[s-cars] Re: heel-toe driving -- the final chapter

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

Marc:
Nice foot. :)  Your description is just one of many, my point is that claiming a "correct" method isn't right, it's either taught and/or adapted method based on foot size & shape, pedal location, shoes worn (I can "ball of foot"heel and toe a stock pedalled S car in my Nike sneakers, but not my Simpson moccs), and contortion abilities.  For more on the alternative techniques try the pics/descriptions at:

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving/driving_heeltoe.lasso
http://www.epinions.com/auto-review-1E7A-A9B13BC-39C0D6EC-prod1
http://www.teammatrix.com.my/Driving/hnt02.html
For the two techniques described on these lists, try:
http://www.tcsracing.org/heelandtoe.htm
or my "whatever works" support
http://www.trillium-bmwclub.ca/TrilliumBMW/Site.nsf/Public/b16f77392c609ef285256c8600818137

WRT to rallying, I'm not really with you on your description.  Your description is really in regards to LFB technique, not really H&T technique.  I started racing in rally 20+ years ago, and found that LFB is a much higher priority than H&T.  You can easily compensate for H&T with car placement, since "upsetting" the balance of the car is innate to the sport.  In quattros in rallying, you will see in the race videos that given the "opportunity" to H&T, the big boys do it, but never consistent.  In fact, the electro/hydraulic clutch button on the shifter homoged in late 83 (and used in all audisport rally cars since) pretty much deleted any need to master it.   What is consistent, is the LFB technique, get that shift out of the way and balance the car on throttle and brake.

Bottom Line:  H&T is a difficult place to spend your driving skills.  IMO/E, you master LFB on a quattro, and go to as many track events as you can.  Fine tune the car, fine tune your driving skills, figure out that torsen.  Then, when you have spent those hours, and understand what you need to do next, figure out which H&T technique works best.  That includes changing pedal location, pedal arcs (btdt) and even your shoes and maybe joining the wife in those yoga classes

We are talking advanced driving techniques here.  So advanced, that I chuckle reading them.  I'm trying to think of a handful of the hundreds of students I've ridden with over the years that clearly demonstrated it's benefit.  Former racers maybe, but even then, there is so much to learn in mastering quattro, H&T should be at the very bottom of the list.

My .02 arbitraged thru the peso

Scott twinkle toes well heeled Justusson


In a message dated 4/30/2003 7:22:26 PM Central Daylight Time, thecyberpoet at cyberpoet.net writes:

I confess after revisiting the subject, the fact that English is not my
first language may have caused more problems with the issue than I had
ever intended through non-shared definitions of foot parts
(specifically, where the ball is). The parts I used in my description
are as depicted here:
http://www.cyberpoet.net/audi/FootDiagram.jpg

Also note that the methods I were taught were NOT specifically deigned
for some form of transmission longevity, but rather for control of
rally vehicles on far less than ideal road conditions at high speeds.
The roll-on/roll-off helps maintain pitch, attitude and stability at
high speeds if done correctly over rather inhospitable terrain. I'll
leave the rest of the theory of why/when/how for an advanced course for
those of you who are in debate on this topic -- do what your
professional instructor teaches you...