Irrational fear of applying throttle in bends after bump

[lockey1995]

So before i start ive had this on and off for a while but its been worse since having confidence knocked from a car accident a month ago. Luckily nothing bad although it did write the mx5 off a van pulled out on me off a bend and hit it at about 15 mph. Didnt look too bad at first but the crumple some was done on drivers side.

I do now have another mk1 mx5 and general driving has been fine but still been a little jumpy at times with the fear of someone coming out of nowhere completely irrational but i guess it'll take time to get back completely.

But as of recent ive had this irrational fear of getting on throttle mainly to balance car in the bends as you should keep worrying itll just go from underneath me mid bend if i get on power, I'm guessing this is totally irrational in a mk1 mx5 standard power in the dry my brain knows what to do like i used to but my foot doesnt move when I'm on past 3 quarters and can see all the way i can. But it sort of feels like the car is always getting away from me and it's not fun.

Last point how do you know you're reaching the limit obviously not going to try and find that out on the road at all but just curious what it feels like and is it more Instant loss or more gradual?

Edit: was meant to say small bump in title auto correct lol

Edited by lockey1995 on Saturday 7th October 22:18

[lockey1995]

brisel said:

My mother in law wrote a MX5 off by applying too much power coming off a roundabout near Cheadle that had adverse camber.

I have spent a little time in a turbo charged Mk 1 MX5 but was very careful not to apply more power in a bend other than to maintain speed. It just wasn’t worth risking having it swap ends for the sake of an extra second gained. I have never provoked it enough to know when approaching the limit of adhesion so I can’t help you there. At the very least, imagine a piece of string between the steering wheel and the throttle - as the steering comes off, the power can come on.

If you would like to explore the limits in a safe environment, a day with Don Palmer or Car Limits will help. I would recommend on road coaching first for confidence building in reading the road and the many hazards on it. Try the IAM, RoADAR as budget options, then Reg Local or http://www.high-performance-course.com/

Im not too far away from there staffordshire way, I've caught slides previously exiting round abouts in wet before so that's not too bad but that's lower speed definitely would want to find out at 60 plus esp on road. On the unwinding the steering off and throttle I do that I just thought you had to say be about 30 to 50 percent throttle to balance the car around bend.

What i used to do was brake straight rev match down to gear needed trail some throttle then as i see exit open up throttle from there but as you said you're probably saving a second or so.

[lockey1995]

EmailAddress said:

The limit is an ever changing point.

Could be the tyre ratio with more or less flexibility giving a gradual or snappy loss of grip.

Weather, road conditions, wind.

Power / torque application.

Sound, squeals, the tyres sticking to hot tarmac.

The only way you'll be more aware and be able to feel or predict better is through practice at and near the limit.

Yeah true, but i guess to have a scary slide on a b road for example youd have to be driving like a bit of a tool in the dry in a mk1 5. The second point yeah i think some track time is in order at somepoint. I've never one gone into a bend and heard rear wheels squeal.

[lockey1995]

EmailAddress said:

It sounds like you're asking Track questions over Advanced Driving.

I'm a little confused as to what exactly you're trying to achieve.

I didn't mean it to come across like that at all,it's more getting the car balanced through the corner in terms of throttle application so it's not unstable. I was just curious when I asked what does it feel like getting to the limit not that im trying to replicate that in the road

[lockey1995]

InitialDave said:

This isn't really normal, what tyres do you have on it, and is the suspension in good nick and in alignment?

Assuming all is good, and it's more your feeling than something the car is actually doing, a bit of time on a skidpan or similar so you can freely mess about with the balance of the car and get a feel for it. I'm not sure it's really a feeling that you can communicate in writing very well, but I guess I'd say it's the feeling of the pivot point the car is rotating around moving forward underneath you.

185 45 14 i think size toyo t1r allignment wise not 100 percent looking at getting a fast road soon it feels alright but it could be slightly out.

[lockey1995]

dvenman said:

You can't ask someone on an Internet what it feels like and expect to be able to recognise it on the road, which I sort of think is what you're trying to do.

Find a Don Palmer / Car Limits or equivalent near you, explain your situation, and learn that way.

Or find a local RoSPA/IAM group and get some advice that way.

That does make sense you need to feel it same as anything in a car those car limit days look good might have to try and get on one.

[lockey1995]

HustleRussell said:

OP am I right in saying that your fear of losing the car on the throttle is basically unrelated to the accident? Or am I misunderstanding?

Also, Toyo T1R? A very old tyre pattern. Think they stopped making them years ago. How old are yours?

Yes it's unrelated it just came about more after the incident, the tyres are brand new near enough its the newer proxes not the older ones think they did two types.

[lockey1995]

Marc p said:

Will wait for OP to confirm, but as I read it, the collision happened on the exit of a corner and they now find themselves being overly cautious on the exit of a corner.

Yes it did, the guy came out of an entrance not even an exit so yeah i feel way more cautious whats on the other side which im guessing is a good thing really. Scares me thinking of how many people barrel in and hope its clear

[lockey1995]

Thanks for the advice all been entering allot slower and then when you reach the mid way point of bend it's allot more confidence inducing to squeeze on slower than i did but progressively and the car feels really balanced.

[lockey1995]

wyson said:

OP, get yourself on an IAM Advanced Driving course or Rospa course. This is psychological. Education is the answer. These courses at their core are about understanding and mitigating risk on the road.

As others have said, definitely take skid pad training, track days etc learn how cars behave beyond the limit of grip. I put my car through some amazing punishment on track, spazzed out the traction control system, generated tons of error codes etc, was a brilliant laugh!

Having a better understanding of the risks and having a laugh putting theory into practice in controlled supervised conditions will quash your anxiety.

Edited by wyson on Saturday 14th October 11:58

Yeah i think this is the answer for road driving definitely, i think i am going to be looking into it.