karting and driving safety - scary
Discussion
Been karting this weekend in one of these indoor track, LPG powered corner like a weasel square wheel based twitchy steering machines!
Good furious fun with your mates.
Now I've heard it said that if you want to drive like a bat out of hell, a racetrack is a good place to do it, and they'd be right BUT........
Driving home, after an hours intensive blast in one of these things, I came off the motorway sliproad and realised the hard way that a Golf GTI, though it handles quite well, isn't a kart. It also isn't 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock lock to lock.
Very NEARLY an insurance claim. Drove much steadier afterwards and was still screeching it round corners, driving way too fast.
and no, I'm not a mad man in the car, the the karting has this conditioning effect.
Other lads noticed the same.
Good furious fun with your mates.
Now I've heard it said that if you want to drive like a bat out of hell, a racetrack is a good place to do it, and they'd be right BUT........
Driving home, after an hours intensive blast in one of these things, I came off the motorway sliproad and realised the hard way that a Golf GTI, though it handles quite well, isn't a kart. It also isn't 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock lock to lock.
Very NEARLY an insurance claim. Drove much steadier afterwards and was still screeching it round corners, driving way too fast.
and no, I'm not a mad man in the car, the the karting has this conditioning effect.
Other lads noticed the same.
soooo true indeed, and because your car is so quiet and so comfy the impression of speed just isn't there.
Now you've noticed it, next time easier to allow for, something that comes with experience. Not just karts but any competition car to road car transition is the same though with variable effects dependant upon vehicle combination.
Next time try this. Get back in your road car, say to yourself "I'm going to have a really leisurely steady drive home" and mean it. Bet you still knock ten minutes off your previous record!
Now you've noticed it, next time easier to allow for, something that comes with experience. Not just karts but any competition car to road car transition is the same though with variable effects dependant upon vehicle combination.
Next time try this. Get back in your road car, say to yourself "I'm going to have a really leisurely steady drive home" and mean it. Bet you still knock ten minutes off your previous record!
After a track day in my road car it becomes all too easy to start looking at the corners for the turn-in,apex and exit and putting the car in way too fast.
For this reason I try to have a break after the last session before driving home to let the car cool - but more importantly to let me cool.
Secondly, as I am an IAM member, I try to mentally put myself in IAM mode - even to the extent of giving a "commentary" to myself. I try to adopt a "I am a professional, dispassionate driver" attitude and do the best "road" drive I possibly can...obeying all the speed limits (at least initially! )..until I can trust myself again.
It does work....but you are dead right that there is a danger period just having come off track...
For this reason I try to have a break after the last session before driving home to let the car cool - but more importantly to let me cool.
Secondly, as I am an IAM member, I try to mentally put myself in IAM mode - even to the extent of giving a "commentary" to myself. I try to adopt a "I am a professional, dispassionate driver" attitude and do the best "road" drive I possibly can...obeying all the speed limits (at least initially!
)..until I can trust myself again. It does work....but you are dead right that there is a danger period just having come off track...
The really scary and dangerous bit is going on track and driving like your'e on the road.
You really do become a danger to other track users and become inconsistent and unpredictable.
It was summed up for me by a numpty taking a couple of his boyfriends round Oulton Park in his M3.
I caught him up andover took him exiting a cornerin my scooby. He came stomping up whinging that if I wanted to drive that fast I should go on a bloody racetrack!!
Tosser. Typical road driver attitude.
You really do become a danger to other track users and become inconsistent and unpredictable.
It was summed up for me by a numpty taking a couple of his boyfriends round Oulton Park in his M3.
I caught him up andover took him exiting a cornerin my scooby. He came stomping up whinging that if I wanted to drive that fast I should go on a bloody racetrack!!
Tosser. Typical road driver attitude.
Don said:
After a track day in my road car it becomes all too easy to start looking at the corners for the turn-in,apex and exit and putting the car in way too fast.
For this reason I try to have a break after the last session before driving home to let the car cool - but more importantly to let me cool.
Secondly, as I am an IAM member, I try to mentally put myself in IAM mode - even to the extent of giving a "commentary" to myself. I try to adopt a "I am a professional, dispassionate driver" attitude and do the best "road" drive I possibly can...obeying all the speed limits (at least initially!
It does work....but you are dead right that there is a danger period just having come off track...
Must admit a similar experience the first time I went (outdoor) karting at PF Intl nr Fulbeck. There are a couple of v. tight bends thro Stragglethorpe, and soon found a diesel Vectra (wifes company hack at the time) doesn't handle like an endurance kart! However, having done it once I am now forewarned.
As for trackdays, I am normally so tired afterwards that a nice steady drive home is all I can manage - it still surprises me how tiring driving close to the limits on a track really is. After the trackday, the car deserves a cruisy run too.
It is the next time I take the Griff out that I need to remember I am not on a track, with nice smooth surface and no oncoming traffic. The crossed-hands on the wheel technique takes a while to get out of the habit of too!
A commercial pilot out of Ringway was prosecuted for dangerous driving (IIRC) when he crashed into the back of another vehicle when leaving the airport after a day's flying. He claimed to have seen the vehicle ahead and tried to pull back on the steering wheel to fly over it! (This was before the implementation of ACAS, BTW.) - Streaky
streaky said:
A commercial pilot out of Ringway was prosecuted for dangerous driving (IIRC) when he crashed into the back of another vehicle when leaving the airport after a day's flying. He claimed to have seen the vehicle ahead and tried to pull back on the steering wheel to fly over it! (This was before the implementation of ACAS, BTW.) - Streaky
Lol, thats class! It didnt take me long to adjust to driving after karting as i did exactly the same as the numpty pilot.
Had only been driving for a few weeks, was leaving an indoor kart centre and promptly ran into the back of a mate who i was following! He saw the funny side eventually (after a year or so) and the damage wasnt too bad.
I remember thinking "Oh yeah... oh sh!t!!" as the front wheels locked and the rear of mates car was fast approaching...
streaky said:
...He claimed to have seen the vehicle ahead and tried to pull back on the steering wheel to fly over it! - Streaky
ROFL that is hilarious!
Agree about karting as it's usually only an hour and it's nice to get into a car with some real performance. Definitely needs restraint.
After a track day I'm usually so exhausted I drive home like a granny
I went with a couple of mates to Whilton Mill a few months ago for endurance racing on their National track.
After we'd finished, I joked to one of them that I was a bit worried about driving home because the steering in the karts was so much heavier than my car and I'd have to be careful. He said he was more worried about whether he'd be able to stop himself driving like he was still on the track.
We went our separate ways back to Northampton, I took the main route and he took the quiet country route, obviously intent on rally-staging it. When I got home, Mrs Space asked me if I'd followed my mate home, I said I hadn't.
His wife had just called to say that he'd crashed his car on the way back, lost it on a roundabout and came to rest inside a (empty) bus shelter.
Apart from pride, he wasn't injured but his wallet took quite a hammering...£5K in repairs = £350 XS & goodbye no claims bonus.
After we'd finished, I joked to one of them that I was a bit worried about driving home because the steering in the karts was so much heavier than my car and I'd have to be careful. He said he was more worried about whether he'd be able to stop himself driving like he was still on the track.
We went our separate ways back to Northampton, I took the main route and he took the quiet country route, obviously intent on rally-staging it. When I got home, Mrs Space asked me if I'd followed my mate home, I said I hadn't.
His wife had just called to say that he'd crashed his car on the way back, lost it on a roundabout and came to rest inside a (empty) bus shelter.
Apart from pride, he wasn't injured but his wallet took quite a hammering...£5K in repairs = £350 XS & goodbye no claims bonus.
streaky said:
A commercial pilot out of Ringway was prosecuted for dangerous driving (IIRC) when he crashed into the back of another vehicle when leaving the airport after a day's flying. He claimed to have seen the vehicle ahead and tried to pull back on the steering wheel to fly over it! (This was before the implementation of ACAS, BTW.) - Streaky
It also happened with a crop duster pilot who crashed into the gate at the airfield. When asked what happened, he answered that he tried to pull up over the fence like he had been doing all day
The other aspect is doing a trackday in your own car, you become really calm and relaxed when driving home. Everything seems to happen in slow motion as you are going alot slower. Except when you forget to dial the dampers back to normal road and you rattle your fillings out on the rough roads
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff