rec.autos.simulators

The other day I was driving home from a friends place. I was in the
outside lane of a reasonably busy (for my town) 2-lane each way road,
which curves around a long, sweeping bend (I can't help but compare it
to Curva Grande), with an Island down the centre, and to each side in
the side street leading off it. As I was approaching the side street
at driving speed (around 70km/h, the traffic speed there although the
speed limit is actually 60km/h) a presumably blind woman in a 4WD
pulled out in front of me. I literally had no time to think, and not
alot of room to move. I managed to do a neat little manuevre
whichavoided everything (4WD, kerb, island, various sign posts, and
traffic), and did not even impede the traffic coming on or behind.
Needless to say I stopped to inform the woman she needed her eyes
looked at - or possibly her head - then sat in my car and thought to
myslef "shit I can drive a car - all that simming pays off".

OK, it seems a little silly. But I really do belive my reflexes and
"driving instincts" have been sharpened by all the hours i've put in
in front of various sims, the main suspects being N3, GP3 and GPL. I
knew how to avoid lockup, and how important it was to do so. I knew
how not to spin or slide out of control. I knew how to keep control
and most of all, knew not to panic. And all without thinking. So, the
lesson is, simming is good for you.

DG

We got it bad no????

PassedYa

Todd Wasson
---
Performance Simulations
Drag Racing and Top Speed Prediction
Software
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

I've got a similar story as well.  After watching a big heavy station wagon
spin out in front of me in a snowstorm and observing a truck in a ditch
along side the road, I was glad I learned how to do a proper stop in
N1/2/99/3/4; ICR 1/2, GPL 1/3, DTR /DTR Sprints...

BTW, my car at the time was a tiny Geo Metro.  I did freak out once I got
home.

gruss h.
--
 ++++crypto *** weapon terrorism depleted Uranium Bush hack++++
|        Welcome ENFOPOL, NSA, Gestapo or whoever thinx Im        |
|        a superevil, criminal, terrorist-leading druglord!        |
 ++++Anthrax Ebola Pu LSD Speed C4 TNT Amphetamine *** GDubya ++++

Cool! :)
I had a singular experience a few weeks ago, when it was raining and I
was taking a familiar turn a little too fast again. This time I had my
first real oversteering experience in a FWD car. :) Unfortunately, 2
cars were parked to the right of the lefthanded turn. I had to let the
oversteer continue a little to avoid hitting the first by countering
too soon, then I had to smoothly countersteer and not overdo it,
otherwise I would have hit the second. Both their lights were on, I
imagine they might have had a good scare, hehe. But wonderfully
without a panic I managed to keep the car ending up straight and
actually loved the feeling. :))
Ok, nobody call the nut house with this message in hand, please.

Still, I'd rather do these things in karts or in sims. :)

Ruud van Gaal, GPL Rank +53.25
Pencil art    : http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Car simulation: http://www.racesimcentral.net/

Of course, as someone pointed out, if you get too into it, you may
forget you are in real traffic - which is definately not good.

DG

Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73

Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

FWIW, I found that I do still have similar problems to what you
described, though -- even though I always manage to hit the brake in
panic situations, I discovered that I now forget to hit the CLUTCH --
about 6 months ago a couple of big trucks were stopped dead in the
fast lane as I came up on them around a bend in the highway doing
about 60 mph.  I jammed the brakes on, left two LONG straight black
streaks behind me, and came to to a nice, straight, smooth, controlled
stop, coming to rest in a NASCAR 4-type cloud of tire smoke, watching
my rear-view mirror and the road in front of me to make sure I would
stop clear of the trucks and not get rear-ended in my tiny little
Honda Del Sol.  When I came to rest, I discovered that my left foot
was planted solid on the dead-pedal, and the engine was dead because I
forgot to clutch.  Doh!

;-)

-- JB
   F1CS2K Rank Handicap 57.896
   http://f1cs2krank.dhs.org/

Now, where to I get these bad habits from?

Chris

PS: It was a Ford Fiesta Diesel.  Handled like a bag of shit (***y front
wheel drive...)
--
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

|
| >  Learning to toss a car around in Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin' saved my
***
| >on at least one occasion.  Somebody pulled out of their driveway as I
came
| >around a blind corner at about 30 mph.  I hit my '79 Firebird's brakes,
which
| >locked up the rears, slid sideways 90 degrees and stopped parallel to the
other
| >car, close enough to reach out and shake the driver's hand!  Woohooo!!
|
| Cool! :)
| I had a singular experience a few weeks ago, when it was raining and I
| was taking a familiar turn a little too fast again. This time I had my
| first real oversteering experience in a FWD car. :) Unfortunately, 2
| cars were parked to the right of the lefthanded turn. I had to let the
| oversteer continue a little to avoid hitting the first by countering
| too soon, then I had to smoothly countersteer and not overdo it,
| otherwise I would have hit the second. Both their lights were on, I
| imagine they might have had a good scare, hehe. But wonderfully
| without a panic I managed to keep the car ending up straight and
| actually loved the feeling. :))
| Ok, nobody call the nut house with this message in hand, please.
|
| Still, I'd rather do these things in karts or in sims. :)
|
|
| Ruud van Gaal, GPL Rank +53.25
| Pencil art    : http://www.racesimcentral.net/
| Car simulation: http://www.racesimcentral.net/

  Quite fun isn't it?  lol  I only slid an FWD car accidentally once, at about
17-18 years of age.  Going too fast with a load of friends.  I wasn't expecting
it to happen, but managed to catch the slide.  Happens fast when you aren't
ready for it!!  Then there's the time my buddy and me in his '71 Firebird.....
120 mph..... 3 spins on the freeway....  Oops!  Not related to sim driving, but
I think if he'd have played Hard Drivin' a bit more we might have stayed
straight :0)  

  All in all though, I agree that some sims can really help with accident
avoidance (rather than the foolish street racing and screwing around we did).
It's good to know how a car drives at the limit, know what to expect, and how
to react.  

  Too late..  I'll probably be your bunkmate ;-)

Todd Wasson
---
Performance Simulations
Drag Racing and Top Speed Prediction
Software
http://PerformanceSimulations.Com

Didn't you know these things are really just appliances like your
toaster or telephone?  You are suppose to simply operate them, not
enjoy them, excel at handling them, etc.  Then you can blend right in
with the other 99% of the drivers who slide into wrecks (sorry, but
the term "accident" is b.s. it's usually somebody's error that
precipitated things.  the term abrogates responsibility) with their
eyes closed and their foot smashed to the floorboard on the brake
pedal.  ("I just couldn't stop in time!"  "Did you consider steering
into one of the three open lanes to your left and just avoiding him?"
"Huh?")

Regards,
Brett C. Cammack

(remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately)