Forget clipping the apex, as you would when circuit driving, road driving demands more than that!
Cornering is a skill that’s seldom taught to any motorist, unless they take advanced or high-performance driver training, yet it's a crucial element of the perfect drive.
No two corners are the same, so to optimise a drive, every single bend requires a detailed assessment on the approach.
Subconsciously, many drivers make a plan for the upcoming corner, but what inputs are they using other than instinct and experience? Is corner entry speed therefore, an ‘instinct based decision’ or is there a better formula to eradicate the guesswork and get it spot on every time?
Getting it wrong is the cause of many crashes on twisty rural roads.
Many high performance and advanced drivers use a ‘driving plan’ on approach to all corners. This ensures you mentally tick off a series of important elements as you drive towards the curve and whilst negotiating the turn.
Typically, the plan includes assessing the scene (front and rear), selecting an appropriate road position then choosing speed and gear for entry and exit.
Whilst that sounds simple enough, when we look at each element there’s plenty to keep the alert driver engaged.
Visual Assessment
On approach to any corner, look for advanced information from the environment, such as hedgerows, buildings, traffic signs and road markings. Make use of every clue you can in assessing the scene.
What can you see, what can’t you see and what hints are there of the unseen? Looking through the bend, through the gaps, over the wall and establishing crossviews etc. Are you likely to encounter deep puddles, livestock, pedestrians, horse riders or a tractor?
A check behind is invaluable as well, ensuring other drivers aren’t about to become your problem too.
Road Position
Consider where on the road you’re placing your car. Easing left on a right-hand bend might gain you a few inches of extra visibility, but does that place you on a poorer road surface or debris? Does easing to the right- hand side in a left hander give you extra vision yet place you on white lines or a different road camber?
What’s the road surface like? Is it in good condition? Is it wet, dry, icy or about to change from one to the other under the trees or in the shade?
Speed and Gear
Selecting an appropriate speed is perhaps not as straightforward as your instinct might suggest. Assessing the severity of the bend, the conditions (as above), you’ll want to engage at a speed with the car correctly balanced as you progress without any sudden changes in attitude.
Losing unwanted speed on approach to the corner, doesn’t always mean you have to brake. By thinking ahead sufficiently it could be a simple lift of the throttle in preparation.
Even in a car with an auto box or paddle gear shifts, use these as you would a manual gearbox, so that you’re more in control of speed, car balance and chassis dynamics, as you steer into the corner and exit from it.
Your gear selection is also vital as you consider moving through the bend, the road opening up and being able to accelerate smoothly using the right gear.
With all that said, you still need to build in a margin – you’ve assessed the likely risks, what about the unlikely ones? Back to the simple rules of the road – can you stop in time?
Vision Limit Point
You’ll hear advanced drivers talking of the “Vision Limit Point” as a tool for assessing your speed through a bend. As you look ahead, there is a visual ‘arrow point’ where the left and right kerbstones or roadside verges meet.
As you progress towards the corner, look to see if the ‘arrow point moves forward’ towards you. If it does the corner may well be tight, so keep losing speed.
If it stays the same and doesn't move, the corner could be relatively tight.
If it moves forward (away from you) at the same speed you are driving, then you have the perfect corner entry speed already, and if it opens up faster than you are driving, you can often gain more speed to maximise those views ahead safely.
Braking during cornering should be avoided but if this happens, be super smooth on the brake pedal and afterwards, use self-assessment to analyse why you had to brake and learn from it.
In Summary
Individually all the advice above is relatively simple to enact, but in the real world it’s a challenge to process and make into a robust habit. Practice makes perfect though and you will/may make mistakes often. Develop your cornering expertise so safety prevails at all costs.
Safety is the prime requirement, not speed. It's better to be slightly too slow that too fast, until you get the entry speed to every corner spot on!
Paul Ripley
September 2024
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