Why turn off the "nannies" with normal driving?

[Revenant]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Amazing -- simply amazing.

I read these threads and I wonder.................


So - for all of you who think you're really great behind the wheel:

(...and I don't mean to belittle you, but I take great exception with your encouraging people to turn the traction control and stabilitrak off when they get behind the wheel......you are doing NO ONE a great service other than perhaps your ego...)

.....I have been to many of our 'tracks' that we sponsor. I've seen many "great drivers" - some of them famous race car drivers -- get behind the wheel of a Corvette or Camaro-- and make horrendous mistakes. THEY even admit that one of the best things we've ever done is to develop Stabilitrak. I distinctly remember one particular driver - very well known -- take a Camaro SS off the course sideways at an incredible speed - and I was certain that he'd roll the car. He DID deflate two tires........ (and we may have had to replace a seat cover.....)

But then - what do THEY know? Or our engineers, for that matter?

Did anyone miss the fact that race car drivers - some of the best in the world - have accidents?

Let me make something clear: as great as you think you are? You are not. Period. So stop telling people that it's OK to turn the "nannies" off. (stupid word- "nanny"...by the way....)

- I learned many years ago that you can lead a horse (or certain parts of the horse... ) ...to water, but you cannot make him drink it.

So -- for those of you who are 'great drivers' -- I hope I don't one day read of an accident involving your *incredible* driving skills. And I hope your "incredible" driving skills don't hurt or kill innocent people..............

You may not like what I'm saying - but again I will repeat: Your words encourage others to turn that switch to the 'off' setting - and I hold you responsible if something tragic happens. And I take great exception to your 'exceptionalism'.....so how 'bout just not posting and telling people it's OK? We won't miss your wisdom.




to the rest of you -- I apologize for taking such liberty with words -- but most of you have heard me say time and time again that I want each you around for a long time. And I really get upset when 'experts' encourage bad behaviour or worse. If my words stop ONE PERSON from doing something stupid - then I guess it's worth me upsetting a few people.

My apologies.

Well, I never encouraged anyone or told anyone to turn the nannies off. I simply said some of us can drive normally with them off.

Those race car drivers that wrecked those camaros were driving them on the performance edge getting the most out of them. Like i've said previously, just because someone chooses to turn the nannies off doesn't mean they are driving on the performance edge on their daily commute.

I have the basic motoring skills to react to wheel spin(throttle modulation) and skid recovery(turn in). I've felt it before, when you react to slip and correct and then the nannies do their correction, unexpected things can happen.

Now I hope no one says something like "How dare you talk to Scott that way." All men are equal and I have the freedom to express my opinion as do we all.

Respectfully, Eric

[OldScoolCamaro]

Norms correct IMHO...good observations...

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by stray bullitt

Even an experienced driver can be caught out.

Absolutely true. You can't know exactly where the limits are (were?) until you try to exceed them.

Originally Posted by The Stig

Also, that picture is from when the ZL1 was being tracked at VIR - IE a professional driver on a closed course.

Anybody with a driver's license, the requisite entry fee, and a tech-inspected safe car can run at speed at VIR or most other road courses throughout the country. Professional driver status is certainly not required (but yes, even they screw up from time to time).

In most cases, you'd have a qualified instructor sitting right seat for at least the first few sessions.

Not recognizing the "red mist" or changes in vehicle dynamics (i.e. tires "going away") and failing to then dial the driving intensity back SUFFICIENTLY can and will get even experienced track day enthusiasts in trouble.


Norm

[OHIOSS]

A guy that I introduced to the Gen 5 Camaro bought one a week or two ago. He was previously a Mustang owner which makes it even better. He asked me about different features and one of I told him was how to turn off all of the safety. Well he turned everything off and took off from a stop light and right into the curb. He has pretty bad road rash on the right side front and rear wheels.

Moral of the story....if you turn off the safety stuff go slow and ease into it. Don't just get the wheels spinning like crazy, you will end up losing control and damaging your car.

