My dad taught me a lot of what is in this video bout 27yrs ago and I'm so grateful he did, only thing I'd add to this is treat your lane like it's the only road ahead DON'T cut the lines on bends or junctions.
@@Lord_Reeves Are you high? Theres no problem "cutting the corner" when you can quite clearly see theres no other car going the opposite way.. its different when youre in a forest or the foliage around is too thick to see, but as long as there are no other cars its safe
One phrase I like to keep in mind is "drive as fast as you can see", i.e. make sure you can stop in time if a stationary object were to appear on the road. The less you can see down the road or round a corner, the slower you should go.
A key principle is DEFENSIVE DRIVING. At all times can I stop or avoid somebody doing something stupid! This has served me well over the years, your biggest threat is other people.
Yes. I run a thought experiment: what if there was a cardboard box in the road just around the corner / suddenly emerge from under the car in front, which may be safe to drive over or may be full of bricks and will tear up the underside of my car. Will I have time to figure out whether to drive over it or avoid it, in time to avoid it? There are boxes of bricks everywhere (in my head) and it keeps me honest with stopping distances and avoiding getting boxed in
This also.. While driving, i might listen to music, but I am not using my phone and always have my eyes on the road. Whenever I see someone starting to do something that might cause a crash, if they don't see me, I am always ready to react in timely maner expecting them to, for example not check both sides when joining road I am on. I have avoided probably 2 to 3 times more crashes then I had. I had about 10 accidents, never anyone hurt and only once was I unable to drive on and had to be towed. All that in a country where average age of a car you will see on the road is about 15-20 years old. I am kinda proud if my driving record.
@@stevecarter8810this shouldn't be an issue. You are driving on his/hers rear bumper if you don't allow yourself time to react and are going into panic mode. Just keep diatance from the car infront of you and make aure you can also see infront of them. If they got tinted windows, I will give myself even more room. If you couldn't just brake, you were too close. Also, keep in mind what is happening behind you too..
In Sweden you have to take a driving course/lesson called “risk ettan”, swedish for “the risk one”, where you have to go on a track full of ice in the winter or soap and slippery stuff in the summer just to get the driver the experience of the car when it’s out of control. It’s a really good exercise for new drivers. Keep up the good work btw!
@@Chancel388It's almost annoying how much they care. All our roads have had a steady decline on the speed limits with about 10kph (6 mph) and increased safety measures with more speed cams, bumps and roundabouts. The highroad right next to where I live used to have a speed limit of 100kph (62 mph) in the year 2000. Now it's 80 kph (50 mph).
In my opinion, riding a motorbike for a few years before driving a car instills these good habits automatically. As a vulnerable road user, you're always looking ahead as far as possible and entry and exit speed are all part of riding smoothly without upsetting the bike's balance. Riding a bike and driving a car are, in some ways, a lot like riding a horse. You don't want it to obey your commands but more to respond to your wishes...
So I actually got a motorbike licence before my car licence... Spent about 3 years riding rain, sleet or snow 😂 I mention some of this in my new video about how to find good driving roads 👍
I had my car license before my bike license but bought a motorbike before I bought a car. I wouldn't recommend it for most people because the danger level is significant when you first start. Even minor accidents can easily cause injury while in a car they usually aren't too bad. The one skill that will keep you safest on the road whether you ride or drive is judging your own skill level and keeping within it. You could be a 9/10 driver and genuinely be very skilled and better than most people on the road. If you try and drive 10/10 though you'll crash sooner than a 3/10 driver driving at 2 or 3/10.
@@nicerides9224 everyone should start on a bike. Then motorcycle. Then car. We would have such better drivers and more people paying attention to an extent. Less traffic as well. Cars are way more dangerous and can almost be the reason insurance exists. When you’re in a comfortable space, you don’t care.
@@eaubiologique Definitely agree on the comfortable space part. Way too many in their 4WD/SUV's who fall into that category these days. For a lot of people a motorcycle would be too much of a step up from a bike. Maybe bike, faster e-bike, motorcycle then car. Then if they want to drive an SUV make them get a truck license.
Ben Collins, the former Top gear driver, described how you should apply throttle at corner exit in one of his books. He said that you should imagine a rope tied to the bottom of the steering wheel and your toe. Therefore, you should apply throttle as you're straightening the wheel.
The whole concept of looking as far into the turn as possible to identify the speed and steering angle you should be at to make the corner is something I naturally learned on a steering wheel in Gran Turismo and Forza. I didn't even know that was an actual strategy.
Same here, most of the theory was learned through playing Gran Turismo growing up. Then it was just about learning to feel the car’s behaviour, and the clutch. Learning to ride motorcycles on the road also helped my spatial awareness and situation predictability while driving. I still don’t usually drive “fast” because I don’t have to and I like to engine brake and minimize tire / brakes wear.
Speed used German here, one point I'd also add: If you are on a Highway going fast, a view into the medium to long distance instead of directly whats in Front. Reasoning being that, if you are going fast, you'll need more time to adjust to upcoming dangers. If you focus on the Medium to long distance then you still have a good peripheral view of the short distance but have enough time to correctly adjust to changes
This yes. See ahead and think ahead. I learned this from a decade of 18 wheeler driving in the US. Now I drive a BMW X3M competition because I prefer the advantage of a higher viewpoint.
As someone who would drive well over an average of 100 mph on the interstate every morning on the way to work from age 18-24 in a busy metro area, im amazed that i learned each of these things along the way and was never taught these things. Now that im a little older i realized how much of a shitty thing to do this was. The first few times it was because i was running late. It eventually was like my morning coffee/meditation i was addicted to the rush. Its a miracle i never hurt anyone, wrecked or was caught by the the police. Remember others are on the road and understand that many people are terrified on the road so be CONSIDERATE!
On the interstate in my mustang it’s tempting to go super fast always but make sure when I’m passing cars I am not flying by from behind. I will go 100 when I’m alone and then slow down to 80 when a group of cars comes up. They get more time to give me space, and I have more time to react if they don’t.
Being thoughtful of others is a good thing. But if someone is terrified they shouldn’t be driving. There’s a misconception that everybody should have a license. Lot’s of people on the road should be given a yearly bus ticket and be sent on their way.
While I understand the need to be considerate of others, you hit the nail on the head about them being terrified. That should be illegal. You’re driving a vehicle with the ability to kill someone. You should be required to be competent and completely comfortable in driving, not because you refuse to take the bus, or get an Uber to get around. If you can’t be confident from the moment you open the drivers door, you should not be allowed to drive. That’s the problem. Driving is treated like walking and a birthright, when it’s actually a learned skill that should be mandated to be perfected by any and everyone wishing to drive.
@@PeterGriffin-kb2hf yeh thats the clever thing to do usually, especially in places like england for example where people generally drive slower and usually mgiht not expect it. Unfortunately alot of people dont seem to use their mirrors when changing lanes
I think as part of getting your drivers license, they should mandatorize taking the car on a track and pushing it to the limits so you know exactly how your car will feel under stress. (I know that it's a little impractical but it is just an idea) I wonder how this would effect the skills of most drivers because it boosts your experience from the get-go which may otherwise only be experienced through real world road situations and in accidents.
Doesn't sound to bad, but some places don't have any good areas to practice this. I live in an area where the 2 closests tracks to where I live are about 20-30 km away from me. The next ones are much further away than that. I think Traffic Departments should make it an extra option
This reminds me a little of what they do in Scandinavian countries - part of the driving test is on snow/ice and they practise evasive maneuvers. Part of why so many rally drivers come from that part of the world! Great idea. Everybody should get onto a track just to experiment with the limits.
Looking ahead at a corner is actually something I first learned to while mountain biking. A major part of mountain biking is looking ahead, especially at higher rates of speed since you need to know how to adapt the bike to the terrain. It definitely makes sense that it gets applied to "fun" driving in a sense.
As someone who mountain bikes and drives fast I think that is one thing I realize I should do if I am not because sometimes I forget. But as soon as I realize it I am able to go so much faster
It all comes down to inertia, feeling your car's resistance limits. Once you understand the cars limits and behavior, every other situation will be much easier to overcome.
even so going to fast is dangerous the safe speed is 70 mph 80 mph i did reach 100 mph but for a little bit just to pass the cars if you drive 120 mph it doesn't matter if you have 100 years of experience you still can get killed
@@oliverqueen6124i disagree theres a difference between knowing to drive fast and knowing to make the proper suspension and aerodynamic and big brake kit adjustment idiots will fly at 120 mph and then confused when the brakes overheat or they can’t take corners as fast
Some good advice in this video. My father used to be a rally driver and when I was leaning to drive he told me a saying that all the rally drivers lived by about taking corners " Slow in fast out" . Great videos keep them coming!
Damn, I personally think Rally drivers are like the ultimate Motorsport legends. I grew up in the Subaru Vs Mitsubishi era. My videos even being mentioned in the same sentence with these guys is humbling. Thank you mate 👊
This and the "look as far as you can" thing are things my dad just taught me as a necessary part of normal driving, I don't know where he learned it though, and now I'm curious!
good tips. i cannot stress enough about the safety issues if you are doing it in a public road. personally i only do fun drives in the night on remote roads (my local mountain passes are great) and even then--drive at like 70% of your ability, give yourself some room for errors. you can be as far as possible from civilization at 4am, but if luck is not by your side, you are screwed. take luck out of the equation. your driving for fun, you are not trying to win the last race of your life. if you are not confident enough or get scared, dont try to chase your friend to keep up. drive at your own pace. people die for pride--its not worth it.
Also, always leave a margin. Always take the corner as if you had a little less grip, or as if it were a little tighter. That way, if something goes wrong, you'll be fine. For example, some corners end up being tighter than they initially seemed. You're not supposed to be at the absolute limit of the grip on the road, that's what tracks are for
grew up playing euro trucks simulator 2, helped me understand the physics of driving so much, I've been driving for 10 yrs now mostly on manual cars, had my close calls over the yrs lol, driving in sand is tricky tho its literally slippery still mastering that one
I played a ton of Assetto Corsa back when I could only afford a shitbox car. Never driven in sand though, maybe one day I'll have an off-road POV for you if someone will borrow me a car for it :)
Racing Sims are much better for learning the dynamics of the car. Traffic simulators like Euro Truck are better for learning about traffic situations. Euro's physics are very unrealistic.
@@4ae109 one of my home boys who drives trucks said euro trucks feels almost exactly as the real thing, so if racing Sims work for u that's okay, it doesn't mean everything else is trash, & the reason we played these games was to have fun not learn how to drive so it's not that serious, anyways I've been driving for more that 10 yrs I can assure u euro trucks physics are on point, in terms of traffic rules I don't live in Europe so didn't learn anything in that regard
Being a motorcycle rider, you know you must always watch as far into the corner as you can. Where you're watching is where you're going. If I'm speeding into a corner, and am not sure if I'm gonne make it, I must remind myself to not look forward, but sideways into the corner. Head movement is everything.
Another thing to understand for more utilitarian driving - if you’re going 60mph on a 1 hour trip, and start driving 10 mph faster (70mph), you save 9 minutes on your hour long trip. If your trip was initially 30 minutes long, you save less than 5. If you’re running late, that can make a big difference, but logistical planning like avoiding construction/traffic and leaving 5 minutes early is way more effective and cheaper than blasting an extra 70 cents of gas out of your car twice a day every day. Sorry for the freedom units. This probably would’ve been better in percentages, but probably less tangible.
Limit point cornering. Not the limit of the car or tyres or driver, but the limit of vision. Essential to learn this skill for the road, standard part of advanced driving courses.
@@NiazDokrat It's specifically for road use, not track or rally. Difference is on the track or rally you know that round the corner is clear, on the road you need to be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. No one said it's the fastest way, it's the safest way for road driving.
After decades of driving moderately powered front rear drive cars, I now drive a CTS V-Sport, its an adjustment driving corners at high speeds for sure, I think I need a track day.
