Reg's Youtube thread

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p1esk

4,914 posts

195 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2017
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Reg Local said:
Rick101 said:
One question, or more something that surprised me, is the speed you pass over cattle grids.

I've always slowed to a sedated sloth when going over grids in anything remotely sporty. The suspension can prob take it but I wouldn't put it through the mill needlessly. There is of course the horrendous noise and vibration through the seat. I'd imagine thee is chance of damaging wheels too.

Am I worrying without cause? Is it a case of the faster you go the quicker you are through? Should I be aiming for airtime over the grids WRC style? That would be a spectacle!
It's always amused me when I see people slowing down to a crawl for cattle grids - the vast majority will cause no issues whatsoever if you carry some speed over them, as long as you follow one simple rule - no inputs.

The metal surface has significantly less grip than the surrounding road surface, particularly in the wet, so if you're steering or braking or accelerating as you pass over one, you may experience a momentary loss of grip, which could make the ABS kick in, or kick the car sideways or result in wheelspin or wheels locking.

So treat a cattle grid like standing water - make all your inputs either before or after and travel over it in a straight line with no inputs.

You do need to look out for the occasional poorly maintained cattle grid, where the most common problem is the tarmac at the edge of the grid sinking and creating a harsh lip, but in most cases driving over them with some speed is fairly smooth and can barely be felt in the cabin (heard, definitely, but not felt).
Generally speaking I find it best to go over cattle grids at a brisk pace, especially the ones that have a relatively small number of fairly widely spaced steel tubes. If you traverse those slowly you get a series of fairly harsh bumps. If the cattle grid happens to be located at a curve in the road, beware of going over those too quickly, especially on a wet day, as the car can hop sideways a surprising amount - with detrimental effects on the car bodywork in extreme cases. frown

MarkOgilvie

2 posts

221 months

Friday 25th August 2017
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Reg Local said:
Thanks for the positive feedback!

I'd certainly consider a coaching trip to Scotland - drop me an email to reg@reglocal.com & we'll discuss it.
I live in West Cumbria, and would be up for this too if the dates co-inside with my days off.

Rick101

6,959 posts

149 months

Friday 25th August 2017
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Just finished up on 24. Overtakes.

Very enjoyable, I certainly had a smile watching from POV as I was looking for the same markers and making the same go/no go descisions at the same time.

Oddly I found myself looking for the OS mirror a few times too laugh

Reg Local

Original Poster:

2,676 posts

207 months

Sunday 10th December 2017
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Just uploaded a new video - UK Winter Driving:

https://youtu.be/sfxY8hT2BQs

ian in lancs

3,769 posts

197 months

Sunday 10th December 2017
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Good stuff as always!

Mad Chemist

30 posts

156 months

Sunday 10th December 2017
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Reg Local said:
Just uploaded a new video - UK Winter Driving:

https://youtu.be/sfxY8hT2BQs
Nice vid Reg,

I would also always clear the snow on the bonnet just in case it shifts and obscures your view once on the move.


p1esk

4,914 posts

195 months

Monday 11th December 2017
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Mad Chemist said:
Reg Local said:
Just uploaded a new video - UK Winter Driving:

https://youtu.be/sfxY8hT2BQs
Nice vid Reg,

I would also always clear the snow on the bonnet just in case it shifts and obscures your view once on the move.
Yes, so would I, but it depends how much there is of it. The point is sometimes made that if there is a large amount of snow on the roof, and you don't remove it, it will eventually slide off and 'explode' on the road surface, briefly putting up an impenetrable cloud just in front of a following driver.

I have heard that in order to guard against this particular hazard, it is now an offence to drive with show on the roof, but FWIW I don't feel this is a major problem if others follow at a distance that is appropriate to winter conditions. What bothers me more is being hit by large chunks of ice that bounce off the road, having come off the tops of HGVs and large vans. This isn't just a problem with vehicles in front of us; we can get hit by stuff that comes off a vehicle in an adjacent lane, (not carriageway, Reg wink ) so it's not just a matter of maintaining sensible following distances.

One other little thing that wasn't mentioned (unless I missed it), was the idea of trying a bit of firm braking occasionally, when it is safe to do so, in order to get a feel for what our braking capabilities are likely to be. I think this can be a useful thing to do periodically, as conditions can vary widely, especially on a longish journey.

As usual a very nice video, thank you, Reg.

