How did you turn the ESP off, please?

He didn't.

He probably means TCS.

LOL. But he said he did?

LOL. But he said he did?

It's a common confusion between the two.

Won't be the last time.

ESP / TCS / stabilty this that and the other - all great to help most people to stay out of trouble. But in fairness most people dont know how to drive, worrying but true from what we all see

Of course its drivers fault, going a touch to quick for the corner which resulted in the slight bump to kerb. But the fact remains that with ESP / TCS / etc etc turned on the octavia 4x4 and to a degree most other cars stops you from been able to drive the car correctly to resolve the skid / out of control car. Which was proved after by doing the same thing again with it turned off :p

The way the haldex system works and the ESP / TCS the traction control in certain situations fight each other and leave you very little adjustment of the car controls

IMO these such saftey devices are there to protect you when you get caught out due to whatever the reason, just seems it is a very limited setup for making the car do what is required

The ESP or TCS that is turned off certainly stops it cooking the brakes and killing engine power I have noticed

Maybe I have just spent too many years driving very focused cars that dont have TC type setups and in most cases even ABS and strangly neither myself or partner had any issues previously even on cut slicks in the snow

Must have a drive of the newer haldex type systems and see how it compares to the octavia of doom

Sorry for any confusion raised over the ESP / TCS thing

Slightly off topic, but related. Those numpties on Top Gear regularly turn off various electronic gizmos as they blast around their test track in high powered cars. The resulting slides of the rear end are entertaining to watch, and no doubt great fun. The numpties then boast that the electronics are a hindrance to "good" drivers (presumably they mean themselves) enjoying the real performance of the car. However, when Michael Schumacher (who I'm led to believe is quite a good driver) appeared on the show, it was notable that he left all the electronics turned ON in the Ferrari FXX he drove round the track in a record time. The message seems to be if you want to prat around, turn them off, if you want to drive fast and safe, leave them on.

Slightly off topic, but related. Those numpties on Top Gear regularly turn off various electronic gizmos as they blast around their test track in high powered cars. The resulting slides of the rear end are entertaining to watch, and no doubt great fun. The numpties then boast that the electronics are a hindrance to "good" drivers (presumably they mean themselves) enjoying the real performance of the car. However, when Michael Schumacher (who I'm led to believe is quite a good driver) appeared on the show, it was notable that he left all the electronics turned ON in the Ferrari FXX he drove round the track in a record time. The message seems to be if you want to prat around, turn them off, if you want to drive fast and safe, leave them on.

I bet these two unfortunate people also switched the traction control off before setting off:

http://jalopnik.com/5882228/unfortunate-groom-crashes-lamborghini-on-his-way-to-get-married

http://jalopnik.com/5882558/man-crashes-week+old-lamborghini-aventador-into-cars-people

Not a week goes by without seeing an article online somewhere of someone writing off a powerful car by just giving it too much throttle at the wrong time... I don't think ESP would have saved all of them no, but it certainly would help not to follow the Top Gear example to hoon on public roads!

That's a fairly accurate description, Bob

Some people don't even know what the buttons do properly.

I had to correct a Ford Galaxy driver who works for us that thought you had to push the button, making it light up, to get the traction control on...

Every time the weather was bad over the last year they've been switching it on. (of off, if you know what I mean).

Last year when we had a lot of snow even here in sunny somerset, I was driving to pick up an auntie on boxing day near Stogumber near exmoor, and had to drive down this evil hill which was a sheet of ice with a snow covering, and not having winter boots on it just tootled down the hill lovely, and then on the return we were at the bottom of the hill watching a VW golf attempting to get up the hill and then starting to slide down uncontrollably - I thought it was going to hit us, and we just drove off and went straight up past the terrified looking golf driver as he was on his way down, and Yeti went up no trouble and that was without winter boots !!!!!.......was truly incredible really !!

Edited 7 February, 201214 yr by redandwhitepauly

I have fond memories of the Stogumber area. Stayed at a Field Study Centre in an old manor house whilst I was at Liverpool Poly, and everyone else there were 6th form girls........................

Llanigraham, Bobdog - I hope this works, I'm struggling just using the flipping iPhone!

Hard Knott Fort car park

Having just fitted Dunlop Wintersports onto 16" steel rims on Saturday in readiness for a drive to the Swiss Alps I had to go to Wembley from Northwood early on Sunday morning. It really was so uneventful even in six inches of snow up an steep incline. I was tempted to take out the other car (Volvo V40 which slips and slides around generally), just to prove to myself that the 4x4 and snow tyres combination was so good. Roll on Switzerland!

Some people don't even know what the buttons do properly.

I had to correct a Ford Galaxy driver who works for us that thought you had to push the button, making it light up, to get the traction control on...

Every time the weather was bad over the last year they've been switching it on. (of off, if you know what I mean).

Sounds familiar, A friend of mine got a Dodge Caliber, or whatever its called, and he seems to use the ESP button as though it was some kind of boost feature, he would leave it off in rain or whatever condition, and then when he felt the need to drive really fast, he would put it on, 'its on nitrous' i would say to him...

Llanigraham, Bobdog - I hope this works, I'm struggling just using the flipping iPhone!

Hard Knott Fort car park

That looks fantastic scenery.

Bit different to where I am tonight - at a Premier Inn near Gloucester! But it was -4 degrees C outside.

Llanigraham, Bobdog - I hope this works, I'm struggling just using the flipping iPhone!

