What's your proudest driving moment?
Discussion
Had only passed my test a few weeks before (15 years ago), driving to Plymouth on a b road in very wet conditions and approached a right hand bend, doing 45mph max, in my 1987 polo with my now wife and bro as passengers. Braked in good time and very little happened, went into the bend too fast, as the back end went I somehow managed to correct it and ride it out semi sideways all with a looming 50ft drop down into a field -through trees- on the left. I frequently have flash backs, thank my lucky stars, and quickly learnt how crap the brakes were in the wet. The stig would have been proud, to this day I don't know how I did it!
Losing the back end of an E30 325i Sport on the last roundabout of a solo test drive & managing to save it with a 'dab of oppo'!
Also got my 172 to the shooting ground with snow on the ground, the only non 4x4 to make it up the hill (reversed it up)
(Was scary going back down mind!).
Perfecting J turns in my Mini was probably my proudest though, most fun too.
Also got my 172 to the shooting ground with snow on the ground, the only non 4x4 to make it up the hill (reversed it up)
(Was scary going back down mind!).
Perfecting J turns in my Mini was probably my proudest though, most fun too.
Edited by LordHaveMurci on Tuesday 27th January 09:48
pinseeker said:
Had only passed my test a few weeks before (15 years ago), driving to Plymouth on a b road in very wet conditions and approached a right hand bend, doing 45mph max, in my 1987 polo with my now wife and bro as passengers. Braked in good time and very little happened, went into the bend too fast, as the back end went I somehow managed to correct it and ride it out semi sideways all with a looming 50ft drop down into a field -through trees- on the left. I frequently have flash backs, thank my lucky stars, and quickly learnt how crap the brakes were in the wet. The stig would have been proud, to this day I don't know how I did it!
Had an '84 breadvan polo, damn those brakes were s
t!Getting a knackered sign written Cortina with 6 in it through the crowd barriers at the Friday drivers parade at Le Mans and going though the city centre as part of it. 2 hours of the crowd going wild and the Frenchies not knowing if we were official or not. Getting the car signed by the drivers all saying well done how the fk did you get here.
Leaving on a high and going straight to the track and getting into the closed section, going up under the Dunlop bridge to Tertre Rouge and back via the pit lane the wrong way stopping for a chat in the Chamberlain and MG garages.
Theres much more as we did those particular stunts several years running but the first was best so let's leave it there!
k did you get here. Leaving on a high and going straight to the track and getting into the closed section, going up under the Dunlop bridge to Tertre Rouge and back via the pit lane the wrong way stopping for a chat in the Chamberlain and MG garages.
Theres much more as we did those particular stunts several years running but the first was best so let's leave it there!
Coming home from a 12 hour nightshift, pitch black in the dead of winter. I was driving an old RWD Mercury Cougar.
Following my usual route until I reached a long sweeping S-bend maintaining 60mph as I always did.
The back end started to let go and I realized the road was absolute sheet ice, but partly due to luck, partly the camber of the road and the fact I did not make any sudden moves, the car lazily drifted along and around the bend for what seemed like forever, until it naturally settled straight as the road evened out.
It was only afterwards I found myself shaking a little as the road had no crash barrier's, was lined with tree's and I was driving a vehicle with the crash worthiness of a crisp packet.
Following my usual route until I reached a long sweeping S-bend maintaining 60mph as I always did.
The back end started to let go and I realized the road was absolute sheet ice, but partly due to luck, partly the camber of the road and the fact I did not make any sudden moves, the car lazily drifted along and around the bend for what seemed like forever, until it naturally settled straight as the road evened out.
It was only afterwards I found myself shaking a little as the road had no crash barrier's, was lined with tree's and I was driving a vehicle with the crash worthiness of a crisp packet.
Edited by skyrover on Sunday 1st February 08:22
Got a few ...
At a Karting event, someone bought a friend along, at the time the Cambridge Karting Champion, I won the event overall, and beat him in the last race, keeping him behind me for 15 odd laps.
Getting my IAM pass, notable as I had only passed my basic test some 5 months before.
Getting a perfect heal-and-toe down change, with trail braking into a corner - could probably never do that again, tad of luck was involved.
