Ok, let's see what the collective wisdom of the list(s) is on hand position
(this is a driving question so get your mind back out of the gutter).
With the recent passing of Carroll Smith I have been thinking more about a
conflict I have with one of the groups I instruct with. In the classroom
this group instructs the students to not let go of the steering wheel. They
even demonstrate crossing up their arms while turning the a demonstration
wheel in the classroom. I do not drive that way on the street or on the
track. In fact it would be a very rare occasion for my right or left hand
to pass the 12-o'clock position. This is something that I unconsciously do
and to me it feels right as I always have good leverage on the wheel and
feel that I have more control to correct with more subtle inputs since my
hands and arms are better positioned to allow me better leverage with my .
Since I could not find my copy of "Drive to Win" to look back and see what
Carroll had to say on the subject I turned to some of my other books to see
what the authors had to say.
In "Secrets of Solo Racing" Watts says to not move your hands if you do not
want to and actually wants you to practice turning the wheel 180 degrees.
Based on his book I would do something similar to Donohue and Bondurant in
that I will "shift" my hands to prepare for a turn, but unlike his diagram
I would probably not move a hand past the noon position except for the very
rare 90 degree or greater turn.
Frere's book on "Sports Car and Competition Driving does not directly
address the issue but does show a picture of Moss at Monaco with his arms
perfectly crossed going through a hairpin turns.
Elford's book on "Porsche Driving" seems to advocate my own philosophy of
what he terms "shuffle steering".
Anybody want to look in Smith and see what he has to say or of course just
chime in with your own opinion.
If Smith backs me up I will search to find my copy and take it to the
classroom instructors the next time I am out with them to point out the
error of their ways by reading chapter and verse from the "Good Book" and
call them to repentance. Of course, if Smith does not back me up he will be
a heretic engineer that had no business telling a driver how to drive. ;)
Also one big caveat. The driving style I have to use between my Triumph
TR-3 (even with the modified rack and pinon), Porsche 944 and Formula 500
Red Devil sometimes require considerable differences in style. In the
Triumph I will regularly go past the noon position and will find that I do
not "shuffle steer" (in fact I will have both hands on the same side of the
wheel many times in some turns given the size of the steering wheel) as
much as I do in the Porsche and if I have to turn the wheel enough to cross
my arms in the Formula car I am doing more fighting understeer than I am in
finessing the turn. Plus the open top of the wheel on the formula car
limits hand placement in any event.
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