ダートラ界の宮本武蔵著「四輪の書」

車のGの可視化ツールであるg-bowlをやっている人には、お馴染みの國政氏が「四輪の書」という運転本を出した。本にはおまけでg-bottleというペットボトルでGの可視化を行うラベルが付いている。

別冊モータージャーナル 四輪の書

このG可視化ツールの元祖は、恐らく元F1チャンピオンのJackie Stewartであろうか。ボンネットにお皿を固定し、ボールをこぼさない様にスムーズな運転”ハコビ”を訓練する。なにやら武術めいた鍛錬法ではないか。


画像出典： Behind the Wheel with Jackie Stewart

It was now time to practice smoothness and finesse. Stewart showed reporters a technique he has developed. He gets in a Merkur Scorpio with a plastic bowl fastened to the hood. In the bowl there`s a small plastic ball. Stewart acclerates, twists through a tight figure 8 and comes to a stop 20.8 seconds later with the ball still in the bowl.

June 20, 1988|By Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-06-20/business/8801090220_1_wheel-driver-s-license-car

トップギアでJackie Stewartはクルマとの対話のイメージをJames Mayに対して教えるときに、ドン！と体を突くと体はバランスを失うが、ポンとつくとバランスを保てるとやっていた。これこそ、クルマとの対話にも必要なことだろう。クルマと相談せずに勝手に操作しても、クルマは言うこと聞かないのだ。

If any of you saw the episode of Top Gear when he taught James May how to improve his lap times around Oulton Park, there was a nice example when they were having a mid-session break. Jackie pushed May and he stumbled off balance, and then he leaned against him, pushing him just as hard, but building up gradually, and May tensed against him and didn't lose his balance.

Jackie's point was that if you sneak up on a car with an unexpected move, it'll go off-balance, but if you build up gradually into a move, the car becomes ready for it, and keeps its balance.

A question of balance - Page 1 - Advanced Driving - PistonHeads
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=363875

作者は「ダートラ界のソクラテス」との異名を持つみたいだが、これからはダートラ界の宮本武蔵と勝手に呼ばしてもらおう。