At a Karting event, someone bought a friend along, at the time the Cambridge Karting Champion, I won the event overall, and beat him in the last race, keeping him behind me for 15 odd laps.
Getting my IAM pass, notable as I had only passed my basic test some 5 months before.
Getting a perfect heal-and-toe down change, with trail braking into a corner - could probably never do that again, tad of luck was involved.
when i was a teenager i had a motorcross bike that i used to ride around my freinds field , one day they were all waiting near a big metal farm gate and i rode back towards them , some how i got it jammed flat out screaming towards the big gate , at the last possible second i got the throttle off and jammed on the rear brake locking it up and going sideways , i skidded sideways like a stuntman right up to where they way and stopped a few feet from them safley lol
Cut a long story short, my dad was supposed to take me from Herts to Southampton where I was starting Uni but forgot and went on holiday with his mates which meant that the journey was to be with my Mum:-( That morning I packed the Fiesta 1.1 (Sunray special edition:-) and set off driving with monstrous hangover with Mum in passenger side. Two minutes into journey is starts raining, by the time I get on M25 at Chorleywood it's a full blown monsoon. So everyone is driving at 25-30mph in all lanes, I'm sat in the middle lane with my Mum constantly telling me drive carefully etc etc when in look in rear view mirror and can see a white van steaming up the outside lane going way to fast, it gets about 10 metres past me and hits huge puddle and goes into 360 spin coming right into my path, I managed to brake and swerve round the van without spinning myself and carry on driving back down the middle lane, the van meanwhile managed to miss cars in slow lane and went spinning the wrong way through hard shoulder going up embankment backwards then stopping and slowly falling on it side. I'll never forget as the van fell on its side the driver was sat in his seat still and the wipers still going. I looked at my Mum and gave her a little wink meanwhile inside I was c&@ping my pants:-) She never had a problem with me borrowing the car after that
Not so much driving skill, rather opportunity taken.
I'm driving my mum's peugeot 309 n/a diesel, mum and sister are passenger and both competent drivers. This was not a fast car, best driven on momentum and timing instead of trying to use what little power it had.
We are up on the north york moors, late for a wedding/christening/family function. I am getting a move on.
I see in the distance 3 cars doing 50-60. I'm doing a bit more, maybe 70. No trees, visibility good, nothing coming. As I approach them, the road bears left, bears right, bears left, bears right, then straightens. Not big turns, this is 'straight-line'able.
As I catch the rear 2 cars, they follow the left hand lane as it goes left, I hold a straight line - a free overtake. I pass them with enough time to get into the space between the 1st and 2nd, in fact as they bear right again, they come in behind me (albeit moving 10-15mph slower). The road bears left again, the lead car follows the left hand lane again, I straightline it and pass him too. As the road bears right again he falls in behind me.
At no point did I steer/brake/come off the throttle. I just straightlined the bends. The other cars fortuitously moved with the road & out of my way. The gap between cars 1 and 2 was perfectly sized and placed for me to be in it whilst they followed the road and I straightlined them at higher speed.
This was conducted in complete silence. My mum and sister sensed what i was attempting to do, and when it came off we fell about the car laughing. Driving genius on a plate
I'm driving my mum's peugeot 309 n/a diesel, mum and sister are passenger and both competent drivers. This was not a fast car, best driven on momentum and timing instead of trying to use what little power it had.
We are up on the north york moors, late for a wedding/christening/family function. I am getting a move on.
I see in the distance 3 cars doing 50-60. I'm doing a bit more, maybe 70. No trees, visibility good, nothing coming. As I approach them, the road bears left, bears right, bears left, bears right, then straightens. Not big turns, this is 'straight-line'able.
As I catch the rear 2 cars, they follow the left hand lane as it goes left, I hold a straight line - a free overtake. I pass them with enough time to get into the space between the 1st and 2nd, in fact as they bear right again, they come in behind me (albeit moving 10-15mph slower). The road bears left again, the lead car follows the left hand lane again, I straightline it and pass him too. As the road bears right again he falls in behind me.
