Let me modify your statement a little.

1) Something happens (but it is not unxepected because the driver is ready for that tendency)

2) Driver feels it (but is expecting to and and is ready to make a correction)

3) Makes correction (immediately and accurately)

This should be the scenerio for a typical cornering event. Encountering oil, antifreeze or other subsatnces is a whole 'nother issue.

 

yup

 

Exactomundo! And now we even heard it from fast driver!

My whole point was that all these legends about some superman skilled, kryptonite powered drivers who read the stars and "makes a correction before anything even happens" is just a load crap IMHO.

A good driver can (and must) anticipate things to happen but will not react before he feels it is necessary, as in something happens.

Or maybe it's just the definition of 'happens' we are arguing about here.
It's not necessary to have the car sideways before you can say something has happened. It's enough if the driver feels that something starts happening and then reacts to it.

Now, for my self; less talking bs and more driving and maybe someday I can drive as fast as my mouth goes...

 

I agree with Larry and I look at like this.

A Reactive driver waits for the car to do something before he responds. A reactive driver is driving behind the car and the faster the car reacts the more problem he will have controlling it as you reaction time is just never quick enough.

A proactive driver anticipates what will happen and prepares for it. This he stays ahead of the car and can respond so fast it seem like he has super fast reaction time or some how can see the future. You can anticipate situtions by all kinds of factors some involve being at a certain place on the track at a certain time with a certain speed. One reason instructors always teach looking ahead is the farther you look ahead the easier it is to antcipate what maybe headed your way. As such you can respone faster.

As drivers gain experinece they learn to anticipate even more so fewer and fewer times they need to react to the car and and they tend to react to thing before they happen as they can use their sense to anticipate what will occur. So when my friend talks about "knowing the car will step" out he anticaptes that based on all his prior experience with the car and track and as such responed with even the slights bit of feeling because his senses have been tuned so well. The guy in seat next to him watches in amazment as the car is corrected long before he feel it was ever out of shape

Maybe we are saying the samething, but I don't believe in waiting to respond to a car and then reacting. That to me defines being slow as the longer it takes for you as driver to correct a car the fewer options you have.

 

"Knowing" the car is going "step out" is not a cosmic, psychic, superhuman reading of the asphalt and time-space continuum. It is the understanding that the car will physically behave in "that" manner because that's what it did the last time under the same conditions. So yes, you are predicting the car's behavior, and compensating for it "seemingly" before it hapens, but not, in truth, "before" it happens. It's just that the time delta has been so narrowed BECAUSE you knew it would happen ...that's what makes you a better, faster driver. And a safer one at that ...not too different out in the streets, when you think about it. If you're waiting (as in simply "reacting"), it's almost already too late.

Edward

 

Joe, I think we are talking about the same thing and really splitting hairs here.

There's no point in making a correction if one is not needed. So how do you know when one is needed? It's definately not by eyesight (a certain point at the track etc.). It's by feeling the tiny changes in the direction and magnitude of accelerations, before they become big changes.

The fast driver anticipates these changes and knows how to react to them not only very very quickly but also with the exactly correct inputs. For the slower driver (who does not anticipate) it takes a lot longer to realize what is actually happening and what needs to be done to correct the situtation. That's why when sitting next to a fast driver you can hardly tell that something happens when he already makes a correction.

 

/end of discussion!

 

 

Hmmm...

To a novice passenger, the Sharp Shoe IS superhuman when he corrects for a slide the passenger didn't even sense. That in all honety is not that hard because novices rarely have a finely tuned ****-o-meter.

You approach super human when one exeprienced driver rides with another, they both feel the yaw moment, the driver violently whips the wheel out and back, and the car hardly changes trajectory. In their best Finnish deadpan - Passenger; "Nice Save." Driver; "Yep."

Just another day at the office.

 

You know, John, that is exactly what I've seen myself. While I am no where nearly as experienced as you guys in race groups, it's funny how I experienced something of that.

In an earlier post, I had mentioned that I had the enormous priviledge of riding in the pass seat of my own car piloted by ex-pro drivers. The first time was maaaaannny years ago when I was a bit better than a rank novice, but still had that glassy look of awe in my eyes. I DID see him as superhuman. Fast forward to years later where I had gained more seat time and experience/instruction, and again had the same opportunity (albeit with a diff pro driver). And while I was, indeed, in awe at his speed and deftness of control, I was watching/feeling with a far more discerning eye (and better tuned ****-o-meter). I noticed FAR more in yaw, slip angle, and steering correction, and yet how the car still retained its proper attitude hurling into and drifting out of every corner within an inch of the laws of physics. No drama. Just another day in the office.


...BTW, coincidence alert: if anyone has perused the latest issue of Excellence (just did last night), it's got a feature with Tony Adamowics (sp?) ...he was the one who piloted me the most recent time. Absolutely a fabulous gentleman! ...great story teller and friendly demeanor who really knows how to encourage you to drive a better line. If anyone ever has a chance to drive with him or just chew the fat, he's a great guy! ...And you just gotta love the fact he's still got speed in the veins in his, ahem, "retirement"

Edward