Absolutely do a track day. You’ll learn that your not as fast a driver as you think you are. Make sure you get instruction if you can as they will teach you loads, start slow and improve throughout the day and you’ll finish the day with a lot of fun and be a better driver and be can’t wait for the next one. Watch out for upgradeitus as once you have caught it it will consume your money 😂
I think a big issue with drivers nowadays is a lot of them lack any of the fundamentals that you mention in the intro. Most folks just do not have any understanding of their car’s dynamics or what their inputs will actually do even at normal road speeds. Excellent video.
@@Ajax6969it’s bc cars are being made with more hp and people can’t handle it. Driving tests are too easy. It needs to be made stricter to get into but less strict to preform in
In my advanced driving training the fun part about learning cornering is getting the balance of the speed just right. Not too much speed into a corner and then back on the gas and build the speed through the corner is very satisfying when out on a fun drive. There are times when my concentration lapses in normal driving but when I go out with the intention of a fun drive my head is on active advanced mode. I am looking as far ahead as possible and taking that information to assess and plan. Limit points are good assessment and so is watching for hazards. So many times you see inexperienced young drivers driving fast without assessment. You can be driving on a country lane at 60. When looking ahead you can take information like brake lights up head and bring down your speed to find pedestrians on the road just around a blind corner that you could not see before. It is little things like that where if you were not in active mode you could bomb into that at speed then notice the pedestrians panic and lose control.Watch out for road markings and road signs too, don't go too fast into corners with junctions as offside collisions are likely at speed. So many cars in the hedge where I have seen before. I have so many things I need to improve on in my skill set and nowhere near an expert but it is these small things that are fundamental for making progress quickly on the roads. I have only been driving 2 years in September so I am nowhere near an experienced driver but I got my first advanced driving certificate with DIA a year after I passed and I am planning on taking the more advanced RoSPA at some point. I sometimes go out for a drive just for a commentary session to brush up my observations if I am feeling a bit rusty and haven't driven for a while. When I switch to active mode and do a commentary it is crazy how many hazards you are spotting and reacting to with a planned judgement when you see other drivers take no notice until last minute. And you are there saying yes I saw that cyclist half a mile away and reacted to it, these things make me satisfied.
Mate u are one of the best car UA-camrs I’ve seen when it comes to safety and risk vs reward. You helped me improve my mindset when driving and fast. Spirited driving like u call it rather than reckless speeding. Never pushing the car and myself to the limits on the street and holding back enough where I can have fun and improve my skill as a driver but staying safe and keeping others safe too. I think a lot of especially younger generations have played too much need for speed and we try to make it reality. And street racing is fun but as u mature u realise it’s not where u full out race. The track is however. I can’t wait for my first track day and push a little more and improve. Thank u for the new perspective bro keep posting ❤️
The mindset portion of this video is very very VERY important, especially for those of us who are confident in the ability to handle our cars. The more power your car has, the more responsibly you have to drive in comparison to the rest of traffic.
i like to pull up my GPS on the display to preview how tight the upcoming corners are on roads i’m unfamiliar with. it’s like having the minimap u get from racing video games. safe driving everyone!
Honestly I found the GPS to not be a very reliable indicator of how sharp the corner is.. well, it is 90-95% of the time but then there are moments when it looks quite straight but really isnt and unless youre looking for corners correctly (unlikely when youre relatively new to driving fast :D) you might get caught out
@@audify3833 if he’s new to driving then he 100% should drive the within speed limits, you don’t want beginner drivers thinking that because they watched a short informative video about driving fast that they know everything! They probably have yet to fully learn the basics of what you need to do when driving Normally.
Corner entry. It's called the vanishing point. The nearer the sides of the road converge to you - the vanishing point - the slower you need to be going. As you go around the corner the vanishing point recedes. Get on the gas.
My father was a Great driver, police driver and he had me behind a wheel at 14. I was taught about apex’s and driving according to road conditions from a young age. I’ve been lucky enough to have skid pan lessons in cars, 4x4 and 7.5t Trucks. It’s come in handy a few times. I grew up in the countryside, near a forest and me and me and my mates were all hot hatch teenagers, at school in the 90s. Our first cars were small, 1.2-1.4 Nova or fiestas. This is a great video mate and you’ve hit all the right points. Especially the corners and knowing where to look to see how tight a bend is.
As an old guy with 1.7 million miles of driving experience, I love driving fast, but I dont recommend going fast on any road you dont know well or that has blind corners. When circumstances are right, there's not much that is more satisfying than a nice 4 wheel drift where you can steer the car with the throttle.
Great vid. Another thing I find that makes a huge difference (slow or fast) is understanding the weight transfer through a bend e.g. if you gradually turn in earlier than you might expect then you start the weight transfer earlier and in a controlled way thus settling the suspension before the apex, which will be far smoother, safer and will allow you to take a bend faster than you might think. If you want to feel that effect then try the complete opposite first i.e. approach a bend and wait until the last minute before turning the wheel. The weight transfer will all happen at once giving the suspension more to cope with - the car will lurch and you will be thrown to the other side of the seat. Take the same bend and start turning the wheel gradually way before you get to the bend and the difference is huge. Also don't be scared to use the whole of your lane.... you've probably got at least 30cm on each side of the car to safely play with flattening the bend.
>weight transfer through a bend The friend who taught me how to drive a car owned an MGB. However, his work was driving a fuel truck. He had the ability to estimate the truck's ability to slide around curves despite the decreasing amount of fuel sloshing around after each fuel customer.
If you swerve slightly into the opposite lane then turn very tight back into your own lane for a very sharp curve it gives that extra edge. Similar to moving into the other lane to whip a big trailer into a small driveway hoped I helped!
What helps a lot is think about moving the weight (virtual COM based on weight distribution on the tires) with all of your inputs. Steering to the left slowly will shift a bit of weight to the outside, applying throttle moves weight backward etc. You can then further think about tires having more grip the more weight you add on them until they get overloaded. If you have this mental image of the car you can use the forces you feel to determine how much more steering, throttle etc. you can add to stay within that imaginary grip circle.
Corner exit has been something that is intuitive to me. Pretty soon after starting to drive, I could tell that just flooring it would make me lose traction. You have to feather the throttle to get to that limit where you feel that if you give it a bit more, then you will lose traction.
I feel like it's also good to go slightly too far sometimes - when it's safe of course. Lose the back end a little so you know how it feels, how to react.
@@MickDrivesCars when that happens I always have a little chuckle to myself & smile, gotta have a little fun every now & then. I drive a Classic Mini Cooper Sport mpi & she just loves going round islands at good speed😁🇬🇧.
A car does not make the driver!! Great video... Know your car, your environment, your roads and your own experience. In America, we give kids who've barely passed parallel parking on the driver's test(In USA driver's ed is a JOKE of the world), cars that can kill them just driving 40 around a turn that requires 20...!!! Know your own limits...
I drive a 2012 bmw 320d wagon (actually a remapped 316d) with 180 hp on 205 width tires. It’s so rewarding to feel the car moving around a bit mid corner and stabilizing under power on corner exit. I’ve been driving for 13 years now and it’s a feeling i developed over time. I used to be scared of wet roads at first because i didnt understand what the car would do, but now I absolutely love coming out of slow wet corners with a bit of rotation. Something I’d like to adress is trying out your car/tyres braking performance in different conditions. Also how elevation changes can influence the balance of a car under load. Good video and I hope it reaches some youngsters. You can still drive fast, just dont be hotheaded about it. Choose your moments.
Yep that 'settled' feeling under power mid way/exit of a corner is just so satisfying. Knowing you're flirting with the limit of grip and that's about as much as the car can take. Love it!
I drive a 272hp 600Nm Audi Quattro, 5 months of the year in icy conditions since 30 years. I could drive fast, really fast, but choose not to. Open roads are not there for fast driving, apart from Die Autobahns that I love. On the roads your mission is to reach your destination and be responsible for the safety of yourself and all others. In the video there was not a single place suited for fast driving, and Mick was smart not to drive fast in the sensible educational clip. Good job.
Thanks for the vid. If you haven’t had your Megane on track yet, get one booked asap. You’ll love it even more than you do now! My tip for driving country lanes - beware blind left handlers and drive to what you can see. The risk of there being a horse, cyclist, pedestrian or a horrible pothole makes it not worth chancing.
I already knew all that you talk about and I’m grateful that I learned all this at such young age and also through sim racing. Fun story: I have a BMW 118i m sport nothing too special and everyone that gets inside my car says that I drive fast but differently but they can’t put their finger where and all I do is literally be on the right gear for any situation and knowing how to attack a corner properly and most importantly I know my car inside out I know how it behaves and what it doesn’t like even with sport+ (TSC OFF). But also weather plays a big part on how to should drive mainly if you have a RWD car
I really agree with you on how to learn RWD, another thing id say defiantly helps is stepping up in power slowly as i my case i went from a BMW 420d to a 340i and now im on a e92 M3 and ive drifted every car in a empty secluded car park to learn when it steps out and how to manage it. Also manuals/NA power makes a massive difference on how RWD feels aswell.
@@bergeracvandamme thanks mate and it is by far the funnest car I’ve ever driven and in terms of sound not many cars beat it, what cars have you upgraded to after your E92 m3?
Very informative video, no silly music just information and driving noise. It’s also nice that fellow drivers are sharing their insights in the comments
i expected you to talk about the line as well tbh. a lot of people try to use the racing line to maximize speed or go for early entry, because they fear the corner, but late entry is the best line to find a compromise between speed and road safety, because it minimizes the potential to accidently float into ongoing traffic if understeer occurs
So I actually debated whether I should mention this in the video... The thing is, if you're sticking to your lane there really isn't a "line" you can choose... Just the one you're stuck with. I used to drive a mini and because that can was narrow you had more choice in what line you take. My current car is wide AF so it's just not possible. Great point though 👊👊
@@evenrik_2214 yeah, but as mick said in his video, there is a hierarchy of priorities in your head, where road safety is number 1, and then comes everything else like being fast or saving fuel. so a line that contributes to road safety is more important. you can compensate for a lot of the inefficiencies of driving fast, by just focussing a lot on your braking technique. if your brake points are on point you don't have to accelerate too much after a corner and those benefits accumulate quickly
I’ve got to say, i am really glad that I watched this video. With the absolute plague of “egocentric” drivers we have over here in the States I’ve been out off of learning more about driving or getting involved with the driving scene whatsoever. I’ve always thought that anyone who is into cars, or racing, or going fast are prideful, could care less about others’ safety, and for the most part are into all sorts of douchebaggery, most of which they partake in on the public streets. Listening to a young guy who is a pro and who knows what he is doing and is imparting this wisdom into others has refreshed me and even has me thinking about taking some driving classes because I’ve always absolutely loved to drive and have wanted to learn how to master the skill but have always dreaded having to deal with the BS I thought I perceived. Thank you for this Video, definitely softened up my heart and will make me slower to judge out on the road. Cheers, as they say ;)
Things to add 1) don't drive when you are feeling emotional/upset because it can make you make poor choices. Just pull over until you are calm. 2) assume anyone else on the road could do anything at any time, because they could - and sometimes do. 3) the biggest trouble with bad driving is that you get away with it 99% of the time. Think about it. 4) Watch other motorists like a hawk! Learn to observe their fine movements and gain intel on whether they have seen you or not (this is actually an advanced training, but as a motorbike rider especially you start to develop a sixth sense for when someone is about to pull out / lane change in front of you - and you need it to stay alive!) The faster you go, the more likely it is that someone else will not have seen you. 5) A road that was not built for high speed can be unexpectedly dangerous at high speed. Uneven surfaces that were not a problem at lower speeds can be a whole different ball game at higher speeds. 6) Public roads are not a race track and should never be regarded as one. If you want to drive fast, go to the track.
Everything you said is pure experience and just the fact someone listens what you've said it is important. I've done all the things mentioned learning myself to control the car and to anticipate the next steer. What I've seen is that everybody learns this only if they go often for "fun" drives
Pertaining to your corner exit throttling, a good starting point is that your throttle input is directly related to the amount of steering input. Great amount of steering input equals less amount of throttle that can be used. So as you unwind the steering wheel you apply more and more throttle. Bringing the wheel straight should be no more than 80% throttle until you know you are stable, then put in that last 20% - this is not only safer but for weekend drivers it's probably faster too.
