Cornering Speeds

[gdaybruce]

There have been numerous threads on this forum connected with cornering techniques, including correct lines, limit point, use of throttle and brakes etc. A thought occurred to me today, however, in that when I’m travelling alone and visibility through a corner permits, I seem to choose a speed that is quicker than 90% of other drivers I encounter. I find myself slowing down when following another car towards a bend so that I have a gap to take the bend itself quicker. Often, this allows for safe overtaking after the bend as I exit carrying considerably more speed.

I guess I simply enjoy using more of the car’s cornering performance than most other folk. I’m not talking about pushing a high performance thoroughbred to its limits here, simply what I would describe as “making progress” in my diesel company Vauxhall, comfortably (to me) within the limits imposed by the conditions and ability of the car.

I just wondered, is this the experience of others on here or am I simply an irresponsible tearaway?

[gdaybruce]

tigger1 said:

(Quick question - hopefully not o/t!) - why is this only when you're travelling on your own? What is it that makes you corner slower when you have passengers?

Simply because quick cornering is uncomfortable for an uncommitted pasenger - including the collie in the back (although he never complains and he's learned to lean into corners as if riding a bike) - so I tend to drive with more restraint with passengers on board. Conversley, if it's my 20 yr old son riding shotgun I have to resist his urging to go faster ...

[gdaybruce]

brisel said:

Bruce - would you feel confident that you could stop if say, a tree branch was blocking the road 3/4 of the way around the bend beyond your view as you approached the bend?

The section of road that triggered this thought was the Whitby to Pickering road over the moors, where I was at the weekend. Anyone who knows it will agree that it's a brilliant driving road with really open visibility across the moors and no trees or walls to obscure the view around most of the bends. At several points you can literally see a mile ahead, across the valley.

Where visibility is restricted - including sight of the actual road surface - then clearly speed must be kept so that you can stop in the space you can see to be clear.

Many years ago I came close to learning that lesson the hard way when I came round a downhill left hand bend too fast for the visibility and found a parked/ abandoned car just past the apex. The resulting broadside slide on the wrong side of the road towards a blind right hand bend still turns me pale. From such experiences (if survived) do we learn!

[gdaybruce]

number2301 said:

gdaybruce said:

in my diesel company Vauxhall

Its not a Vectra is it? From commuting 600 miles a week at one point I noticed that the Diesel repmobile Vectras were by far the fastest thing on the road, reps just drive bloody fast.

No, an Astra estate with the 150bhp (Fiat designed) 1.9 engine and SRi trim. A thoroughly typical modern car - a business tool that is adequately quick, adequately comfortable, adequately well equipped, adequately safe and adequately cheap to run. It's just not very exciting! Being an SRi, Vauxhall would have you believe that it's a sporting model but since my last car was an Impreza Turbo, I'm not really convinced on that!