At no point did I steer/brake/come off the throttle. I just straightlined the bends. The other cars fortuitously moved with the road & out of my way. The gap between cars 1 and 2 was perfectly sized and placed for me to be in it whilst they followed the road and I straightlined them at higher speed.
This was conducted in complete silence. My mum and sister sensed what i was attempting to do, and when it came off we fell about the car laughing. Driving genius on a plate
Edited by gavsdavs on Sunday 1st February 15:34
gavsdavs said:
Not so much driving skill, rather opportunity taken.
I'm driving my mum's peugeot 309 n/a diesel, mum and sister are passenger and both competent drivers. This was not a fast car, best driven on momentum and timing instead of trying to use what little power it had.
We are up on the north york moors, late for a wedding/christening/family function. I am getting a move on.
I see in the distance 3 cars doing 50-60. I'm doing a bit more, maybe 70. No trees, visibility good, nothing coming. As I approach them, the road bears left, bears right, bears left, bears right, then straightens. Not big turns, this is 'straight-line'able.
As I catch the rear 2 cars, they follow the left hand lane as it goes left, I hold a straight line - a free overtake. I pass them with enough time to get into the space between the 1st and 2nd, in fact as they bear right again, they come in behind me (albeit moving 10-15mph slower). The road bears left again, the lead car follows the left hand lane again, I straightline it and pass him too. As the road bears right again he falls in behind me.
At no point did I steer/brake/come off the throttle. I just straightlined the bends. The other cars fortuitously moved with the road & out of my way. The gap between cars 1 and 2 was perfectly sized and placed for me to be in it whilst they followed the road and I straightlined them at higher speed.
This was conducted in complete silence. My mum and sister sensed what i was attempting to do, and when it came off we fell about the car laughing. Driving genius on a plate
So you were overtaking cars mid bend at about 70 mph on a windy B-road? I'm driving my mum's peugeot 309 n/a diesel, mum and sister are passenger and both competent drivers. This was not a fast car, best driven on momentum and timing instead of trying to use what little power it had.
We are up on the north york moors, late for a wedding/christening/family function. I am getting a move on.
I see in the distance 3 cars doing 50-60. I'm doing a bit more, maybe 70. No trees, visibility good, nothing coming. As I approach them, the road bears left, bears right, bears left, bears right, then straightens. Not big turns, this is 'straight-line'able.
As I catch the rear 2 cars, they follow the left hand lane as it goes left, I hold a straight line - a free overtake. I pass them with enough time to get into the space between the 1st and 2nd, in fact as they bear right again, they come in behind me (albeit moving 10-15mph slower). The road bears left again, the lead car follows the left hand lane again, I straightline it and pass him too. As the road bears right again he falls in behind me.
At no point did I steer/brake/come off the throttle. I just straightlined the bends. The other cars fortuitously moved with the road & out of my way. The gap between cars 1 and 2 was perfectly sized and placed for me to be in it whilst they followed the road and I straightlined them at higher speed.
This was conducted in complete silence. My mum and sister sensed what i was attempting to do, and when it came off we fell about the car laughing. Driving genius on a plate
Edited by gavsdavs on Sunday 1st February 15:34
There are some fantastic driving achievements being posted in this thread which shows the general calibre of driver (including professional racers) to be found lurking on PH.
I do not doubt that these achievements are genuine, but when I read them I can't help but think of that scene from The Office where the IT guy is talking about his karting ability;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ7ed_ODHNk
I do not doubt that these achievements are genuine, but when I read them I can't help but think of that scene from The Office where the IT guy is talking about his karting ability;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ7ed_ODHNk
dxg said:
By "proudest' I mean that moment that made you think "I can actually do this. I'm a competent driver."
Here's mine - I'm interested to see how it stacks up against those of others:
So, I'm heading up bottom end of the M42 one day and traffic is heavy. I'm in lane 2 and there's a flatbed car transporter in lane 1, loaded up and playing the game of conserving momentum. I'm almost in its blind spot to continue past it but, as it's rapidly coming up to the back of an artic and I can imagine how long it would take to build up speed again, I check for an indication that it wants to come out in front of me. No sign.
