Learning how to Autocross! Please read
03-18-2008, 04:48 AM
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Learning how to Autocross! Please read
Please lock this and sticky this.
I'm writing this as I see too many posts that ask where can I learn to drive my car to the limit, or what back roads do you guys hit.
First you can not truly learn to autocross anywhere other than at an autocross. First cones are not set up on any public road or open parking lot so trying to learn on the street will not teach you how to use your eyes. Second braking at the limits, or trail braking into a corner should not be practiced on the street. Learning to trail brake is the quick way to learn to spin the car and not good on public roads. Braking at the limits is also a stupid thing to try on a public road as there could be unseen debris like sand or liquids dropped by the many other cars that have traveled the same road. This inconsistency of the surface can and will drastically change your braking distances. This is the exact opposite of an autocross course which takes into account imperfections in the surface. Also public road are not designed to put the car at or near its limit like a well laid out autocross course is. At an event you may see a U turn thats only 20 feet between gates and to try to do that quickly you really have to toss the car into it... not something you can learn on an open road.
Also I have heard of guys going out and blazing up and down off/on ramps not thinking about the guard rails or the other people traveling the same road. Just don't do anything stupid guys.
I'm sorry if any of you think that I'm being a safety NAZI but I have my selfish reasons. Like I don't want to get hit by you trying to learn how to drive on a public road.
So please do not do anything stupid it will only get you in trouble with the law, hurt or worse.
I'm writing this as I see too many posts that ask where can I learn to drive my car to the limit, or what back roads do you guys hit.
First you can not truly learn to autocross anywhere other than at an autocross. First cones are not set up on any public road or open parking lot so trying to learn on the street will not teach you how to use your eyes. Second braking at the limits, or trail braking into a corner should not be practiced on the street. Learning to trail brake is the quick way to learn to spin the car and not good on public roads. Braking at the limits is also a stupid thing to try on a public road as there could be unseen debris like sand or liquids dropped by the many other cars that have traveled the same road. This inconsistency of the surface can and will drastically change your braking distances. This is the exact opposite of an autocross course which takes into account imperfections in the surface. Also public road are not designed to put the car at or near its limit like a well laid out autocross course is. At an event you may see a U turn thats only 20 feet between gates and to try to do that quickly you really have to toss the car into it... not something you can learn on an open road.
Also I have heard of guys going out and blazing up and down off/on ramps not thinking about the guard rails or the other people traveling the same road. Just don't do anything stupid guys.
I'm sorry if any of you think that I'm being a safety NAZI but I have my selfish reasons. Like I don't want to get hit by you trying to learn how to drive on a public road.
So please do not do anything stupid it will only get you in trouble with the law, hurt or worse.
03-29-2008, 05:46 PM
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Re: Learning how to Autocross! Please read
Good information but not sure it's worthy of a sticky. Unfortunately this is common sense that teens are supposed to get when they apply for their learners.
03-31-2008, 06:42 AM
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Re: Learning how to Autocross! Please read
How exactly dose one "get" common sense? I thought you had it or you didn't. I mean I maybe wrong and they have started giving it out at the DMV... But by the way people drive around here I think it must be just a placebo.
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