does anyone out there use the hand brake while aggressively driving the MINI thru the tight switchbacks?

 

Now THAT'S aggressive driving! Not experienced at it myself... saw it in The Italian Job.

God speed.

 

>>does anyone out there use the hand brake while aggressively driving the MINI thru the tight switchbacks?
>>

So that's why MEMini never saw your brake lights at RDR. Using the stealth mode are we?

I've been using the E=Brake in the snowy parking lots.

Tell us about your technique

 

>>>>does anyone out there use the hand brake while aggressively driving the MINI thru the tight switchbacks?
>>>>
>>
>>So that's why MEMini never saw your brake lights at RDR. Using the stealth mode are we?
>>
>>I've been using the E=Brake in the snowy parking lots.
>>
>>Tell us about your technique
>>

naw, i just disconnected my brake lights

 

^^^^^^anybody??

 

David don’t you go through tires fast enough. If you’d like to do some radical 180 turns at a high rate of speed it may be fine, but it’s not a practical way to drive normal roads. Even the dragon’s not a practical road for it. It will require using the E brake and shifting with the same hand if you start lugging the motor.

I played with E brake driving a number of years ago. I took the locking button out so it would never stayed engaged. Loads of fun, but just not a way I’d want to drive all the time.

 

^^^^^party pooper

 

Light e-braking feels about the same to me as throttle lifts at high engine speed. The back end gets good and loose (especially if you've got the rears at a nice high psi). I prefer the throttle technique because I feel like I have more control over it.

 

>>does anyone out there use the hand brake while aggressively driving the MINI thru the tight switchbacks?
>>

Sometimes in switchbacks, other times going in my driveway.

So, um, yeah. I use it ocassionally.

 

i've been known to use it once or twice. nice smoke effect off the rear tires if done right

 

Where did y'all learn to drive using e-braking techniques? Just trial-and-error, or did you find a school that teaches such maneuvers?

 

I've never hear it referred to as "e-braking" before.
I've always refered to it as " hand-braking".
I assume it's the same ...proceedure/principal ?????

Peace,
D

 

When really ripping up the twisties, I would be wary of adding another thing to do with my right hand.

I already have to use it to steer, shift, smoke, drink, and talk on my cell phone at the same time and I don't think I could master adding the e-brake to the mix:D

Seriously though, I have tried it on the track in my previous car (VW GTI 1.8t) and do it all the time when playing racing games on my x-box, but I would avoid the technique.

the only time I have done silly stuff with the e-brake in my MINI is when I had an evening to destroy a set of tires practicing doing reverse 180's in a parking lot before having my new Yoko's installed the next day.

Let's give it a try this spring at the Dragon though!

 

If I'm on a tight road and need to swing a U-turn I'll yank it at about 20mph and jerk the wheel hard, the back end will do a nice 180 and I can keep going without having to take the time to do a full 3-point turn. I taught myself how to do it in a very wide open parking lot a week or so after I got the car, just experimented doing it at different speeds. I can tell you that around 35 mph it gets sort of uncontrollable, and around 50 mph I kept busting out hysterically because of the complete lack of control I had on the car.

 

>>I've never hear it referred to as "e-braking" before.
>>I've always refered to it as " hand-braking".
>>I assume it's the same ...proceedure/principal ?????
>>


Yes D, you’re right, but to the young whippier snappers of today who only know it as an “emergency brake”, they know no better.

Let’s give them, a break – OK


_________________

 

I've always been tempted to through on the e-brake when cutting through a very tight turn. I don't want to ruin my tires though. However, here in Michigan we get a lot of snow and that lends itself to some great fun. The second month I owned the Mini I was coming out of a movie theatre parking lot and there was this boulevard seperating the two lanes. When I got to the end of the seperation -and traveling about 25 in the snow - I cranked the wheel, yanked on the e-brake, and performed this perfect 180, which slingshot me into the other lane and kept me moving.

Scared the Misses to death, but still one of my best memories in the car.

 

Not on this one for some reason. But I used to do it all the time with my 1966 Austin Cooper S. Less weight, narrow tires and less power made it far more appealing.

But I still do the old handbrake turn in the rain to avoid "k turns" when making a u turn.

Regards,
Red