How do you steer??

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Oversize

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Since Vegas it's become apparent to me that there's many ways our beloved can be navigated. The different methods all have pros n cons and so I thought I'd put them out there to discuss:

1. Push/pull,

2. Hand over hand,

3. 9 and 3,

4. Palm/s,

5. Left handed (the other on the top of the door),

6. Crossed,

7. Hand through the centre and under the rim,

8. Thumbs under the rim,

9. Thumbs resting on the rim,

10. Firm grip,

11. Soft grip,

12. 10 and 2.

Personally I use a combination of them all (except #7 or #8), depending upon my mood and the road conditions. Can anyone think of more? What do you use?? :rolleyes:
 

BenzBoy

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Some years back I did a 2 day M-B advanced driver training course which strongly advocated the 3.15 push-pull technique. At first it felt clumsy but now it is second nature.
It's very useful if your airbag explodes and saves smashing your watch into your face...
I detest one-arm drivers as unskilled, lazy and not really in control of the vehicle.
Then, with the PII I simply use the strong arm technique of arm over arm and grunt a bit for effect....
Regards,
Brian
 

Michel

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The correct way to hang on to the steering wheel is in the 10 past 10 position, with the thumb outside the rim (flush with the steering, rather than gripping it.)

When turning, the hands should not cross over one another.

And one should NEVER have fingers or the hand 'inside' the steering/horn rim openings.
 

WGB

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I too did the M-B advanced driving course and use a 10 to 10 with a shuffle to avoid the possibility of an airbag driven fist in the face.

However as all my cars now pull quite straight on the commute I ofter use what has been labelled the "Lazy, unskilled and not really in control of a motor vehicle" alternative method of right arm resting on the door or armrest and the right index finger looped over the top of the horn ring/inner edge of the wheel.

It gives better access to the left arm to work the TV-Audio-Satnav-telephone distractions.:D

Bill
 
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SEL_69L

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Have a copy of Frank Gardiner's " Drive to Survive".
What Michel is saying is correct.

Only further comment via Frank Gardiner I would add is that the steering wheel is not an object to hang on to.

You use the steering wheel, to aim the car through a bend or corner.
I entirely agree with this.

It is amazing how you can get this into your brain, and how much the car can become an extension of yourself. You can become very good at accurate placement of the car on the road at speed.

Works for ALL cars.

Try it! You won't be dissapointed!
 

BenzBoy

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If you examine your Benz steering wheel you will see it has a naturally occuring grip at 3.15 and thumb rests to encourage you to keep your thumbs on the outside of the wheel.
The 1.50 position will stress your trapezius and lead to strain while the 3.15 position will keep the chest cavity open and allow for relaxed breathing.
My other pet hate is people driving to work with a hot coffee in one hand.....
Regards,
Brian
 
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Oversize

Oversize

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Oh I forgot:

13. Knees (pie n phone in hands)! LOL! :eek:
 
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Oversize

Oversize

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Seriously though, I tend to use 10.10 with the push/pull method more than the others. And I use it because I was taught this way during a very intensive driver training course. However it can be cumbersome in tight turns, as you're hands only move through the lower part of the steering wheel. Plus, when your hands are at the botom of the wheel, control is minimal. And this always seems to happen mid-corner....

It seems racing is quite different. 3.15 is the go and your hands stay in this position on the wheel. On 90deg turns it's almost impossible, as your arms are crossed. But these turns are rare on a track and most race cars have little turns of the wheel lock to lock anyway. Having your hands opposite each other provides the most control and allows the driver to very quickly correct oversteer.

I got 'told off' driving the SLS because my instructor thought I was taking my hand off the wheel. I don't think he realized I was using the push/pull method and when my left hand disappeared from his view he thought I was steering with one hand! I wasn't even thinking about my method and didn't have a clue what he was talking about during parts of the drive; from my perspective my hands never left the wheel!

However it did highlight another disadvantage of push/pull in that I could often feel one hand wasn't contributing to the steering at all; it was just mirroring the movements of the other.

