CORNERING is one of the most important activities of driving. When a car is going in a straight line, the weight is evenly distributed in all four wheels. When you corner, the weight shifts to the outside wheels i.e. if you go to a right-hand corner the weight shifts to the wheels in the left. It is essential to have good, roadworthy tyres, for they are your only contact with terra firma and will be responsible for keeping the car glued to the road. The faster you corner, the greater will be the weight shift, so you will need that extra grip to keep your car going where you want it to go.

There is also a tendency of the car to go in a straight line because of the momentum. At high speed, you may turn the steering as much as you want but the car will continue to go in a straight line. Excessive turn of the steering wheel may make the car skid, and you may lose control of the car.

There are two things to keep in mind. Firstly, you must corner perfectly to have the car under control at such a critical moment. There could be traffic coming from the opposite direction or there could be a sheer drop on the other side of the road. Secondly, you must know how to handle your car if it skids.

It goes without saying that for safe and sure cornering, other than your tyres, the steering, suspension bushes and the tie road ends and brakes must be in a roadworthy condition.

On the Kalka-Shimla highway there is tremendous stress on all the components of the car. One weak link and the performance of the car will suffer, endangering your life and those of the passengers.

The surface of the road and its camber or slope plays an important role in cornering.

Indian roads are built with a crown camber i.e. they are higher at the centre than the sides. This allows the water to drain faster. This is also the reason why overloaded trucks do not leave the centre of the road. If the truck is completely on its own side, its off-side wheel will be lower than the other wheels, and its weight will shift. The truck thus experiences "cornering" while going in a straight line! This can be very dangerous, so the truck drivers usually stick to the centre of the road.

Express highways abroad have super elevation. This means that the outer edge of the road is higher than the inner edge. This banks the road, it fights centrifugal force, and prevents the tendency of the car to keep going in a straight line. This makes cornering easier and safer

It will be a long time before we have super elevated and banked highways in this country. The crown camber is what we have, so keep in mind how your car is going to behave while cornering on such a road.

Another very important good motoring tip. Never overtake while cornering. It’s an extremely dangerous move. There is always a limit point to your vision on a hill road. Make your moves only for the road which is clear and in your vision. Remember, since you are moving, the limit point of your vision will keep changing. Your selection of gears will be a vital link in cornering.

Happy motoring!