Castle Combe Skid Pan

Anonymous · February 22, 2004, 00:18

Has anyone done either the basic or advanced course they offer?
http://www.combe-events.co.uk/index2.html

Or have you done a similar course elsewhere e.g. http://www.skidpan.org.uk/skidhalf.html?

After losing the rear end badly this week at about 30mph in the wet (my fault) and needing two lanes to keep the car roughly in the direction intended i.e. pointing ahead, I count myself very lucky on 2 counts
1) there was no vehicle next to me
2) I didn't donut my way into an embankment

I want to do the course in much the same spirit as the 'Scared Straight' programme in the US works for young offenders. I fancy the intensive course and prefer the idea of risking an old RWD BMW unless Toyota fancy donating a MR2 s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

mph · February 22, 2004, 09:52

Never been to Combe's skid pan, but I organised a club half-day group (nine of us!) at Thruxton back in 2002. There's a limit on what you can take in, so a half-day seems about right. Would recommend Thruxton again to get the basics into your head, but then go off to North Weald for more detailed training.

markiii · February 22, 2004, 09:54

just call him Martin tail Slide Holden if I remember correctly :-) :-) :-)

Anonymous · February 22, 2004, 18:43

Quote from: "markiii"just call him Martin tail Slide Holden if I remember correctly :-) :-) :-)

too right! He took my boy for a spin today - we didn't do any sideways stuff but I didn't realise it would corner quite like THAT! s:shock: :shock: s:shock: Methinks I have much to learn about driving the beast!

must dash - have to clean the passenger seat... s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

mph · February 22, 2004, 19:54

s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

btw, how *do* you get fingernail marks out of your seats? s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · February 22, 2004, 22:15

Up here in Jockland. Very usefull. In their cars. One front wheel drive, one rear wheel. Think it helped me.
Have felt tail go on MR once or twice, but came back in very nicely s:)

s:)

Anonymous · February 22, 2004, 22:26

Quote from: "mph":oops:

btw, how *do* you get fingernail marks out of your seats? s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

s:oops: :oops: s:oops: it's not the fingernail marks I'm worried about! someone pass the Autoglym leather care please?! s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

PS - mph - sorry about the less than ladylike language!!

Chris · February 25, 2004, 14:01

Quote from: "mph"but I organised a club half-day group (nine of us!) at Thruxton back in 2002

forgot about that...

I was gonna post if anyone knew of anything different to do - trackdays are all well and good, but are centered around improving your speed/lines etc rather than chucking it around to see what things feel like and what happens.

I'll have to get meself booked up at the end of the year when I've got my new trusty steed...

mph · February 25, 2004, 14:08

Quote from: "Chris"I was gonna post if anyone knew of anything different to do - trackdays are all well and good, but are centered around improving your speed/lines etc rather than chucking it around to see what things feel like and what happens.

That comes under driver training - and that means a trip to North Weald s8)

s8)

Chris · February 25, 2004, 16:30

Admittedly I didn't drive, so may have got a skewed perception, but that seemed to be about getting the corner and braking/steering technique right, rather than how to cope with over/understeer, racing technique's etc.

Unless that's covered on the advanced courses... s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

mph · February 25, 2004, 16:54

Quote from: "Chris"Admittedly I didn't drive, so may have got a skewed perception, but that seemed to be about getting the corner and braking/steering technique right, rather than how to cope with over/understeer, racing technique's etc.

Unless that's covered on the advanced courses... s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Woah!! If you don't know how to perform the basics of braking & steering, what hope have you of doing anything more complicated?

That one cornering exercise encompasses in it's most basic form, braking, turn-in & steering. Once you can do that, you'll also start learning about understeer, oversteer, left-foot-braking, slip-angles, acccelation curves, etc - all from that one exercise. It won't teach you very much about balance, and lines, but it's the basics. Put it another way. Andy can take my car through that exercise at over 100mph without concentrating (I'm sure he's said he does over 110mph in his Elise..). Most newbies struggle at 80mph; I'm struggling at 90mph. If you can't drive round one corner 'at speed', what chance is there of a whole circuit?! Andy does do training at circuits - he wouldn't even consider teaching me yet as I can't do the basics consistently..

edit: correct insanely stupid spelling mistakes, doh!

