The online racing simulator
Get a grip!
(75 posts, started )
Get a grip!
How do you grip your wheel?


I will try to start a thread discussing about the optimal way to hold the steering wheel of a (real life) car. In the process i will demonstrate and try to give good reasons that some of the current trends are sub-optimal for safe relaxed daily driving.

I will start with an assumption, that the arm, bent halfway between right angle and fully extended, has more strength to pull down than to lift up. I indicate this, not because the strength is needed to turn the wheel, but it is always preferred to use a motion that uses stronger muscles, which also leads to better accuracy.

All dogmas and authorities (driving instructor, safe driving instructor, dad, habit) about holding the wheel go out the window at this point and in front of us we have a normal steering wheel. Not of a race car, but of your daily, 2.5 turns lock-to-lock car. For illustration and clarity i will use my logitech wheel(fig.1) i'll be using extra small pictures to help my dialup friends.

'Weird' or 'cool' ways of using the wheel are dismissed right away ('window washing', shuffling...).

I have noticed that most people place their hands on the far left and far right positions on the wheel (fig.2), their digits resting on the back of the steering wheel arms that connect the hub with the rim (fig.3, 4). I think that this grip is not very good. Also, when you turn, and the wheel reaches a 90 degree angle to the left then your left wrist is bent and under excess strain (fig.5). Additionaly, the left hand can not contribute turning the wheel any more.

I have found that holding the wheel as in fig.6 (only one hand shown. right hand is placed in the opposite position) has many advantages, and i haven't found a disadvantage yet. I number the notes so that you can easily make comments.
  1. Both palms have a full grip, encircling the rim.
  2. The thumbs are on the outside for additional grip on the rim. if it were on the inside there is no grip on the rim: it would either rest on the index finger or exert minimal lateral pressure (Maybe it is my large hand?)
  3. When turning, say right, both hands can help in the movement.
  4. when turning and right angle is reached, then a) the left hand is in a position where it can continue turning the wheel on its own, since it can start a downward motion, b) the right hand, if necessary, is unobstructed and ready to be placed above the left hand, taking over and starting its downward motion, if even more turning is necessary.
  5. The wrists of both hands are never bent too much.
  6. The small fingers never rest on the arms, therefore minimizing tendency to be lazy.
  7. You don't have to use lots of pressure on the wheel since the contact area between palms and the rim is maximized. Helps relieve tension.
  8. The movements are simple (downward motions FTW), easy (strong muscles make the movement) and accurate. To demonstrate the power of this, one can feel initiation of a turn just by squeezing the respective thumb.
  9. When turning, both hands are in pulling motion which uses strong muscles.
  10. When turning, the placement of the thumb outside makes it so that it doesn't matter, if during a turn, the wheel arms meet the hands.
Can't go on right now, expect edits!
Just a quickie: One-handed driving, when driving in places where you are not expected to use more than 150-160 degrees turning of wheel (back roads, i think you call some of those places), is optimal when the left hand (for left wheeled cars) is placed slightly to the right. This way, one can turn left and right using pulling motion and can do quite large movements using one arm only. Right hand is conviniently placed on gear lever for instantaneous shifts

UPDATE

Most cars have customizable driver position and steering wheel height. However, even in sports cars, there are limits to how far or how near the steering wheel one can position the seat. In those cases where the driver finds he can not reach the steering wheel to turn it efficiently using a specific method, he must (safely) experiment, observe, judge and decide which method is the most efficient.

For example, i am tall enough (~1.80), i have long lengs and large hands. I have gone through a lot of effort to find a style that fits me perfectly and serves me well in every conceivable way. And that is the style i roughly described. Additionaly, the effort i have made to reach this level of confidence regarding the quality of my choice, was enough to make me feel insulted when people comment like becky rose while i try to present my method. Sarcastic or whatever you want to call them remarks from someone who, i have been given no reason to believe otherwise, just accepted what someone else is using and stayed with that, without making sure that it indeed is the best for me. First, spend a couple months testing and then come back and comment again! Because, certainly, if you had done that, then you would not say "first rate comedy", but with a few arguments you'd be able to silence me, instead! Yes, i am bitter and i have been given very good reasons to feel that way!

And a little detail. when i said that i "pwnd" my friends at karting, i failed to mention that i essentialy did it singlehanded, because of an accident that i earlier had and which had rendered my right hand temporarily useless. I could hold the wheel for stability but my left hand did the turning. I was in pain. That was the day when i decided it would be beneficial if i paid a lot of attention to how one should grip the wheel. The main idea was that partial loss of strength of one hand should NOT affect driving safety! After a while, of course, my partial disability had gone and i can use my hand perfectly again. But i can't say that i don't miss the parts that are not on my hand anymore...

My girlfriend is not tall enough so she is forced to use some other way. I am looking at her while she takes corners and i think that she must use a smaller wheel and either bring the seat closer to her (possibly quite unsafe, not yet studied this) or extend the wheel column (ditto) or (what i think is the best choice) spend some time herself to devise a method to perform well. From the looks of it, a combination of 9-3 and the 2pass.co.uk site's method should be a good choice. However, i can never be sure, i am not her, she must find the way, alone.

Attached images
fig1.jpg
fig2.jpg
fig3.jpg
fig4.jpg
fig5.jpg
fig6.jpg
Well, I can't say I agree with fig.6. With my hands up there I'd have to move them down the wheel to trip the paddles (in LFS - in GPL I stick-shift all the way), instead of not moving them at all. I prefer the grip depicted in fig.2 - the old "9 and 3" grip - whether I use the paddles or the stick (I use the Momo Black, like you). With my hands out there on the sides my arms and wrists are straighter than they'd be if I was gripping up the top like in fig.6. My thumbs can use the lateral spokes of the wheel as leverage as well. My desk is a bit high and my driving position isn't exactly like in a real car (I sit on a folding cafe chair as well which means my posture's a lot different), so that grip is more comfy for me.

As an Aussie I shift with my left hand, so my dominant (right) hand doesn't need to come off the wheel at all (except if I get cut off ), which means I have that extra strength if I need to drive one-handed at any time (usually when parallel parking or generally going in reverse). I avoid one-handed driving when I race (completely in LFS as I use paddles and in GPL I keep both hands glued on through corners), but IRL I mostly (and unfortunately) drive a slush-box with power steering which means I basically drive with my right index finger But whether I drive the slusher or a car with a _proper_ transmission, my grip is somewhere between fig.2 and fig.6. Depends on the car and the wheel I guess.

Happy racing, however you grip your tools :up: :eclipseeh
I've been familiar with this "10 and 2 o'clock" -grip that is been taught in driving schools. That way you can turn the wheel more without moving your hands than in "9 and 3" grip. But if you need more turning, the lower hand has a place above the upper hand to move into and start pulling. The power? In a race car you shouldn't never sit so back that the arms outstretch. The closer you sit, the more your elbow is bent, and the more you get pulling power out of your hand.

:eclipseeh
#4 - shim
if your hands are at 9-3, then you have more rotation you can use before you have to replace both hands back onto the wheel if you need to do sharp turns..

when in the 10-2 positions i dont get as much rotation of my wheel as in the 9-3 which is why many racing drivers use the 9-3 compaired to the 10-2 positions..
The closer you sit, the more your wrist will bend when you turn the wheel. optimal is the elbow slighly bent (~140 degrees) so when the wheel is turned about 90 degrees, the arm that goes under is bent at MOST down to 90 degrees.

I am talking about daily driving, people! i have not had any racing driving experience so i do not know if all these things i say hold true for racing!
I think about 9-3 is the typical grip, if you have to turn more than 90 then you can either do a hand over hand or a shuffle steer. I think I usually use more of a hand over hand, but my wheel for LFS doesn't have more than 200 degrees of rotation, so I don't really have to worry about it.

For just daily driving my real car it's just whatever is comfortable while still having a grip on the wheel
Wow! And I thought you just held it and turned it.
Yeah, but how and how? That's what i am trying to approach scientificaly.
Quote from BrandonAGr : then you can either do a hand over hand or a shuffle steer.

The method i described has this option, of course. Note #4.
lol - never holiday in Greece folks, this guys a maniac.

changing tense now to a serious one: First rate comedy.
Are you mocking me? I think you are mocking me. I do not think the concept is humorous, nor how i present it. Your comments are rather unpleasant.
He just wanted a nice discution (spelling?) about how you should grip your wheel in real car, for best perfomance.
Didn't expect to see this kind of reaction to his post
Maybe I'll add something on topic later, when i wake up some more
Funny topic.

(Daily) I usually keep a 10-stick position (like fig. 6)... 9-stick sometimes... But really 10-stick or 10-2. It really depends what mood I'm in : hehe.
Quote from george_tsiros :Yeah, but how and how? That's what i am trying to approach scientificaly.

Read the Roadcraft manual, it's more relevant and, considering the principles contained within it are used as the basis for training the UK's advanced/pursuit police drivers, has rather more credibility.
I don't want to become a pursuit driver. I want to find what way is better when driving my car every day, in terms of relaxation, ease, safety. I will keep that in mind, though, thanks.
I do it with both hands like fig.6

Get a grip is also a very good Aerosmith Album
I will start a thread about optimal electric guitar holding later on, do not worry:rock_band
I use quarter to three in every car I drive, be it karts, MX-5s or Formula 3's. I work on the principle that since the beginning of motorsport the best drivers (with the odd exception like Alesi) in motorsport have gripped the wheel like this, so it's probably the best way.

I love laughing at people (boy racers) who hold the top of the steering wheel with one hand, usually with their wrist bent at an extremely inefficient angle.

George, I love the fact you are looking at this from a different, more scientific point of view. Most people never question stuff in real life, accepting everything at face value, and I always appreciate it when people ponder even the most mundane things
Quote : use quarter to three in every car I drive

In the photo, because the wheel is so small, it appears as if i would place my hand very near the top, on a real wheel. It is not so... "quarter to three" is the position (or 10-2)
Quote :I love laughing at people (boy racers) who hold the top of the steering wheel with one hand, usually with their wrist bent at an extremely inefficient angle.

Heh, i know what you mean... But one-handed driving is very possible, as i described... Hold the wheel with lefthand at ~2 (if right wheel car, right hand at ~10). You will notice that the wrist is relaxed and you have great freedom of movement, considering you have one hand on the wheel! Only for open roads, though...
Quote :George, I love the fact you are looking at this from a different, more scientific point of view. Most people never question stuff in real life, accepting everything at face value, and I always appreciate it when people ponder even the most mundane things

That is why i already consider you a close friend, and will make great effort, if and when we meet, to give serious thought to anything you say. Thank you.
Quote from george_tsiros :I don't want to become a pursuit driver. I want to find what way is better when driving my car every day, in terms of relaxation, ease, safety.

The same principles that make advanced police driving fast and safe also apply to everyday road use. Police drivers aren't racing drivers. They drive road cars on public roads. I had the benefit of some instruction from a Class One police driver once, and one of the things I noticed was the phenomenal level of awareness, observation, anticipation, and control. Every single second, at every single situation, he was in the perfect gear with the perfect road positioning with his hands in the perfect position on all the controls - and all subconsciously too. After all, you can't safely drive a large pursuit car at insane speeds if your steering wheel technique isn't relaxed, easy, or safe.
Quote from george_tsiros :The closer you sit, the more your wrist will bend when you turn the wheel.

I am talking about daily driving, people! i have not had any racing driving experience so i do not know if all these things i say hold true for racing!

The wrists bend more at 9&3 than 10&2 too! And like you, I don't have any racing experience either, I think ppl use more 9&3 in racing.

Though I mainly use the window washing style out there in traffic, if the car has power (or light) steering.
When racing, I hold wheel at quarter to 3 postition, comfortoably and lightly gripping my DFP, I use the stick for shifts so i can easily grab a quick change. When city driving or playing CnR, I drive "like a chav" , one hand at 12 o-clock.
#23 - Vain
From my real driving experience definitely 9-3. Anything else is unbearable when you're driving without powersteering and with slicks.
On the Logitech wheels the problem is that the diameter of the wheel is very small. That makes it practically impossible to hold the wheel without bending your wrists into an uncomfortable angle.

Vain
using my knees its right then?
I use a 9-3 grip on the wheel, to me it seems the most natural and it was the position that I adopted the first time I touched a wheel. Apparently I will have to change this by the time I actually decide to start driving for real, it's just too blooming expensive right now...students these days

Get a grip!
(75 posts, started )
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