Hard Knott Fort car park

Brilliant - well done you. I've been over that road in autumn time in my MG and it's a challenge even then.

Having just fitted Dunlop Wintersports onto 16" steel rims on Saturday in readiness for a drive to the Swiss Alps I had to go to Wembley from Northwood early on Sunday morning. It really was so uneventful even in six inches of snow up an steep incline. I was tempted to take out the other car (Volvo V40 which slips and slides around generally), just to prove to myself that the 4x4 and snow tyres combination was so good. Roll on Switzerland!

I used to have a V50 which was equally useless to your V40 in the slippy stuff. Enjoy Switzerland - I'll be in the French Alps in a few weeks.

However, when Michael Schumacher (who I'm led to believe is quite a good driver) appeared on the show, it was notable that he left all the electronics turned ON in the Ferrari FXX he drove round the track in a record time. The message seems to be if you want to prat around, turn them off, if you want to drive fast and safe, leave them on.

But isn't the Ferrari FXX a bit like an F16 or Eurofighter - undriveable without ESP etc. switched on.

Slightly related; ESP can be switched off in a Yeti but only by removing the relevant fuse. I remember this being done last winter when EVO did a road trip and some snow driving in their long term Yeti vs the new Lotus Evora (sort of a bit of a pointless comparison you might think, but it showed up how good the Yeti).

Back fully on topic; I went out around a few of my local lanes on Sunday in 6" of snow and was mightily impressed by Kevin's 4x4 with winter tyres (225/50 17s by the way). Actually enjoyed a few 'tail happy' RWDesqe moments.

I remember last year I had some great four wheel drift fun on out friends land in Germany but this year I just couldnt get it to do it. :( In between Ive changed my tyres to Michelin Alpin 4D's so Im putting it down to the tread pattern being vastly different!

I remember last year I had some great four wheel drift fun on out friends land in Germany but this year I just couldnt get it to do it. :( In between Ive changed my tyres to Michelin Alpin 4D's so Im putting it down to the tread pattern being vastly different!

Thats good isn't it.......Better tyres more grip etc etc..

PS what did you have on last year?

But the fact remains that with ESP / TCS / etc etc turned on the octavia 4x4 and to a degree most other cars stops you from been able to drive the car correctly to resolve the skid / out of control car. Which was proved after by doing the same thing again with it turned off :p

The way the haldex system works and the ESP / TCS the traction control in certain situations fight each other and leave you very little adjustment of the car controls

I'm totally with you on this - my frightening example with my Mk1 Octavia 4x4 a few years ago was this:-

- Drove through four inches of lying snow for 25 miles from Birmingham airport with out pressing anything. Car behaved itself normally - felt like 'typical 4WD'

- Decided to join the M6 then M1 at Rugby - same snow depth but started to become icy / rutted due to lorries.

- Met with frantic ESP/(TCS?!) warning light and the car wanting to go sideways.

- Spent 15 mins literally opposite locking the car from side to side to keep it in a straight line at 30-40mph

- As I was still not at the next junction as a last resort switched off the ESP/TCS and it went normal.

Now I'd driven a few track days and been lucky enough to own some quick cars, and it was my basic driving 'skills' that stopped me being side on to an artic that night, not the electronics which gave up !

I asked on another thread about whether to switch off traction or not for this reason alone.

I'm totally with you on this - my frightening example with my Mk1 Octavia 4x4 a few years ago was this:-

- Drove through four inches of lying snow for 25 miles from Birmingham airport with out pressing anything. Car behaved itself normally - felt like 'typical 4WD'

- Decided to join the M6 then M1 at Rugby - same snow depth but started to become icy / rutted due to lorries.

- Met with frantic ESP/(TCS?!) warning light and the car wanting to go sideways.

- Spent 15 mins literally opposite locking the car from side to side to keep it in a straight line at 30-40mph

- As I was still not at the next junction as a last resort switched off the ESP/TCS and it went normal.

Now I'd driven a few track days and been lucky enough to own some quick cars, and it was my basic driving 'skills' that stopped me being side on to an artic that night, not the electronics which gave up !

I asked on another thread about whether to switch off traction or not for this reason alone.

Fair play for your experience but the Yeti has a different system/software/hardware and ESP is not switchable-TCS is and is better known as traction control and should not have made things worse.

I've had two tyre deflations one on a Renault 11 and one on a Lexus V8 Soarer and would regard neither as a very good indication as to how my current car might react. Out of interest the Renault needed an iron grip and clenched teeth-the Lexus just felt slightly odd.

I'm totally with you on this - my frightening example with my Mk1 Octavia 4x4 a few years ago was this:-

- Drove through four inches of lying snow for 25 miles from Birmingham airport with out pressing anything. Car behaved itself normally - felt like 'typical 4WD'

- Decided to join the M6 then M1 at Rugby - same snow depth but started to become icy / rutted due to lorries.

- Met with frantic ESP/(TCS?!) warning light and the car wanting to go sideways.

- Spent 15 mins literally opposite locking the car from side to side to keep it in a straight line at 30-40mph

- As I was still not at the next junction as a last resort switched off the ESP/TCS and it went normal.

Now I'd driven a few track days and been lucky enough to own some quick cars, and it was my basic driving 'skills' that stopped me being side on to an artic that night, not the electronics which gave up !

I asked on another thread about whether to switch off traction or not for this reason alone.

How fast? Think that was your problem, not the car!