Hooning, where do you draw the line?
Discussion
With modern machinery becoming a whole lot quicker, grippier and all around more competent are the roads the right place to be exploring their limits or are track days the only option going forward? Would it be irresponsible to drive the modern group of performance cars near their limits on road or can they still be fun at sensible speeds?
Personally unless it's the height of summer and I can be bothered to get up before the cyclists are likely to be out then I don't push it on the roads. It's likely that any sort of fun road isn't going to have enough visibility to allow me to know I can stop in time at the speed I can carry through the corner. I don't fancy being the next person the write up their experience of prison on here 
All of this said I do like just going out for a drive in the countryside in the Westfield. The lack of windscreen makes it a lot more of an event than it might otherwise be.
All of this said I do like just going out for a drive in the countryside in the Westfield. The lack of windscreen makes it a lot more of an event than it might otherwise be.MRobbins1987 said:
With modern machinery becoming a whole lot quicker, grippier and all around more competent are the roads the right place to be exploring their limits or are track days the only option going forward? Would it be irresponsible to drive the modern group of performance cars near their limits on road or can they still be fun at sensible speeds?
In the dry you can drive most hot hatches and above round hairpins quite safely at 60mph so where do you go ?Maybe deliberately fit poor quality tyres smaller discs etc
Or buy an older car a much older car where you can enjoy the full power more on the UK roads
Try a classic Mini Cooper yes its slow really slow but hooning round in that its high smiles per mile.
I found right back in 1972 that it's very dfficult under most circumstances to reach the limits SAFELY on the roads. I realised this when I found I could get my Lotus Europs TC round most corners in excess of the capability of being able to stop safely if required. Only the odd road in the countryside with clear visibility was this possible. Then I found it understeared, deliberately set up to do so by Lotus.
Visibility and stopping distance.
Big open Moorland and you can see the road ahead for a mile, feel free to use more road width and drive quickly but safely, hedgerow lined twisty road, don't drive faster than my ability to stop within the vanishing point.
Too much fear of becoming a kebab on the back of farm gear sticking out the back of a slow moving tractor or mowing down one of those families you get in the Lake District walking along a NSL road halfway into the middle of a road on a blind bend, you know the ones, father often pedalling along with 2 'walking' sticks like some 4 legged ant.
Visibility is the key. Obviously never ever really get near the limits on the road, particularly on motorbikes, save it for the track
.
Big open Moorland and you can see the road ahead for a mile, feel free to use more road width and drive quickly but safely, hedgerow lined twisty road, don't drive faster than my ability to stop within the vanishing point.
Too much fear of becoming a kebab on the back of farm gear sticking out the back of a slow moving tractor or mowing down one of those families you get in the Lake District walking along a NSL road halfway into the middle of a road on a blind bend, you know the ones, father often pedalling along with 2 'walking' sticks like some 4 legged ant.
Visibility is the key. Obviously never ever really get near the limits on the road, particularly on motorbikes, save it for the track
. 
iva cosworth said:
Short answer....tenpenceshort.
I live in prime cycling country,near the Olympic route and all the roads are full of them,so I just
don't even try a hoon.
Exactly my thoughts when I saw the thread title!I live in prime cycling country,near the Olympic route and all the roads are full of them,so I just
don't even try a hoon.
I admire him for his honesty, remorse and effort to enlighten others on here.
A tragic story for all involved.
For a proper hoon I will drive to good driving roads that are well sighted. I will normally only go when it is a dry day/forecast. This usually takes me to North Wales (B4391,A543 to name a couple).
I usually can stretch the cars legs in these areas, within reason.
The last car I went to N Wales in was my old Clio 200 and I thought that was just the about right grip and power wise to enjoy. Not sure what the same drive would be like in one of the new super hatches. IMHO I don't think it would be as enjoyable not being able to push the car without being scared senseless, gathering so much speed in the short straight parts prior to braking for the next bend.
Maybe all our brains will recalibrate to these new cars, we must of adjusted as cars have always been getting more capable over the years.
I have now opted for a less powerful car with more feedback and less assisted features, much much more satisfying for a hoon.
I usually can stretch the cars legs in these areas, within reason.