That might be best described as friction. Your tyres have a certain capacity for it, for example under maximum braking - 100% friction maximisation. Cornering also has a 100% friction limit, exceed it and you will understeer/oversteer off the road. Maximum acceleration also invokes the same principle. Cornering and braking together divide that friction between them, as does cornering and acceleration. Two wheel drive cars largely divide friction between two wheels. Four wheel drive cars divide it between four wheels. Your 80% - 20% rule (yes, I know you said "no more than") is only relevant in certain circumstances. By way of example, a hairpin bend might be 20% on the throttle through the bend and 80% on the exit. Each corner must be judged on it's merits.
@@RedHotscot I think you missed the part where I said the amount of throttle you should use is related to the amount of steering input. So a hairpin bend would mean a lot of steering input and very little throttle input. As you unwind the wheel, you can add more throttle. I use the 80% rule to tone down street driving. Track driving is a different story. And of course this all depends on the car. I have an S2000 @ roughly stock horsepower. I can get away with a lot more than someone in say, a Mustang or Corvette can in terms of throttling out of a corner. And for those Miata folks, just stop lifting all together. You'll be fine, I promise.
Thank you algo! Excellent content and loved your philosophy. U got an instant sub. If i may add some points; Tyre Temperature: with performance summer tyres this is highly vital. It is very important to understand how the car behave in the corner under different tyre temperatures. A nice “planted” turn on properly heated summer tyres can very easily end up at the guardrail on a chilly spring morning. Reading the room (I can’t agree more on your view on this): If you are following a family station/mpv with a foreign plate on a curvy mountain road, you are probably not interacting with the sharpest car guy with killer reflexes. Sometimes it is OK to “abort the mission” and share the road respectfully with others. There is no shame on cruising couple minutes in eco-mode and and listen your favourite songs. Driving below speed limit is not as bad as many car enthusiasts fear. Knowing the electronics of the car: Although they sound identical, every car has different ABS, ASR and ESP characteristics and limits. It is very very important to know the thresholds of the electronics. An aggressive ESP/diff reaction to a powerslide maneuver can very easily end up on the oncoming lane if you don’t know how to correct it. Understeer and oversteer limits: many "self-proclaimed-pro" rwd drivers has fallacy that their cars will never understeer. If you are (un)lucky enough, you can get a proper understeer in any rwd car. It is all about wrong braking reaction and dirty road. Snow driving: Thanks to driver aids, driving on rain and dry are pretty much is the same (assuming you are driving reasonably). You should totally forget about this while you are driving on snow and pretend like you are a very slow racing driver. Accelerate/Brake only on straight line and taking the turns on constant speed. And make sure that car is simply "flowing" to the direction that you want with smooth steering and throttle inputs.
Thank you so much! Really appreciate the kind comments. 100% agree with everything you've said. I did consider going fully in-depth on every little thing but it would make a 2 hour video. That's why I had the little disclaimer at the start covering the basics, even though those are incredibly important. I'm actually considering making a follow-up video going into the basics of car dynamics because it's somewhat of a sticking point. I especially agree with "reading the room", comes back to mindset a little bit. Once you've been driving for a while you pick up little motions of the car ahead that give away what kind of driver they are.
a few days ago i did a drift around a round about by complete accident "thankfully no other vehicles were near the area at the time" the road was a lil wet and unleveled. Time slowed down during that moment and all i could remember was those drifting games i played, i didnt panic or jam the brakes, i just looked at my mirror to make sure my back didnt hit the curb and made a quick counter steer to get the car balanced out. It was a adrenaline filling experience to say the least.
Every young and cocky driver needs to hear this. Amount of people I see smoking their tyres or having to slam on after an overtake is amazing. Great video!
thank you man, got my licence 3 months ago and I can tell that being attentive as a passenger helped me a lot when it comes to understand a car and it‘s peculiarities provided the driver does it right ;)
Great video, with great advice! In corners, the top 3 priorities are safety, visibility and stability. Drive to maintain those. For most public roads, the limiting factor is visibility rather than tyre adhesion or road surface. (Unless the weather is poor and the road is really slippery.) Limit point analysis is key. Look for the limit of your visibility in your lane. Drive to a speed where you can stop in the distance you can reasonably expect to be clear. That will be just before the limit point in the case of most A or B roads because you could have a jogger running towards you just beyond your vision (been there, encountered that). For narrow lanes, where two cars do not have room to get past each other, drive so you can stop in half (or less) the distance you can see to be clear. That allows for somebody to come bombing around the corner in the opposite direction. When approaching a corner, if the limit point is static (not moving) the corner is sharp. Reduce speed. If the limit point is creeping, in other words moving but not as fast as your car is moving, also reduce speed. When the limit point is matched i.e. it moves at the same speed as your car, you are at the correct speed for the corner. Maintain that speed using a little throttle. (As I say, assuming you are within the grip parameters for that road.) When the limit point is more than matched (the limit point is moving away slightly) you can start to increase speed. When the limit point is running (moving away rapidly) you can accelerate more. Acceleration out of a corner is, as you say, dependent on the position of the driving wheels relative to the direction of travel. Only when the wheels are lined up can you apply maximum acceleration. In a RWD car, that means the steering is straight. On a FWD car, that can be a little earlier because the fronts will be pointing in the direction of travel just before the rear wheels are lined up. Ensure acceleration is smooth and progressive, not sudden or jerky, otherwise the car can become unbalanced and the ditch will beckon! I recommend the videos Reg Local does, as an ex Police Instructor. I found them very helpful when preparing for my own IAM Roadsmart Masters test.
Nice summation and I'll look for the videos you mention. However, as an ex police pursuit driver I would say the number one rule of any driving is one you mentioned later in your commentary, "Drive to a speed where you can stop in the distance you can reasonably expect to be clear.". Without that single (paraphrased) rule overriding every other, everything else is irrelevant.
Just had a look. What irritates me about videos like these are that the drivers are obviously very familiar with the roads they are on. This guy mentions stopping within the distance you can see ahead a few times early in the video (I didn't watch it all) for a reason. Personally, my big failing in all my police driver training was my inability to commentate. I can't drive and talk at the same time, ask my wife! Partly because of my vocal objections to being forced to distract myself by chattering, my force relented somewhat. I insisted they train their instructors to watch the candidates driving more than listen to commentary. There were far too many instructors who almost fell asleep on our training runs and relied on drivers telling them what they were doing rather than instructors doing some work and analysing our methods. The real skill is in the debrief. The instructor should be taking notes, mostly mental ones, and challenging decisions after the drive. Too many times in my early days an instructor would jump out the car after a test and give a score after his snooze. I helped change that and debriefs became a discussion between peers rather than an instructor/learner relationship. If I thought an instructor was switching off I would do something to terrify him awake. They were often very middle aged, porky, ex traffic drivers who were just seeing their time out and they hated me for making them work for a living. We mostly parted on the best of terms as they got a bit of purpose back in their lives. I learned that trick during my very early days when I accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake on corner entry and my instructor became incredibly attentive for the rest of my drive that day. 🤣🤣
@@RedHotscot LOL re description of waking up instructors. I have no problem with commentary, it's just "Spoken Thought" and I am talking about the driving so that's ok. I kept up spoken thought throughout the Masters exam. But I *hate* driving and trying to have a conversation at the same time. That plus navigating? Forget it! 🤯
Good video and good attitude. I bought a very powerful sportscar a few years ago and realized I needed to learn how to drive safely. The course I followed teaching advanced driving is still with me every day that I get behind the wheel.
As someone who is addicted to pushing it to the limits it's by far best video about it i ever seen! Great knowledge for people who don't know it yet and great reminder too! Cheers
Im surprised you didn't mention limit points. Kinda similar to the sight lines point you talked about but it's to do with matching your speed so you can stop in the distance you can see. Hands down the most important skill for a b road bash
Relating to corners, slow in/fast out is a useful mantra. Modern cars can easily maintain high speeds round corners but safety dictates you should only go as fast as you can see clear ahead: always be ready to stop the car if there's something stationary just around that corner. I learnt this in my youth when meeting a queue of traffic half way around a bend, only managing to bring the car to a halt several cars past the end of the queue on the wrong side of the road and facing oncoming traffic (luckily slow because of road works).
Damn that's quite scary! I had a moment on a motorbike, being chased by a friend, came around quite a tight corner at 40mph and there was a tractor in the middle of the road across both lanes, coming towards me. Brown trousers for sure!
One of the things I enjoy about the area I live is the mountain ranges and the remote mountain highways that run through them. No one lives out there, hardly any traffic (especially on weekdays) and just vast lengths of uninterrupted road. One of my favorite highways has stretches of over 90 miles between towns. If you are one who likes to go fast, it really is hard to find anything better.
Great video. About the gears, I actually like going fast on 5th gear on my mx-5 when I want to work on "corner speed management" and maintaining the flow without actually reaching crazy speeds. It kinda keeps the mindset calm as you said because when I am on 3rd I swear I hear the car whispering "drive like a lunatic".
Always maintain the correct gear for the speed you are going. No idea where you got the term "corner speed management" never heard it myself but managing a corner is best done in the correct gear for the speed of the car. 5th gear on a UK national speed limit road of 60mph in an MX5 sounds overgeared, you might not have sufficient torque to pull you through the corner efficiently. But I have never driven an MX5 so I defer to your experience of it.
@@RedHotscot 5th gear going at 60mph is around 3000rpm in the setup I am running and I have more than enough torque for this situation. It's not the "correct" gear for maximum performance but the mx-5 is a momentum car, so I am going fast by maintaining enough speed through corners without having to mash on the gas.
Did you know that you can downshift when braking while pulling and holding the left padel shifter. So the gearbox is able to skip gears bring you into the lowest possible gear. It's very cool.
Very cool, I didn't know this! Will try next time. I will say, I generally drive a gear higher than I should as you can see in some of my POV videos. So for slower corners where I could be in 1st I use 2nd and where I could be 2nd I use 3rd - just to tame the front end traction a little. So potentially this might not be ideal for me but I'll give it a go
This was great! I really believe that people who buy sportscars/hypercars should have to take additional training for just this reason. Its hard enough for a lot of people to drive at normal/highway speed, let alone driving fast. I've seen way too many videos of people losing control of sportscars because they don't understand the basic concepts you're showing here. Also, for people with cars that can go upwards of 180KMH, its very important to check what your tires rated speed is. All tires are different, and some are only rated for up to 160 or less. That means if you go flat out on these, your tires could essentially rip themselves apart from the force once you exceed their speed rating. Especially if its just a car straight from the dealership, chances are its just using standard tires. (unless you're buying a lambo or something) Also, race cars tires are mostly flat rubber, and used on a smooth track. This ensures they have maximum grip. Most regular road tires have a lot more tread and not as much surface rubber, and you're driving on rode's witch potentially have potholes, big puddles, oil, debris etc, all things that could cause a vehicle to lose stability at a higher speed.
Also, keep one thing in mind: the quality of the asphalt is a huge bottleneck. Back when I was going to my former fianceé's hometown, there were road segments that were just straight lines with a little bit of ups and downs. The reason I didn't max out the throttle is that because of those ups and downs it was really hard to see potholes. Remember kids, fun is awesome, but safety comes first. Don't want to your last ride to be an accident.
So I talked about the suspension on this softer "sport" model of Megane RS for about 20 mins in my review 😂 It EATS terrible roads and let's you have fun regardless of surface quality. One of the reasons I love it
@@MickDrivesCars mine is a Citroën C4 GLX 2011. I love how it drives on a good road, but the car is kinda low for my city. Sometimes it'll scratch underneath, when going over speed bumps and similar structures, but it's a hell of a car.
Decreasing radius turns. Off camber. Looking thru the turn. Under and oversteer Wherever u look is where ur going to go. Target fixation. There is a ton of things. U could also elaborate on. But still great video 👍 And imo riding a motorcycle teaches u these habits and emphasizes the importance of proper throttle and brake control! Also muscle memory. And feel! Fwd cars will wash out and run wide. And I agree. Get to know every in and out. Of ur car. And learn it in a controlled environment. And understanding the proper gear for the situation! Keeping the car in the proper power band. Absolutely paramount. Great video. I’m typing this as I’m watching. And this video is well done and easy to understand for new and seasoned drivers! Bravo!
