| Throught my experience, which includes several | | | | is twisting your wrists. |
| observations and tests being put out in autocrosses | | | | This practice generally belongs to none-power-steering |
| (gymkhanas), race tracks, rally tracks, road tracks and | | | | cars. Since such cars still exist, I would suggest that |
| skid-pans, I have come the conclusion that handling the | | | | this style be used, but only when making it in |
| wheel at a certain way will have a dramatic effect, in | | | | slow-speed manouvering when parking. Once you |
| the long term, on driving performance. | | | | have set off, you can handle it like a car with power |
| Following the guidelines of this article, you will find your | | | | steering. Actually, it is crucial that, with such a steering |
| car to be very obedient, and the steering will suddenly | | | | wheel, that steering be done correctly, as I will |
| become "automated", and easy, as though | | | | demonstrate further on. |
| if the car is turning tightly with the wheel bearly turned. | | | | 4. Palming |
| You will find out that thus far you have turned the | | | | This is a popular method of hadling the wheel with one |
| wheel too much, and with excessive effort. | | | | hand, which is able to execute infinite amplitudes by |
| First off, three things to make your steering, whatever | | | | using the palm to "wax" the wheel. In higher |
| the technique you use, better: | | | | speeds, or once the demands on steering are higher, |
| 1. If you are trying to master a new technique than you | | | | it's extremly inefficient, and that's to add to it's twisting |
| will have to put some focus on your hands, or even | | | | of the spine. However, in modern cars, it has it's place, |
| look from time to time of the steering wheel. Such | | | | when making slow speed manouvering when parking. I |
| practices are better done in empty car lots. After you | | | | will shed more light on it later. |
| have had "basic training", you can keep | | | | 5. Push and control |
| your eyes and mind outside the car, looking where you | | | | This is unique steering technique sometimes used in |
| want to go, even if it means that, when cornering, you | | | | racing. This time, both hands are brought close to each |
| have to look once or twice through the side window. | | | | other, and are than used in a long pushing movement, |
| 2. Take corners in a wide angle, as far as your lane | | | | to bring the wheel round quickly. The problem with this |
| enables you to. If poosible, turn wide by | | | | method is that it puts the driver out of balance for a |
| "almost" invading the other lane. | | | | generally small steering application, and makes him |
| 3. The turn-in should be done with very very light | | | | steer with shoulder muscles, which are strong, but very |
| braking (trail braking), or at least without acceleration. | | | | not sensitive. The main claim for this style is that, unlike |
| This will increase the tire patches due to weight | | | | pulling down in the hand to-hand method, it's done with |
| transfer, and it's unlikly to unsettle the rear. Yes, some | | | | a steady wrist. However, in this method the wheel can |
| traction is than used for braking, but it's better than | | | | bearly be turned at all (220 degrees), so that it's not |
| acclerating (weight shifts off the guiding wheels and | | | | very practical, even on the race track (say, for |
| remaining traction is used for acceleration). After you | | | | hairpins), and furthermore outside of it. I will also |
| turn in, than you can move to "neutral | | | | demonstrate how you can pull without moving you |
| throttle". | | | | wrist around as much. |
| The "canon" steering techniques which are | | | | 6. Dual-movement steering |
| used in roadcraft are generally not to my liking. I will | | | | This is a much more popular technique used in race |
| state the different techniques and compare them, to | | | | driving. It involves holding the wheel at the fixed-position |
| enable you, readers, to end up with your own | | | | before the corner, than relocating both hands before |
| conclusions: | | | | the corner, so that when you turn in with both hands, |
| 1. Fixed-input steering | | | | they idealy return to the 9:15 position, on both sides of |
| This is a simple practice, very popular on race tracks, | | | | the wheel, mid-center. This way, you are apexing |
| though it has a much more limited place in roadcraft. It | | | | (turning) with maximum balance, control and abilty to |
| generally involves holding the wheel at a specific | | | | turn the wheel more in each direction, for small |
| position and just move it about with both hands. This | | | | corrections or for large corrections, which should be |
| way, you can turn smoothly or, if nessecary, turn fast. | | | | enough for every turn that suddenly tightens, every |
| You can also keep contol maxed out and have a very | | | | skid to be controled or obstacle to be avoided. |
