Skid Pan/Skid School Training

Skid Pan/Skid School Training

Author
Discussion

will950

Original Poster:

14 posts

175 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

I have been interested in doing skid pan training since I passed my test 6 years ago and still haven't done it yet.

Can anyone recommend venues/courses to do? I've seen a couple of courses where you do skid pan training plus advanced driving skills or similar- are these recommended as well? I'm in Hertfordshire but willing to travel for the right course!

I've not done any additional driving courses and am interested in them to improve my driving and learning more car control etc.

Thanks!

Will

daz6215

66 posts

162 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Does your car have all ESP and the likes fitted?

will950

Original Poster:

14 posts

175 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
I have a 2008 Mini Cooper, has traction control fitted.

daz6215

66 posts

162 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
So what are you hoping to get out of a skid pan Will? I personally think you would be better off looking at the likes of Don Palmer.

Edited by daz6215 on Wednesday 1st October 20:27

will950

Original Poster:

14 posts

175 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Hoping to learn skid control and reacting correctly in a skid to increase chances of "catching" it. I drive a lot of country roads for my commute that aren't gritted in winter so chances of slipping are higher.

The general car control stuff I want to learn as well I.e more advanced driving techniques, but not necessarily doing IAM or similar - was thinking of driving days with tuition - cornering, braking, lines etc to improve my driving in general. Will have a look at the Don Palmer site - thank you for that tip.

Thanks,

Will

angoooose

48 posts

142 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
There was a skid pan just off the A12 between Witham & Kelvedon but I can't find their website

This video has a phone number

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJjcNMv2TPI

But they didn't let you use your car on it.

Dixy

2,913 posts

204 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
Castle Coombe have a slippery serface skid pan where you drive both front and rear wheel drive, half day and money well spent, highly recommended.

will950

Original Poster:

14 posts

175 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
Thanks Dixy Ill have a look into that smile

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
Dixy said:
Castle Coombe have a slippery serface skid pan where you drive both front and rear wheel drive, half day and money well spent, highly recommended.
Yes, very good course.

OK< so modern cars have all the electrics but skidpan is good for knowing what to do in really bad winter conditions when BAS/ESP etc. is useless.

IMHO

Mrs Muttleysnoop

1,412 posts

183 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
Check out CAT Driver Training based at Millbrook Proving Ground or Rockingham Race Circuit.

Colin at CAT is an amazing instructor and Rockingham has a purpose built wet training area where water jets open up under your car.

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
Haven't been, but a Walshy day at carlimits.com is highly regarded.

will950

Original Poster:

14 posts

175 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all the recommendations, will look at them all and go from there smile

Thanks again,

Will

R0G

4,984 posts

154 months

Friday 10th October 2014
quotequote all
My local IAM group in Leicester is organising one for £49
Contact - steve@drtl.co.uk
non members welcome

rich888

2,610 posts

198 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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Are there any skid pan schools near to Nottingham because I would like my wife who has recently passed her driving test to thoroughly understand how to deal with, and recover her front wheel Toyota Yaris from a loss of traction whilst driving. She doesn't drive that fast on the road but I don't think she thoroughly understands the basic mechanics of grip of the tyres as yet.

bobski1

1,763 posts

103 months

Friday 18th December 2015
quotequote all
I had a session via work with this guy:

http://www.skidcar.co.uk/

Was very knowledgeable about the subject & was an enjoyable half day.

xpc316e

23 posts

102 months

Wednesday 6th January 2016
quotequote all
http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Travel_and_transport/Roa...

Norfolk County Council offer skid avoidance training via the link above.

However, the driver's mindset is crucial: if having done some skid training, he goes out on a frosty morning with the idea that he can control a skid, so can therefore drive more quickly, then he will come unstuck. Some studies have shown that time on a skid pan increases the risk of a crash in poor surface conditions because of this effect. It is far better to have the fear of a skid in the front of your mind. Most drivers (especially in front wheel drive cars) will react in the correct way without any training whatsoever.

Don't get me wrong; skid pans are good fun - just don't expect them to improve your safety.

jaf01uk

1,943 posts

195 months

Saturday 16th January 2016
quotequote all
bobski1 said:
I had a session via work with this guy:

http://www.skidcar.co.uk/

Was very knowledgeable about the subject & was an enjoyable half day.
I too would highly recommend a frame like skidcar use as oppose to low grip surfaces, I have actually been on the one at Castle coombe many years ago and it was suffering what I have seen on various other pans in that the vehicle was gripping to the point that when it did "let go" it went so quickly it was near impossible to catch, I saw little value in it. The benefit of the frame is you can simulate all manners of low grip scenarios at low speed including the use of ESP and other driver aids, pans are basic, not sure I would agree that most drivers of fwd cars already instinctively do the right thing with no training, it is completely counter intuitive to stay off the brakes at first for majority? And you are never allowed to leave a skidcar course without experiencing "total loss of control" to avoid the over confidence mentioned previously...

Paul O

2,705 posts

182 months

Friday 22nd January 2016
quotequote all
Porsche Silverstone have some great low friction surfaces and skid pans. Quite alarming just how out-of-control you really are in the wet.





http://www.porsche.com/silverstone/

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Friday 22nd January 2016
quotequote all
The Silverstone facility is good. I don't know for sure whether they will let you take your own car out, but when I was there I said it would be interesting to drive my Elise there and the instructor didn't seem to think it would be a problem.

I like the kick-plate system they have there, because you have to correct a skid that you didn't initiate - when you know in advance which way the car is going to go, and you have deliberately put in the input which causes it, removing it is a lot easier.

There is also the Prodrive facility at Kenilworth. Did a couple of days there years ago with the RX-8 owners club. They've got some low friction surfaces for skid training.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ayL_8ZfWU


brisel

872 posts

207 months

Thursday 25th February 2016
quotequote all
Mrs Brisel got me a voucher for Thruxton's advanced skid pan for Christmas.

http://www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/skidpan?gclid=CO7e...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irz5TkpPJpY

I have had a day with Don Palmer too. Highly recommended.