Anonymous · February 25, 2004, 18:11

Martin, do you drive sideways on the roads? There seems to be a number of people on here who have had a few rides in either your or their car and I don't remember being a track or training day on at that time when they have reported on your driving "technique"? s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

If you do, WHERE? I want to have a go without getting done by Plod!!! Roads WAY to busy by us!

mph · February 25, 2004, 18:47

Quote from: "John Woodward"Martin, do you drive sideways on the roads?

Never. Or at least, never intentionally. That's what trackdays and airfield days are there for.

Anonymous · February 25, 2004, 19:25

I've put myself down as a provisional for Anglesey in April but having read Lauren's write ups I'm having serious 2nd thoughts. Maybe I'd be better off doing North Weald first? s:oops: :oops: s:oops: After all, I'm not interested in learning how to race or zip round a circuit, just wana know what the beast can do, and how I should be doing it!

Chris · February 25, 2004, 23:05

Quote from: "mph"
Quote from: "Chris"Admittedly I didn't drive, so may have got a skewed perception, but that seemed to be about getting the corner and braking/steering technique right, rather than how to cope with over/understeer, racing technique's etc.

Unless that's covered on the advanced courses... s:roll: :roll: s:roll:
Woah!! If you don't know how to perform the basics of braking & steering, what hope have you of doing anything more complicated?

Fair enough... as I didn't drive then I didn't get to hear Andy's patter explaining all this stuff - just froze my tits off watching a '2 ballet! s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

mph · February 25, 2004, 23:35

Quote from: "swp"I've put myself down as a provisional for Anglesey in April but having read Lauren's write ups I'm having serious 2nd thoughts. Maybe I'd be better off doing North Weald first? s:oops: :oops: s:oops: After all, I'm not interested in learning how to race or zip round a circuit, just wana know what the beast can do, and how I should be doing it!

ARGH! Stop being a pansy and get out there woman!

Of course, it *is* a scary thought going out onto a 'race circuit' for the first time. Yet what's the difference between driving on a bit of tarmac labelled 'circuit' vs. one labelled (*cough*) 'unlisted forest road'?...

Well the one labelled 'circuit' is likely to be wider, have less potholes and won't have on-coming traffic nor stray horses. It won't have kerbs, nor blind corners and you won't be in a ditch if you accidentally stray off of it.

By going round in circles (not quite literally) means you'll know how slippery (or grippy) every part of the road (err, 'circuit') is, and you won't be surprised by any suddeningly tightening corners.

There's no speed cameras nor policemen with mobile traps; just a bunch of friendly faces all wanting the same thing: a safe, fun day out.. driving cars as they're meant to be driven.

mph · February 25, 2004, 23:42

Just to add, it'll be markiii's first time taking his own car out on circuit at the weekend. He's been a bit nervous about going out on track too (just don't tell him I said so). Hassle him for a report once he gets back - maybe you'll take his word for it.. s:P

s:P

Anonymous · February 26, 2004, 09:29

As circuits go, Anglesey is reasonably "friendly" to novices (and indeed, one of the reasons we/IMOC like going there).

There's plenty of run-off in most places, and being twisty, it's relatively "slow", so you're unlikely to be holding anyone up much anyway (and if everyone sticks to the rules, then no-one ever gets, or feels, held-up anyway).

My first ever trackday was booked to be at Anglesey, although sadly weather prevented it... So my first *actual* trackday was Donington s:shock: :shock: s:shock: Now that was scary...

markiii · February 26, 2004, 09:34

Quote from: "mph"Just to add, it'll be markiii's first time taking his own car out on circuit at the weekend. He's been a bit nervous about going out on track too (just don't tell him I said so). Hassle him for a report once he gets back - maybe you'll take his word for it.. s:P s:P

Always different with your own motor. Didn't bother me thrashing the arse of your turbo s:lol: :lol: s:lol: