Dicking about in an empty car park...

[iAlex]

So I found this snow covered car park off S Pier Road;

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a...

I wasted a couple of hours of my life learning how to control my car in the event of a skid or when the back end surprises me or any other eventualities related to cold weather and slippery surfaces.

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

[omgus]

It took me 35 minutes to lock the work car park on Friday, i just couldn't seem to get the car out of the gate. I had to drive round in massive drifts, donut for a bit then do multiple hand-brake turns and followed by yet more drifting before i managed to escape.

[Jonny671]

We haven't any good, large, open carparks here.. I'd love to have a mess around with the MX5

[GregE240]

iAlex said:

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

..so if you lose control of your car in the snow in a car park, you can recover it? Good idea.

[morgrp]

In my "yoof" I used to hoon around in carparks in the snow and still maintain it is an excellent way of learning car control at very controllable speeds - 15mph would be enough on snow to have fun with plently of run off space - sadly most get gritted pretty swiftly these days round my way and even more sadly, most of the time I either have my daughter in the car or need to be somewhere making snow based shinanigans a no no

[thewilly]

And this is why I got up to go shopping at 3 am most days last winter. My local Tesco opens at 5.

[GTIR]

Dicking about in carparks?

Or as adults call it, "dogging".

[iAlex]

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

..so if you lose control of your car in the snow in a car park, you can recover it? Good idea.

No, but someone always has to be a plank in their reply, so that you understand how the car acts under such circumstances instead of just hoping for the best.

[TommyBuoy]

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

..so if you lose control of your car in the snow in a car park, you can recover it? Good idea.

Don't know about anyone else, but if I had lessons on a skid pan etc when I was learning I'm pretty sure my first round about after I had passed would have resulted in a crash. It's a fine line between giving a newly passed driver the skills to control a car and giving a young driver an even greater sense of immortality!

[anonymous-user]

I've been learning a lot in big open car parks over the snowy weather.

Did you know that an Impreza can donut on the spot until it breaks!

Oh and full boost in third gear on the spot can go wrong, badly! He hee....

[omgus]

Jonny671 said:

We haven't any good, large, open carparks here.. I'd love to have a mess around with the MX5

There are loads of near Guildford you just need to know where to look. Try Ockham common in the MX early on a Sunday morning.



Edit to say, I didn't get into third whilst donuting my Impreza, 2nd with the speedo saying 40 was enough for me.

Edited by omgus on Monday 6th December 12:18

[Gizmo!]

I went to Tesco yesterday evening about 5pm.

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten it was Sunday. Couldn't find the exit for ages though, I just drove round and around in circles...

[mmm-five]

A guy in a e36 320 was about to start his own 'winter driver training' in a disused car park near me a few days ago, and after I'd warned him to be careful as he didn't know what was under the snow and receiving a reply that I won't post here, I decided not to tell him that the car park was not actually as open as he thought, and there were kerbs all over the place delineating the pedestrian areas & paths.

I'm sure I heard a big crunching sound as I took the dog back home, but that could have just been my imagination

[Jonny671]

omgus said:

Jonny671 said:

We haven't any good, large, open carparks here.. I'd love to have a mess around with the MX5

There are loads of near Guildford you just need to know where to look. Try Ockham common in the MX early on a Sunday morning.

Hmm, good thinking! Thats round too isn't it, good for drifting

I'd have to dodge the doggers though, we've been up there for the start of a run before at 7am and they were there

[GregE240]

iAlex said:

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

..so if you lose control of your car in the snow in a car park, you can recover it? Good idea.

No, but someone always has to be a plank in their reply, so that you understand how the car acts under such circumstances instead of just hoping for the best.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. It was a bit ambiguous. Perhaps to save money then, once you pass your test, the DVLA points you to a snow covered car park for a few hours "dicking about"? In these austere times, it'll save the tax payer a ton of cash.

[Alfa numeric]

TommyBuoy said:

Don't know about anyone else, but if I had lessons on a skid pan etc when I was learning I'm pretty sure my first round about after I had passed would have resulted in a crash. It's a fine line between giving a newly passed driver the skills to control a car and giving a young driver an even greater sense of immortality!

I had skid pan lessons on my 18th birthday and haven't spun a car since.

I can confirm though that a FWD car will oversteer a lot in a deserted, ice covered Sainsbury's car park, especially whan the handbrake's fully on...

[Ben Jk]

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

..so if you lose control of your car in the snow in a car park, you can recover it? Good idea.

No, but someone always has to be a plank in their reply, so that you understand how the car acts under such circumstances instead of just hoping for the best.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. It was a bit ambiguous. Perhaps to save money then, once you pass your test, the DVLA points you to a snow covered car park for a few hours "dicking about"? In these austere times, it'll save the tax payer a ton of cash.

Oh dear. Lighten up mate!!!

[omgus]

Jonny671 said:

Hmm, good thinking! Thats round too isn't it, good for drifting

I'd have to dodge the doggers though, we've been up there for the start of a run before at 7am and they were there

Yep, met there for a hoon to find lots of slightly overweight men hanging around in the woods together. Most disturbing, they weren't even interested in the TVR or the Noble we met there.

[LeeThr]

Shaid GTB said:

I've been learning a lot in big open car parks over the snowy weather.

Did you know that an Impreza can donut on the spot until it breaks!

Oh and full boost in third gear on the spot can go wrong, badly! He hee....

This sounds like its going somewhere...

[RobCrezz]

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

GregE240 said:

iAlex said:

Something similar really should be a compulsory part of learning to drive. I think more than anything it proves that you really don't need to panic but rather stay calm and in control and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to deal with it.

..so if you lose control of your car in the snow in a car park, you can recover it? Good idea.

No, but someone always has to be a plank in their reply, so that you understand how the car acts under such circumstances instead of just hoping for the best.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. It was a bit ambiguous. Perhaps to save money then, once you pass your test, the DVLA points you to a snow covered car park for a few hours "dicking about"? In these austere times, it'll save the tax payer a ton of cash.

Although it wont stop you crashing you car, it is useful to feel how the car behaves beyond the limits of grip and traction...