What are some good things/places to practice...
08-18-2005, 09:52 PM
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What are some good things/places to practice... Mainly, I'm just wondering what are some common places (which are useful) that I could get a feel for my new car at? I probably sound like a loser, but whenever I get in a new car I usually like to take it to an empty parking lot at night and just get a feel for turning and such. Other than parking lots, what other places are there, and, what are some good things to help you find the limits of your car?
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08-18-2005, 11:34 PM
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where do you live, i took mine out to texas motor speed way where they run nascar at and had a lil fun, tryed to get on the track but didnt make it that far had fun in the hugggggggggge parking lot
08-18-2005, 11:40 PM
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Any large, relatively smooth parking lot that isn't littered with light posts and crap can teach you a lot about controlling power induced oversteer. 
Onramps to interstates when traffic is light are good for acceleration runs, or just stopping on the interstate if you can find a gap where there aren't people close behind you......
I use to drive around the streets where they were building a new neighborhood but all they had so far was the street itself and that worked pretty well.
Onramps to interstates when traffic is light are good for acceleration runs, or just stopping on the interstate if you can find a gap where there aren't people close behind you......
I use to drive around the streets where they were building a new neighborhood but all they had so far was the street itself and that worked pretty well.
08-19-2005, 03:19 AM
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I don't know how good of a driver you are in general, as in not-car-specific... I personally like to play around with figuring out when the tires break loose in different situations, and of course launching. Heel-toe downshifting seems like a good thing to practice... get used to the pedal placement (I have issues with that in the Camaro, but that's for a different thread, probably), get used to the steering ratio/lock... mmm maybe stomp the brake from a roll a few times to see when ABS kicks in if you have it... I'm racking my brains here. Nice, big parking lots without obstructions are always good. Try looking for big corporate parking lots that fit the bill. Other than that, finding moderately twisty roads and driving them slowly, and then faster and faster over time is great. I drove over Highway 17 (from San Jose to Santa Cruz, CA) very often over four years, and I got a GREAT feel for my Maxima after all that. The LS1's a different story...
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08-19-2005, 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by felton316
Maybe letting us in on the secret of where you're located? And what do you need practice with? Shifting, launching, etc.
Originally Posted by blkZ28spt
Any large, relatively smooth parking lot that isn't littered with light posts and crap can teach you a lot about controlling power induced oversteer.
Onramps to interstates when traffic is light are good for acceleration runs, or just stopping on the interstate if you can find a gap where there aren't people close behind you......
I use to drive around the streets where they were building a new neighborhood but all they had so far was the street itself and that worked pretty well.
Onramps to interstates when traffic is light are good for acceleration runs, or just stopping on the interstate if you can find a gap where there aren't people close behind you......
I use to drive around the streets where they were building a new neighborhood but all they had so far was the street itself and that worked pretty well.
Originally Posted by EugThinks
I don't know how good of a driver you are in general, as in not-car-specific... I personally like to play around with figuring out when the tires break loose in different situations, and of course launching. Heel-toe downshifting seems like a good thing to practice... get used to the pedal placement (I have issues with that in the Camaro, but that's for a different thread, probably), get used to the steering ratio/lock... mmm maybe stomp the brake from a roll a few times to see when ABS kicks in if you have it... I'm racking my brains here. Nice, big parking lots without obstructions are always good. Try looking for big corporate parking lots that fit the bill. Other than that, finding moderately twisty roads and driving them slowly, and then faster and faster over time is great. I drove over Highway 17 (from San Jose to Santa Cruz, CA) very often over four years, and I got a GREAT feel for my Maxima after all that. The LS1's a different story...
08-19-2005, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Pedal2Gone
Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Problem is, I can't think of too many curvy roads, and I already know where theres a nice large, almost always empty parking lot in an industrial area.
Problem is, I can't think of too many curvy roads, and I already know where theres a nice large, almost always empty parking lot in an industrial area.
08-20-2005, 12:45 AM
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Originally Posted by EugThinks
Are there any motorcycle enthusiast communities in your area? i.e. www.pashnit.com for California... they tend to know where all the fun roads are. Other than that... grab a few maps and go exploring? It's fun anyways.
Umm, I guess I will just go exploring for some areas, but what kind of things should I do to practice? For some reason, I have trouble controlling my turning at certain speeds... I can't get the timing right =\ Anything to practice for that?
08-21-2005, 01:57 AM
#12
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There is a track in Calgary. Facility with 1/4-mi strip, 1/2-mi oval, and 2-mi road course, actually.
http://www.racecity.com/
There's even a performance driving school which uses that track. For CN$399, you can get a day of instruction using your own car.
http://www.racingadventures.com/2cor...s/calgary.html
There are also tracks in several other Alberta cities.
http://www.racingaroundamerica.com/s...rta_canada.asp
Calgary Sports Car Club
http://www.bishop.ab.ca/CSCC/
Links to other Calgary-area car clubs.
http://www.bishop.ab.ca/CSCC/links.html
http://www.racecity.com/
There's even a performance driving school which uses that track. For CN$399, you can get a day of instruction using your own car.
http://www.racingadventures.com/2cor...s/calgary.html
There are also tracks in several other Alberta cities.
http://www.racingaroundamerica.com/s...rta_canada.asp
Calgary Sports Car Club
http://www.bishop.ab.ca/CSCC/
Links to other Calgary-area car clubs.
http://www.bishop.ab.ca/CSCC/links.html
Last edited by ACW; 08-21-2005 at 02:07 AM.
08-21-2005, 02:29 AM
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Like many already said. Freeways entering and off ramps for accelerationa and stoping distance.
Go in for a night run on the freeway and open her up. Thats how I got the feel for the power, especially the top power and how it reacts and stoping distance.
Also for traction, you just have to accelerate on different type of road because usally your car will react differnt to aged roads.
I drove my car hard for a couple months or so to really get the feel of how my car reacts. Once you get sfc and stb, you get more of a control of the car on turns.
Go in for a night run on the freeway and open her up. Thats how I got the feel for the power, especially the top power and how it reacts and stoping distance.
Also for traction, you just have to accelerate on different type of road because usally your car will react differnt to aged roads.
I drove my car hard for a couple months or so to really get the feel of how my car reacts. Once you get sfc and stb, you get more of a control of the car on turns.