CanAm

9,115 posts

271 months

Monday 11th December 2017
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p1esk said:
Yes, so would I, but it depends how much there is of it. The point is sometimes made that if there is a large amount of snow on the roof, and you don't remove it, it will eventually slide off and 'explode' on the road surface, briefly putting up an impenetrable cloud just in front of a following driver..............
You are assuming that the snow will fall backwards. I have twice seen cars with a thick layer of snow on the roof brake heavily only for the whole lot to shoot forward over the screen totally blinding the driver.
It only takes a few minutes to brush snow off the roof and bonnet.

p1esk

4,914 posts

195 months

Monday 11th December 2017
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CanAm said:
p1esk said:
Yes, so would I, but it depends how much there is of it. The point is sometimes made that if there is a large amount of snow on the roof, and you don't remove it, it will eventually slide off and 'explode' on the road surface, briefly putting up an impenetrable cloud just in front of a following driver..............
You are assuming that the snow will fall backwards. I have twice seen cars with a thick layer of snow on the roof brake heavily only for the whole lot to shoot forward over the screen totally blinding the driver.
It only takes a few minutes to brush snow off the roof and bonnet.
Yes, quite right. It is best to get rid of it.

Reg Local

Original Poster:

2,676 posts

207 months

Monday 11th December 2017
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Yeah. Forgot.

gdaybruce

753 posts

224 months

Tuesday 12th December 2017
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Reg, I understand what you're saying about using the same low gear as normal but being very careful to be gentle on the throttle. The fact remains though that one millimetre of accelerator pedal movement while in 2nd gear will produce more torque than would the same millimetre while in 3rd gear and it's therefore easier to avoid breaking traction by keeping in a higher gear than normal. Moreover, an engine will produce less torque at, say 1500rpm compared to 2500rpm.

My usual snow technique is to start off in 2nd (if possible) and to change up early with minimum throttle inputs. This served me well at the weekend when in my part of the world we had a fair bit of soft, very slippery snow in which many vehicles were getting stuck on gentle inclines. I also favour P1Esk's practice of periodicaly experimenting with accelerator and brake to test just how much grip is available.

I have Michelin Cross Climates on the car (a Mondeo ST220 of 2005 vintage) and this was the first time I'd been able to try them in snow. At first I was a little disappointed but then realised how much more progress I was making compared to most. Later on the temperature dropped and the traction improved considerably - "warm" snow is properly treacherous!

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Tuesday 19th December 2017
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Mad Chemist said:
Reg Local said:
Just uploaded a new video - UK Winter Driving:

https://youtu.be/sfxY8hT2BQs
Nice vid Reg,
+1

At 8:20 I suddenly realised I had been there before. smile

A session with Reg back in the summer. thumbup

I know exactly what he means about height making a difference. I went to the PH Sunday Service at Goodwood at the weekend.
No snow but the temperature had plummeted overnight. Not a problem in most places but on top of the Downs was something else.
Give me snow rather than ice any day. You know it's bad news when the tyre noise suddenly diminishes..

At least it wasn't bad enough for it to disappear completely. eek

Blakewater

4,303 posts

156 months

Wednesday 20th December 2017
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Red Devil said:
+1

At 8:20 I suddenly realised I had been there before. smile

A session with Reg back in the summer. thumbup

I know exactly what he means about height making a difference. I went to the PH Sunday Service at Goodwood at the weekend.
No snow but the temperature had plummeted overnight. Not a problem in most places but on top of the Downs was something else.
Give me snow rather than ice any day. You know it's bad news when the tyre noise suddenly diminishes..

At least it wasn't bad enough for it to disappear completely. eek
It's one of many roads in the local area to have been blessed with average speed cameras now.

All the roads around where I live can be clear but I can find myself trapped at the bottom of the hill where I live when that is covered in compacted snow and ice. Last winter the only guy who got up when no one else could was a guy in a BMW 4 Series with winter tyres.

I also couldn't get onto the roof top car park where I park to go to work the other day because the ramp was icy and I had to enter it slowly because it's a blind approach and narrow and I didn't want to risk hitting someone coming down or skidding into the wall.

Would an icy slope be better tackled with ESP on or off? Are there any particular techniques for getting going from a standstill on an icy slope besides just being gentle with the acceleration?

Reg Local

Original Poster:

2,676 posts

207 months

Wednesday 20th December 2017
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Blakewater said:
It's one of many roads in the local area to have been blessed with average speed cameras now.

All the roads around where I live can be clear but I can find myself trapped at the bottom of the hill where I live when that is covered in compacted snow and ice. Last winter the only guy who got up when no one else could was a guy in a BMW 4 Series with winter tyres.

I also couldn't get onto the roof top car park where I park to go to work the other day because the ramp was icy and I had to enter it slowly because it's a blind approach and narrow and I didn't want to risk hitting someone coming down or skidding into the wall.