Russ

[Norm Peterson]

Even with the safety stuff left on, you really owe it to yourself to ease into using the performance of a new or new-to-you car anyway.

Chances are it won't either feel or drive quite like whatever you're coming out of, and just hammering on it will likely result in some unexpected sensations or behavior that you aren't instinctively sure how to handle. Which depending on circumstances, might even be more than the nannies can cover for.

I hope that guy takes the "ease into it regardless" lesson from that experience and that it lasts him a lifetime. In the long run, it'll be a cheap price to have paid. Trust me on that.


Norm

[INTIMIDAT3R]

Originally Posted by Deki

Because no real man needs no computer to tell him how to do something or when to do it. That's why I turn that shit off, pull a pin on a hand grenade, and just let it roll around in my passenger seat. Nothing better and manlier then a live M67 rolling around next to you while driving around with the nannies off.

Let us know how that works out for you.

[alaskacamaro]

I remember telling a co-worker about my car when I first bought it and he was shocked at the HP. He told me in his day, 250hp was crazy. Then again, in his day muscle cars did not have all the computer control/assistance with power management so I could see how it would be easy to loose it.

I spent 40K (plus an additional 10K soon for upgrades) on my car and I don't plan on doing anything stupid to destroy it. I also plan on seeking out some professional help on how to handle and drive this car properly when I want to "open it up" on a track. I was under the false impression when I first got into this car (not too long ago) that TC and ST were a handicap to performance and removing them gave a muscle/sports car its true potential. Luckily I figured it out before I did anything stupid.

[alaskacamaro]

Originally Posted by INTIMIDAT3R

Let us know how that works out for you.

I believe (I hope) he is just being sarcastic...

[oldfriend]

Originally Posted by INTIMIDAT3R

Let us know how that works out for you.

Has been about three weeks since he said what he was going to do
And he didn't come back yet .

[CamaroJim56]

I have a problem with some saying "I have been driving 40, 50 etc. years" I can control this, I am a great driver, etc.

Maybe you are, but your reaction times have changed, it is a fact of aging.

I have been driving 40 years, and would never think that I am a great driver, hell, probably only an average driver, and I am sure as much as I would like to think otherwise, my reaction time has changed from when I was 30.

Age does usually make one wiser, not necessarily better. Experience helps, but degrades with age. My dad has been driving for 70 years, but I doubt he is a "good" driver today, and he was a professional driver his entire life.

[90503]

I need to confess...had my car two years, never have touched t/c or stabilitrak buttons...lol...

...Think I'll save them for my bucket list, or if I ever go postal...lol

[Emig5m]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

.....I have been to many of our 'tracks' that we sponsor. I've seen many "great drivers" - some of them famous race car drivers -- get behind the wheel of a Corvette or Camaro-- and make horrendous mistakes.

^This. Being a so-called good driver doesn't make you immune to mistakes. Mistakes happen with the highest level of driving experience no one can argue that. I wish I had some type of Stabilitrak/Traction Control when this happened....



....I probably would not have totaled my vehicle.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by CamaroJim56

I have a problem with some saying "I have been driving 40, 50 etc. years" I can control this, I am a great driver, etc.

Maybe you are, but your reaction times have changed, it is a fact of aging.

I have been driving 40 years, and would never think that I am a great driver, hell, probably only an average driver, and I am sure as much as I would like to think otherwise, my reaction time has changed from when I was 30.

Age does usually make one wiser, not necessarily better. Experience helps, but degrades with age. My dad has been driving for 70 years, but I doubt he is a "good" driver today, and he was a professional driver his entire life.

Here is a good motto to drive by...
"Always drive like you're not as good as you think you are"

[heRS]

Here's another good motto to drive by:
It's not the speed that kills, it's those abrupt stops.

Been driving asshappy chevies forever. It's about time they figured it out Thank you GM, fbodfather, for bringing great handling to our beloved Chevrolet.