The last car I went to N Wales in was my old Clio 200 and I thought that was just the about right grip and power wise to enjoy. Not sure what the same drive would be like in one of the new super hatches. IMHO I don't think it would be as enjoyable not being able to push the car without being scared senseless, gathering so much speed in the short straight parts prior to braking for the next bend.
Maybe all our brains will recalibrate to these new cars, we must of adjusted as cars have always been getting more capable over the years.
I have now opted for a less powerful car with more feedback and less assisted features, much much more satisfying for a hoon.
MRobbins1987 said:
With modern machinery becoming a whole lot quicker, grippier and all around more competent are the roads the right place to be exploring their limits or are track days the only option going forward? Would it be irresponsible to drive the modern group of performance cars near their limits on road or can they still be fun at sensible speeds?
As opposed to going still or going reverse? Irritating phrase, I wish people would just speak plain English.Pushing any car to its "Limits" on public roads isn't a good idea imo you can still have fun well within a car's limits, i think its more a case of knowing your own limits and with increased experience you can acquire better skill and better form and to increase your own skills you don't need to push a car to its limits you can find a nice safe balance.
That said these days when i do go for a casual hoon there seems to be alot more people about that just have to try and keep up with me, sometimes its just another fellow friendly hooner but alot of the times it some miserable looking sod that probably thinks im just driving like a
because im a rather than just trying to enjoy a little hoon, and im not somebody that looses their composure and try's to loose them, i hoon when i feel its safe to do so and blend back in with regular traffic when needed.
That said these days when i do go for a casual hoon there seems to be alot more people about that just have to try and keep up with me, sometimes its just another fellow friendly hooner but alot of the times it some miserable looking sod that probably thinks im just driving like a
because im a rather than just trying to enjoy a little hoon, and im not somebody that looses their composure and try's to loose them, i hoon when i feel its safe to do so and blend back in with regular traffic when needed.9mm said:
Get near the limits in a modern performance car whilst driving within the speed limits for that road - almost impossible.
In the dry I more or less agree.In the wet however it's arguably safer exceeding the limits of grip, such as exiting a well sighted and deserted roundabout with a little bit of opposite lock.
I wouldn't now drive on the road above 5/10ths (for the avoidance of doubt, that means nowhere near grip limits or visibility vs speed and leaving plenty of spare in order to deal with unforeseen changes in grip and stopping distance). I also try to ensure every interaction I have with another motorist (particularly overtakes), I drive so that I'm sure I could properly describe and justify my actions were I to come to grief around the next bend.
Another thing I would be wary of, is trusting your own car control to keep you out of trouble; on many UK A and B roads, even a modest amount of yaw can see you needing more space than your own side of the road. In my accident, the rear breakaway was unexpected, however it was caught and there was a 40 meter arc of skidmarks where I was in second gear, full throttle and pulling the car straight. I ran out of room and time when the poor biker came around the bend to be faced by a car in his lane.
I admitted dangerous driving on my own basis that I knew I was driving at 9 or 10 tenths on the road and it should have been obvious that driving on the road with that level of commitment would end in tears. It was selfish on my behalf that I thought having good road sense and car control would mean I was unlikely to bin it.
Watch this weekend's race at Spa and you won't spot a driver who hasn't binned cars many times. That's what happens when you push 10/10ths. It is logical therefore that you don't drive in that way on the roads.
Another thing I would be wary of, is trusting your own car control to keep you out of trouble; on many UK A and B roads, even a modest amount of yaw can see you needing more space than your own side of the road. In my accident, the rear breakaway was unexpected, however it was caught and there was a 40 meter arc of skidmarks where I was in second gear, full throttle and pulling the car straight. I ran out of room and time when the poor biker came around the bend to be faced by a car in his lane.
I admitted dangerous driving on my own basis that I knew I was driving at 9 or 10 tenths on the road and it should have been obvious that driving on the road with that level of commitment would end in tears. It was selfish on my behalf that I thought having good road sense and car control would mean I was unlikely to bin it.
Watch this weekend's race at Spa and you won't spot a driver who hasn't binned cars many times. That's what happens when you push 10/10ths. It is logical therefore that you don't drive in that way on the roads.
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