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Modern Handling: was AutoX wreck photo

To: James Creasy <jcre@mozart.com>
Subject: Modern Handling: was AutoX wreck photo
From: Rich Urschel <OSP13@attglobal.net>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 16:26:40 -0400
James Creasy wrote:

> actually i think the suspension designs are so good these days they actually
> make it harder to learn to drive because they cover up so many things.

I would add that many imports are so good these days that it is
literally impossible to learn anything at all driving on the street.
By the time the suspension starts to give discernible feedback
you are going insanely fast for a public road.

It has also been pointed out to me that young people in general
don't know anything at all about how their vehicles work either
because cars just don't have those monthly mechanical break
downs requiring immediate diagnosis anymore.

So here's autox learning tip number umpteen, and I'm not
kidding. Find a daily driver with only modest handling so
you can feel the tires working and can practice optimizing
grip every day. Personally, I think my Jeep Cherokee (not
Grand) is just about perfect. With it's high center of gravity
it even teaches you about oscillating weight transfers which
is very useful for ripping through slaloms safely, and when
it's time to start steering downhill because you're going to go
in that direction on your roof anyway if you don't.

On the other hand I almost regret having honored Boz's
request to ride with him Sunday. Today I found myself
looking up the price of a BMW M Roadster. Can I say,
"too much?" I knew I could.

Rich Urschel


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