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| Twistiest junkie.. |
While a straight road is undoubtedly the fastest way of getting
to your destination, I find that to be the most uninspired of way of
transporting yourself in a car. Recently, it has become wonderfully clear to me
that I am destined to get to my destination not at the earliest but rather with
smiles that can only be collected by spirited driving on a winding road.
to your destination, I find that to be the most uninspired of way of
transporting yourself in a car. Recently, it has become wonderfully clear to me
that I am destined to get to my destination not at the earliest but rather with
smiles that can only be collected by spirited driving on a winding road.
In the US, the search of winding roads had left me deciding
between 300 – 400 miles long worth of road trips. Usually mountains would offer
the best chance but modern road construction technology allowed road builders
to bridge over valleys or dig through mountains. I always had to find a B road
that didn’t involve the farmers hauling with their tractor or older drivers who
were out for a bit of a wander.
between 300 – 400 miles long worth of road trips. Usually mountains would offer
the best chance but modern road construction technology allowed road builders
to bridge over valleys or dig through mountains. I always had to find a B road
that didn’t involve the farmers hauling with their tractor or older drivers who
were out for a bit of a wander.
But here in Germany, Black Forest is nestled within a stone’s
throw from my place. A quick scan of Google maps to find the squiggliest of roads
decided the route. A destination was selected because one must always a
destination. But a target time was not considered. Sure enough, my wonderful
new white angle and I went right across the Black Forest, a distance measuring
an odd 100 km but taking the both of us over three hours. Frolicking through
the bends, squealing the tires and heating up the brakes, as God had intended…
throw from my place. A quick scan of Google maps to find the squiggliest of roads
decided the route. A destination was selected because one must always a
destination. But a target time was not considered. Sure enough, my wonderful
new white angle and I went right across the Black Forest, a distance measuring
an odd 100 km but taking the both of us over three hours. Frolicking through
the bends, squealing the tires and heating up the brakes, as God had intended…
If I look back, my penchant for lateral forces goes back to my
earlier years. A crawl through a smallish mountain with a 1970’s Fiat that my
Dad man handled on our way to a temple turned into a drive to spark a dream. In
those few hairpin bends as my brother and I tossed around in the back seat, I had
decided that this was the only way to drive.
earlier years. A crawl through a smallish mountain with a 1970’s Fiat that my
Dad man handled on our way to a temple turned into a drive to spark a dream. In
those few hairpin bends as my brother and I tossed around in the back seat, I had
decided that this was the only way to drive.
No matter which trip followed after, my interest would always
peak in the bends. I had become addicted to these wonderful lateral forces that
one experiences in these turns. The anticipation of what lies behind the bend,
the enhanced attention of the driver and the passengers, and the physical
squealing of the tire through an open window made for joyous times. I began to
seek such sideways interactions endlessly. On roller coasters that went higher
and turned faster, I feasted. On motor cycles, I leaned until the foot rests
scraped. On the cars I owned I constantly waited for the next turn. In fact the
sole aim of going on race tracks with my Lotus was to do this repeatedly, in 20
minutes sessions, until either the car or I would quit.
peak in the bends. I had become addicted to these wonderful lateral forces that
one experiences in these turns. The anticipation of what lies behind the bend,
the enhanced attention of the driver and the passengers, and the physical
squealing of the tire through an open window made for joyous times. I began to
seek such sideways interactions endlessly. On roller coasters that went higher
and turned faster, I feasted. On motor cycles, I leaned until the foot rests
scraped. On the cars I owned I constantly waited for the next turn. In fact the
sole aim of going on race tracks with my Lotus was to do this repeatedly, in 20
minutes sessions, until either the car or I would quit.
This quest for going round a bend as fast as possible is the
only reason I have been a Lotus fan since I was 16. So much so, that for the
last decade or so I have made it my profession to chase chassis improvements
and vehicle dynamics. Of course the engine is an integral part of any
automobile. But for me, it was irrelevant what powered the car. It only
mattered how she went round a bend.
only reason I have been a Lotus fan since I was 16. So much so, that for the
last decade or so I have made it my profession to chase chassis improvements
and vehicle dynamics. Of course the engine is an integral part of any
automobile. But for me, it was irrelevant what powered the car. It only
mattered how she went round a bend.
When you drive straight, even if you are pushing well past 200
Km/h, the dynamics of the chassis are relatively steady state. Of course the
engine the drive train components are spinning madly but the chassis itself is
in equilibrium. It is a stagnation of sorts. But as soon as you turn the
steering, an infinitely amount of dynamics start to occur. There is the weight
transfer, deflection of springs, a contact patch alteration and the lateral loading
of the car that starts to build up. There is the physics of Vehicle dynamics to
be considered but when this physics manifests itself as a strain on your neck
or mid-section, mathematical equations take a back seat.
Km/h, the dynamics of the chassis are relatively steady state. Of course the
engine the drive train components are spinning madly but the chassis itself is
in equilibrium. It is a stagnation of sorts. But as soon as you turn the
steering, an infinitely amount of dynamics start to occur. There is the weight
transfer, deflection of springs, a contact patch alteration and the lateral loading
of the car that starts to build up. There is the physics of Vehicle dynamics to
be considered but when this physics manifests itself as a strain on your neck
or mid-section, mathematical equations take a back seat.
Lateral forces are hard to understand
This fascination for lateral G’s has become a mantra for me.
Cars I have liked and have bought don’t necessarily have the best features but
are almost no slouches in the bends. Even the Front wheel drive Acura, had held
her own with an independent rear suspension and a steering rack sent from the
heavens.
Cars I have liked and have bought don’t necessarily have the best features but
are almost no slouches in the bends. Even the Front wheel drive Acura, had held
her own with an independent rear suspension and a steering rack sent from the
heavens.
There is much good to be said about steady state. But for me it
has always held a negative connotation. I believe in the magic of transitions. In
the chaos of movement and the deflection and jouncing of springs! It is cheesy,
but I find that to be analogous with us living. The objective should never be
to avoid life’s next treacherous bend but rather to find a medium to take that
turn as fast as possible.
has always held a negative connotation. I believe in the magic of transitions. In
the chaos of movement and the deflection and jouncing of springs! It is cheesy,
but I find that to be analogous with us living. The objective should never be
to avoid life’s next treacherous bend but rather to find a medium to take that
turn as fast as possible.
Wonderful Dushyant! Remember it was always a dispute between us that who will drive in Ghats. Remember driving down 'Tirupati" ghats at 80 Kmph in our Maruti 800 in 1994? Yes, it is hairpin bend that excites us most and terrifies your Mom at the most. Loved the blog.
There is a Maniratnam movie called "Iruvar" that has wonderful Tamil dialogues….More poetry than prose… For the most part when watching it I could not understand the dialogue even though it is my mother tongue but I remembered loving the "feel" of it. Reading this post reminded me of that movie experience. You have related something that I cannot fully comprehend but the passion in your description..It steered me through the twisty bends of a
"contact patch alteration and the lateral loading of the car" and all the way to the end of your post and somehow i can "feel" what you mean.
Baba: Thanks! I remember the childhood in cars so vividly. I had to! there werent many pictures back then 🙂
AugustB: Thanks so much. Think you are being exceptionally kind but its nice of you be so thoughtful. I am glad that you continued reading even when I started waxing eloquent on Physics..