Go Fast, Keep Control, Stay Fresh!

I was tearing down a small, windy road. There's a sharp turn ahead! Speed limit: Legally 35mph although the orange signs said the so-called “safe” speed was 10, maybe 20 tops. I can't be sure because I didn't care. I pressed the brake, slowing the little yellow Nissan Versa from 40 to about 30. I released most but not all of the brake pressure as I entered the turn. I cranked the wheel and then transitioned from braking to coasting to four cylinders roaring as I went through the turn. By keeping some pressure on the brake I was improving the grip of my front tires by shifting the Versa's weight distribution towards the front, especially helpful for a front-driver like the Versa.

What I just described to you is the perfect driver's ed behind-the-wheel lesson - one where your teacher is an advanced vehicle dynamics/high-speed driving instructor whose weekend job is teaching driver's ed. It feels incredible to blast through a turn like that, when you're moving fast but in total control.

Driving in general is fun if you do it right, which is why everyone should learn to appreciate it. Just take a car, (Anything works, although ideally not some giant land-yacht SUV.) and go for a drive on some back-roads. Get a feel for the car, see how it responds to steering, braking, and accelerating. Pay attention to things like how much the body rolls when going around corners and how much it leans when braking and accelerating. Then you will enter the realm of the driving enthusiast, where you realize the true purpose of driving: enjoyment. Suddenly, that Miata or 911 you always wanted will start becoming less of a "want" and more of a "need". Once you gain a bit of mastery of your car, you’ll get so much more out of driving to the point where your daily commute might actually feel fresh. You might find yourself gravitating towards the scenic route, you're early, you have time to have some fun. If you have been particularly touched, you might even want to pay a visit to your local car dealer and test-drive some hot-hatches or convertibles. Most of you thought you did everything right by slowing down for a turn, but now you realize that you were dry.  

​Now that you have a few pointers, you have your foot in the door for understanding other articles that might be a little more advanced, and use them to get from dry to fresh at the drop of a dime.