You just put the feeling into words. I always tried to say it to my friends but I nevee knew how to say it... I just said everything I feel when driving corners! Thanks a lot!
I feel like the overlap between "people who wanna drive quickly" and "people who do the requisite checks and planning in a thorough and responsible manner" is much, much, much smaller than the inverse.
If you look at the farest point where the kerbs meet in a bend and the kerbs don’t appear to move, it’s a tight bend. When it starts to move again, the bend is lessening. Taught to me on advanced driving course for ambulance service years ago. Too tip 👍
Great video, great channel, thank you for your good work ! There are so many unskilled or reckless or mindless drivers out there who should watch your videos... In my early years I learned some lessons the hard way and wrecked some of my cars. But as a motorcyclist mindful and considerate driving saved my life a couple of times. As you stated, knowing your vehicle and its behaviour is the most important thing.
Great video and a great car. I have a manual 280 and they're absolute dreams to drive on those rural roads. I take mine on the A57 Snake pass through the Peak District quite often, and I'm constantly applying all of the points you made, especially about safety being the main priority. The thing with the Meg RS is I know that the car has more capability than I have, so pushing it beyond my personal limits isn't a good idea.
@@MickDrivesCars It's a great driving road. If you've got time, do the whole length (the stretch after Hope Valley towards Sheffield is my favourite part), then on the way back go down through Hope Valley and go through Mam Tor. The scenery is simply immense.
Nice video and good advice ! I would disagree though about automatic gearboxes, it really depends what kind of automatic gearbox it is. If it is a DCT transmission, it will do a pretty good job a changing quickly between gears and it will often stay in the good gear at the right time. BUT, ofc, if you want to drive in truly sporty way, changing the gears on your own, is the right way to go, no matter what.
hello there 2003 BMW 325i owner (ironic ik lol) I've had my back end swing out one morning in the rain on a hard turn after that I learned how to take corners but your video has a LOT of good information that's going to help me improve down the line thanks!!!
Interesting point about selecting the correct gear, especially for cornering and most getting it wrong as the gear is often too high and inflexible for the type of road. This is probably due to the attitude of many drivers thinking ‘how fast can I take that corner?’ and carrying too much speed into the corner. This can result in braking or simply coming off the gas pedal while they take the corner which then shifts the weight of the vehicle forwards over the front axle which feels like your moving sideways. However, if the braking or ‘speed’ phase is sorted earlier, before you steer into corner, you can gradually reintroduce the gas again shifting the weight over the rear axle planting the car on the road allowing for better control and stability. Your attitude to driving is really nice to see, with safety being the priority when enjoying a spirited drive.
It also just feel so much more exiting to do it correctly I think. Hard braking, downshift, power through the corner - so much more satisfying! Thanks for the kind words
I go for fun drives in my Tesla Model 3. Doing a skid pan session was extremely helpful to understand what to do, and more importantly what NOT TO DO when you lose traction.
I'm addicted to speeding, I can't go on the highway without at least letting out a burst. But I do change my way of thinking whenever it gets more crowded. I'd speed up when the lane is clear, slow down when passing people, and signal with enough time for others to see and let me merge. Even though I try to take precautions, I know I'm wrong. I'm trying to condition myself to drive slow, but it's hard.
Im from the US in southern California. Out here its vitally important to pick a section of road and go through both ways slowly to make sure the road is in good shape. Most of our fun roads are in canyons and passes that have a lot of rocky sections amd those rocks can and do land in the road. The practice of runing a section is a hold over from the motorcycle decades, where a small stone can cause a crash. At lease with a car youd be fine but a bowling ball size rock will ruin your day. Sectioning the fun parts also lets run in the traffic gap. I would also add of your getting "oh shit" moments frequently on a public road your pushing to hard against your current skill level. I really appreciate you putting safety above all else on the street, its refreshing to hear on you tube! Jealous of your car, but I know I'm not alone there haha.
I didn’t think that people couldn’t think of these logical things. Basic things: the faster you go, the more information you should see and anticipate on the road
The only place you can drive fast is on a racetrack!! The public highway has speed limits, umpteen hazzards & other road users to consider. What driving qualifications do you have that allow you to advise other road users on fast driving on the public highway??
I subscribed just because of this one video. Bloody insightful. I had an idea of all these that you spoke about, but you added a bit more important detail. Especially the mindset one. When I drive fast I put others safety ahead of even mine, because to be honest I'm more mentally prepared to died than most people. However I also take into account my cars limits. I currently one a 2009 W204 C180 kompressor with 154 whp. This isn't that fast compared to most cars on the road, but I'm still able to have fun with it. I want to own a F82 M4 which has 425 hp, which is SIGNIFICANTLY more powerful than what I have. I've driven it before. Not all out, but I'm aware of what it's capable off. As for corners. I've gotten the entry right, but not the exit. I don't have easy access to a track in my area. It's there, but it's costs a stupid amount to use it for the day so I practice on roads when it's empty. My current car is RWD so I was aware of that before I watched the video, but I still haven't gotten exits right. Once I enter about midway into it I cost and only accelerate once I get out the curve, because it's safer that way as I don't have much experience driving fast. I know my car can actually handle greater speeds and maneuvers than I thought, because my friend whose a racer has driven my car and done things with it I never thought were possible. So I obviously need more practice like you said. Thank you.
Thanks mate! Honestly means the world to hear you enjoyed my video! Since you're even thinking about these things you're already better than 95% of drivers on the road. Just keep practising and you will get faster and more confident for sure 👊 If you're focusing on the corner exit I would look at how the mid-corner feeds into it. Steady throttle to settle the car and progressive throttle out. Once you get it right, it feels sooooo good feeling the car squat at the limit of grip 👌
I paused to write my comment when you began talking about gears, i drive a manual FWD car, mostly for fun as i do with all cars i drive. I like to go fast mostly on gravel and roads with tight corners. In my experience being in the right gear is a must if you going fast, the only time i almost met the insides of a gutter was because i was on 4th gear when i should be in 3rd, 120Kmh quick drop to 40-50Kmh on a crossroad plus being a transition of asphalt to gravel. Even though i entered on purpose, to know the car better, the weight went all to front due the almost instant lack of torque, i wasn't even braking, engine almost stalled, lost grip and i almost ended inside the gutter lol. I felt nothing only tried to recover thats why it worked.
You should come to West Virginia in America. You’d love the roads here. Imagine twice the curves but they go up and down too. “Straights are for fast cars, curves are for fast drivers. ” ?????? Anyone know who said that?
I like this video! And would add that a drift lessons might be a good idea. There you really get comfortable with the rear stepping out. Reflexes can also be trained in the simulator. Trying to get the initial turn of the steering wheel right and not changing it throughout a curve trains the understanding of the radii and finally speed. And I found rally instruction videos extremely helpful. Most people want to drive a racing line like on the street just like on track days. But when you don't know what street and grip look like at the other end of the curve a very late apex line is a much better idea. In the end it adds a lot to the safety priority.
I want to thank you for this great video and your explanations. I hope many young people see it and understand the essence of your important lesson. Greetings from an Italian policeman
A year into my driving experience, less than a 1000 miles under my wheels, it was dusk and i was driving with missus in my car on a lovely empty countryside road... I wanted to rip through the next semi-tight corner but something told me not to, and to my surprise huge truck headlights popped out right in front of me in that corner, with my lightning reflexes i drifted off the half of the road onto driveable terrain, my wing being less than half a foot away from the road bank, as is stopped to a halt, right in front of the trailers back wheels going back into his lane... My wife begged me not to go outside and fight, as i was flooring it and glanced at her confused, asked if she was ok, and kept on rolling.
Man you deserve more subs istg amazing content! Thanks for the education!
those more subs are happening right now
seems like you've been drinking the coolaid like this bloke. He basically said the sky is blue. Jesus fk.
Geek content
@notfiveo Those are some incredibly narrow roads.
Why?
My dad taught me a lot of what is in this video bout 27yrs ago and I'm so grateful he did, only thing I'd add to this is treat your lane like it's the only road ahead DON'T cut the lines on bends or junctions.
*Unless you can see theres no car
@@MisoElEven you will cause a serious accident one day
@@Lord_Reeves Are you high? Theres no problem "cutting the corner" when you can quite clearly see theres no other car going the opposite way.. its different when youre in a forest or the foliage around is too thick to see, but as long as there are no other cars its safe
@@MisoElEven Yes, but it's still a bad habit and you always want to have options.
rly good tip. if u limit urself u improve faster, but remebmer to test where its safe. its very easy to ruin ur economy
One phrase I like to keep in mind is "drive as fast as you can see", i.e. make sure you can stop in time if a stationary object were to appear on the road. The less you can see down the road or round a corner, the slower you should go.
Yep, and thats what bothers me about this video. Dude need to be on track showing this and not in public road, pushing corners 🙉🤡
It's called limit point, and you're right - it is probably the most important rule of advanced driving.
Agreed, its called defensive driving, can I avoid an idiot at all times. He missed this key part.
@@dzenan.mThis whole video is about driving fast on public roads, why would he be doing it on a track.
@@ragegaze3482 Because you shouldnt be driving fast on public roads genius
A key principle is DEFENSIVE DRIVING. At all times can I stop or avoid somebody doing something stupid! This has served me well over the years, your biggest threat is other people.
Yes. I run a thought experiment: what if there was a cardboard box in the road just around the corner / suddenly emerge from under the car in front, which may be safe to drive over or may be full of bricks and will tear up the underside of my car. Will I have time to figure out whether to drive over it or avoid it, in time to avoid it?
There are boxes of bricks everywhere (in my head) and it keeps me honest with stopping distances and avoiding getting boxed in
This also.. While driving, i might listen to music, but I am not using my phone and always have my eyes on the road. Whenever I see someone starting to do something that might cause a crash, if they don't see me, I am always ready to react in timely maner expecting them to, for example not check both sides when joining road I am on.
I have avoided probably 2 to 3 times more crashes then I had.
I had about 10 accidents, never anyone hurt and only once was I unable to drive on and had to be towed. All that in a country where average age of a car you will see on the road is about 15-20 years old. I am kinda proud if my driving record.
@@stevecarter8810this shouldn't be an issue. You are driving on his/hers rear bumper if you don't allow yourself time to react and are going into panic mode. Just keep diatance from the car infront of you and make aure you can also see infront of them. If they got tinted windows, I will give myself even more room. If you couldn't just brake, you were too close. Also, keep in mind what is happening behind you too..
this shit you learn when you drove a bicicle on avenues, a motorcycle, and a car, ot atleast thats my experience.
Never assume other drivers see you... are they reacting as they should ... or not at all
In Sweden you have to take a driving course/lesson called “risk ettan”, swedish for “the risk one”, where you have to go on a track full of ice in the winter or soap and slippery stuff in the summer just to get the driver the experience of the car when it’s out of control. It’s a really good exercise for new drivers.
Keep up the good work btw!
2nd time I've heard this. Beyond cool.
I would actually love to come to Scandinavia and do this exam for the fun of it
That is fun😮
Seems like they actually care about you guys Over in Sweden..
In America some old black lady gets in the car you go around the block and get the license
@@Chancel388It's almost annoying how much they care.
All our roads have had a steady decline on the speed limits with about 10kph (6 mph) and increased safety measures with more speed cams, bumps and roundabouts.
The highroad right next to where I live used to have a speed limit of 100kph (62 mph) in the year 2000. Now it's 80 kph (50 mph).
Driving on the left side looks terrifying. That was 15 minutes of thinking I was watching head on collisions. Wow.
In my opinion, riding a motorbike for a few years before driving a car instills these good habits automatically. As a vulnerable road user, you're always looking ahead as far as possible and entry and exit speed are all part of riding smoothly without upsetting the bike's balance.
Riding a bike and driving a car are, in some ways, a lot like riding a horse. You don't want it to obey your commands but more to respond to your wishes...
This!
So I actually got a motorbike licence before my car licence... Spent about 3 years riding rain, sleet or snow 😂 I mention some of this in my new video about how to find good driving roads 👍
I had my car license before my bike license but bought a motorbike before I bought a car. I wouldn't recommend it for most people because the danger level is significant when you first start. Even minor accidents can easily cause injury while in a car they usually aren't too bad.
