16 - Friday, February 2, 1990 — North Shore News A UTOG6GOM OT J vy E s Learn to drive on ice with skid car AT ONE time or another, every driver has the experience of driving on snow or ice when the car begins to slide uncontrollably. Remember that feeling of sheer panic and helplessness when you pressed the brakes and nothing happened? Or when you turned the steering wheel and the car continued to slide straight ahead? Now, with the help of a new skid car developed in Sweden, motorists can learn how to drive on any type of surface, from dry pavement to glare ice, at any time of the year. The skid car is a steel- framed dolly with four castor-type wheels upon which is placed an ordinary car (in this case, 2 BMW 325ix sedan). Each corner of the bed can be raised or lowered hydraulically from a control box inside the car. The effect of raising one or all of the tires is a loss of traction, similar to what would occur “Based on manufacturers sut Adding to the excellent performance of this German-engineered 7990 Jetta is the fact that it now comes equipped with more standard features than last year’s model. And it costs less. So now all the comfort and convenience of power steering, height adjustable front seats if the car was riding on ice or snow. I recently had a chance to drive the skid car at the Formula Shell Winter Driv- Auto Motion “Greg: Wilson ee ing Clinic operated by Pro- Formance Advanced Driving School in Coquitlam. Sitting in the passenger seat, Chief Driving Instruc- tor Ross Bentley gave me some initial advice on con- trolling the car in a skid. “Do you know what understeer and oversteer are?”’ he asks. HAVE AN ICBC INJURY CLAIM? ICBC setttes claims every day, you don't. ICBC wants to settle claims quickly and for as little as reasonably possible, you don't. Get a professional on your side. Call Terence Harris, Lawyer Peterson Stark & Fowler 987-3843 evenings 736-9811 daily for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION Our 1990 Jetta is better Limited Supply Otter good through February 17/90 (Yes) $43,400* Sale only at Capilano VW and steering wheel, rear stabilizer bar and plush velour upholstery are yours to enjoy as standard features. The 1990 Jetta. More car, less money. Jetta ted retail price for 4-door model with S spd manual transmusson 2-door model starts at $13.400 /ations, freight anc ore-delivery inspection extra Dealer may sell for less Remeber... VWs Ccostless af. , CAPILANO VOLKSWAG EN LTD. I explain to him to the best of my ability how a car understeers when it loses traction in the front and tends to plow ahead instead of turning properly. And how oversteer is the condi- tion where the rear wheels lose traction and the rear- end tends to swing out. ““Good”’ he says. ‘*Let’s try a little oversteer first.”” He directs me to pick up speed and go around the parking lot in a circular di- rection, As I make a right turn, the back end of the car suddenly swings out to my left. I dutifully correct the skid by turning the stcering wheel to the left and then straighten the car out by turning back to the right. “fm impressed with the way you handled the oversteer,’’ Ross says. Beaming with confidence, I felt ready for the next manoeuvre. “*Let's try some understeering,’’ he says. This time, the front end began to plow straight ahead as I made a left-hand turn, It all adds up to great vaiue. from Volkswagen 1151 MARINE DR., N. VAN. . 985-0694. : so I turned the wheel harder to the left. The car did not respond. I frantically hit the brakes, also without effect. The car slid to a stop having failed to negctiate the turn. A little red-faced, 1 turned to Ross and asked him what 1 did wrong. “A common mistake of many drivers when understeering is to keep tur- ning the wheel,’’ Bentley says. ‘‘You should turn only a little, or straighten the wheel out a bit to regain control. When the car starts to understeer, let off the gas (pedal) a bit. You can actu- ally use the gas pedal to help steer the car." Trying this again, I found that his suggestions worked and that some control was possible. “Now, I want you to ac- celerate hard in a straight line. When you reach 50 km/h, slam on the brakes and turn the wheel quickly all the way to the left and then all the way te the right.” With some trepidation and more than a little hesitation, I did what he askea. As I braked hard, the car slid straight ahead and did not respond when I turned the wheel left and then right. “That’s what it’s like on any icy surface,’’ Ross ex- plains. ‘*You have very little braking control and virtually no steering control.’”’ My next experience was even more revealing. Enter- ing a right turn at 30 km/h, Ross surprised me. “Now you're on glare ice,’’ he says with a little smile. See Brush Page 78 Te Che .. With the B.C. LIONS! The Great Capilano River Duck Race presents some of your favorite B.C. Lions. Come and meet Tony Martino, Paul Whetmore and Jamie Buis on February 3. at., February 3 at., February 10 THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER north shore. SUNDAY « For more information — 980-DUCK. WEDNESO@AY - FRIDAY Lynn Valley Mall Capilano Mall 1-2:00 p.m. 2:30-3:30 p.m. Park Royal Mall 1:00-2:00 p.m. Lonsdale Quay 2:30-3:30 p.m. Duck race tickets are available at all North Shore ‘ Malls and the YMCA.