Race driving > better road driving?

[Graham]

While I was driving back from Combe I started wondering if racing drivers find their on-track activities helps them to be better road drivers.

I'm not talking about speed, I'm talking about whether you learn to read the road better and are more able to judge the limits of yourself and your car in different situations and conditions. Being a safer, more technically skilled driver...

What do you think?

[Neil C]

Yes, and for other reasons, such as ability to judge time/speed/distance, reaction time, hand/eye coordination.

The danger is the over confidence and willingness to take risks that can get a competitive driver in trouble on the streets.

Wife: "Who do you think you are...Mario Andretti?"
Me: "You wish"
Wife: "No,YOU wish!"

[Graham]

I see. How would you see your driving post-competition experience compared to before (assuming you compete)?

And, would race driving lessons or actual competition be a logical step in raising your driving standards after, say, an Advanced Driving Course?

I'm not looking to do it, just wondering...

[DAVID PATERSON]

I firmly believe that advanced driving courses and competition experience will greatly improve the skill level of the average road user. You learn more about vehicle dynamics, car control, looking far ahead, skid control/recovery, emergency avoidance/stopping, car maintenance, car placement, I strongly believe that I am a better, safer driver now than before I started racing.

[SNH]

I'd say it depends on the person. I've seen some drivers leaving a circuit trying to show they are still on it!

[Graham]

Would you be one of them, Steve?

[Dan Friel]

Well my experiences are:

After karting at Combe last year - I nearly had the biggest accident as I forgot my mini did't handle like a kart...... Or was it the car control that I learnt that saved me???

And then, after a morning at Combe doing the course driving Forumla Fords - my girlfriend (driving) thought it all looked too easy and decided to scare me all the way home by driving too quickly..

[yelwoci]

I'm sure I've slowed up on the road as I've got older, raced more and the roads become more congested.
'Though my other half wouldn't agree and has a habit a either slunking down so she can't see or looks out the side window for the whole journey!

Real difference is that when racing you are totally focus'ed and your not on the road.
When something occurs one can only hope that your 'honed' racing skills can jump into action. But you don't have the brakes or the handling of the race car. Before ABS I still locked up on an emergency stop, while lead me to always run my roadcar with Mintex M151 pads, as they gave me that fraction of a second to calm down and ease the pressure, before they locked up.

IanC