Learning to drive without a car.

In reply to 80sFast :

I was listening to Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets Podcast just this morning and heard something I meant to bring back to this thread. He was talking to Terry Earwood, Skip Barber instructor, whose parting advice was about using street driving as homework for everything else. So much of driving fast is vision and smoothness, and these are things you can practice no matter what you're driving, and you don't have to be going fast to do so. There's always room for improvement in the basics (and another recurring theme from that podcast: the greats mostly do the basics better than we do).

In reply to Ransom :

Boost_crazy had mentioned this as well. Boost said “Learn basic principles like slow in fast out, late apexing before a long straight (freeway on ramp,) hand position on the steering wheel, looking ahead, etc.” I’ll take some time and see what each of those items mean and try to practice them day-to-day. Are there any other basics I can practice on the street? 

In reply to 80sFast :

I like to work on smoothness with the brakes, getting on and off. I try to be able to get quickly from gas to brakes, but still hit the pedal just enough to take the slack out of the system, so there's no real braking, just getting all the slack out of the pedal, lines, calipers... Then try to get smoothly and quickly (not too quickly, remember that the fronts will develop more grip as more of the car's weight is transferred) to the amount of deceleration I want for the slowing or stopping I'm going to do (paying attention to whether I get it right and have to make adjustments). Then I try to trail off smoothly and slowly so that if I'm stopping, there's little to no "pop" at the end where the front end comes back up, because I've been bleeding off the pressure right up to the stop.

The benefits of not wasting time between gas and brake are obvious. But it's important not to jab at them as you transition, so you need to be smooth when you get there. Fine control and modulation of the brakes is important, and being able to taper them off smoothly and with control is... I was going to say important to trail braking, but I also think it just helps with a solid command of the controls.

Also, pay attention to how the vehicle reacts to everything you do, however subtle. Note that if you're going around a bend at 45mph and you ease up slightly on the gas, the line will tighten. If you speed up slightly, gently, the line will widen. Pay attention to how you probably automatically adjust the steering angle when you do these things. Pay attention to the fact that you're doing it. Pay attention to how if you accelerate a little more firmly around a tighter bend, you'll also need more steering input, but before you've gained more real speed, you'll need more steering angle because you've taken weight off the front tires. And the same applies for releasing the gas pedal or doing some braking; you'll need to ease up on the steering. Summing this rambling paragraph up, pay attention to how weight transfer affects what the tires are doing, how throttle affects weight transfer, and how speed affects inputs.

I spend a lot of my attention in normal driving trying to be really, really smooth. I want my passengers to not notice when I shift. I don't want to make mid-corner corrections with the steering unless there's a reason to change trajectory.

Also, focus on looking ahead. I probably should've written this as item one, even though it's already been mentioned. That's been one of the biggest struggles and the biggest payoffs in autocross, track days, mountain biking, karts... Get your eyes up. It reduces the sensation of speed, lets you decide where you want to go so you're not reacting late, and tells you about trouble sooner.

Anyhow, that's stuff I do, but I'm no authority. I feel like it's stuff that helps me, and entertains me too. There's plenty more, but I suspect that the reading list will help, too. Most of my stuff starte with reading Frere and others many years ago. I think Jackie Stewart wrote some stuff that also had an impact on me in terms of smoothness. And I can't remember whether it was Stewart, Mario Andretti, or something else who said something that stuck with me about how saving a big moment might make you feel competent, but you should actually set your sights higher and in that case be cross with yourself for having had a big moment in the first place, not pleased for saving it.

In reply to Ransom :

Thanks for the well thought out response Ransom. I’ve been watching Driver61s videos and he has reinforced a lot of what you said. I actually think I have a great vehicle to practice being smooth in right now! A 15 passenger RWD transit van on snowy roads.

I was cruising around yesterday and was trying to pay attention to some of the items you mentioned. I noticed that I’m pretty good at keeping my eyes down the road but I’m looking for deer and not at the “line” so much. The van also really exaggerates any un-smoothness or jerky inputs so that’s convenient. So I’ll just keep plugging along with this until summer.

also wanted to say thanks for mentioning the Speed Secrets podcast. Between that and Driver61 I’m starting to get the basic terminology down. 

I decided to get better at autocrossing, and I took both the SCCA's Starting Line School and the Evolution Performance school.  Either is worth the investment by a large margin.  I saw complete Noobs improve so much over two days it was astounding.  It is specific to autocross, but the basics of looking ahead, smooth inputs, driving the right line, when to be on the power etc are pretty universal.  Take one in spring and you'll be ready for the season. 

I have also participated in NASA track days and the SCCA Track Night.  Both are great, track night was pretty recent and I can tell you that it is an AMAZING program.  Tell everyone that you are a complete novice, and everyone will help you out.  Seriously, the group I was with were so nice and supportive to beginners. Forget your lap times or passing or any of that, just go out and work on the basics in the beginner group and you will learn a lot. Ask how to improve in corners where you are not doing well and people will show you the ropes. Hard to find a better way to get on track and learn some stuff.  

+1 on the carting thing.  I am pretty good behind the wheel, but my first carting outing was eye-opening.  I went with people who were seasoned pros, and they were much faster than me.  Asking questions and understanding the proper line, setting up for corners, preserving speed and straightening the course out shaved seconds off my laps.  Equally-powered carts require technique to win, you'll learn alot IF you ask questions and get advice.  

In reply to pinchvalve :

I those sound like great options. We’re you able to rent cars/karts at these events? 

80sFast said:

In reply to Ransom :

I was cruising around yesterday and was trying to pay attention to some of the items you mentioned. I noticed that I’m pretty good at keeping my eyes down the road but I’m looking for deer and not at the “line” so much. The van also really exaggerates any un-smoothness or jerky inputs so that’s convenient. So I’ll just keep plugging along with this until summer.

You don't want to be staring at the line to the exclusion of all else anyhow. You do want to be seeing it, and seeing where it goes well up ahead, but though there are not usually deer on a racecourse, there are plenty of opportunities for unexpected things. You need to see the line, the reference points, the deer, the car that's had an off and is re-entering the track, the corner marshal waving a flag... Keeping the vision further ahead gives you more time to absorb it all.

Well spotted on the van. I spent a little time at the wheel of some friends' band's tour RV, with a crap-ton of gear in the tail of the long rear overhang. It definitely let you know if you weren't being super-smooth. But any vehicle will tell you something about what you're doing if you pay attention.

I’ve been watching driver61s videos and listening to the Speed Scerects podcast based on some of your advice here, and have started to get an understanding of racing terminology a bit better. I’ve also been “practicing” in my van while putting around and it has actually been pretty fun. I’ll keep you posted as I learn more. Thanks.