The one skill that will keep you safest on the road whether you ride or drive is judging your own skill level and keeping within it. You could be a 9/10 driver and genuinely be very skilled and better than most people on the road. If you try and drive 10/10 though you'll crash sooner than a 3/10 driver driving at 2 or 3/10.
@@nicerides9224 everyone should start on a bike. Then motorcycle. Then car. We would have such better drivers and more people paying attention to an extent. Less traffic as well. Cars are way more dangerous and can almost be the reason insurance exists. When you’re in a comfortable space, you don’t care.
@@eaubiologique Definitely agree on the comfortable space part. Way too many in their 4WD/SUV's who fall into that category these days. For a lot of people a motorcycle would be too much of a step up from a bike. Maybe bike, faster e-bike, motorcycle then car. Then if they want to drive an SUV make them get a truck license.
Ben Collins, the former Top gear driver, described how you should apply throttle at corner exit in one of his books. He said that you should imagine a rope tied to the bottom of the steering wheel and your toe. Therefore, you should apply throttle as you're straightening the wheel.
This is very cool, never thought about it like this!
Yes its called string theory and is a rather common tactic actually that i only found out recently
This is the best advice
yeah, very similar to the advice you get in the Gran Turismo Apex books
I believe he got that tip from Jackie Stewart but I could be wrong
The whole concept of looking as far into the turn as possible to identify the speed and steering angle you should be at to make the corner is something I naturally learned on a steering wheel in Gran Turismo and Forza. I didn't even know that was an actual strategy.
I learned it like that in driving school.. Anyone should look as far ahead as possible. Makes driving far safer.
same here hahahaha did it in forza when I was younger, do it in person now
Need for speed over here, first was underground 2
Same here, most of the theory was learned through playing Gran Turismo growing up.
Then it was just about learning to feel the car’s behaviour, and the clutch. Learning to ride motorcycles on the road also helped my spatial awareness and situation predictability while driving.
I still don’t usually drive “fast” because I don’t have to and I like to engine brake and minimize tire / brakes wear.
I learned how to car jack cars in GTA
I’d recommend never driving fast on roads that one is not familiar with. Great video, good advice on cornering and knowing one’s car.
Speed used German here, one point I'd also add:
If you are on a Highway going fast, a view into the medium to long distance instead of directly whats in Front.
Reasoning being that, if you are going fast, you'll need more time to adjust to upcoming dangers.
If you focus on the Medium to long distance then you still have a good peripheral view of the short distance but have enough time to correctly adjust to changes
This yes. See ahead and think ahead. I learned this from a decade of 18 wheeler driving in the US. Now I drive a BMW X3M competition because I prefer the advantage of a higher viewpoint.
The most important point. Surprising he didn’t add it to video.
As someone who would drive well over an average of 100 mph on the interstate every morning on the way to work from age 18-24 in a busy metro area, im amazed that i learned each of these things along the way and was never taught these things. Now that im a little older i realized how much of a shitty thing to do this was. The first few times it was because i was running late. It eventually was like my morning coffee/meditation i was addicted to the rush. Its a miracle i never hurt anyone, wrecked or was caught by the the police. Remember others are on the road and understand that many people are terrified on the road so be CONSIDERATE!
On the interstate in my mustang it’s tempting to go super fast always but make sure when I’m passing cars I am not flying by from behind. I will go 100 when I’m alone and then slow down to 80 when a group of cars comes up.
They get more time to give me space, and I have more time to react if they don’t.
Being thoughtful of others is a good thing. But if someone is terrified they shouldn’t be driving. There’s a misconception that everybody should have a license.
Lot’s of people on the road should be given a yearly bus ticket and be sent on their way.
While I understand the need to be considerate of others, you hit the nail on the head about them being terrified. That should be illegal. You’re driving a vehicle with the ability to kill someone. You should be required to be competent and completely comfortable in driving, not because you refuse to take the bus, or get an Uber to get around. If you can’t be confident from the moment you open the drivers door, you should not be allowed to drive. That’s the problem. Driving is treated like walking and a birthright, when it’s actually a learned skill that should be mandated to be perfected by any and everyone wishing to drive.
@@PeterGriffin-kb2hf yeh thats the clever thing to do usually, especially in places like england for example where people generally drive slower and usually mgiht not expect it. Unfortunately alot of people dont seem to use their mirrors when changing lanes
glad you said so. Go to a race track! It’s fun, and (mostly) safe for others, if your car doesn’t spill oil on the track..
I think as part of getting your drivers license, they should mandatorize taking the car on a track and pushing it to the limits so you know exactly how your car will feel under stress.
(I know that it's a little impractical but it is just an idea)
I wonder how this would effect the skills of most drivers because it boosts your experience from the get-go which may otherwise only be experienced through real world road situations and in accidents.
It would make it more dangerous to drive cuz everyone gon think theyre racers in their corollas 😂
Doesn't sound to bad, but some places don't have any good areas to practice this. I live in an area where the 2 closests tracks to where I live are about 20-30 km away from me.
The next ones are much further away than that. I think Traffic Departments should make it an extra option
@@kwezimashapa6425 Yeah, that'd definitely be an issue in this idea.
@@r32juan Yeah that's the downside I was thinking
This reminds me a little of what they do in Scandinavian countries - part of the driving test is on snow/ice and they practise evasive maneuvers. Part of why so many rally drivers come from that part of the world!
Great idea. Everybody should get onto a track just to experiment with the limits.
Looking ahead at a corner is actually something I first learned to while mountain biking. A major part of mountain biking is looking ahead, especially at higher rates of speed since you need to know how to adapt the bike to the terrain. It definitely makes sense that it gets applied to "fun" driving in a sense.
As someone who mountain bikes and drives fast I think that is one thing I realize I should do if I am not because sometimes I forget. But as soon as I realize it I am able to go so much faster
Very relatable i mountain bike too
It all comes down to inertia, feeling your car's resistance limits. Once you understand the cars limits and behavior, every other situation will be much easier to overcome.
even so going to fast is dangerous the safe speed is 70 mph 80 mph i did reach 100 mph but for a little bit just to pass the cars if you drive 120 mph it doesn't matter if you have 100 years of experience you still can get killed
@@oliverqueen6124i disagree theres a difference between knowing to drive fast and knowing to make the proper suspension and aerodynamic and big brake kit adjustment idiots will fly at 120 mph and then confused when the brakes overheat or they can’t take corners as fast
feel its limits once and then never get close to them again
@@oliverqueen6124You can die going 40 mph no matter your experience you’re still inside of a very fast metal shell.
@@eemfunnyasf depends where you drive with 40 mph if the speed limit is 40 then it's fine everyone should drive according to the speed limit
Some good advice in this video. My father used to be a rally driver and when I was leaning to drive he told me a saying that all the rally drivers lived by about taking corners " Slow in fast out" . Great videos keep them coming!
Damn, I personally think Rally drivers are like the ultimate Motorsport legends. I grew up in the Subaru Vs Mitsubishi era. My videos even being mentioned in the same sentence with these guys is humbling. Thank you mate 👊
This and the "look as far as you can" thing are things my dad just taught me as a necessary part of normal driving, I don't know where he learned it though, and now I'm curious!
What about "when in doubt, flat out"?
@@zomboishutsColin McRae
I never saw them going in slow.....😅
good tips. i cannot stress enough about the safety issues if you are doing it in a public road. personally i only do fun drives in the night on remote roads (my local mountain passes are great) and even then--drive at like 70% of your ability, give yourself some room for errors. you can be as far as possible from civilization at 4am, but if luck is not by your side, you are screwed. take luck out of the equation. your driving for fun, you are not trying to win the last race of your life. if you are not confident enough or get scared, dont try to chase your friend to keep up. drive at your own pace. people die for pride--its not worth it.
In my latest video I was on a road that I didn't know and I said exactly this - 6/10 or 7/10 at most 👍
Good advice Shingo
@@MickDrivesCars You might want to discuss road positioning in a video.
@@AiePro26 Now that I think about it, it's kind of ironic advice from an I. D. User handle lol
Good tip Ryosuke
Also, always leave a margin. Always take the corner as if you had a little less grip, or as if it were a little tighter. That way, if something goes wrong, you'll be fine. For example, some corners end up being tighter than they initially seemed. You're not supposed to be at the absolute limit of the grip on the road, that's what tracks are for
... and always have good tires too. 😉
grew up playing euro trucks simulator 2, helped me understand the physics of driving so much, I've been driving for 10 yrs now mostly on manual cars, had my close calls over the yrs lol, driving in sand is tricky tho its literally slippery still mastering that one
I played a ton of Assetto Corsa back when I could only afford a shitbox car. Never driven in sand though, maybe one day I'll have an off-road POV for you if someone will borrow me a car for it :)
Me too
My first close call was a year after getting my license. So close in fact that it was a direct head-on with a drunk driver making a U-turn.
Racing Sims are much better for learning the dynamics of the car. Traffic simulators like Euro Truck are better for learning about traffic situations.
Euro's physics are very unrealistic.
@@4ae109 one of my home boys who drives trucks said euro trucks feels almost exactly as the real thing, so if racing Sims work for u that's okay, it doesn't mean everything else is trash, & the reason we played these games was to have fun not learn how to drive so it's not that serious, anyways I've been driving for more that 10 yrs I can assure u euro trucks physics are on point, in terms of traffic rules I don't live in Europe so didn't learn anything in that regard
Being a motorcycle rider, you know you must always watch as far into the corner as you can. Where you're watching is where you're going. If I'm speeding into a corner, and am not sure if I'm gonne make it, I must remind myself to not look forward, but sideways into the corner. Head movement is everything.
Had a motorcycle license before I had a car license. 85% of the info in this video is from riding bikes :D
I keep telling my wife the same thing ... "head movement is everything sweetheart", she's getting there now.
Another thing to understand for more utilitarian driving - if you’re going 60mph on a 1 hour trip, and start driving 10 mph faster (70mph), you save 9 minutes on your hour long trip. If your trip was initially 30 minutes long, you save less than 5. If you’re running late, that can make a big difference, but logistical planning like avoiding construction/traffic and leaving 5 minutes early is way more effective and cheaper than blasting an extra 70 cents of gas out of your car twice a day every day.
Sorry for the freedom units. This probably would’ve been better in percentages, but probably less tangible.
Limit point cornering. Not the limit of the car or tyres or driver, but the limit of vision. Essential to learn this skill for the road, standard part of advanced driving courses.
I learnt almost all of this when I did my IAM training 👍 vision is honestly everything
Static, creeping and matched limit points, brings back memories!
@@danhunte7851 Absolutely!
limit of vision and knowledge/familiarity... rally drivers (with notes) or anyone who is familiar with a road will outgrow this quickly
@@NiazDokrat It's specifically for road use, not track or rally. Difference is on the track or rally you know that round the corner is clear, on the road you need to be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. No one said it's the fastest way, it's the safest way for road driving.
After decades of driving moderately powered front rear drive cars, I now drive a CTS V-Sport, its an adjustment driving corners at high speeds for sure, I think I need a track day.
I actually had a whole section about track days I ended up cutting - 110% the best way to get an understanding of what your car can do 👌
Absolutely do a track day. You’ll learn that your not as fast a driver as you think you are. Make sure you get instruction if you can as they will teach you loads, start slow and improve throughout the day and you’ll finish the day with a lot of fun and be a better driver and be can’t wait for the next one.
Watch out for upgradeitus as once you have caught it it will consume your money 😂
I think a big issue with drivers nowadays is a lot of them lack any of the fundamentals that you mention in the intro. Most folks just do not have any understanding of their car’s dynamics or what their inputs will actually do even at normal road speeds. Excellent video.
@iNSTAGiB facts
@iNSTAGiB Old is gold.
From what i see is getting worse as years passes.
Can't say my GT86 is numb. Probably the best EPS in A car.
