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Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watrose!tohaapanen
From: tohaapanen@watrose.UUCP (Tom Haapanen)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Mustang vs. GTI, FWD handling
Message-ID: <7828@watrose.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Feb-86 01:53:16 EST
Article-I.D.: watrose.7828
Posted: Thu Feb 20 01:53:16 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Feb-86 08:11:02 EST
References: <120@druhi.UUCP>
Reply-To: tohaapanen@watrose.UUCP (Tom Haapanen)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 43

In article <120@druhi.UUCP> vuser@druhi.UUCP (GerardenC) writes:
>From: gti@ihlpm.UUCP (Phelps)
>
>>You then say how you can not drift a GTI...You obviously don't know
>>about LEFT FOOT BRAKING to do this...The Mustang driver would
>>benefit from this procedure as well. AGAIN>>>KNOW BEFORE YOU SPEAK!
>
> <removed personal insult>
>
>I assume you mean trail braking , This is the PROFESSIONAL term used
>when you attempt to transfer weight to the front of an understeering
>car. the only effective means of turning the rabbit and its offspring
>(I have found)
>is using the hand brake to increase the slip angle of the rear tires
>thus causing it to oversteer a bit.

Well, we have a PROFESSIONAL here.  It's funny that the professional
rally drivers (World Championship) talk about left foot braking...
Indeed, a handbrake turn is an effective way to turn a FWD quickly,
but it only works very close to the limit (usually in wet/snow) and it
causes a large loss of momentum.  A usually simple way to get rid of
the understeer is to TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS.  This will cause a
(mild) oversteer effect.

Left foot braking can be used very effectively.  Witness legendary
FWD rally drivers such as Erik "Pa Taket" Carlsson and Stig Blomqvist
who have mastered the art of FWD driving.  I saw "Race of the Stars"
in the summer, with (F1 drivers) Rosberg, Laffite and De Angelis
squaring off against (rally drivers) Blomqvist, Alen and Vatanen in a
three-part race (road race, slalom and rallycross).  The slalom
portion was driven in identical Honda CRX's, and Blomqvist just beat
the pants off everybody.  He would do a tight 360-degree turn around a
tree on dry pavement WITHOUT significant loss of speed.  So, great FWD
performance is possible, but you have to know how to drive!  (or hire
Stig as your chaffeur...)


				   \tom haapanen
				   watmath!watrose!haapanen
I'm all lost in the Supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
Guaranteed personality				 (c) The Clash, 1979