Safe road testing Options

[VaccaRabite]

How do you folks figure out what your cars can do in a safe surrounding?

Now that my car is driving, I'd like to find out how it corners, where it can be pushed, and where it can not. I guess a big parking lot would work, I know I don't want to do this on the open street. And I'd prefer not to learn my car on an auto-X course.

I'm interested in doing things like Drivers Ed and Auto-X, but I want to get an idea of my limits w/o trees, poles, other cars or babies in prams getting in my way - and preferably in an environment where Johnny Law won't ticket me for it either.

in a factory built and balanced car, I figure they have done the basic handling testing. In my car, none of that has been done yet, and I am driving it like a pussy cause I don't know when the back end will come loose or the front end is going to push, or what will happen when the wheels lock under emergency stop conditions, etc.

Zach

[SirAndy]

A large parking lot works just fine. You can even make your own imaginary skid pad!

Not that i would ever do such a thing ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Andy

[r_towle]

I will jump up on my soap box.

........blah blah blha

Go to the Autox.

Rich

[blitZ]

I agree an AX is a great and safe place to learn your car. However, in a pinch, I have used several housing developments where the roads have been laid, but no houses have been built yet. There are several near me, not sure what your area is like.

[tat2dphreak]

I dive mine down country roads a lot... I just test it little by little when it's safe and prudent.

I already had a talk with a local cop tho. found out my speedo is off. I'd slowed down in town to about 40(speedo), but he said I was doing 47... either way it was a 35 zone... luckily he let me off. also luckily he didn't see me on the FM road I had just come off of doing 80 on the speedometer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[SirAndy]

Go to the Autox.

I dis-agree ...

I don't think a competitive event is a good place to do the initial car setup.
It's a event. It's fast paced. It's hectic. You'll have your hands full just to keep up with the event.


On the race car, we go to open track days for the final dial in of the car. But even then, we've already done the initial setup before we get there.


A open space where you can set your own pace is the way to go.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Andy

[rmital]

A large parking lot works just fine.

Big Corporate parking areas. By me, it's Sony, Mercedes, Hertz, BMW...they have huge parking lots...and they are surrounded by woods so on a Sunday morning, I won't be pissing off the locals.
...doesn't hurt knowing the local police officers too...

[type11969]

They held one of these out on Long Island a year or so back:

http://www.evoschool.com/

Might want to look in to if they are planning to have another in the area. I did the one on LI and it was great, a seasoned autoxer drives your car with you in it, rides with you, gives you tips and lets you go at it. You get to drive the course a pile of times, much more than if you were at an autox event.

Just an idea.

-Chris

[flipb]

One one of my first drives in my 914 (I'd probably had it a week), I stopped off in a commuter rail parking lot. It was a Saturday and commuter rail only runs during the week, so the lot was empty.

Just before I started tearing the place up, something caught my eye... in the far corner of the lot was a van. A county police van.

I pulled to the side of the driveway and stopped the car, pretended to adjust my outside mirrors, and then departed quietly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Dr Evil]

Driving in the parking lots can land you with a trespassing citation (ask me how). Drivers Ed is the only way. It is not a hectic as AX and is there for you to learn. Many have wet areas for skid control testing. I liked the skid pad at the 05 WCC. In Jim's car I never broke it loose and had to back off because I kept getting too close to the guy in front of me. I do the little by little thing, but you have dear to contend with at the least. You could always let me drive it and find the envelope (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[type11969]

Follow in a support vehicle at a safe distance . . .

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/teef.gif)

[Dr Evil]

Ya, I thought about that, but it is his car (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tooth.gif)

[McMark]

While an AX is a bit hectic, driving fast or at the limits in any public setting has risks both physically and lawfully. An AX is set up to allow people to drive fast and corner hard. So to my brain, it's really the only safe place to test a car. You have to mentally 'write off' the event as a learning session and not worry about time, but it's the only place I'd try to find my limits.

[Dr Evil]

Chris, riding with me is like riding a motorcycle, you have to lean when I do (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) I lean away from the pass side, you lean away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[type47]

Potomac Region of PCA offers a High Performance Driving Clinic, HPDC, twice a year at Summit Point. Actually, it may be a requirement to complete before participating in Potomac DE's. HPDC includes skid pad, track time, ... to learn your car.

[type11969]

Remember those bruises across your chest/shoulder? Think that seatbelt helped ya do that "leaning". Pass side belt unfortunately doesn't help with a "lean" in that direction. Why I basically had no seat belt rash, but plenty of "window rash". Ahh memories.

[ConeDodger]

While an AX is a bit hectic, driving fast or at the limits in any public setting has risks both physically and lawfully. An AX is set up to allow people to drive fast and corner hard. So to my brain, it's really the only safe place to test a car. You have to mentally 'write off' the event as a learning session and not worry about time, but it's the only place I'd try to find my limits.

I agree. Autocross seat time is invaluable for learning the car. As far as streets, I have a test course where I stay reasonably close to the real speed limits and laws and get a feel for how well the car is doing. Since I live in an area that is littered with guys like Steve Nieslony I write off every autocross event as a learning experience (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) The problem with using a DE as a set up plan is that it costs a lot of money to enter and what if you discovered there was a problem after you spend $300+ to enter?

[SirAndy]

... AX ...it's the only place I'd try to find my limits.

While "finding your limits" and "learning your car" are both great things to do, for me they only marginally relate to "setting up your car".

Maybe i'm misreading this, but initial car setup is about just that, setting up the car. It's not about you learning to drive.


If i change suspension components i don't want to wait until the next AX to find out what it's going to do to my car!
Setting up a car correctly involves a lot of wrenching, scales, alignment tools etc. All of which requires TIME, the one thing you don't have at a competitive event like a AX.

At a AX, you either drive or work. There's no time to do any kind of meaningful car setup.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) Andy

[6freak]

local PCA skills day,,,, even better then AX

see Dick test his car
see Dick test his car in a parking lot
see Dick hit a light pole

Dont be a Dick

pretty much everything is closed down for winter,,maybe this spring you can find a skills day

good luck!! have fun just cruz`n tell spring

[Bruce Hinds]

I like the large corporate parking areas. You don't have to go crazy or fast.

Pick a point in the center, or often times there are a few light poles, and do a constant radius turn around the pole. As you increase speed following the same line you will find the cars limits and how it responds to throttle.

Accelerating and decelerating doing figure 8s will give you a real good idea of what the car will do.

B