Advanced driving techniques, anyone?

dubstub

A post in another thread got me wondering: how many of you use advanced or rally driving techniques in your everyday driving?
In particular I'm wondering about left-foot braking, double-clutching and opposite lock (where necessary and safe) as well as any other techniques that people find useful.

Stark

Why would you want to double clutch on a modern car?

dubstub

I know that synchromesh synchs up the gear change for you but I've heard the argument touted that double-clutching still allows smoother gear changes and less wear and tear on the gearbox. I'm not a mechanic so I don't know about the wear and tear but it does allow very smooth gear changes when you get it right.

Tobias Greeshman

Stark wrote:

Why would you want to double clutch on a modern car?

Yes normally you wouldn't, but if you were driving on snow/ice and were too afraid to brake because you may skid or lock the wheels. Then by double-shifting you would ensure a smooth down-shift by matching engine-gearbox speeds to slow the car down.

Henry Ford III

I doubt that. Double declutching is no smoother.

galah

could someone explain double-clutching, please?

And why would anyone want to use their left foot for braking???

dubstub

Double clutching:
http://www.epinions.com/auto-review-6902-1618F526-3A351631-prod4
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/4101

Left foot braking:
http://www.modernracer.com/tips/leftfootbraking.html
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=15

kippy

Interesting topic;
Good articles posted from DUBSTUB there but this is at the end of the second one on double clutching:

Most modern streetcars don't need double-clutching, because they have a synchromesh transmission, in which the synchronizers decide which pair of gears to connect to their shaft.

Which would mean it pretty pointless to be double clutching for everyday driving.

As for the left foot breaking and opposite lock, from what I have read in the articles it only appears these are only really benficial when cornering at high speeds. Something I dont think anyone would condone doing during everyday driving.
Kippy

BrianD3

I never double declutch but I do a form of rev matching (engine speed matched to road speed) on almost every gearchange. This makes for very smooth changes and I believe it results in less wear on the clutch too.

saobh_ie

The only time you would need to opposite lock your car is when your trying to reduce the damage as you skitter across the road following a high speed collision with another muppet.

You should buy Roadcraft: The police drivers hand book or the Irish Advanced Motorists Guide to being an Advanced driver.

The most advanced thing you can do in traffic on the road is look around and plan ahead. You could be in your WRC spec Impreza and somebody using advanced driving techniques and not revving the **** out of thier 1l metro will beat you.

SouperComputer

Double Clutching wont make your shifting any smoother, although Heel Toe which is often confused with it would.

Theres lots of threads about it!

Anyway, generally my foot is on the footrest, occasionally on the brake, but not very often on the road. I use heel toe a fair bit, handy when dropping from 5th to 2nd at roundabouts.

On the wear thing from resting your foot on the clutch pedal, its no so much the friction surface that gets worn as such, its the release bearing.

fletch

BrianD3 wrote:

I never double declutch but I do a form of rev matching (engine speed matched to road speed) on almost every gearchange. This makes for very smooth changes and I believe it results in less wear on the clutch too.

I do that too...generally let the revs fall to about 1.5k-2k before changin....a lot of the time I don't even bother using the clutch and it just falls into gear.

Andrewf20

I have gotten into the habit of heel and toeing ever since my 1st track day. Found it pretty much essential for better progress. It involves blipping the throttle while downshifting under braking.

I was driving my dads car last week which has the brake and throttle pedal a mile apart, thus couldnt heel and toe. What a nightmare!

eamon1

dubstub wrote:

A post in another thread got me wondering: how many of you use advanced or rally driving techniques in your everyday driving?
In particular I'm wondering about left-foot braking, double-clutching and opposite lock (where necessary and safe) as well as any other techniques that people find useful.

I passed my advanced driving test and use techniques like stopping in 4th gear, block changing from 4th to 2nd or 3rd to 5th. Finding the best position line for cornering and letting the limit point dictate my speed. Holding the straight line driving gets me through lots of tight situations and lifting my field of vision helps me know whats up ahead and it makes driving so much less stressfull around dublin and down the country. I also get 30% discount from hibernian every year.

maidhc

If people feel the need to employ racetrack driving skills on the daily commute I reckon they must not be leaving enough time for the journey!!!

Seriously though, just drive smoothly, use the brakes as little as possible and keep the revs sensible. Your car and bank balance will thank you for it.

R.O.R

Quite often have to add a bit of opposite lock when exiting roundabouts in the wet. The joys of a lot of torque, rear wheel drive, no traction control, high centre of gravity and slippy roads.

Can be a bit of fun in second gear, but damn scary in third on off camber bends - I've seen what happens to a Pajero Sport (x3) when the drivers are caught out by this.

BrianD3

In 10 years of driving on public roads I've had to opposite lock twice. Once I was negotiating a bend when I hit black ice and the car started going straight on. I lifted off off teh throttle and instantly got massive sudden oversteer, caught it but was very fortunate not to crash. Learned a lesson that day.

The other time was in a piece of sh1t Mitsubishi L200 tiptoeing around a bend at no more than 20 mph in the wet and the thing slid on me as I accelerated gently out of the bend.

I'd agree with the points that maidhc made about opposite lock though. If someone is having to opposite lock regularly in a public road they might need to look at their driving style.

peasant

R.O.R wrote:

Quite often have to add a bit of opposite lock when exiting roundabouts in the wet. The joys of a lot of torque, rear wheel drive, no traction control, high centre of gravity and slippy roads.

Can be a bit of fun in second gear, but damn scary in third on off camber bends - I've seen what happens to a Pajero Sport (x3) when the drivers are caught out by this.

In that case you are not "adding opposite lock" (making it sound all advanced, calculated and deliberate) ...you're simply lucky to be able to react quickly enough to correct your initial mistake of not being able to judge road conditions correctly and adjusting your speed accordingly.

Getting a leaf-sprung, high centred RWD truck to loose grip on a wet roundabout is easy ...just go fast.
The advanced driving technique ist not being able to catch it from spinning out of control, but not to let it happen in the first place.


The best "teacher" I had for driving technique was the VW camper I drove for years. 1.6 l diesel, 50 hp, no servo breaks, 2 ton weight.

That yoke did NOT accelerate, neither did it break very well. Due to this, I had to learn how to "read" the road and the traffic really well, keep my distances, anticipate maneuvres of others, look far ahead and avoid all situations that demanded quick getouts or hard breaking.