Turn, turn, police turn: the most unexpected test of the new Camry
So, the time has come. We have already figured out how to properly sit behind the wheel, to be ready for any road surprises, and remembered the basics of the correct dynamic driving. Today, under the guidance of professional rallist Gennady Broslavsky, we will finally move on to the most interesting – extreme driving techniques in the third video from the “This is a turn: the most unexpected test of the Camry”. Forward!Unlike basic skills, which can be worked out in a day or two, our current techniques are somewhat more difficult. Even a rhythmic drift is a serious test for a driver who is not waiting for a trick, and even a police reversal is a real cinematic trick. But when there is a professional rally driver nearby, and a powerful car with a 3.5-liter 249-horsepower engine, something can be learned much faster. The main thing is to understand what to do and move correctly.
If you watch the video, you grabbed the keys to the car and rushed to the door, we understand you. And we even support it – and not just with a word, but with real advice from Gennady Broslavsky: before you start working on your skills, figure out how to do it. All the secrets and tips are right here.
Rhythmic skid is one of the frequent causes of accidents: it usually occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, and it is very difficult to extinguish it. Moreover, the wrong work of the wheel usually leads just to the opposite result – a turn or departure from the road. To learn how to deal with the “pendulum effect”, we will provoke it.
It is not difficult to cause a rhythmic drift: it is enough, moving in a straight line, first to swing the car with the wheel in one direction, and then sharply in the other. On a slippery road, this almost means a loss of traction and a skid of the rear axle. But then you need to act quickly and accurately. The main secret is not only to compensate for the vehicle’s skidding with counter-steering, but also to dampen the skid, reducing the amplitude of oscillations. This means that the steering wheel must be turned quickly, but not simply “from the stop to the stop”, but approximately to a position in which the direction of the front wheels coincides with the desired direction of travel. If the wheel “twist”, the effect will be reversed: the amplitude of the drift will increase, and eventually the car will turn. We also need to extinguish the skid, gradually reducing the angle of the rear axle. Here, the new Camry works in our favor: the steering wheel in it is half a turn shorter than in the previous generation, and it has become easier to work with it, and it is more convenient to dose the angle of rotation of the wheels. The system of course stability VSC + at the same time works together with the electric booster, “prompting” the correct direction of rotation of the steering wheel.
A police reversal cannot be called effective from the point of view of “domestic” driving: it is not every day that there is a need to turn around sharply when reversing. However, this exercise is definitely useful for developing the “car feeling”, because it consists of several movements that must be performed quickly, clearly and delicately. Therefore, we place the cones – and get back behind the wheel.
The theoretical basis of the exercise is quite transparent: you need to turn on the reverse gear, pick up speed, and then unscrew the steering wheel to the stop, at the time of the turn, shift the automatic gear selector from position R to D, straighten the wheels and continue to move forward. The new Camry makes life easier for us here too: now the machine’s selector moves not along a curved path, but in a straight line, and “pereschelknut” it much easier and faster, and the floor gas pedal is much more convenient than the previous one. In practice, in addition to the moment of switching itself, it is worth paying attention to the work of the wheel: it is necessary to feel the turn of the car in order to catch the moment when it is time to straighten the wheels and again press on the gas. Well, choose to work out the exercise a wide enough part of the route so that it can forgive the inevitable departures at first.
Having learned how to make a police turn, we proceed to the exercise “vice versa policeman”: moving forward, we turn the car 180 degrees. This technique is actually a combination of the first and second exercises, so our ability to quickly turn the steering wheel, feel the car and press the pedals in time will come to our aid. Moreover, even the transfer will not have to switch – after the turn we just stop.
So, a brief briefing – and forward. In order to properly and clearly turn around, moving in a confined space, you first need to shake the car with a rhythmic drift, and then in the widest “fan” just do not twist the steering wheel towards the drift, leaving it in the extreme position for a split second necessary for spontaneous turning . Feeling that the peak of the turn is passed, you can align the wheels and brake to put the car in the lane. It sounds simpler than it turns out in reality – but after a few approaches and this trick will succumb for sure.
