How has Simulated Racing/Driving affected your real life road driving?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by matf1, Oct 28, 2014.

  1. matf1

    matf1 Registered

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    Driving home from work tonight, I caught myself watching the eyes of the driver I'm following on the straights. Not once in over 5 minutes did they look in either the rear view or side mirrors.
    Subconsciously, I tend to do this on the long straights where there are no passing opportunities. I think it's more likely to be able to react quicker if I see their reaction as opposed to seeing the braking/swerving etc. after that initial reaction. Mostly these are higher cars I cannot see around.

    When approaching a bend, I'm aware of my surroundings and tend to look to apex while keeping the car in front in my peripheral. Observing most others, they just focus on the car in front.
    I'm going to try and pay more attention to the differences between everyday drivers and my natural driving behaviours, although it tends to be difficult when they are always in my mirrors :p

    It makes me curious how sim driving has influenced your on-road driving?
     
  2. Shamrock

    Shamrock Registered

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    Without a doubt, reflexes, and focus.
     
  3. Eddy

    Eddy Registered

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    Agree with Shamrock, and i have become much more relaxed in traffic. I don't need to drive that fast anymore in real life because i get my speedkicks from simracing. Still drive to fast tho lol.....just payed my last speeding ticket but i'm driving 50k km a year so the risk of being caught is large....
     
  4. xAcid9

    xAcid9 Registered

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    When the road is clear, i always aim at the apex and use whole width of the road...
     
  5. Lenniepen

    Lenniepen Registered

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    When driving on the highway, I noticed I watch my mirrors a lot, so I always know where all cars are. To the front, I always look a few cars ahead to adapt as smoothly as possible to speed differences, cars changing lanes etc.
    I something try to push a (non existing) button on my steering wheel, to look back :p

    I once did a Skid control course, where I showed some nice reactions and control, while staying calm. It felt quite natural to me, apart from the g-forces on grippy asphalt.
     
  6. Minibull

    Minibull Member

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    I turned ABS and TC off in my car. I think I might try stop using auto clutch from now on too, but we'll see how that goes.

    I think the other major thing I've found is just the ease of hitting Esc and going return to garage. So zippy to get back home XD


    On a serious note, it hasn't changed the way I ride my bike or drive my car. On a bike (on the road) you are already doing your best to be aware of what is going on all around you, be smooth with your lines and choose your lines well, controlling the loading/weight transfer of the bike, etc. I feel defensive driving course and training courses have a much bigger impact on my real road skills.
     
  7. bwana

    bwana Registered

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    I tend to stop at red lights more so I don't have to do a drive through. Glad I don't have to see some ugly guy walking backwards in front of my garage either
     
  8. Rony1984

    Rony1984 Registered

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    Every time I get into the car directly after having done some laps in the virtual world, I feel much more in control and the world seems to fly by slower, a bit like in slow-motion. For me, definitely a sign that the senses are sharpend and it hence is a good training.
     
  9. jkn87

    jkn87 Registered

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    Zero change.

    Are u guys serious?????????????????
     
  10. Paul_Ceglia

    Paul_Ceglia Registered

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    Sh|t, I push my work truck to understeer while exiting highways that have tight radius ramps lol, I like when its damp and on a concrete surface, the car likes to four wheel drift a bit, I do this because I'm crazy. I also enjoy snow and have a better understanding of weight transfer because of rf2. Sim racing has most definitely given me more balls IRL, my wife enjoys it too although see says she doesn't, no means yes, right?
     
  11. hexagramme

    hexagramme Registered

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    Very very interesting thread this. I have yet to get my drivers licence, so I can't contribute much. I am however very interested in hearing how virtual racing can affect real life driving.
     
  12. Woodee

    Woodee Registered

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    After sim racing for a few years... when I finally took to a karting track in competitive racing I reckon it taught me to go for gaps and some racing etiquette.
     
  13. DurgeDriven

    DurgeDriven Banned

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    wookie !



    ;)

    On a serious note far too many simmers use it.
     
  14. 1959nikos

    1959nikos Registered

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    Exactly the same here, though I'm maybe just getting err, mature :rolleyes:

    Btw some months ago I kept changing gear with no clutch coming back home tired from work, the sound was awfull...
    Tried to left foot brake too, no success, the guy at the back was furious...

    :D
     
  15. jerrymcc

    jerrymcc Registered

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    For me, I think it added situation awareness, and less chance of panic in a difficult situation.

    On a trip a couple of years ago, I was driving on a 4 lane highway at about 65mph, in a lot of traffic. Someone in a small sport utility vehicle (somewhat top heavy) was surprised with the car in front of them braked rather quickly. I was about 3 car lengths behind them. That car swerved to avoid rear ending the other car, overcorrected, and started to lose control. I had no where to go, but eased up a little, and allowed that car to eventually spin off the road and flip on it's side.

    I didn't panic, swerving myself or slamming on the brakes and probably getting rear ended myself ... I just let it finish and adjust to avoid getting involved.

    I think sim racing helped me stay calm and aware in close quarters and able to avoid getting involved, even the that car was 10-15ft in front of me.
     
  16. lamo

    lamo Registered

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    Hi,
    I started using heel and toe technique while downshifting, which is great fun.
     
  17. Valter Cardoso

    Valter Cardoso Registered

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    Cant answer.
    Simracing since Geoff Crammond Grand Prix - 1992
    Driving since - 1997

    Simracing appear first. That block buildings from microprose didnt had any expression on my driving in 97. :)

    Guess the biggest thing people get from simracing is knowing the tracks even if 99% will never race there in real life.

    PS- Penalty system should be present in real life.....so many people with +255kg.
     
  18. Prodigy

    Prodigy Registered

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    I've used to drive with one hand a lot, where second was on the shifter all the time. Slow corners, highway roads, 200kmh, it didn't matter. Driving with two hands on the wheel was feeling weird. It was an habbit that has grown since 15 years ago when I was young and fool, showing off with friends, drifting in corners etc.. Now, since years of simracing, two hands are always on the wheel, my senses are much more active and so are my reflexes.

    Maybe it does seams crazy, but simracing did affected my RL driving.
     
  19. Denstjiro

    Denstjiro Registered

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    I usually drive with a colleague to work, he is mad about Gran Turismo, he knows i'm a sim racer, he thinks he can drive really well, my early morning wake-up-drives always ends up in hating his guts. bugger off fanboy, you aint a racecar driver, just drive smoothly and let me wake up slowly ffs :p

    Other then that I noticed a very low sun this afternoon and everything on the highway looked really HDRry, could not help but think about rf2 :)
     
  20. Guimengo

    Guimengo Guest

    The only affect I've had was driving on snow and icy conditions, thanks to having to control the cars in GPL. I could feel the car lighten up and knew to reduce my inputs and avoid the brake, to smoothly reposition the car (with very minor FWD drift) and only then proceed to slow down at a better rate.
     

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