| Braking late into corners in one of the best ways to | | | | pressure needed for maximum deceleration. |
| get good times on a track, and it goes without | | | | Locked wheel braking (Non-ABS cars) |
| saying that braking is a useful skill to master for | | | | Ok, so locked wheels aren't quite as good at slowing |
| safety's sake. There are several braking techniques | | | | you down as the threshold braking technique. |
| which will be discussed here, which will consider cars | | | | However there are situations when it's very difficult |
| with and without ABS (Anti-lock Braking System). | | | | to maintain braking without locking wheels, such as |
| "How much technique can there be to braking? Surely | | | | on icy roads. |
| it's just a matter of stamping on the pedal and | | | | In this case, sustained wheel lock might not be as |
| coming to a halt." | | | | bad as you might think. As long as you are heading in |
| Well, good braking technique is a compromise | | | | the right direction locked wheels will slow you down |
| between the two following factors: | | | | effectively, but remember that you'll be unable to |
| 1. If you have locked your front wheels, you lose | | | | steer. Which leads us onto the next |
| steering control | | | | technique…. |
| 2. The point of maximum deceleration is just before | | | | Avoidance braking (Non-ABS cars) |
| the point of wheel lock. | | | | "So, I'm on an icy road, going too fast (I'm sorry, but |
| If you'd like to experiment with various different | | | | it's a bit late for that now!), I've slammed on the |
| braking techniques, please do it on a track or on | | | | brakes, and now I'm hurtling towards a tree!" |
| private land where nobody will be at risk of being run | | | | Well, you've been silly, but all may not be lost. Keep |
| over! | | | | the wheels locked for as long as possible to scrub |
| Remember - it's always best to try and brake hard in | | | | off speed, and while you're doing this, apply a small |
| a straight line. | | | | amount of steering lock (quarter of a turn is a good |
| A note on ABS | | | | starting point). Now, release the brakes smoothly and |
| ABS is a marvellous invention. By rapidly applying the | | | | you should find that steering starts to work again. |
| brakes in pulses when wheel lock is detected, it | | | | Keep applying and releasing the brakes at points |
| allows you to both slow down and steer, | | | | where it is suitable, using small steering movements, |
| automatically. All you have to do is hit the brakes | | | | or you'll risk understeer or oversteer. This technique |
| hard and watch as you gracefully come to a halt. In | | | | works equally well in good conditions at speed, but |
| cars with ABS, many of the techniques listed here will | | | | really should only be used as an emergency |
| not be relevant (anything that mentions wheels | | | | procedure. |
| locking). However, ABS is not necessarily the quickest | | | | Cadence braking (Non-ABS cars) |
| method of coming to a halt, but we'll discuss that in a | | | | Cadence braking is a braking technique for very low |
| minute... | | | | grip surfaces such as an icy road - essentially applying |
| What is the fastest method of slowing down? | | | | and releasing the brakes rhythmically in order to get |
| 1 = Threshold braking | | | | a compromise between steering and braking |
| 2 = Locked wheels | | | | performance. As you apply the brakes, the wheels |
| 3 = ABS | | | | will tend to lock up, slowing the car but preventing |
| 4 = Cadence braking | | | | you from steering. As you release the brakes you |
| 5 = Parachute | | | | regain steering control and can keep the car pointing |
| Threshold braking (ABS and non-ABS cars) | | | | in the right direction. |
| Threshold braking is the best strategy to adopt to | | | | Attempting to use cadence braking on a good grip |
| gain maximum braking performance on tarmac. As | | | | surface at speed will result in weight transfers which |
| stated above, the point of maximum deceleration is | | | | can unsettle the car, possibly resulting in oversteer - |
| found just before the point of wheel lock, so it | | | | the last thing you need when trying to turn a corner. |
| makes sense to try and keep the braking pressure | | | | Not a technique to adopt for fast driving on good |
| just before this point. Practically, it's often very | | | | grip surfaces! |
| difficult to know exactly the point at which wheels | | | | Braking distances |
| will lock as many factors are at play such as tarmac | | | | If you go out to learn just one thing about your car, |
| conditions, tyre choice, brake temperature etc. | | | | try to get to the point where you instinctively know |
| So, unless you're a professional racing driver, the best | | | | what the stopping distance will be for different |
| strategy to adopt is to best to brake hard, and if | | | | speeds at maximum braking effort. Quoting figures |
| you find some wheels are locking, slightly releasing | | | | are mostly useless in real life situations, this is |
| the brakes and then reapplying with marginally less | | | | something that needs to be a split second decision, |
| pressure. As you learn how your car behaves in | | | | not a calculation. |
| these conditions you'll get better at judging the | | | | For more driving tips, please visit DrivingFast. |