ... so there is an initial deflection, with one hand rising and the other falling in equal measure, then the lower hand more naturally releases and re-positions. If the p-p then starts with a pull there will have been a small gap with no steering, but if it starts with a push then the transition can seamlessly blend.

To any who disdainfully point to one-handed steering in the transition, I would counter that all p-p is inherently one-handed.

[hir]

Much as I admire Reg, and indeed accept that following his advice will get you through an advanced driving test, I disagreed with a lot of his comments…
…I am posting here on the grounds that most forum members are fairly expert, rather than under the video or on Pistonheads where I would be putting doubts into the minds of less experienced advanced drivers. If you have read this and you are just starting on your advanced driving journey please go back and read my first sentence!

I completely agree with waremark’s sentiments on this. The following remarks are written in a similar spirit.

I drove with Reg a few years ago and I wasn't particularly enamoured with his steering techniques. they were not as disciplined as I would have liked to see. Steering accuracy through corners was a bit hit and miss on right-handers. He acknowledged that he could have, and should have, gone deeper into some right handers.

The style of steering that he displays in the video is symptomatic of someone who has been inculcated with pull-push [at police driving school] but hasn't been wholly successful in adapting to fixed-grip in their subsequent incarnation.

This is particularly noticeable when Reg is demonstrating fixed-grip at 15:44 where he says" ...this allows me to pull the steering down in the direction I want to go while keeping a fixed grip on the steering wheel. I'm pulling down with my right-hand, my left-hand is just along for the ride... I'm effectively using pull-push steering method but I'm not actually moving my hands around the rim of the wheel. … Always think in terms of pulling the wheel down into the corner, not pushing it up".

I think Reg is a bit confused. Fixed-grip technique is not pull-push with the non-pulling hand "along for the ride". Fixed grip is what it says it is... it's fixed grip. A fixed-grip steering effect is obtained by moving both hands simultaneously with similar levels of grip and input. One hand pulls while the other pushes. Both hands are synchronised. If the non-pulling hand is merely "along for the ride” then the technique is simply a mishmash version of pull-push without the efficacy of either pull-push or fixed-grip.

With fixed-grip steering a very subtle, and minimal, initial “hinting” push, which then blends into the actual fixed-grip turn, can make the turn-in very smooth. But, I wouldn’t necessarily teach that at IAM/RoSPA entry level.

My overall opinion of Reg’s IAM/RoSPA entry level steering video is that it would be a bit confusing for associates. I did think of suggesting that my latest associate watches it, but then changed my mind. There are many useful and pertinent points that he makes but I think they’re lost in the overall confusion.

[waremark]

Various

I completely agree with waremark’s sentiments on this. The following remarks are written in a similar spirit.

.......

Unsurprisingly I also agree with everything hir wrote (not that I have driven with Reg).