Pupils spin out on runway course

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 386, 14 May 1991, Page 9

Pupils spin out on runway course

BY

Robert

milne

"This guy can't be serious - he want's me to drive through that lot!" was my first reaction to Bill Hadley' s request for me to drive at 40 kph straight towards a bunch of orange cones on the Waiouru Army Training Group airfield, with no obvious escape route

All I could see happening was a screech of tyres, a spin-out and cones flying in all directions in my first attempt at the evasive action part of the Nissan Anti-Skid Training course held at Waiouru last week by tutor Bill Hadley. It wasn't quite that bad and his method of avoiding the cones, representing mum and two kids stepping out in front of the lane, worked amazingly well even first time. And after about a dozen attempts Mama Cone (the most vulnerable) didn't even get her toes squashed. My fellow pupils, Chris Jackson and Dot Burgess of Telecom had lots of comments about the state of the cone representing a telephone pole! "For a tutor it's the greatest buzz to instil a subconscious reaction into a student," had been Bill's words earlier, and this proved to be the value of this very practical course. About 15 minutes of the fourhour course is theory and the rest is practical driving instruction on how to handle a car in a skid and how to use it to advantage in situations such as the evasive action exercise. With this approach I wondered at the end of the course if I had actually leamed anything - I had no course notes or other bits of paper to remind me. But the idea is that the skills are now ingrained, to be used when and if I need them. Swedish invention At the heart of the course is the $60,000 Swedish-invented car cradle that is attached to the small Nissan car. Its set up like trainer wheels on all four corners of the

vehicle and with hydraulic rams controlled by the tutor, traction on any or all four tyres can be altered to simulate any driving conditions. Even different cars. To start the course I drove a kilometre-long slalom course over and over. First as normal, then with the car mimicking a heavy Falcon loosing it on every corner, then with power steering so you can't feel the road, right through to driving on ice. To test whether a pupil has the skills embedded in the subconscious, Bill introduces distracting conversation and if the car is still handled correctly, chances are the job is done. To help things along we later asked if he'd like us to be the rowdy kids in the back seat! I asked Bill if the course was just suited to the average driver. He said it is altered to suit anyone, with beginner drivers being good subjects because they don't have bad habits to break down. He said professional drivers can also gain from the course. Arranged skid . "We just dial up driving conditions that are even harder." There are two other level courses, advanced and an "antiterrorist" course, but all drivers start at this level, said Bill. He said rally driver Deni Hulme has done the course and even he was able to hone his skills in the antiskid car. "He still reached his limitations," said Bill. And if the student is just too good? They can't be - a skid can always be arranged at the most unlikely moment. To finish off my instruction Bill directs me past a puddle to the

carpark and I soon find traction slipping away. "No matter - I've got this sussed," is my reaction. But the car keeps on spinning, totally out of control. "That was black ice - didn't you see it." said Bill. "That is just a reminder that this doesn't make you invulnerable. If you're nuts enough to drive 100 k's on sheet ice there's a place upstairs for you." You can control a skid if all the variables are within certain limits - but past that and no amount of training can help, that's part of the message. Taking a back seat to Chris Jackson's lesson I was surprised at how slow the driving was. The slalom course is driven at about 15-25 kph and the evasive action and pulse braking sections at 40 kph. But the slalom is set out, and the car adjusted so that the conditions match 80 to 100 kph, so when you're in the driver's seat the speed seems high enough.

The course is sponsored heavily - it would be too expensive without it - by Nissan, Dunlop and a number of Tauranga based companies. Nissan provides cars to

Polytechs around the country who want to set up the course, and Dunlop provide the two sets of tyres needed per car per week. Dunlop take back the tyres and

the relevant information and use the data in their tyre research. The Waiouru course was held at the airfield thanks to the co-operation of the Army.

I haven't heard yet whether I passed or not but perhaps the real test will be the next sticky - or should I say nonsticky driving situation I find myself in.