Re: [alfa] Row over steering techniques

["Gregory S. Youngblood" <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I like your daughter sticking to her guns.

Your question got me thinking, so I started googling. The first thing I
found is that more than one place says flat out 10 and 2 are NOT where the
hands should be. More than one place, including a race driving instructor,
says that 9 and 3 are optimum.

Then I found this, and I think it might be useful for you:
http://www.autobytel.com/content/research/index.cfm?action=showArticle&aid=137038

Here's an excerpt:
No More Hand Over Hand
This "new" theory of hand placement also requires a different method of
steering. In the past, driver's education courses often taught a "hand
over hand" method when taking turns. Using this method would mean that
your hands have to be placed on the upper portion of the wheel at several
points during the turn---a big no-no.

And this:
The classic, standard hand position on your wheel is to put your hands at
10 and 2 o'clock. That old standard derives from a steering technique
called "hand-over-hand" in which, in a large turn, the arms nearly cross
and the driver releases and regrips the steering wheel if necessary. Since
virtually all movement of the wheel is accomplished by the
downward-pulling hand, the 10-2 position, which puts the palms downward,
uses some of the arms' smaller muscles for steering.

A better steering technique is called "shuffle steering." In this method,
the pulling hand and arm move the wheel while the other hand loosens its
grip slightly to let the wheel slide through. If necessary in a large
turn, hands can shuffle and steer alternately. The driver's hands, when
not turning, are farther down, at 9 and 3 o'clock on the wheel. With palms
turned more inward in this position, the driver uses larger arm muscles.
This gives better control and produces less fatigue. The hands are always
on the wheel, and the hand that's "shuffling" is ready to regrip the wheel
to turn in the opposite direction instantly. Recent studies of airbag
safety and internal injuries have indicated that perhaps the 8 and 4
o'clock hand positions are even better.

This 9-3 or 8-4 hand position also decreases the likelihood that the
driver will over-steer the car. All unnecessary steering wheel movement
should be eliminated from your driving, in the interests of efficiency,
comfort and tire wear. Far too many drivers make tiny and unnecessary
corrections to their car's direction constantly. They saw at the wheel,
however slightly. Looking well ahead of the car, as we discussed in our
first article, will help eliminate this.
-- http://www.racingschools.com/tips/steering.shtml

Hope these help..

On Mon, 22 Mar 2004, Bain, Bill wrote:

> I've had the "pleasure" of teaching both my children how to drive, and I
> have made it a point to teach both of them to shuffle steer instead of
> "hand over hand."  Unfortunately, they have to take state-mandated
> drivers' education and the instructors insist that they *must* use "hand
> over hand'.  My son was astute enough to just say "yes, sir" and do it
> that way for the instructor.  My daughter, who actually got her license
> before the state scheduled her training, told the instructor that she
> was taught to shuffle steer and if it was good enough to go around race
> tracks, it ought to be good enough for the state.  The instructor
> insists that it's unsafe to shuffle steer on the street because you
> can't turn as tightly as quickly as you can with hand over hand, to
> which my daughter replied that, even if that's true, if you needed to
> turn that quickly that tightly, something else is the matter, like the
> driver wasn't paying attention.  Needless to say, the instructor wasn't
> thrilled and refused to drive with her unless she agreed to do hand over
> hand.
>
> He's called me about it, left a message that I've taught my kids
> unsafely.  So -- 1st question -- am I wrong?  2nd question -- if not,
> anybody got any good references that I can use to silence this buffoon?
> Thanx.
>
> Bill Bain
> AROC Atlanta
>
> P.S. Anybody heard from John Hertzman lately?  He's been awfully quiet.
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