Stunt Driving Tips – Car Stunts – Driving the Classic Reverse 180
The reverse 180 is THE classic car trick.
It is also one of the most fun slides to do. Stuntmen have always learned how to do this “car stunt” for the sole reason that it has and will probably always look and feel great. It’s a trick that has been popular since the early car chases and has never lost its appeal.
My dad and I used to sit and watch the Rockford Archives on TV together. I loved seeing it. Not only could James Gardner eat a taco without spilling a drop (the only person I’ve ever seen do that, and on camera too!), but he was also an amazing driver and did some of his own stunts for the show. That’s why, for me, the reverse 180 will always be ‘The Rockford’.
This slide was also popular in the Prohibition days, when it was known as Moonshiners Turn. If southern firebrands ran into a police barricade, they would sometimes run this slide to make a quick escape.
This slide is also taught in anti-terrorist driving courses. It is used when you are facing an obstacle or something that you need to stop quickly. The advantage of using this slide instead of 180 forward to turn around is that you get maximum braking to a stop (i.e. shortest possible distance). All braking is done in a straight line. Also, while backing up, you don’t have bright lights in your eyes, which people who set up roadblocks like to blind you with, and of course, you don’t need to mess around to turn around.
With the Reverse 180, you’ll be doing a lot of tasks in a very short amount of time and the consequences of one wrong move are greater with this one than most others. Timing is everything. You have to turn the steering wheel in the right direction (or you risk going off the road in reverse!), shift gears at the right time or possibly screw up a transmission, and get the front wheels pointed straight ahead. outside the. Other than that, it’s a piece of cake.
When you’re first learning the 180 in reverse, you’ll want a BIG chunk of pavement so all you have to worry about is getting the car out of reverse before you start to slide. But still, practice doing everything correctly and in sequence. Even if the car doesn’t turn completely 180 degrees. As long as you turn the steering wheel the right amount at the right time and change gears at the right time, slippage will occur after a few tries.
Get on with the fun…
Mark Aisbett
“Turn good drivers into great ones”
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