18-06-2014, 08:36 PM
The question about the driven wheels (front or rear) is only a concern when accelerating. Under all other conditions, it's not really an issue; when cornering and/or braking, you want the best grip on the rear for the most predictable handling.
Generally, when you've gone into a bend too fast, the majority of drivers won't continue to accelerate, instead lifting off and perhaps braking as required. When you do these things, weight is transferred to front wheels (more so on the outer one), so increasing the grip there, while the rear wheels will have less mass pressing them down onto the tarmac, so potentially less grip. This is why it's helpful for them to be the best; both in terms of "newness" - as tyres do "go off" over their life - and in terms of tread for when there is water on the road.
I worked this out some 15-20 years ago, and remember that no-one believed me at the time. It was nice when this became "general advice".
Of course, things might be different for those who like to practice "powerslides" and similar techniques (which obviously have no place whatsoever on the public highway). Hence my mention of "the majority of drivers" above.
For those interested in improving their driving, I highly recommend picking up a copy of "Roadcraft - The Police Drivers Handbook". I bought mine shortly after passing my test, realising that what I needed most was help with attitude - like most new drivers, of course.
http://www.roadcraft.co.uk/ - take the quiz while you're there
Sadly, a lot of drivers settle into an autopilot routine, seeing little more than the back of the vehicle in front. Certainly around here, the standards are pretty terrible most of the time. This becomes acute when you cycle, though to be fair, the overwhelming majority of car drivers are very good around cyclists who are following the rules of the road.
Generally, when you've gone into a bend too fast, the majority of drivers won't continue to accelerate, instead lifting off and perhaps braking as required. When you do these things, weight is transferred to front wheels (more so on the outer one), so increasing the grip there, while the rear wheels will have less mass pressing them down onto the tarmac, so potentially less grip. This is why it's helpful for them to be the best; both in terms of "newness" - as tyres do "go off" over their life - and in terms of tread for when there is water on the road.
I worked this out some 15-20 years ago, and remember that no-one believed me at the time. It was nice when this became "general advice".
Of course, things might be different for those who like to practice "powerslides" and similar techniques (which obviously have no place whatsoever on the public highway). Hence my mention of "the majority of drivers" above.
For those interested in improving their driving, I highly recommend picking up a copy of "Roadcraft - The Police Drivers Handbook". I bought mine shortly after passing my test, realising that what I needed most was help with attitude - like most new drivers, of course.
http://www.roadcraft.co.uk/ - take the quiz while you're there
Sadly, a lot of drivers settle into an autopilot routine, seeing little more than the back of the vehicle in front. Certainly around here, the standards are pretty terrible most of the time. This becomes acute when you cycle, though to be fair, the overwhelming majority of car drivers are very good around cyclists who are following the rules of the road.
