I spun my Trophy

[Keith Waters]

Well, nearly. Broad daylight, dry, country lane with flat (not ditched or hedged) runoffs. Road drops from plateau with sweeping left followed by tightening right under bridge and dropping steeply. Enter right on trailing throttle – some gravel previously dragged across surface. Get onto “marblesâ€Â, everything goes into slow motion (as it does) – can’t believe this is happening – I’m spinning with bridge parapets looming.

Survived unscathed (car and me) but not happy - feel my instincts are still with rear wheel drive I grew up with. With rear wheel would have taken it sideways and happy, rather than sideways and praying.

Keith

 

[Olliev8]

Close call!!!

sounds like a bit more practice is needed so you can get use to front wheel drive.

Glad both of you are ok.

 

[160dmb]

Historically I would have been with you, but I now race a Mini (Original Rover 1.3i) in the Mighty Mini series, and can say with absolute certaintity that the time I spent in a skid car was the best money I spent in the whole of last year.

Once you get the feel of front wheel drive it really can be just as much fun.
(a perfect drift is awesome, but not very often usable on road!)

Truly the relative expense of the skid car day has saved me some big bangs, and I even got an award for the "Most Entertaining Driver 2006" mostly because of the lurid tail slides I pleased the crowds with last year.

So if you want to learn front wheel drive without bending your road car.... Go for a skid car training I heartily recommend it.

Incidentally, my techique for getting the Mini to slide might sound familiar, fast into the corner on a trailing throttle............ (works even better if its off camber or downhill)

to save it, apply some power, and point the driving wheels in the direction you want the car to go.......

Pretty different to rear wheel drive, no wonder it feels odd

 

[Keith Waters]

Skid car training sound like a very good idea. Many thanks for recommending it.

 

[FunkyMunky]

as another suggestion, have you considered doing one of these days - http://www.carlimits.com/

i'm thinking of doing one in mine once the camber has all been setup again

 

[jezza l]

FWD can be huge fun. My slow ass 206 diesel gives me plenty of sideways fun when i want.
My technique (on the track of course) is go in fast get some understeer, lift off the accelerator, then because of the sloppy suspension in the 206 it needs a further turn of the steering wheel before it comes lose then power on and straighten up. Hours of fun

 

[trophycabinet]

Sounds like a bit of a heart stopping moment!

Reminds me of when i had my impreza, about 7 years ago now. Brand new car, 4 days after picking it up i was drving on a road that took you through this wood, on a dark wet winter night. A combination of terrible standard headlights, wet leaves me stupidly lifting off and a corner that was a lot tigher than i thought had me doing a full 360 down the next straight. Miraculously despite the road being lined with trees that could do some serious damage i never left the road and didnt hit a thing.

Just like keiths experience, time slowed right down as i gently pirouetted and then the car stopped facing the right way. For some reason once id realised the car was gone as i turned in i decided to let the car spin and became a bit of a passenger. I recon if i'd tried to catch it i would've ended up in the woods! Very lucky escape.

Cant help thinking that any car in keiths situation, rear four or front wheel drive would've got out of shape on loose gravel?