| good idea on where the wheels are pointing and when | | | | This method, like the previous one, also has a limited |
| they are straight. Unfortunatly, most driving instructors | | | | use, because you can't relocate your hands to enable |
| teach the 10 to-2 position, which is generally reliable in | | | | more than 120 degrees of steering input or so. Also, by |
| terms of leverage and control, and has the advantage | | | | compeltly relocating the hands, you lose the |
| of comfort for the shoulders, as the weight of the | | | | infortmation about where the wheels are pointing, and |
| hands lays on the rim. It does has it's flaws: | | | | to turn it back straight you usually need to let it slide. |
| 1. Limited control: You have significantly less control in | | | | However, the abilty of making it through the corner |
| 10 to-2, and almost zero feedback, especially once the | | | | working all the way with both hands is a great bonus, |
| wheel is turned. It's also not smoother, in any speed. | | | | so overall I reconmend to use this method when you |
| This position also encourages lazy handling, and has | | | | approach wide corners on the road (say, an access |
| less strengh (have someone try and pull the wheel | | | | ramp to the highway). You relocate both hands against |
| away from your grip at 10 to-2 and 9:15) | | | | the direction of the corner, placing them at 12 and 6 |
| 2. Limited leverage: When you turn, the 10 to-2 position | | | | (top and bottom of the wheel), and than swing the |
| is not so comfortable. The hands are not working | | | | wheel back to 9 to-3. This way, any additional steering |
| symetrically and can't "cover" for one | | | | adjustments are a direct and flowing continue of the |
| another, losing grip, control, force and knoledge on the | | | | original steering input, and steering can be put in |
| direction of the front wheels. Both hands sort of | | | | progressively and with maximum feel and readiness. |
| "collapse" into bends, so the body is thrown | | | | To bring it back, pull it down with one hand from 12 |
| out of balance, the forearms cross, the wrists twist, | | | | O'clock to 9 or 3 accordingly. |
| and the whole mess lays directly on your shoulders, | | | | 7. Pull steering |
| which have less control. | | | | This method is a classic Rally driving method, and it is |
| 3. Limited accessibility: in the 10 to-2 position, your | | | | the best approach for most corners. Like the |
| access to the lights, signals, horn and other buttons on | | | | dual-movement method, this technique is also about |
| or around the wheel is limited. Even if controls such as | | | | making adjustments just before the corner, so that |
| the A/C or gearshifters are not located on the wheel, | | | | when you turn-in, both hands are again in 9 to-3. |
| they are further away from you in 10 to-2 than in | | | | However, unlike the push and control style, this method |
| lower grip. For some people, the 10 to-2 grip might also | | | | favors leading the action with the pulling hand, as it has |
| mean that the arms obstruct the view at the | | | | more sensitivity due to use of arm and palm muscles, |
| dashboard. | | | | and it's still powerfull due to use of back muscles. It's |
| 4. Safety issues: Most modern cars have airbag. | | | | also easier for the driver. The wrist remains quite |
| Usually, such bags deploy at over 320 km per hour. At | | | | steady, because we are not pulling down towards 6 |
| the same time, a force of several tens of mph is | | | | O'Clock, like in the hand to-hand method, but are pulling |
| pushing the hands in the opposite direction. This can | | | | from the "wrong" side of the steering wheel |
| break or bruise the hands, and send them flying at | | | | and can therefore, with a bit of practice, keep the wrist |
| your face. Also, if you put your thumbs inside the | | | | generally stable, even more than it is while pushing, |
| wheel, they can break when the wheel shakes due to | | | | since we are also using back muscles, and not only |
| a bump. | | | | the palm muscles. |
| The 9 to-3 position allows for maximum control, force | | | | For most city corners, a 180 degrees rotation of the |
| and leverage of up to 270 degrees. You also have | | | | wheel is nessecary. So, if I were to turn left, I would |
| good accessibilty, especially in newer cars. | | | | position my hands at 9:15. My right hand is stationary, |
| Furthermore, the wheel is usually made to be held this | | | | while the left hand goes just above it. At that moment, |
| way. The spores usually connect to the rim at 9 and 3, | | | | the right hand losses grip, and lets the rim slide under it |
| enabling to put your thumbs on the | | | | in a controlled manner, while the right hand pulls the |
| "crossbrace", just under the bumps on the | | | | wheel untill it gets back to 9 O'Clock. Now, the car is |
| inside of the rim. Unless you go off road, your thumbs | | | | turning, but the hands are again in 9 to-3. To bring it |