@@Ajax6969it’s bc cars are being made with more hp and people can’t handle it. Driving tests are too easy. It needs to be made stricter to get into but less strict to preform in
In my advanced driving training the fun part about learning cornering is getting the balance of the speed just right. Not too much speed into a corner and then back on the gas and build the speed through the corner is very satisfying when out on a fun drive. There are times when my concentration lapses in normal driving but when I go out with the intention of a fun drive my head is on active advanced mode. I am looking as far ahead as possible and taking that information to assess and plan. Limit points are good assessment and so is watching for hazards. So many times you see inexperienced young drivers driving fast without assessment. You can be driving on a country lane at 60. When looking ahead you can take information like brake lights up head and bring down your speed to find pedestrians on the road just around a blind corner that you could not see before. It is little things like that where if you were not in active mode you could bomb into that at speed then notice the pedestrians panic and lose control.Watch out for road markings and road signs too, don't go too fast into corners with junctions as offside collisions are likely at speed. So many cars in the hedge where I have seen before. I have so many things I need to improve on in my skill set and nowhere near an expert but it is these small things that are fundamental for making progress quickly on the roads. I have only been driving 2 years in September so I am nowhere near an experienced driver but I got my first advanced driving certificate with DIA a year after I passed and I am planning on taking the more advanced RoSPA at some point. I sometimes go out for a drive just for a commentary session to brush up my observations if I am feeling a bit rusty and haven't driven for a while. When I switch to active mode and do a commentary it is crazy how many hazards you are spotting and reacting to with a planned judgement when you see other drivers take no notice until last minute. And you are there saying yes I saw that cyclist half a mile away and reacted to it, these things make me satisfied.
Slow in fast out
Mate u are one of the best car UA-camrs I’ve seen when it comes to safety and risk vs reward. You helped me improve my mindset when driving and fast. Spirited driving like u call it rather than reckless speeding. Never pushing the car and myself to the limits on the street and holding back enough where I can have fun and improve my skill as a driver but staying safe and keeping others safe too. I think a lot of especially younger generations have played too much need for speed and we try to make it reality. And street racing is fun but as u mature u realise it’s not where u full out race. The track is however. I can’t wait for my first track day and push a little more and improve. Thank u for the new perspective bro keep posting ❤️
The mindset portion of this video is very very VERY important, especially for those of us who are confident in the ability to handle our cars. The more power your car has, the more responsibly you have to drive in comparison to the rest of traffic.
100% agree
i like to pull up my GPS on the display to preview how tight the upcoming corners are on roads i’m unfamiliar with. it’s like having the minimap u get from racing video games. safe driving everyone!
Yh, doing this helps a lot!
That's a big thing for me as well. If the sun glares my screen I ask my girl to call out the corners like in a rally hahah
I’m glad I’m not the only one, my brother tells me I don’t need it, I’m not gonna do “dumb” stuff on a road I don’t know..
Honestly I found the GPS to not be a very reliable indicator of how sharp the corner is.. well, it is 90-95% of the time but then there are moments when it looks quite straight but really isnt and unless youre looking for corners correctly (unlikely when youre relatively new to driving fast :D) you might get caught out
really helpful thx
as someone who's somewhat new to driving this video has helped me a lot.
i don't understand how you can have so little subs, keep up the great work
Thank you so much! Means a lot 👊
Drive at the speed limit and you won't have a problem that.
@@georgemitchell9804 no thank you mate we're not sheep
@@audify3833 if he’s new to driving then he 100% should drive the within speed limits, you don’t want beginner drivers thinking that because they watched a short informative video about driving fast that they know everything! They probably have yet to fully learn the basics of what you need to do when driving Normally.
@@audify3833 Why do you think speed limits are enforced?
Corner entry. It's called the vanishing point. The nearer the sides of the road converge to you - the vanishing point - the slower you need to be going. As you go around the corner the vanishing point recedes. Get on the gas.
My father was a Great driver, police driver and he had me behind a wheel at 14. I was taught about apex’s and driving according to road conditions from a young age. I’ve been lucky enough to have skid pan lessons in cars, 4x4 and 7.5t Trucks. It’s come in handy a few times.
I grew up in the countryside, near a forest and me and me and my mates were all hot hatch teenagers, at school in the 90s. Our first cars were small, 1.2-1.4 Nova or fiestas.
This is a great video mate and you’ve hit all the right points. Especially the corners and knowing where to look to see how tight a bend is.
As an old guy with 1.7 million miles of driving experience, I love driving fast, but I dont recommend going fast on any road you dont know well or that has blind corners. When circumstances are right, there's not much that is more satisfying than a nice 4 wheel drift where you can steer the car with the throttle.
Great vid. Another thing I find that makes a huge difference (slow or fast) is understanding the weight transfer through a bend e.g. if you gradually turn in earlier than you might expect then you start the weight transfer earlier and in a controlled way thus settling the suspension before the apex, which will be far smoother, safer and will allow you to take a bend faster than you might think. If you want to feel that effect then try the complete opposite first i.e. approach a bend and wait until the last minute before turning the wheel. The weight transfer will all happen at once giving the suspension more to cope with - the car will lurch and you will be thrown to the other side of the seat. Take the same bend and start turning the wheel gradually way before you get to the bend and the difference is huge. Also don't be scared to use the whole of your lane.... you've probably got at least 30cm on each side of the car to safely play with flattening the bend.
>weight transfer through a bend
The friend who taught me how to drive a car owned an MGB. However, his work was driving a fuel truck. He had the ability to estimate the truck's ability to slide around curves despite the decreasing amount of fuel sloshing around after each fuel customer.
If you swerve slightly into the opposite lane then turn very tight back into your own lane for a very sharp curve it gives that extra edge. Similar to moving into the other lane to whip a big trailer into a small driveway hoped I helped!
What helps a lot is think about moving the weight (virtual COM based on weight distribution on the tires) with all of your inputs. Steering to the left slowly will shift a bit of weight to the outside, applying throttle moves weight backward etc. You can then further think about tires having more grip the more weight you add on them until they get overloaded. If you have this mental image of the car you can use the forces you feel to determine how much more steering, throttle etc. you can add to stay within that imaginary grip circle.
Corner exit has been something that is intuitive to me. Pretty soon after starting to drive, I could tell that just flooring it would make me lose traction. You have to feather the throttle to get to that limit where you feel that if you give it a bit more, then you will lose traction.
I feel like it's also good to go slightly too far sometimes - when it's safe of course. Lose the back end a little so you know how it feels, how to react.
@@MickDrivesCars when that happens I always have a little chuckle to myself & smile, gotta have a little fun every now & then. I drive a Classic Mini Cooper Sport mpi & she just loves going round islands at good speed😁🇬🇧.
Great video bye the way 😉
A car does not make the driver!! Great video... Know your car, your environment, your roads and your own experience. In America, we give kids who've barely passed parallel parking on the driver's test(In USA driver's ed is a JOKE of the world), cars that can kill them just driving 40 around a turn that requires 20...!!! Know your own limits...
I drive a 2012 bmw 320d wagon (actually a remapped 316d) with 180 hp on 205 width tires. It’s so rewarding to feel the car moving around a bit mid corner and stabilizing under power on corner exit. I’ve been driving for 13 years now and it’s a feeling i developed over time.
I used to be scared of wet roads at first because i didnt understand what the car would do, but now I absolutely love coming out of slow wet corners with a bit of rotation.
Something I’d like to adress is trying out your car/tyres braking performance in different conditions. Also how elevation changes can influence the balance of a car under load.
Good video and I hope it reaches some youngsters. You can still drive fast, just dont be hotheaded about it. Choose your moments.
Yep that 'settled' feeling under power mid way/exit of a corner is just so satisfying. Knowing you're flirting with the limit of grip and that's about as much as the car can take. Love it!
I drive a 272hp 600Nm Audi Quattro, 5 months of the year in icy conditions since 30 years. I could drive fast, really fast, but choose not to. Open roads are not there for fast driving, apart from Die Autobahns that I love. On the roads your mission is to reach your destination and be responsible for the safety of yourself and all others. In the video there was not a single place suited for fast driving, and Mick was smart not to drive fast in the sensible educational clip. Good job.
Thanks for the vid. If you haven’t had your Megane on track yet, get one booked asap. You’ll love it even more than you do now!
My tip for driving country lanes - beware blind left handlers and drive to what you can see. The risk of there being a horse, cyclist, pedestrian or a horrible pothole makes it not worth chancing.
Yep I had it around Brands Hatch within a few weeks of purchase. Phenomenal.
I already knew all that you talk about and I’m grateful that I learned all this at such young age and also through sim racing. Fun story: I have a BMW 118i m sport nothing too special and everyone that gets inside my car says that I drive fast but differently but they can’t put their finger where and all I do is literally be on the right gear for any situation and knowing how to attack a corner properly and most importantly I know my car inside out I know how it behaves and what it doesn’t like even with sport+ (TSC OFF). But also weather plays a big part on how to should drive mainly if you have a RWD car
The two biggest thing PERIOD is knowing your car and what it can and can’t do and being calm
I really agree with you on how to learn RWD, another thing id say defiantly helps is stepping up in power slowly as i my case i went from a BMW 420d to a 340i and now im on a e92 M3 and ive drifted every car in a empty secluded car park to learn when it steps out and how to manage it. Also manuals/NA power makes a massive difference on how RWD feels aswell.
You've got good taste. The manual E92 M3 is a superb car. One of my all-time favourites even having owned more expensive and/or powerful cars.
@@bergeracvandamme thanks mate and it is by far the funnest car I’ve ever driven and in terms of sound not many cars beat it, what cars have you upgraded to after your E92 m3?
Very informative video, no silly music just information and driving noise. It’s also nice that fellow drivers are sharing their insights in the comments
Really appreciate the kind words!
i expected you to talk about the line as well tbh. a lot of people try to use the racing line to maximize speed or go for early entry, because they fear the corner, but late entry is the best line to find a compromise between speed and road safety, because it minimizes the potential to accidently float into ongoing traffic if understeer occurs
So I actually debated whether I should mention this in the video...
The thing is, if you're sticking to your lane there really isn't a "line" you can choose... Just the one you're stuck with.
I used to drive a mini and because that can was narrow you had more choice in what line you take. My current car is wide AF so it's just not possible.
Great point though 👊👊
@@MickDrivesCars yeah, lines are to be taken with a grain of salt. to me still this was a game changer when i noticed it
@@Beatsbasteln but it is more fuel efficient to take those lines depite being within your own lane
@@evenrik_2214 yeah, but as mick said in his video, there is a hierarchy of priorities in your head, where road safety is number 1, and then comes everything else like being fast or saving fuel. so a line that contributes to road safety is more important. you can compensate for a lot of the inefficiencies of driving fast, by just focussing a lot on your braking technique. if your brake points are on point you don't have to accelerate too much after a corner and those benefits accumulate quickly
I’ve got to say, i am really
glad that I watched this video. With the absolute plague of “egocentric” drivers we have over here in the States I’ve been out off of learning more about driving or getting involved with the driving scene whatsoever. I’ve always thought that anyone who is into cars, or racing, or going fast are prideful, could care less about others’ safety, and for the most part are into all sorts of douchebaggery, most of which they partake in on the public streets. Listening to a young guy who is a pro and who knows what he is doing and is imparting this wisdom into others has refreshed me and even has me thinking about taking some driving classes because I’ve always absolutely loved to drive and have wanted to learn how to master the skill but have always dreaded having to deal with the BS I thought I perceived. Thank you for this
Video, definitely softened up my heart and will make me slower to judge out on the road. Cheers, as they say ;)
Wow, thank you for the kind words! Never thought I'd get described as a pro, that's a first!
Things to add
1) don't drive when you are feeling emotional/upset because it can make you make poor choices. Just pull over until you are calm.
2) assume anyone else on the road could do anything at any time, because they could - and sometimes do.
3) the biggest trouble with bad driving is that you get away with it 99% of the time. Think about it.
4) Watch other motorists like a hawk! Learn to observe their fine movements and gain intel on whether they have seen you or not (this is actually an advanced training, but as a motorbike rider especially you start to develop a sixth sense for when someone is about to pull out / lane change in front of you - and you need it to stay alive!) The faster you go, the more likely it is that someone else will not have seen you.
