How to: Driver Tips

Subject: How to: Driver Tips Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:11 pm

Hey Guys.

Justin with you this week with a tutorial on how to drive and drivers etiquette. Driver etiquette is not a required thing to have on a track, but we'll all be staring cruise missiles at you if you aren't at least being courteous.

Step one: Driving

Driving on it's own can be pretty complicated. I'm talking about actually driving, and not drifting. Driving is super, SUPER important. Whenever a track is laid down, regardless of size, it is imperative to drive the track before drifting it. No. I'm not talking about you sticking your rubber grip tires on and haulin' it all over the place, I'm talking about actually driving the course at a slow enough pace so that your car is not breaking traction. This means very little aperature to the throttle and focussing almost exclusively on steering component of a drift track. While this may seem menial at first, what this does, after 3 or four good laps, is train your mind what to expect when driving the track. This is extremely important, and if managed right, will keep you from hitting track corners and other cars.

Step Two: Beginners Drifting

When You've got the hang of driving after a couple of laps, now we're going to get into the drifting aspect of our hobby. Drifting an RC car can either be throttle over steering, or steering over throttle, meaning that you'll be using one more heavily than the other. Driver styles seperate this. If you feather your throttle, you'll be drifting using your steering. If you like to use your throttle, you'll only be using your steering to make small adjustments to your car's angle and drifting depth.

Start by driving the course using the method given from step one. Today we're going to start by doing something called "Small Drifts" in the D1 Grand Prix Circuit. What this means is that your drift won't be initiated until you're actually already in the corner.

When your approach a corner, you may either use more throttle or steering, beit your preference at first. Your goal is to either turn a little harder than you usually turn for the corner, or use a little more throttle to kick out the back end of the car. If you did the corner using your steering and it doesn't kick out enough, gently apply more throttle until the car reaches that desired drifting depth. If you are using your throttle, you will need to lessen up on your steering in the corner and countersteer when neccesary.

More will be taught on this subject on Saturday at Apollo Hobbies.

Driver's Etiquette

This topic has nothing to do with your chassis. This one is all about drivers and driver etiquette. It is expected of you to apologize if you hit anyone else admist your driving. Most people invest several (in several cases several dozen) hours on their body shells. Beit the case, we all know what happens. We all get checked from time to time. If you do not apologize when you hit someone, expect someone to be glaring heat seaking missiles at you. It doesn't matter the extent of the hit, either. Anything that throws off a fellow driver from his or her drifting line should be reprimanded with an apology.

Part Deux

Do -NOT- Back up into a crowd of cars. Most RC cars have reverse. If stuck or you crashed and span out, please wait until the traffic passes before getting your car to back up.

That's it for this week.

-Justin
_________________

Subject: Re: How to: Driver Tips Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:43 pm

Good words Justin, Thanks. I'm a firm believer in driving the track first to get use to it.
_________________