| should be safe. Now, you can manage a relaxed grip, | | | | back straight, the right hand will not move above the |
| which will make it easier for you and enable for more | | | | left and pull towards 3 O'Clock. This gives us the |
| feedback and accesibility, since you can wiggle your | | | | additional advantage of both hands working |
| fingers or use them to operate the lights, while still | | | | symetrically, and we are also able to have a very |
| gripping the wheel. You are also safe from the airbag, | | | | good idea on where the wheels are pointing at all |
| so there is no need to adapt the 8 to-4 position which | | | | times, and always keeping one hand holding the wheel |
| is worst in terms of control, accesibilty, comfortability, | | | | firmly. |
| and is the most dangerous to your thumbs. | | | | Tighter turns are made by turning the wheel 270 |
| With the 9 to-3 position, fixed-input steering has more | | | | degrees. The pulling hand goes on bottom of the |
| place for it in roadcraft. Whenever traveling generally | | | | wheel (6 O'clock), and holds the wheel as it is |
| straight, only switching lanes or making it through small | | | | upside-down, with the wrist as steady as possible, and |
| curves, the fixed-input steering is reconmended. It | | | | pulls under the stationary hand, back to where it stated |
| enables for slow and smooth steering applications, or | | | | from. It might be a bit complicated at first, but |
| for a quick response to emergencies. | | | | eventually it can be perfected, and two such |
| 2. Hand over-hand steering | | | | succesive pulls are enough to make it through a tight |
| For actual turns, the hand over-hand method was | | | | U-Turn. |
| sometimes taught. I personally agree with other | | | | As far as turning the car is concerned, cornering must |
| instructors and race drivers, that this style is generally | | | | be destinguished from making it through fast curves, |
| reliable and is not as outdated as some my consider it. | | | | which -- as I said -- is done gently with fixed-input |
| With slight modifications -- it serves many of the | | | | steering. When making it through small, fast curves, the |
| greatest rally drivers in a sufficient manner. It involves | | | | idea is to be smooth and gentle. In an actual corner, |
| crossing the hands over, pulling and pushing. The | | | | though, the action needs to be quite decisive, almost |
| problem is that you are putting furth great effort for | | | | "sharp", depending on how tight the corner |
| relatively small inputs, and you lose control, accuracy | | | | is (the tighter the corner, the more quick is the steering). |
| and smoothness, particularly if you hook the palms | | | | Such handeling will "force" the car to |
| inside the wheel. | | | | change direction (while, in curves, the car keeps up in |
| Some Rally drivers would relocate the pushing hand | | | | the same direction) by creating a chain reaction of the |
| lower before a sharp bend, to increase leverage. | | | | suspension, and by creating friction, which slows down |
| Others would keep up with the pushing hand all the | | | | the front wheels and shifts weight over them. In the |
| way around, about 300 degrees, using the other hand | | | | wet, a decisive action is even more important than on |
| as "support" up to that point. (As it is | | | | the dry. In such slippery conditions, the car might react |
| instructed in BMW advanced driving schools). Anyhow, | | | | to such an input with a short "delay", but if |
| it's a reliable practice, but it's still the least efficient, save | | | | you don't turn the wheel more, the car will eventually |
| "palming" (which at least has the advantage | | | | make the turn in the best way. When turning the wheel |
| of easy manouvering in slow speeds). | | | | back to straight, the action is far slower, but the wheel |
| 3. Hand to-hand steering | | | | should not be let to slide on it's own. |
| This is a newer practice in roadcraft, with a bit of use | | | | Going a bit back, to "palming". When making |
| in race driving. It has been perfected into what we call | | | | really slow-speed manouvering, this hand work can be |
| "shuffle" steering, or "pull push". | | | | made easier by palming the wheel with the pulling hand |
| Unlike the hand over-hand method, this time each hand | | | | for as much as nessecary. |
| stays on it's respectable side of the rim, the pulling | | | | This combination of hand work: fixed-input, |
| hand than goes up on top, pulls down, alternates grip to | | | | dual-movement, pulling and palming (or hand to-hand |
| the left hand which pushes up, and so on. With | | | | instead of palming, if you don't have power steering) |
| practice, it can be perfected into a quite smooth | | | | will make steering much easier and far more accurate, |
| operation. But it has the disadvantages of a slow and | | | | even in high speeds, wet conditions, bad steering, or a |
| quite unnatural application, which, amongst other things, | | | | series of bends. |