5) A road that was not built for high speed can be unexpectedly dangerous at high speed. Uneven surfaces that were not a problem at lower speeds can be a whole different ball game at higher speeds.
6) Public roads are not a race track and should never be regarded as one. If you want to drive fast, go to the track.
Definetly don't listen to rule #1 but definetly stay the fuck away from motorists makes me angry when I see people drive so close to motorcycles
Also if you have a loud exhaust stay off the streets, you have a whole freeway to race your loud ass car
Great advice 👍
@blackcorp0001 thank you ❤️
Everything you said is pure experience and just the fact someone listens what you've said it is important. I've done all the things mentioned learning myself to control the car and to anticipate the next steer. What I've seen is that everybody learns this only if they go often for "fun" drives
I knew this intuitively one of my 1st time driving car. he spent 10mins explaining the same thing
Pertaining to your corner exit throttling, a good starting point is that your throttle input is directly related to the amount of steering input. Great amount of steering input equals less amount of throttle that can be used. So as you unwind the steering wheel you apply more and more throttle. Bringing the wheel straight should be no more than 80% throttle until you know you are stable, then put in that last 20% - this is not only safer but for weekend drivers it's probably faster too.
That might be best described as friction. Your tyres have a certain capacity for it, for example under maximum braking - 100% friction maximisation. Cornering also has a 100% friction limit, exceed it and you will understeer/oversteer off the road. Maximum acceleration also invokes the same principle.
Cornering and braking together divide that friction between them, as does cornering and acceleration. Two wheel drive cars largely divide friction between two wheels. Four wheel drive cars divide it between four wheels.
Your 80% - 20% rule (yes, I know you said "no more than") is only relevant in certain circumstances. By way of example, a hairpin bend might be 20% on the throttle through the bend and 80% on the exit. Each corner must be judged on it's merits.
@@RedHotscot I think you missed the part where I said the amount of throttle you should use is related to the amount of steering input. So a hairpin bend would mean a lot of steering input and very little throttle input. As you unwind the wheel, you can add more throttle. I use the 80% rule to tone down street driving. Track driving is a different story. And of course this all depends on the car. I have an S2000 @ roughly stock horsepower. I can get away with a lot more than someone in say, a Mustang or Corvette can in terms of throttling out of a corner. And for those Miata folks, just stop lifting all together. You'll be fine, I promise.
Thank you algo! Excellent content and loved your philosophy. U got an instant sub.
If i may add some points;
Tyre Temperature: with performance summer tyres this is highly vital. It is very important to understand how the car behave in the corner under different tyre temperatures. A nice “planted” turn on properly heated summer tyres can very easily end up at the guardrail on a chilly spring morning.
Reading the room (I can’t agree more on your view on this): If you are following a family station/mpv with a foreign plate on a curvy mountain road, you are probably not interacting with the sharpest car guy with killer reflexes. Sometimes it is OK to “abort the mission” and share the road respectfully with others. There is no shame on cruising couple minutes in eco-mode and and listen your favourite songs. Driving below speed limit is not as bad as many car enthusiasts fear.
Knowing the electronics of the car: Although they sound identical, every car has different ABS, ASR and ESP characteristics and limits. It is very very important to know the thresholds of the electronics. An aggressive ESP/diff reaction to a powerslide maneuver can very easily end up on the oncoming lane if you don’t know how to correct it.
Understeer and oversteer limits: many "self-proclaimed-pro" rwd drivers has fallacy that their cars will never understeer. If you are (un)lucky enough, you can get a proper understeer in any rwd car. It is all about wrong braking reaction and dirty road.
Snow driving: Thanks to driver aids, driving on rain and dry are pretty much is the same (assuming you are driving reasonably). You should totally forget about this while you are driving on snow and pretend like you are a very slow racing driver. Accelerate/Brake only on straight line and taking the turns on constant speed. And make sure that car is simply "flowing" to the direction that you want with smooth steering and throttle inputs.
Thank you so much! Really appreciate the kind comments.
100% agree with everything you've said. I did consider going fully in-depth on every little thing but it would make a 2 hour video. That's why I had the little disclaimer at the start covering the basics, even though those are incredibly important.
I'm actually considering making a follow-up video going into the basics of car dynamics because it's somewhat of a sticking point.
I especially agree with "reading the room", comes back to mindset a little bit. Once you've been driving for a while you pick up little motions of the car ahead that give away what kind of driver they are.
a few days ago i did a drift around a round about by complete accident "thankfully no other vehicles were near the area at the time" the road was a lil wet and unleveled. Time slowed down during that moment and all i could remember was those drifting games i played, i didnt panic or jam the brakes, i just looked at my mirror to make sure my back didnt hit the curb and made a quick counter steer to get the car balanced out. It was a adrenaline filling experience to say the least.
Every young and cocky driver needs to hear this. Amount of people I see smoking their tyres or having to slam on after an overtake is amazing.
Great video!
thank you mate, appreciate the kind words
I am 39, I have been driving sense 18. I have yet to do this, even when launching. I do not have money to buy tires sooner then it is needed.
thank you man, got my licence 3 months ago and I can tell that being attentive as a passenger helped me a lot when it comes to understand a car and it‘s peculiarities
provided the driver does it right ;)
Now you begin to learn how to drive, hopefully safely. It usually takes about 15 years for a young man....and one or two collisions.
Great video, with great advice!
In corners, the top 3 priorities are safety, visibility and stability. Drive to maintain those.
For most public roads, the limiting factor is visibility rather than tyre adhesion or road surface. (Unless the weather is poor and the road is really slippery.)
Limit point analysis is key.
Look for the limit of your visibility in your lane.
Drive to a speed where you can stop in the distance you can reasonably expect to be clear. That will be just before the limit point in the case of most A or B roads because you could have a jogger running towards you just beyond your vision (been there, encountered that). For narrow lanes, where two cars do not have room to get past each other, drive so you can stop in half (or less) the distance you can see to be clear. That allows for somebody to come bombing around the corner in the opposite direction.
When approaching a corner, if the limit point is static (not moving) the corner is sharp. Reduce speed.
If the limit point is creeping, in other words moving but not as fast as your car is moving, also reduce speed.
When the limit point is matched i.e. it moves at the same speed as your car, you are at the correct speed for the corner. Maintain that speed using a little throttle. (As I say, assuming you are within the grip parameters for that road.)
When the limit point is more than matched (the limit point is moving away slightly) you can start to increase speed.
When the limit point is running (moving away rapidly) you can accelerate more.
Acceleration out of a corner is, as you say, dependent on the position of the driving wheels relative to the direction of travel. Only when the wheels are lined up can you apply maximum acceleration. In a RWD car, that means the steering is straight. On a FWD car, that can be a little earlier because the fronts will be pointing in the direction of travel just before the rear wheels are lined up.
Ensure acceleration is smooth and progressive, not sudden or jerky, otherwise the car can become unbalanced and the ditch will beckon!
I recommend the videos Reg Local does, as an ex Police Instructor. I found them very helpful when preparing for my own IAM Roadsmart Masters test.
Nice summation and I'll look for the videos you mention. However, as an ex police pursuit driver I would say the number one rule of any driving is one you mentioned later in your commentary, "Drive to a speed where you can stop in the distance you can reasonably expect to be clear.".
Without that single (paraphrased) rule overriding every other, everything else is irrelevant.
@@RedHotscot fair one!
Just had a look. What irritates me about videos like these are that the drivers are obviously very familiar with the roads they are on. This guy mentions stopping within the distance you can see ahead a few times early in the video (I didn't watch it all) for a reason. Personally, my big failing in all my police driver training was my inability to commentate. I can't drive and talk at the same time, ask my wife!
Partly because of my vocal objections to being forced to distract myself by chattering, my force relented somewhat. I insisted they train their instructors to watch the candidates driving more than listen to commentary. There were far too many instructors who almost fell asleep on our training runs and relied on drivers telling them what they were doing rather than instructors doing some work and analysing our methods.
The real skill is in the debrief. The instructor should be taking notes, mostly mental ones, and challenging decisions after the drive. Too many times in my early days an instructor would jump out the car after a test and give a score after his snooze. I helped change that and debriefs became a discussion between peers rather than an instructor/learner relationship.
If I thought an instructor was switching off I would do something to terrify him awake. They were often very middle aged, porky, ex traffic drivers who were just seeing their time out and they hated me for making them work for a living. We mostly parted on the best of terms as they got a bit of purpose back in their lives.
I learned that trick during my very early days when I accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake on corner entry and my instructor became incredibly attentive for the rest of my drive that day. 🤣🤣
@@RedHotscot LOL re description of waking up instructors.
I have no problem with commentary, it's just "Spoken Thought" and I am talking about the driving so that's ok. I kept up spoken thought throughout the Masters exam. But I *hate* driving and trying to have a conversation at the same time. That plus navigating? Forget it! 🤯
This Megane RS is a fantastic car. I drove it the last 4 years and badly miss it. It has everything a Sportscar needs.
Each time you drive fast on this narrow road it is so scary when a car passes by oncoming traffic
Good video and good attitude. I bought a very powerful sportscar a few years ago and realized I needed to learn how to drive safely. The course I followed teaching advanced driving is still with me every day that I get behind the wheel.
I watched this video, now I’m a pro racing car driver. Thanks for the video
Haha easy! Thanks mate 👊
As someone who is addicted to pushing it to the limits it's by far best video about it i ever seen!
Great knowledge for people who don't know it yet and great reminder too!
Cheers
Im surprised you didn't mention limit points. Kinda similar to the sight lines point you talked about but it's to do with matching your speed so you can stop in the distance you can see. Hands down the most important skill for a b road bash
Very true. An example if this is going up a hill you can’t see over. Drive at a reasonable speed since you don’t know what’s on the other side
Your taught this in advance driving
Relating to corners, slow in/fast out is a useful mantra. Modern cars can easily maintain high speeds round corners but safety dictates you should only go as fast as you can see clear ahead: always be ready to stop the car if there's something stationary just around that corner. I learnt this in my youth when meeting a queue of traffic half way around a bend, only managing to bring the car to a halt several cars past the end of the queue on the wrong side of the road and facing oncoming traffic (luckily slow because of road works).
Damn that's quite scary! I had a moment on a motorbike, being chased by a friend, came around quite a tight corner at 40mph and there was a tractor in the middle of the road across both lanes, coming towards me. Brown trousers for sure!
One of the things I enjoy about the area I live is the mountain ranges and the remote mountain highways that run through them. No one lives out there, hardly any traffic (especially on weekdays) and just vast lengths of uninterrupted road. One of my favorite highways has stretches of over 90 miles between towns. If you are one who likes to go fast, it really is hard to find anything better.
Great video. About the gears, I actually like going fast on 5th gear on my mx-5 when I want to work on "corner speed management" and maintaining the flow without actually reaching crazy speeds. It kinda keeps the mindset calm as you said because when I am on 3rd I swear I hear the car whispering "drive like a lunatic".
Always maintain the correct gear for the speed you are going. No idea where you got the term "corner speed management" never heard it myself but managing a corner is best done in the correct gear for the speed of the car. 5th gear on a UK national speed limit road of 60mph in an MX5 sounds overgeared, you might not have sufficient torque to pull you through the corner efficiently. But I have never driven an MX5 so I defer to your experience of it.
@@RedHotscot 5th gear going at 60mph is around 3000rpm in the setup I am running and I have more than enough torque for this situation. It's not the "correct" gear for maximum performance but the mx-5 is a momentum car, so I am going fast by maintaining enough speed through corners without having to mash on the gas.
Did you know that you can downshift when braking while pulling and holding the left padel shifter. So the gearbox is able to skip gears bring you into the lowest possible gear. It's very cool.
Very cool, I didn't know this! Will try next time.
I will say, I generally drive a gear higher than I should as you can see in some of my POV videos. So for slower corners where I could be in 1st I use 2nd and where I could be 2nd I use 3rd - just to tame the front end traction a little. So potentially this might not be ideal for me but I'll give it a go
5:09 silver car on the other side going to be wondering what he did wrong 😂
You're 100% right I didn't notice this at all 😂
Golden advice! Very true for cornering on motorbikes, too
This was great!
I really believe that people who buy sportscars/hypercars should have to take additional training for just this reason. Its hard enough for a lot of people to drive at normal/highway speed, let alone driving fast. I've seen way too many videos of people losing control of sportscars because they don't understand the basic concepts you're showing here.
Also, for people with cars that can go upwards of 180KMH, its very important to check what your tires rated speed is. All tires are different, and some are only rated for up to 160 or less. That means if you go flat out on these, your tires could essentially rip themselves apart from the force once you exceed their speed rating.
Especially if its just a car straight from the dealership, chances are its just using standard tires. (unless you're buying a lambo or something)
Also, race cars tires are mostly flat rubber, and used on a smooth track. This ensures they have maximum grip. Most regular road tires have a lot more tread and not as much surface rubber, and you're driving on rode's witch potentially have potholes, big puddles, oil, debris etc, all things that could cause a vehicle to lose stability at a higher speed.
Also, keep one thing in mind: the quality of the asphalt is a huge bottleneck. Back when I was going to my former fianceé's hometown, there were road segments that were just straight lines with a little bit of ups and downs. The reason I didn't max out the throttle is that because of those ups and downs it was really hard to see potholes. Remember kids, fun is awesome, but safety comes first. Don't want to your last ride to be an accident.
So I talked about the suspension on this softer "sport" model of Megane RS for about 20 mins in my review 😂
It EATS terrible roads and let's you have fun regardless of surface quality. One of the reasons I love it
@@MickDrivesCars mine is a Citroën C4 GLX 2011. I love how it drives on a good road, but the car is kinda low for my city. Sometimes it'll scratch underneath, when going over speed bumps and similar structures, but it's a hell of a car.
Thank the UA-cam algorithm for having me find this video and your page! Cheers from the USA good Sir! Amazing content you've got a new sub!!!
Ahhhhhhhh I can't handle the warm feeling you just gave me 😂😂😂
Thanks so much mate!
Decreasing radius turns. Off camber. Looking thru the turn. Under and oversteer Wherever u look is where ur going to go. Target fixation. There is a ton of things. U could also elaborate on. But still great video 👍 And imo riding a motorcycle teaches u these habits and emphasizes the importance of proper throttle and brake control! Also muscle memory. And feel! Fwd cars will wash out and run wide. And I agree. Get to know every in and out. Of ur car. And learn it in a controlled environment. And understanding the proper gear for the situation! Keeping the car in the proper power band. Absolutely paramount. Great video. I’m typing this as I’m watching. And this video is well done and easy to understand for new and seasoned drivers! Bravo!
All very true! Maybe I'll make some follow up videos going in depth on each of those topic, would you be interested in that?
You just put the feeling into words. I always tried to say it to my friends but I nevee knew how to say it... I just said everything I feel when driving corners! Thanks a lot!
Awesome man, nice!
Racecar backwards, is racecar. Racecar upside down, is expensive.
I feel like the overlap between "people who wanna drive quickly" and "people who do the requisite checks and planning in a thorough and responsible manner" is much, much, much smaller than the inverse.
I will say, 700k+ people have watched this video so clearly people are thinking about these things. Which can only be good 👍
0:06 hello mick we drive cars too
😂
If you look at the farest point where the kerbs meet in a bend and the kerbs don’t appear to move, it’s a tight bend. When it starts to move again, the bend is lessening. Taught to me on advanced driving course for ambulance service years ago. Too tip 👍
Great video, great channel, thank you for your good work !
There are so many unskilled or reckless or mindless drivers out there who should watch your videos...
In my early years I learned some lessons the hard way and wrecked some of my cars.
But as a motorcyclist mindful and considerate driving saved my life a couple of times.
As you stated, knowing your vehicle and its behaviour is the most important thing.
Thanks 👍
"look as far as the eye can see" good advice
Great video and a great car. I have a manual 280 and they're absolute dreams to drive on those rural roads. I take mine on the A57 Snake pass through the Peak District quite often, and I'm constantly applying all of the points you made, especially about safety being the main priority. The thing with the Meg RS is I know that the car has more capability than I have, so pushing it beyond my personal limits isn't a good idea.
Funny you mention the snake pass...
Watch this space in the next few weeks 😎
@@MickDrivesCars It's a great driving road. If you've got time, do the whole length (the stretch after Hope Valley towards Sheffield is my favourite part), then on the way back go down through Hope Valley and go through Mam Tor. The scenery is simply immense.
Love the snake pass
Nice video and good advice ! I would disagree though about automatic gearboxes, it really depends what kind of automatic gearbox it is. If it is a DCT transmission, it will do a pretty good job a changing quickly between gears and it will often stay in the good gear at the right time. BUT, ofc, if you want to drive in truly sporty way, changing the gears on your own, is the right way to go, no matter what.
And in the vid - the guy ahead left you - big time.
hello there 2003 BMW 325i owner (ironic ik lol) I've had my back end swing out one morning in the rain on a hard turn after that I learned how to take corners but your video has a LOT of good information that's going to help me improve down the line thanks!!!
Thanks man 👊
Early 325i is an awesome car
Interesting point about selecting the correct gear, especially for cornering and most getting it wrong as the gear is often too high and inflexible for the type of road.
This is probably due to the attitude of many drivers thinking ‘how fast can I take that corner?’ and carrying too much speed into the corner. This can result in braking or simply coming off the gas pedal while they take the corner which then shifts the weight of the vehicle forwards over the front axle which feels like your moving sideways.
However, if the braking or ‘speed’ phase is sorted earlier, before you steer into corner, you can gradually reintroduce the gas again shifting the weight over the rear axle planting the car on the road allowing for better control and stability.
Your attitude to driving is really nice to see, with safety being the priority when enjoying a spirited drive.
It also just feel so much more exiting to do it correctly I think. Hard braking, downshift, power through the corner - so much more satisfying!
Thanks for the kind words
Very good video! You seem like an extremely down to earth car enthusiast and i wish more people had the same mindset as you!
Damn, so kind. Thank you!
After 1000+ hours in BeamNG I don't want to drive fast.
Shocked at the amount of people that found this helpful
Common sense is a rare commodity 😂
I go for fun drives in my Tesla Model 3. Doing a skid pan session was extremely helpful to understand what to do, and more importantly what NOT TO DO when you lose traction.
I'm addicted to speeding, I can't go on the highway without at least letting out a burst. But I do change my way of thinking whenever it gets more crowded. I'd speed up when the lane is clear, slow down when passing people, and signal with enough time for others to see and let me merge. Even though I try to take precautions, I know I'm wrong. I'm trying to condition myself to drive slow, but it's hard.
After speeding regularly for over 10 years, I am always shocked at how little effort driving "normal" takes.
Yet look at most drivers and they are using all of their concentration to drive at 40 in a 60😂
@@elliot438bcfcVTEC
1. That's good. On public roads FULL FOCUS.
2. Only if that was true. I see way too many people driving distracted(read: phone)
Im from the US in southern California. Out here its vitally important to pick a section of road and go through both ways slowly to make sure the road is in good shape.
Most of our fun roads are in canyons and passes that have a lot of rocky sections amd those rocks can and do land in the road.
The practice of runing a section is a hold over from the motorcycle decades, where a small stone can cause a crash. At lease with a car youd be fine but a bowling ball size rock will ruin your day.
Sectioning the fun parts also lets run in the traffic gap.
I would also add of your getting "oh shit" moments frequently on a public road your pushing to hard against your current skill level.
I really appreciate you putting safety above all else on the street, its refreshing to hear on you tube!
Jealous of your car, but I know I'm not alone there haha.
Too true! It's something that I do everytime I'm on a road new to me for sure.
Thanks for the compliments on the car, it's my baby 😍
Teaching us how to drive fast sitting in a Renault is like teaching us how to cook using a cheap microwave
It's a Megane RS so more like an 8-top burner :)
I didn’t think that people couldn’t think of these logical things. Basic things: the faster you go, the more information you should see and anticipate on the road
In the beginning I expected him to boomersplain further with “it’s not video games on your phone guys”
The only place you can drive fast is on a racetrack!! The public highway has speed limits, umpteen hazzards & other road users to consider. What driving qualifications do you have that allow you to advise other road users on fast driving on the public highway??
I subscribed just because of this one video. Bloody insightful. I had an idea of all these that you spoke about, but you added a bit more important detail.
Especially the mindset one. When I drive fast I put others safety ahead of even mine, because to be honest I'm more mentally prepared to died than most people. However I also take into account my cars limits.
I currently one a 2009 W204 C180 kompressor with 154 whp. This isn't that fast compared to most cars on the road, but I'm still able to have fun with it.
I want to own a F82 M4 which has 425 hp, which is SIGNIFICANTLY more powerful than what I have. I've driven it before. Not all out, but I'm aware of what it's capable off.
As for corners. I've gotten the entry right, but not the exit. I don't have easy access to a track in my area. It's there, but it's costs a stupid amount to use it for the day so I practice on roads when it's empty.
My current car is RWD so I was aware of that before I watched the video, but I still haven't gotten exits right. Once I enter about midway into it I cost and only accelerate once I get out the curve, because it's safer that way as I don't have much experience driving fast.
I know my car can actually handle greater speeds and maneuvers than I thought, because my friend whose a racer has driven my car and done things with it I never thought were possible.
So I obviously need more practice like you said. Thank you.
Thanks mate! Honestly means the world to hear you enjoyed my video!
Since you're even thinking about these things you're already better than 95% of drivers on the road. Just keep practising and you will get faster and more confident for sure 👊
If you're focusing on the corner exit I would look at how the mid-corner feeds into it. Steady throttle to settle the car and progressive throttle out. Once you get it right, it feels sooooo good feeling the car squat at the limit of grip 👌
Loads of great advice here, thanks for making - hoping loads of people take now or some of these incredibly valuable lessons! Subscribed. 👊
I paused to write my comment when you began talking about gears, i drive a manual FWD car, mostly for fun as i do with all cars i drive. I like to go fast mostly on gravel and roads with tight corners. In my experience being in the right gear is a must if you going fast, the only time i almost met the insides of a gutter was because i was on 4th gear when i should be in 3rd, 120Kmh quick drop to 40-50Kmh on a crossroad plus being a transition of asphalt to gravel. Even though i entered on purpose, to know the car better, the weight went all to front due the almost instant lack of torque, i wasn't even braking, engine almost stalled, lost grip and i almost ended inside the gutter lol. I felt nothing only tried to recover thats why it worked.
You should come to West Virginia in America. You’d love the roads here. Imagine twice the curves but they go up and down too.
“Straights are for fast cars, curves are for fast drivers. ”
??????
Anyone know who said that?
Dope quote. I'm stealing it ♥️
@@MickDrivesCars that’s cool. I stole it from Steve McQueen. Lol now that guy knew how to drive.
Mick assumes too much
He is like a daddy trying to teach his daughters but they tell him back "Ohh common, we know that"😂
it’s called an inference
@@groper.not.grouper9501 aka assume
I like this video! And would add that a drift lessons might be a good idea. There you really get comfortable with the rear stepping out.
Reflexes can also be trained in the simulator.
Trying to get the initial turn of the steering wheel right and not changing it throughout a curve trains the understanding of the radii and finally speed.
And I found rally instruction videos extremely helpful. Most people want to drive a racing line like on the street just like on track days.
But when you don't know what street and grip look like at the other end of the curve a very late apex line is a much better idea.
In the end it adds a lot to the safety priority.
Don't drive fast. That's the elemental message
slow is smooth, smooth is fast
I want to thank you for this great video and your explanations. I hope many young people see it and understand the essence of your important lesson. Greetings from an Italian policeman
A year into my driving experience, less than a 1000 miles under my wheels, it was dusk and i was driving with missus in my car on a lovely empty countryside road... I wanted to rip through the next semi-tight corner but something told me not to, and to my surprise huge truck headlights popped out right in front of me in that corner, with my lightning reflexes i drifted off the half of the road onto driveable terrain, my wing being less than half a foot away from the road bank, as is stopped to a halt, right in front of the trailers back wheels going back into his lane... My wife begged me not to go outside and fight, as i was flooring it and glanced at her confused, asked if she was ok, and kept on rolling.
If u wanna drive fast go on a track
💯