Grip testing- anyone else do it?

[busta]

If I'm on a bit of road with suspect levels of grip, not in traffic and wanting to make good progress, I will purposely try to break traction with a momentary but firm prod of the throttle, or maybe use a 'cadence clutching' style approach.

It's a little habit I've picked up, but I find it is very useful to gauge levels of grip available, especially in these wintery conditions.
Quite often it's surprising how much less grip there is than expected, and I can then alter driving style and speed to suit. Other times you realise that there is abundant grip so you can proceed as normal.

[Rubin215]

When the cage door is open, why poke the tiger?

[Patrick Bateman]

All the time, also like to see how late I can get the ABS to kick in.

[deeen]

I do the opposite, bit of test braking well in advance of the junction

[busta]

Rubin215 said:

When the cage door is open, why poke the tiger?

Because it might be really friendly and cuddly, but if you didn't you'd never know?

[poing]

All the time, sometimes brake testing and sometimes power testing depending on the situation.

Although where space allows I sometimes test the side window view too

[Rubin215]

busta said:

Rubin215 said:

When the cage door is open, why poke the tiger?

Because it might be really friendly and cuddly, but if you didn't you'd never know?

Do you touch paint when the sign says it's wet?

Do you pull on rope hanging down from a roof?

Do you touch a cable when it's bare?

[busta]

deeen said:

I do the opposite, bit of test braking well in advance of the junction

Yes I do this occasionally too, although I'm generally pretty steady on the brakes so it's rarely necessary.

[robsco]

I do it, it helps in these conditions. Did it earlier in the Alfa, and on what looked like a perfectly clear road, the car could easily break traction in 3rd. At this, I chose to slow down to what I thought was a safe speed. Others would probably look at the road, plough on through it at normal speed and potentially end up in a lot of trouble.

[RichB]

busta said:

... maybe use a 'cadence clutching' style approach...

Ok I'll ask, what's cadence clutching?

[busta]

Rubin215 said:

busta said:

Rubin215 said:

When the cage door is open, why poke the tiger?

Because it might be really friendly and cuddly, but if you didn't you'd never know?

Do you touch paint when the sign says it's wet?

Do you pull on rope hanging down from a roof?

Do you touch a cable when it's bare?

Yes, yes and yes. Normally the paint is dry, the rope is strong enough to swing on or connected to a cool sounding bell and using a blade of grass will soon tell you if a cable is live without doing you any harm. If it isn't live, you can scare people by putting it on your tongue.

[robsco]

RichB said:

busta said:

... maybe use a 'cadence clutching' style approach...

Ok I'll ask, what's cadence clutching?

Oh no.

[busta]

RichB said:

busta said:

... maybe use a 'cadence clutching' style approach...

Ok I'll ask, what's cadence clutching?

Just one of those PH things, like "ambiwlans" and "throw a can of red bull at it"-search for it. But it's the best way I could think of describing dialing up a few revs and letting the clutch out sharply.

But you know that don't you

Edited by busta on Thursday 2nd December 23:19

[jains15]

robsco said:

I do it, it helps in these conditions. Did it earlier in the Alfa, and on what looked like a perfectly clear road, the car could easily break traction in 3rd. At this, I chose to slow down to what I thought was a safe speed. Others would probably look at the road, plough on through it at normal speed and potentially end up in a lot of trouble.

Me too, although I use the brake method as it's not normally the right pedal you prod during a 'situation'

Did it this morning. Turned out onto my road covered in packed snow. Warned the passenger (SMBO) and tested brakes. I did this to test what my braking traction is like (first time in these conditions with this car) and to remind myself about braking distances on ice (much longer than you remember, even from last winter's cold snaps).

I can't understand why someone wouldn't do this (after an all-round observation and mirror check of course) as part of their adverse driving routine, if only to get a base line idea of braking abilities at that time. Also, my road is the main throughfare between the local comp and the sweetshop/fag shop so would rather find out that my braking distance is 10 times longer BEFORE needing to employ it in an emergency.

[Rubin215]

busta said:

Rubin215 said:

busta said:

Rubin215 said:

When the cage door is open, why poke the tiger?

Because it might be really friendly and cuddly, but if you didn't you'd never know?

Do you touch paint when the sign says it's wet?

Do you pull on rope hanging down from a roof?

Do you touch a cable when it's bare?

Yes, yes and yes. Normally the paint is dry, the rope is strong enough to swing on or connected to a cool sounding bell and using a blade of grass will soon tell you if a cable is live without doing you any harm. If it isn't live, you can scare people by putting it on your tongue.

And if you're wrong...?

I take it you're 19, and immortal?

Or older than that, and just a tt...

[RichB]

robsco said:

RichB said:

busta said:

... maybe use a 'cadence clutching' style approach...

Ok I'll ask, what's cadence clutching?

Oh no.

Why do you say oh no? If it's an expression I've never heard before I think it's best to ask, as a result I now know what the chap means.

[robsco]

jains15 said:

robsco said:

I do it, it helps in these conditions. Did it earlier in the Alfa, and on what looked like a perfectly clear road, the car could easily break traction in 3rd. At this, I chose to slow down to what I thought was a safe speed. Others would probably look at the road, plough on through it at normal speed and potentially end up in a lot of trouble.

Me too, although I use the brake method as it's not normally the right pedal you prod during a 'situation'

Agreed, it's good practice to give the brakes a healthy jab (providing noone is behind of course) to give an indication of grip levels. That, and giving yourself plenty of extra space to brake from junctions. Sounds like a horrendously obvious thing to say, but it's incredible the number of road users who leave their braking points exactly as they would in the dry, whilst doing similar speeds; scary.

[Buzz word]

Yep. Brake and accelerate on suspect road to gauge grip all the time. I was talking to my work mate about it the other day and he has started doing it now too. Only makes sense to me. Only today I was on a dual carriage way where the road looked to only have a thin coating and be ok. Would break traction in 3rd with a prod and the abs came on very easily. I slowed down and let the masses get on their way at 50+mph.

[robsco]

RichB said:

robsco said:

RichB said:

busta said:

... maybe use a 'cadence clutching' style approach...

Ok I'll ask, what's cadence clutching?

Oh no.

Why do you say oh no? If it's an expression I've never heard before I think it's best to ask, as a result I now know what the chap means.

I was expecting a can of worms to be opened that's all, especially after what happened last time! As you'll see if you searched the thread. Didn't realise the OP's mention was in jest

[GravelBen]

Rubin215 said:

When the cage door is open, why poke the tiger?

Thats a pretty irrelevant analogy really - I take it you'd rather not know how much grip you have in advance of needing it?