I didn't realize any of this until much later after the drive. My instructor was an experienced drifter and I've since adopted his approach on corners less than 90deg...
 

motec 6.9

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I dont i find it safer to hold the handle bars when on my bike. Lol but yes i normaly keep my hands on the wheel and cross them unless doing tight turns then use push pull otherwise keep my hands at 10 to 3 position . Having been a proffesional driver in the past i have done a couple of advanced driving courses. Unlike the person that passed mevon the way to the airport this morning. He was reading wh:eek:at looked like the Australian news paper while driving b
 

Styria

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I've got to think about this one. I think a lot has to to do with the positioning of the steering wheel in relation to your body and arms and hands. On the Statesman, the steering wheel is set somewhat high, and I tend to have my hands resting on the lowest part of the rim. The normal position of 10 and 2 (!) can be tiring. On both of my Mercedes cars, I am comfortable with the 10 and 2 position. The height is fine, particularly in the 116, albeit the wheel position could be a tad higher. Regards Styria
 

Tony66_au

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6/12 shuffle or Push pull, Mild cross over acceptable.

Distance from wheel with airbag is determined by placing my left elbow on the wheel center, left hand in a fist with my right hand as a fist ontop of my left fist although this is optional depending on seating.

I did the BMW drive day and got suckered into their advanced course, I am originally Hendon trained and did that and subsequent follow up training alongside other professional drivers.

I also did the Jim Murcott advanced defensive driving as a requirement for a company I worked for and I held a CAMS Competition license for a while as well as spending 4 years as a weekend dirt maniac.

Then add about 5 years of Driver training spending time with both Learnertics and then Heavy Vehicle assessment and training as well as occupational therapy assessments for both elderly and impaired adults.

I also have a hazardous conditions ticket for Bus and Truck and a PRA ticket (Petroleum refineries/Tanker) which means I can drive on snow and ice both of which I have done here and Overseas (Those US Concrete highways are scary).

My conclusions are these,

No one method works comfortably all the time, Advanced driver training or Defensive drive courses vary greatly and Australian driving conditions can be the most dangerous in the world.

If you are tired, distracted, sick or uncomfortable you ability is reduced by huge margins.

And if you cant spot an idiot in traffic no amount of training and experience will save you.

So I hedge my bets in a few ways.

My Family vehicles are Euro cars with impressive innovation and safety records ala Mercedes and Volvo. (I wont say Range Rover because they are somewhat safer but only if you really can drive and in normal hands are merely more dangerous to oncoming traffic lol )

I teach my kids and my wife to do hazard calls while they or I am driving and they do so as a game (Kids) or quietly as a matter of course if they are adults in the same manner any learner is quizzed by an instructor.

All good fun and my record is very good considering he millions of hours I have spent on the road.
 

Tony66_au

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Oh I forgot to add, my initial and I believe the best training has been the Hendon System of car control.

Which I am also qualified to teach.

This is the basis for many police forces, military and federal agencies.
 
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Oversize

Oversize

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Oh I forgot to add, my initial and I believe the best training has been the Hendon System of car control.

Which I am also qualified to teach.

This is the basis for many police forces, military and federal agencies.

Not so strangely I was taught this method after many years of driving and developing bad habits... For the most part it works well, but as Tony says it doesn't work under all circumstances
 

Tony66_au

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the yard stick or measure is how you fare when you re-train.

I have gone through this maybe 8 times in 28 years and every time I took away something that worked better than the way I used to do things.

Age, physical ability and condition play a large part as well as does the type of vehicle.

Many many variables.
 
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Oversize

Oversize

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I was just thinking I could do with a refresher!!! ;) I certainly was paying particular attention to the V8 Supercar drivers and their techniques over the weekend...
 

Tony66_au

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Go get a CAMS Competition license Mark and do the course, you will learn more about driving doing that than most advanced courses.
 

Tony66_au

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Why?

Because you never get the same level of practise on a 2 day advanced course as you do getting a full Comp ticket.

Also on an advanced course you dont get to play in traffic, its one at a time usually.

CAMS Comp ticket includes playing in traffic at Sandown or similar and when i did mine there was plenty of traffic :)
 
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