Anyone here done any skid pan sessions?
I am looking at http://www.skidcontrol.co.uk/Index2.htm at Goodwood and wondered if someone had done it before or similar offerings at Castle Coombe etc?
Having done Ride Drive's Advanced Handling Course, I am looking to focus specifically on experiencing a RWD car out of control in highly slippy conditions rather than improving my overall driving (not that it doesn't need improvement s:roll: :roll: s:roll: ). I don't have hope much of being able to extracate myself with such short training but would rather have a bit more of exposure to that novel experience s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Just an update as I went off and did the above course at Goodwood.
Started with a 10 minute discussion around what causes skids, both driver and environment-focused, and how the first step to recovery is to remove the cause of the skid.
And then off to the pan which set up like a little oval circuit with lots of some bio-chemical pumped out on it. Car was RWD Ford (bit hazy on model).
Instructor starts out by doing a few circuits demonstrating front wheel skids and how to combat them before handing over. All done at low speeds of 12mph but gives you plenty of practice to the recovery process. It also demonstrated how at higher speeds you would need a serious amount of road to recover.
Followed on with how to rectify a non-ABS front wheels locking braking scenario, not terribly applicable to the 2 but if you ever drive a car without it is useful to know. Also applies is something is lodged under front wheels or if you a really unlucky and the ABS has failed.
And then the reminder was figures of eights alternating front and rear wheel skids s:P :P s:P It was a real and pleasant change to feel the back end going out without that sickening feeling I get when it is my car on a public road. Their Ford however is so much easier to recover though as the suspension is much softer than an 2 or S. One useful tip was the risk of a secondary skid as you successfully recover the first and then come back on the accelerator too heavy too early and turn your front wheel one into a rear wheel one s:roll: :roll: s:roll:
All in all a good complement to follow on from road-based advanced driver training which should help to prevent getting into a skid in the first place.
I then spent an hour or two watching all the cars people had brought to blat around Goodwood circuit - looks seriously tempting s:) :) s:) . There were no 2's going around although there was one in the paddocks.