"jjhats" (ssaxman)
10/01/2015 at 10:22 • Filed to: None
1
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"jjhats" (ssaxman)
10/01/2015 at 10:22 • Filed to: None | 1
| 15 |
im supposed to drive this sunday and am close to wahsington DC with strong rainfall predicted throughout the weekend. Why is this not considered very unsafe and what can I do to prepare. im not afraid to spin my car but think its dumb and dangerous considering the light poles and workers to potentially hit. im running a focus ST on PSS
Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:27 |
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Just dial your driving back a bit. You’ll find that you reach your limits and the car’s limits much faster in the rain. Everyone will be a lot slower.
Someone in the Chicago region told me a story about someone who brought a rental car on all-seasons, I think it was a Cruze or Malibu, to an autocross where it rained heavily. They destroyed a ton of really fast cars because none of the other cars were on tires that were meant to handle well in heavy rain. Thought that was pretty funny.
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jjhats
> Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
10/01/2015 at 10:28 |
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definitely. the miatas on slicks will be fucked.
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Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:28 |
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They’ll know what it feels like to autocross an FR-S on OE “Prius” tires. lol
daender
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:29 |
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I’d take it more as a challenge if it weren’t a parking lot and instead something more open. Autocrossing in the rain is a great way to find your car’s limits in the wet, also you get to go sideways more often. However, if the location you’re going to has a bunch of light poles and whatnot, then take it easy. That said, if you’re endangering workers, then you’re going way too fast and/or driving way too dangerously.
Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:32 |
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If the organisers are good, they will design the course where potential spins don’t put cars near workers or obstacles.
I’ve done a few rain events and they’re fun. It’s a different challenge. You have to find where the grip is. Plus you can drift everywhere.
Needmoargarage
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:40 |
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Course designers will always situate the course and worker stations such that expected spins and slides will be away from poles and workers. Just take it easy and build up from there. You shouldn’t have much trouble with a FWD car on street tires, especially with electronic assists. I always learn about twice as much as a driver on wet track days as you can approach limits of a vehicle at much lower (safer) speeds. Have fun and don’t worry too much!
Future next gen S2000 owner
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:41 |
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1. Bring rain gear.
2. drive slower. There is nothing inherently dangerous about autocrossing in the rain. Corner workers will be out of the way and watching you slip and slide all over the place. The course should be designed so that any foreseeable slide and spins don’t happen near hard objects. There are limits as to how close the course can be to objects like that.
Trunk Impaired 318
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:41 |
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If the people designing the course take their job seriously (i don’t see why they wouldnt) they should have it set up so that if there’s a certain portion where spinning is likely, you’ll spin away from poles and workers. We do this for every event rain or shine. Also our last event was in a complete downpour and although there were spins (myself included) I was very surprised how well my car behaved, with RWD and on Ventus RS3s (they do not like the cold or wet) I would imagine that you’ll be just fine in the FoST
Justin Hughes
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 10:45 |
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I’ve been that Miata on slicks. When it was dry, I made 55 second runs. For the final run of the day, the sky opened up and there was standing water everywhere. 73 seconds, and it was all I could do to keep the back wheels behind the fronts.
That said, don’t quit an autocross just because it rains. The reduced traction is an excellent opportunity to practice your car control skills. You might want to bring whatever rain gear you have, in case you end up standing out in the rain fixing cones for an hour or two.
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jjhats
> Needmoargarage
10/01/2015 at 10:47 |
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I always turn off my electronic stuff. should I leave it on?
SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 11:07 |
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Why is that unsafe?
I assume it’s WDCR at Fed Ex field? That region isn’t full of idiots who don’t know how to design safe courses.
I know a bunch of people from that region
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jjhats
> SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
10/01/2015 at 11:16 |
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its mazda club at bowie
Nonster
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 11:17 |
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autox in the rain is fun! Until you have to work the course and just standing in the rain and constantly resetting cones that every car will inevitably hit hahaha
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SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 11:17 |
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I can’t speak to them but I imagine they know how to avoid obstacles when designing courses
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Needmoargarage
> jjhats
10/01/2015 at 11:41 |
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It likely won’t make you any faster until you get really comfortable with the car at its limit. If you’re worried about spinning then I’d say leave it on.