Many years ago I took E. Paul Dickinson's competition course.
He basically changed me from a shuffle steerer to a crossover steerer -- did
not convince me really that shuffle is bad, just that for me I decided
crossover worked. Also, when I shuffled, I would flip and spin the wheel
(letting go), doing crossover I always have at least one hand on the wheel
and the other, if not, soon will be again. He did not use the term
"slowhands" but achieved the effect -- don't jerk the wheel.
When I teach, my lesson on steering begins that whichever you use, you can
do it a right way or a wrong way.
The key with shuffle is not to move the wheel in small jerks, but to keep
its rotation smooth. As you transfer the hold from one hand to the other the
wheel needs to NOT stop rotating -- and so the front wheels on the ground do
not move from set to set (which unsettles the car) but move smoothly to the
point you want them to be.
The key with crossover is that the loose hand always goes over the hand
holding the wheel, never under. In this way you never get crosshanded.
Crossover is a bit easier in that aspect of keeping the wheel moving, not
jerking from set to set.
Positions -- I teach a 10-2 to 9-3 depending on what is comfortable for you.
Often it ends up based on where the spokes of your wheel are located.
Sometimes the spokes are in the way for a good 10-2. Pick a position where
the thumbs hang on the spokes or where the little fingers rest on the spokes
in straight-ahead driving, this gives you a bit of added leverage and your
two hands are in balance.
Then, when in a turn (and the wheel at the position it is going to remain in
that turn) I like to see the hands at 9-3 or something similar (10-4, 8-2,
etc.). Opposite sides of the wheel. In the turn, with the weight of your
hands being pulled to one side, it is best if the line of that weight goes
through the hub of the wheel and then you can lean/hang on the wheel in the
direction of that weight instead of having to use your muscles to keep a
wheel still with your hand near the top or bottom and trying to be pulled to
the side. The result is better control of the wheel.
E. Paul also taught me to pre-set my hands for a turn. If I am at 10-2 and
anticipating a left turn, my right hand drops to about 4 or 5 o'clock. This
then gives me another full 80-90 degrees of turn with that hand before I
have to let go -- and yes if the turn warrants I will go beyond 12 o'clock.
Some turns do not require any letting go at all, having prepared the turn in
this manner (or, I let go to re-set at 9-3).
There is no magic of 12 o'clock. There is some magic in how far you can
comfortably turn the wheel and control the car. It may be 10 with your right
hand, 2 with your left. If I have pre-set my hands for a left turn down to
the 5 o'clock position and can turn to 10 o'clock, I have 210 degrees of
turn without letting go of the wheel. If I do that same turn from a 2
o'clock position, I have 120 degrees of turn and will often have to
reposition my hands just to continue turning the wheel.
Whether or not I re-set at 9-3 depends on the turn. Is it a long carousel?
Yes. Is it a quick kink? No. The question is, will you hold that turn
position for a while, or unwind it almost immediately?
Slaloms requiring big turn input become a constant crossover, crossover,
crossover, very rhythmic and precise. Small turn input may be done without
ever leaving 10-2 or 9-3.
Bottom line -- there is no One Right Way for all situations because all the
turns are different. Be able to use what works most efficiently for THIS
turn.
And of course, practice your hand positions on the street or highway. Never
drive "lazy" with one hand atop the wheel. Always practice your turn
techniques at all streetcorner turns. Reason: It makes the motions and
positions habit so, in competition, you don't have to think about where your
hands are.
--Rocky
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