I then - and this is where the proud moment comes from - check its door mirror and catch the eye of its driver staring back at me desperately and - for once - actually looking in his mirrors before signalling to pull out. I catch his eye, a quick flash of the headlights and he's out without bothering with his indicators.
This was several years ago. Still makes me smile.
That's a real heart warming story. Here's mine - I'm interested to see how it stacks up against those of others:
So, I'm heading up bottom end of the M42 one day and traffic is heavy. I'm in lane 2 and there's a flatbed car transporter in lane 1, loaded up and playing the game of conserving momentum. I'm almost in its blind spot to continue past it but, as it's rapidly coming up to the back of an artic and I can imagine how long it would take to build up speed again, I check for an indication that it wants to come out in front of me. No sign.
I then - and this is where the proud moment comes from - check its door mirror and catch the eye of its driver staring back at me desperately and - for once - actually looking in his mirrors before signalling to pull out. I catch his eye, a quick flash of the headlights and he's out without bothering with his indicators.
This was several years ago. Still makes me smile.
Edited by dxg on Sunday 25th January 11:56
You must be so, so proud, It's actually brought a little tear to me eye.
That poor lorry driver owes you big time
FreeLitres said:
So you were overtaking cars mid bend at about 70 mph on a windy B-road?
You read my post and thats what you took from it ? How odd.I didn't mention what class of road it was. No, it was not between dry stone walls. No trees, high enough up on the moor to see well (miles) ahead, to each side and behind.
It wasn't so much a 'bend' as a wavy straight. As I said I didn't have to steer to do it.
Do you think my mum's and sisters reaction would be to fall about laughing if it was in-any-way unsafe as opposed to just hugely fortunate ?
gavsdavs said:
FreeLitres said:
So you were overtaking cars mid bend at about 70 mph on a windy B-road?
You read my post and thats what you took from it ? How odd.I didn't mention what class of road it was. No, it was not between dry stone walls. No trees, high enough up on the moor to see well (miles) ahead, to each side and behind.
It wasn't so much a 'bend' as a wavy straight. As I said I didn't have to steer to do it.
Do you think my mum's and sisters reaction would be to fall about laughing if it was in-any-way unsafe as opposed to just hugely fortunate ?
The emotional state of your passengers has no bearing on my view of road safety. I would prefer to hear from an IAM member or traffic officer to get their views as to whether that approach is deemed safe or not.
Mine have generally been recovering situations that I shouldn't have got into in the first place. Happens much less frequently these days.
My most memorable was somehow saving a massive tankslapper in a company owned (and very tired) Impreza Turbo while being silly on some back roads in the wee small hours about 15 years ago. I must have gone lock to lock four or five times. It was terrifying. But I didn't spin, or hit anything. What I did have to do was pull over to the side of the road, get out of the car and compose myself. For about 15 minutes.
My most memorable was somehow saving a massive tankslapper in a company owned (and very tired) Impreza Turbo while being silly on some back roads in the wee small hours about 15 years ago. I must have gone lock to lock four or five times. It was terrifying. But I didn't spin, or hit anything. What I did have to do was pull over to the side of the road, get out of the car and compose myself. For about 15 minutes.
proudest driving moments are definitely on track days with our bmw - the first trackcar we had we won a competition to get a quaife differential fitted for free, and it made the car into a right oversteering hooligan - such a satisfying feeling having a loose back end and controlling a car through a slight oversteer situation.
and then a few years later with the second bmw track car - no electronic aids, bedford autodrome on a slightly wet track - such a rush driving around in the damp, correcting big oversteer moments at 70mph, and getting black flagged for drifting! (not once did i actually spin)
i know its not big and its not clever to be oversteering on a track day, but oversteering a rwd car is such a rush and so satisfying to get right - really made me think, 'yep, i've got this rwd lack pretty nailed, i can really drive!'
and then a few years later with the second bmw track car - no electronic aids, bedford autodrome on a slightly wet track - such a rush driving around in the damp, correcting big oversteer moments at 70mph, and getting black flagged for drifting! (not once did i actually spin)
i know its not big and its not clever to be oversteering on a track day, but oversteering a rwd car is such a rush and so satisfying to get right - really made me think, 'yep, i've got this rwd lack pretty nailed, i can really drive!'
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