Where To go to improve?
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 11,445
Likes: 7
From: Plymouth
Originally Posted by Carruthersesq,May 15 2009, 01:06 PM
Hi Guys,
I'm new to the S2K but not rear wheel drive, having owned a BMW & MX5 in the past, but would love to get some handling training so I can exploit my new car without damaging my pride and car!!
Does anybody know of a good course to take in the midlands/north?
Steve
I'm new to the S2K but not rear wheel drive, having owned a BMW & MX5 in the past, but would love to get some handling training so I can exploit my new car without damaging my pride and car!!
Does anybody know of a good course to take in the midlands/north?
Steve
Motorsport-Events dot com seem popular.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,187
Likes: 0
From: Here and awake!
Get on the next drift day at Oulton Park (July) ... one of the best ways of learning about car control in my view.
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=698718
keep your eye on the events' thread for the official date of the next one.
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=674252
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=698718
keep your eye on the events' thread for the official date of the next one.
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=674252
Registered User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 578
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From: New Forest
Did both Andy Walsh (Car Limits) and Ride Drive - enjoyed both and I feel both gave me quite a bit.
The Ride Drive day I did included an hour at Kemble Airfield which was excellent and I would recommend at least part of the day at an airfield / skid pan for car control.
I did the Carlimits with stock car and Ride Drive after a few mods so it was good to get the feel of the car with the new set up.
Liked the 1:1 of Ride Drive - if I do Car Limits again (likely November as I take a child on the learn to drive course every 2 year as they reach 16!) - will look for a 2 person day as 4 was a touch crowded.
The Ride Drive day I did included an hour at Kemble Airfield which was excellent and I would recommend at least part of the day at an airfield / skid pan for car control.
I did the Carlimits with stock car and Ride Drive after a few mods so it was good to get the feel of the car with the new set up.
Liked the 1:1 of Ride Drive - if I do Car Limits again (likely November as I take a child on the learn to drive course every 2 year as they reach 16!) - will look for a 2 person day as 4 was a touch crowded.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 562
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I went on a RideDrive day a few years back, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I picked the instructor up from Southampton at about 0900 and drove up to Kemble Airfield through the backroads. We spent a while on the airfield doing all sorts of driving and skidding.... great fun. Then it was back down to Southampton through the twisties to see if anything I had been taught had sunk in! Arrived home quite late so it was a packed day and worth the money.
There are several threads from 2005/06 giving more indepth details of other members days.
e.g:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showt...0&#entry9820924
HTH
There are several threads from 2005/06 giving more indepth details of other members days.
e.g:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showt...0&#entry9820924
HTH
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 0
From: Yorkshire
I'm trying to get my head around peoples motives here for wanting to do these roadcraft based courses.
I can't help but think that an airfield/track/skidpan based handling course would be better value for money in coming to terms with 'what the car will do and how to control it under certain conditions'; and as far as road driving goes beyond this I'd say it's about observation and being savvy, basically using your common sense.
I've read the thread that links to the RideDrive and IAM experiences in trying to ascertain just what it is that people are extracting from these courses and from what I've read they dont sound as though they really give you anything beyond what a good airfield handling day and a good dose of common sense would give.
A few people who contributed to the link thread for RideDrive/IAM clearly feel the same and dont feel they got thier moneys worth.
I'm not knocking RideDrive or IAM here I'm just trying to get my head around precisely what motivates people to do these courses and not go for a full days extreme handling instead and then using thier common sense on public roads?
I can't help but think that an airfield/track/skidpan based handling course would be better value for money in coming to terms with 'what the car will do and how to control it under certain conditions'; and as far as road driving goes beyond this I'd say it's about observation and being savvy, basically using your common sense.
I've read the thread that links to the RideDrive and IAM experiences in trying to ascertain just what it is that people are extracting from these courses and from what I've read they dont sound as though they really give you anything beyond what a good airfield handling day and a good dose of common sense would give.
A few people who contributed to the link thread for RideDrive/IAM clearly feel the same and dont feel they got thier moneys worth.
I'm not knocking RideDrive or IAM here I'm just trying to get my head around precisely what motivates people to do these courses and not go for a full days extreme handling instead and then using thier common sense on public roads?
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,905
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On Ridedrive and IAM for instance, you will learn that it is perfectly acceptable to drive on the opposite side of the road for long periods of time.
( bet you weren't expecting that as an answer. )
Road positioning, car balance and observation are the key things tought.
As with everything... it is down to the individual instructor (or in the case of the IAM, observer ). If that person made is dull for you - then it has to be dull for everyone... right?
All of them have their place.
Buy a copy of Roadcraft... and do your own reading.
( bet you weren't expecting that as an answer. )
Road positioning, car balance and observation are the key things tought.
As with everything... it is down to the individual instructor (or in the case of the IAM, observer ). If that person made is dull for you - then it has to be dull for everyone... right?
All of them have their place.
Buy a copy of Roadcraft... and do your own reading.
Former Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24,771
Likes: 311
From: Stanmore
Originally Posted by OldDogmeat,May 16 2009, 09:18 AM
I'm trying to get my head around peoples motives here for wanting to do these roadcraft based courses.
I can't help but think that an airfield/track/skidpan based handling course would be better value for money in coming to terms with 'what the car will do and how to control it under certain conditions'; and as far as road driving goes beyond this I'd say it's about observation and being savvy, basically using your common sense.
I've read the thread that links to the RideDrive and IAM experiences in trying to ascertain just what it is that people are extracting from these courses and from what I've read they dont sound as though they really give you anything beyond what a good airfield handling day and a good dose of common sense would give.
A few people who contributed to the link thread for RideDrive/IAM clearly feel the same and dont feel they got thier moneys worth.
I'm not knocking RideDrive or IAM here I'm just trying to get my head around precisely what motivates people to do these courses and not go for a full days extreme handling instead and then using thier common sense on public roads?
I can't help but think that an airfield/track/skidpan based handling course would be better value for money in coming to terms with 'what the car will do and how to control it under certain conditions'; and as far as road driving goes beyond this I'd say it's about observation and being savvy, basically using your common sense.
I've read the thread that links to the RideDrive and IAM experiences in trying to ascertain just what it is that people are extracting from these courses and from what I've read they dont sound as though they really give you anything beyond what a good airfield handling day and a good dose of common sense would give.
A few people who contributed to the link thread for RideDrive/IAM clearly feel the same and dont feel they got thier moneys worth.
I'm not knocking RideDrive or IAM here I'm just trying to get my head around precisely what motivates people to do these courses and not go for a full days extreme handling instead and then using thier common sense on public roads?
It's all very well referring to using common sense on the road, but good common sense is knowing that you can always have more of it
I hadn't (like most I suspect) learned the Roadcraft system before my Ride Drive course, so it was all new to me. I did most things well, but using the brakes and gears in a different way was a revelation and it certainly helped me to be a better, smoother, more controlled and safer road driver.
Certainly, some "car control" training is beneficial, but that is more for handling extreme situations where something has gone wrong. An on road Ride Drive course helps you to avoid that type of situation in the first place.
Doing track/airfield days requires a very different style of driving and therefore different training altogether.
There is of course some commonality between all the driver training.