Would an icy slope be better tackled with ESP on or off? Are there any particular techniques for getting going from a standstill on an icy slope besides just being gentle with the acceleration?
It pains me to say it, but I’m actually quite happy with the average speed cameras on Belmont Road. I used to cover this road when I was in the police and despite it being a fairly benign piece of moorland road, it was also one which people seemed to cock up on a regular basis. Next time you drive along it, look at the stone walls on the bends at the north end of the boating reservoir. There are literally more holes than walls. And blasted bloody motorcyclists* were always coming off at mach 2 and throwing themselves 1/4 mile into the adjacent fields.

It may be a dull and uninspiring road to drive at 50 now, but the accident rate has plummeted to virtually zero since the cameras became active and I am in no doubt that lives will be saved as a result, which is surely the whole point of these schemes.

As for your own slippery slope, getting moving from stationary on a slope is one of the most difficult things to do on a slippery surface. The best advice is to try to get at least a little bit of momentum up before driving on to the slope, and then try to keep the car moving with gentle inputs on the accelerator.

I did learn a little trick when I was over in Siberia earlier this year which may work for you. With the ESP off, try using your left foot on the brake pedal to limit wheelspin and mimic the effects of an LSD. It was surprising how effective this technique was when we were struggling to get going in a FWD car.

* I have bought a motorcycle and booked my DAS in January, so I’m about to become a ruddy motorbikerist myself.

TartanPaint

2,981 posts

138 months

Wednesday 20th December 2017
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Congrats on the 2-wheeled plans, Reg! I look forward to some bike vids on your channel. January will be a cold and unpleasant time to do your DAS, but don't let that put you off. There's a lot of pleasure to be had in the warmer months, and it's a hell of a fun feeling to be back at the bottom of the learning curve on the road. I've been a fair weather 2-wheeler for half a dozen years, and I don't feel ready to attempt the IAM green badge yet. I don't go out much, but when I do there are always lessons and mistakes.

I believe every advanced car driver should
1) pass their bike test for a bit of perspective
2) do some miles for some enjoyable real-world experience of what it's like to be a biker, then
3) sell the bloody death trap and never buy another!

I haven't yet decided how long phase 2 is going to be. biggrin


gdaybruce

753 posts

224 months

Wednesday 20th December 2017
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Reg Local said:
As for your own slippery slope, getting moving from stationary on a slope is one of the most difficult things to do on a slippery surface. The best advice is to try to get at least a little bit of momentum up before driving on to the slope, and then try to keep the car moving with gentle inputs on the accelerator.
A couple of years ago I bought an aerosol which you spray onto your driven tyres, precisely to cover this situation and to get you going when stuck. Its benefits are only meant to be short term and I've not yet had reason to use it but if it does what it says on the tin, it could be the solution!

On the suggestion of left foot braking to mimic a limited slip diff, I've found this useful in the past but sadly in most modern cars the electronic brain closes the throttle as soon as it detects that the accelerator and brake are being pressed together.

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Wednesday 20th December 2017
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Reg Local said:
I did learn a little trick when I was over in Siberia earlier this year which may work for you. With the ESP off, try using your left foot on the brake pedal to limit wheelspin and mimic the effects of an LSD. It was surprising how effective this technique was when we were struggling to get going in a FWD car.
ESP?! Haha: my current cars are c20 years old. None have all those fancy modern aids.
An LSD and ABS are the most I can look forward to. The only ESP around is mine. wink
It's operation can be somewhat flaky though and that's on a good day...

Rick101

6,959 posts

149 months

Wednesday 20th December 2017
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ABS? Pah didn't have all this trickery in my day....

Blakewater

4,303 posts

156 months

Thursday 21st December 2017
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gdaybruce said:
Reg Local said:
As for your own slippery slope, getting moving from stationary on a slope is one of the most difficult things to do on a slippery surface. The best advice is to try to get at least a little bit of momentum up before driving on to the slope, and then try to keep the car moving with gentle inputs on the accelerator.
A couple of years ago I bought an aerosol which you spray onto your driven tyres, precisely to cover this situation and to get you going when stuck. Its benefits are only meant to be short term and I've not yet had reason to use it but if it does what it says on the tin, it could be the solution!

On the suggestion of left foot braking to mimic a limited slip diff, I've found this useful in the past but sadly in most modern cars the electronic brain closes the throttle as soon as it detects that the accelerator and brake are being pressed together.
The most annoying thing about my road is the speed hump half way as it causes a loss in momentum. I go round a 90 degree bend, up the hill and I'm OK until I reach the hump. If I reverse back for another go I can't get over the hump behind me that's outside my house.

I'll try the trick with the brake and accelerator and maybe order something like this.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/282761130212?chn=ps&a...


Reg Local

Original Poster:

2,676 posts

207 months

Sunday 24th December 2017
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I threw a quick video together today on motorway driving. I know there's a lot more to it, but this one covers the basics...

https://youtu.be/kWQzlWZG-lI