Inducing oversteer by applying hard throttle with the wheel cranked to the left, I lift off the throttle and feel the rear of my Toyota 4Runner start to come around. The immediate panic response in this situation is to slam on the brakes, but this is exactly the wrong response as it only causes the rear end to pivot harder around the front wheels. Instead, “countersteering” – gentle steering to the right (or “steering into the skid”) and a careful application of the throttle brings it back under control.
To create a deliberate understeer, we accelerate hard into a corner, then turn the wheel to full lock up. The front wheels lose traction, and the vehicle starts to plow. Unwinding the wheel gently allows the wheels to regain grip, thus restoring steering ability.
We break for lunch in a “yurt”, the only building visible for miles. Lea Croteau warns us that the track’s surface will change with the afternoon sun, becoming, as she so charmingly put it “slicker than snot”.
Indeed, as we head out for a lapping session, stitching together all the lessons learned in the morning, we discover that several of the turns have become more treacherous and we learn to use our eyes to look for more traction. Gaining confidence with every lap – I’m enjoying myself immensely.
And that’s exactly the point – experiencing loss of control under safe conditions takes the fear out of winter driving. By learning hands-on how to anticipate, and correct any loss of control – students become safer, everyday drivers.
As Mark Cox puts it “Winter driving doesn’t have to be a white-knuckle experience… in fact, it can be fun!”
To create a deliberate understeer, we accelerate hard into a corner, then turn the wheel to full lock up. The front wheels lose traction, and the vehicle starts to plow. Unwinding the wheel gently allows the wheels to regain grip, thus restoring steering ability.
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| As Mark Cox puts it “Winter driving doesn’t have to be a white-knuckle experience… in fact, it can be fun!” (Photo: Bridgestone) |
We break for lunch in a “yurt”, the only building visible for miles. Lea Croteau warns us that the track’s surface will change with the afternoon sun, becoming, as she so charmingly put it “slicker than snot”.
Indeed, as we head out for a lapping session, stitching together all the lessons learned in the morning, we discover that several of the turns have become more treacherous and we learn to use our eyes to look for more traction. Gaining confidence with every lap – I’m enjoying myself immensely.
And that’s exactly the point – experiencing loss of control under safe conditions takes the fear out of winter driving. By learning hands-on how to anticipate, and correct any loss of control – students become safer, everyday drivers.
As Mark Cox puts it “Winter driving doesn’t have to be a white-knuckle experience… in fact, it can be fun!”
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