A Ford Focus CC convertible is hardly a car you'd expect to see skidding around a race circuit but at Mondello Park that's what I got to do.
We all know that Mondello in Kildare runs race schools and various track day experiences but one of the lesser-known vehicles you can take for a spin - literally - is the skid car. If you get the chance do it, or why not buy a spin in it for someone this Christmas as a gift? Under expert tuition you get to experience all manner of skid situations and learn, to some degree, the car control necessary to control the skid. While the Ford is front-wheel drive, the system fitted to it can simulate all manner of skids that front, rear and all-wheel drive cars can experience when they lose grip.
So how does a skid car work? The answer, surprisingly, is quite hi-tech. You'd imagine a simple old banger would do the job - all you'd need to do is over-inflate its bald tyres and the grip would disappear. But not so Mondello's car: it sits on a very special hydraulic rig. The Focus CC is just like any other skid car you may come across in that it sits on an electronically controlled rig that has four 'outrigger' freewheeling castor wheels.
Each outrigger wheel is attached to an adjustable riser, much like a shock absorber. The four risers are in turn individually controlled by an electronic unit in the cabin. The rig allows the instructor to raise the car's ride height at any corner of the car. This reduces the level of tyre contact on any given wheel (or combination of wheels) to generate less grip. And we all know what happens when you lose grip - you skid!
A simple demonstration on a simulated roundabout shows that when grip is lost most cars tend to run wide despite the steering being applied correctly. On a right hand bend this can send you into the near side ditch, or worse still on a left hand bend the under-steer can force the car into oncoming traffic.
The skid car allows a driver to experience the sensation of loss of tyre grip in a controlled environment. With instruction most drivers can learn how to mitigate the effects of a skid. In basic terms you try to steer into the direction of the skid - so if the back of the car swings out to your left, you steer left to compensate. The theory always sounds easy but there is nothing like experiencing the sensation in reality. Mondello's skid car course costs €160 per person and for that you get an hour-and-forty-five minutes of tuition.
You can find out more about the skid car and how you can improve your car control from: www.mondellopark.ie.
Car control and understanding how and what upsets a car's composure on the road are vital things to learn to become a safer and more competent driver. My time with the skid car has at the very least encouraged me to keep a close eye on my tyre pressures and tyre tread depth level this winter. I can't say this strongly enough - and I know times are tough - but whatever you do don't skimp on your tyres: they are all that is keeping you and your passengers in contact with the road surface. Do some research before you buy and remember: tyres can potentially save your life!
Michael Sheridan
