Basic driver ed required
- Thread starter teamzr1
- Start date
Stingray
CCCUK Member
In part a fair comment, although I'd add two things.
1. The idea that "electronic nanny aids" are enough to keep any modern Corvette on the road is dreamland. They've got enough grunt to destabilise themselves in a split second if the driver gets over-enthusiastic with the gas pedal. Once the laws of physics take over there's no turning back.
2. Another laws of physics point. The low polar moment of inertia of mid-engine cars makes them pretty tricky once the back decides it wants to overtake the front. The electronics can do their best but once the party's swinging - it's swinging! I've met McLarens facing back the wrong way simply as result of the driver hitting the gas too hard and heading straight to the scene of a single vehicle accident.
Yup, learn your vehicle carefully. Don't just assume it's 2022 so everything will be OK.
Which begs the question. Do these fancy "high torque" electrics have the same problem?
1. The idea that "electronic nanny aids" are enough to keep any modern Corvette on the road is dreamland. They've got enough grunt to destabilise themselves in a split second if the driver gets over-enthusiastic with the gas pedal. Once the laws of physics take over there's no turning back.
2. Another laws of physics point. The low polar moment of inertia of mid-engine cars makes them pretty tricky once the back decides it wants to overtake the front. The electronics can do their best but once the party's swinging - it's swinging! I've met McLarens facing back the wrong way simply as result of the driver hitting the gas too hard and heading straight to the scene of a single vehicle accident.
Yup, learn your vehicle carefully. Don't just assume it's 2022 so everything will be OK.
Which begs the question. Do these fancy "high torque" electrics have the same problem?
Chuffer
CCCUK regional rep
The way I see it , cars have got better, more powerful , faster, and more high tech but in general the drivers have got worse .Unfortunately you can't educate the hard of thinking, the terminally stupid or the abject idiots of the world. Seems to be an increasing number with those characteristics.
Roscobbc
Moderator
Yes, perhaps - can't really speak for 100% electric vehicles - I have had a couple of hybrid cars........tyre cost can be quite significant - 'Z' rated tyres are frequently used on seemingly innocuous family runaround type petrol/electric vehicles........the combined torque of both electric and ICE can be quite significant........hence the requirement for tyres that would have only ever previously used on high speed/high performance vehicles. Hybrid's still have 'nanny' controls over the power output non overwhelming available traction (and driver capability)
Roscobbc
Moderator
Strange isn't it - take a 'modern' performance car like a Mustang or Vette (or any other supposed performance car) with all its ABS, traction, yaw and other controls..........turn off the traction control and for most people the car heads in to the bushes.......irrespective of how good the driver may be.......in the same way that a modern fighter aircraft if inherently unstable........much the same applies to current day performance cars. So how did people cope with yesteryears high performing vehicles?.........our ancesters who bought early Shelby Mustangs, 435hp Vettes and other big cube muscle cars managed to drive them without too much issue.......OK so more than a few were totalled........how does that compare with todays high performance 'nanny protected' vehicles.........I'm guesssing there probably isn't a lot of difference in the number of 'write-offs' comparing 50 years ago with now.
For some reason people seem dumbfounded that I can drive around in an old school Vette with 50% more power and torque than stock without any artificial electronic interference and leaving long lines of rubber on the road.........the answer is........to simply know your car.......and especially know its limitations in all kinds of weather and road conditions.
Roscobbc
Moderator
Yes, Chuffer - forgot to add that............
teamzr1
Supporting vendor
The problem resides in the fact people who buy Corvettes today in most part are dorks
They are waxers and wazers who treat a Corvette like it is a barbie doll and dress the piss out of it with
crap like fake carbon fiber and other shiny junk
Their last vehicle most likely was some 4 banger ricer and think they can drive the Corvette like one
and never race their Corvette to learn the characteristics and what happens when now having a car with
much higher torque and HP understand how to react in conditions they are not used to
Back in our day, 1960s and beyond we bought a sports car and on weekends did drag racing auto crosses, track, etc
so it became natural in driving the Corvette to it's limits
Now these guys putz around car showing and pretending to be a sports car driver and the Corvettes bites them in the ass
the first time, tire grip is limited.
But Hey, they do not know how to change the motor oil much less understanding physics of pushing car at its limits.
GM tries to help in new Corvette sales by offering a 2-day drivers school, most do not go to it or the ones who do
then think they are a race driver when those couple days on the track does not make them a pro racer they then think
they are and get F'd up first time car has over or understeer
I talked to one of our teammates who have a C8, and he has owned Corvettes like me for 40 plus years and says the nannies
of the C8 that he does better on track with them on rather when he turns them off
They are waxers and wazers who treat a Corvette like it is a barbie doll and dress the piss out of it with
crap like fake carbon fiber and other shiny junk
Their last vehicle most likely was some 4 banger ricer and think they can drive the Corvette like one
and never race their Corvette to learn the characteristics and what happens when now having a car with
much higher torque and HP understand how to react in conditions they are not used to
Back in our day, 1960s and beyond we bought a sports car and on weekends did drag racing auto crosses, track, etc
so it became natural in driving the Corvette to it's limits
Now these guys putz around car showing and pretending to be a sports car driver and the Corvettes bites them in the ass
the first time, tire grip is limited.
But Hey, they do not know how to change the motor oil much less understanding physics of pushing car at its limits.
GM tries to help in new Corvette sales by offering a 2-day drivers school, most do not go to it or the ones who do
then think they are a race driver when those couple days on the track does not make them a pro racer they then think
they are and get F'd up first time car has over or understeer
I talked to one of our teammates who have a C8, and he has owned Corvettes like me for 40 plus years and says the nannies
of the C8 that he does better on track with them on rather when he turns them off