zac510 wrote: ↑28 Nov 2018, 12:50
Most drivers have variable ratio steering too, so that the movement of the wheels at small steering angles is different to that at high steering angles. The rack and pinion are changed for driver preference.
this. the further to the right, or opposite direction, the higher the ratio gets, it's a matter of adapting.
also, there might also be the possibility to have the steering wheel a bit angled. so when it's horizontal, it actually steers to the right. that would mean to drive straight on, kubica's wheel would be positioned in about 5 minutes before 12 for example. IF neccesary.
again, he said 70% is done left, 30% right. that means that there's 'just' a 20% bridge to cross.
seems most people who like to dramatize it all turn that into 70% handicap for his right hand, no, it's not.
at best he has a 30% handicap BUT, even that is not true.
a driver using both hands uses 50% left, 50% right so to speak. and even then, they regularly drive with 1 hand on the wheel and the other changing settings.
so in this case, it's not 50% left, 50% right, but 70% left, 30% right. again, 'just' a 20% difference.
and even then, it's really debatable how far in percentages it'll be a handicap.
it's a handicap, that much is undeniable. but how much can be overcome is another story.
he has a race seat, so there's a way, that much is clear.
changing settings, surely also will be done different than the other drivers.
possibly he is 'handicapped' compared to other drivers that he needs to wait for straights to do more adjustments on the steering wheel.
then again, there are many ways to deal with stuff. for example, they could put some buttons/switches closer to his left thumb, so it can be changed whilst steering. or with his index finger. squeezing in a certain spot with the left hand.
and then he's still got his right hand. push buttons. perhaps even to the cockpit wall.
just an example. buddy of mine once had a motorcycle accident, where he fell, heavily bruised his right wrist, broke his ringfinger, bruised his right shoulder, had some cracks in the bone of his wrist and lower arm, AND had a pretty hefty burn wound to his right arm from where the lower arm meets the upper arm due to the bike anding up on him and the exhaust manifold ending up right up there.
obviously, he couldn't ride motorcycle, but he could drive his car. EVEN with his right arm.
his right hand and ring finger were taped, so was the hand itself and the wrist, with some brace that prevented the wrist could move, and the joint where the upper and lower arm meet also had a brace, and so did the right shoulder.
he moved far from as flexible and clean as normal, but he could use his right arm. he could steer with it in combination with his left hand doing most work, he could shift with little to no difference as to without the injury,
he could switch radio and use the navigation with just a day or 2 adaptation and then without any issues.
did it impose a handicap? yes, quite literally. did it influence his driving? personally, i think it might be debatable, but from what i saw, well, actually, no, not really. he could drive like any normal day of the week.
sure, there's a difference between daily commuting, parallel parking, and driving an open-wheeler to it's fullest,
but i'd like to remark that a lot of stuff is really not that hard at all to overcome or adapt to.
i'm without any doubt Robert has adapted to it and i'm really looking forward to seeing him in action.
preferably in a more competitive vehicle. I would have loved seeing him in the force india for example.