[QUOTE=wing,Aug 11 2005, 05:09 AM] with payneinthe, I attempt to heal and toe on the street but it rarely works well.

 

Dudes, I practice heel toe on the street all the time. When I started doing it I sucked and was only capable of doing it well during hard braking but with practice I am now capable of doing it smoothly under light braking. All it takes is a controled right foot... and practice.

With out practicing it on the street under all conditons I would not have fine tuned my technique. How's that for validation?

Oh, and Wing, because you can't do it well on the streets is all the more reason to practice on the streets. To give up doing it under light braking because it is more difficult that way is weak sauce.

 

I do it on the street all the time. I used to think it was hard to do it in the S, but it's second nature now. And you don't have to brake hard to do it, you just need a little flexibility in your ankle. Try yoga.

 

Since the only reason I need to know heel-toe is for getting that next-to-next-to-last tenth at the track, I don't see how it would harm me to not be able to heel-toe under light braking. I'd rather not get into the habit of fooling myself into thinking I'm driving fast when I'm only braking at 20%. That's how you end up like this guy http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/...read.php?t=728

Edit: I do heel-toe on the street (with light braking), but I don't pretend I'm practicing technique or saving wear and tear on the car.

 

Heel-toe is worth more than a tenth of a second. It's fundamental to driving on the track, I don't know how else you'd be able to slow down, and not screw up the balance of the car when entering a turn. If you're just braking, and then downshifting you're coasting for a little bit, that'll kill you.

 

Tenths as in 8/10ths, 9/10ths, 10/10ths. I agree completely on its importance.

 

It is practice. You are developing muscle memory for when you don't want to have to think about doing it... like when you're on a track. The more you do this, the more it becomes second nature.

Imagine if the only time you could, by your account, "practice" heel-toe was when you were on a track. I for one, would not have developed the skill at all.

Just admit that your dissmissal of practicing on the street was wrong.

Oh, and anytime you match revs to the clutch you are saving wear and tear. There's no disputing that. It may be a small amount but it does exist.

Matt

 

You're missing the point. What's the good of muscle memory if it's not the right memories? For example, would you practice driving a golf ball if you only had 60 yards to practice in and no net? Would those muscle memories be useful on a real golf course?

 

It's better to hit that ball 60 yards regularly , and occasionally get to hit it without limitations, than to not hit it at all. If that makes sense.

Same way, even if you're not threshold braking / heel toe on the street, it's still better than to just show up at the track and try to do something you don't practice at all.

 

So your point is that if you are not threshold braking there is not point in familiarizing yourself with the location of your pedals and the movements neccessary for smooth heel-toe?

If so, that is your opinion and I do not agree with it. I find that if I can do light heel-toeing, doing so while threshold braking is that much easier. Just like I practice proper hand placement and steering techniques while driving at way less than 10/10ths, I believe there is merit to practicing good foot work at less than 10/10ths.

I can see where you are going with the golf analogy but I think the amount of energy applied durring a drive has more effect on form than pushing harder on a pedal has.

Peace out.