Does playing racing games affect real-life driving skills?

Hi.

I'm recently considering buying a steering wheel with pedals for PC. The only question which comes to my mind is whether playing racing games can affect my real-life driving abilities.

I'm asking you to share your experience with me. Are you now better or worse real-life drivers?
I'm afraid that after, say, a week or two of playing with my PC wheel I may forget about pressing clutch for shifting gears or using my turn signals, etc.

You know, I just want to have some fun and avoid crashing my real car due to PC games :P

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if anything it's improved my on-road driving. my skid control in the snow last year was far greater than it used to be. Have to say i've never forgotten to use the clutch... tell a lie, i did once, but i was really tired. the noise it made when i pulled it out of gear soon told me something was up!

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Team Japan Owner - GPGNC

Tyler Hudson was a Sim Racer who got test drives in Late Models and similar vehicles through his performances against Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Jr and Truex used NR2003 for drafting practice.

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i think pc games don't influence real life driving skills, i only gained some tenths on my 15km daily route due to playing nfs underground.

joke aside, no need to worry, you won't forget when to use the clutch

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used to be GPGSL's Nick Heidfeld

can't say it ever affected me as I drove real cars many years before I got my wheel (got it when I was 18). I actually struggled with some games because, as the name says, they are games! I was expecting realistic stuff so I really suffered. Also I'm glad to say my real life driving doesn't reflect my virtual driving from the early GPL days, otherwise this post wouldn't exist .

Certainly affected Lewis and Felipe if increase the level of the machinery.

Lewis is known history regarding that, he has won in tracks he never raced before just preparing in beforehand by simulator, and Felipe was pretty average in street circuits, but after some handy sessions per week in Orbassano before each of the tight circuits he increased a lot ability on that, if anything his qualy laps while being heavier than the others in Monaco and Singapore are example.

i think they used the sims to learn the layouts, not to learn something about car control

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used to be GPGSL's Nick Heidfeld

I think so. Playing GPL with an almost digital throttle pedal has made my right foot quite a bit more sensitive than it was before, which has certainly helped me out in the few wet weather karting events I've done in the past few months

n00binio Wrote:
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> i think they used the sims to learn the layouts,
> not to learn something about car control


You need to speak to Dale Earnhardt Jr and Alex Gurney, who have developed setups in games. Parker Kligerman credited his recent ARCA win to sim racing.

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^

Dave beat me to it.

Exactly in the lines of what Felipe was declaring last year too, that he was working part of his setup inbeforehand at Orbassano Ferrari sim.

Kimi couldn't spend much time because he has an issue in eye - brain reception that causes nauseum in him unfortunately when pass by a prolonged time in this.

didn't know that but

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used to be GPGSL's Nick Heidfeld

Thanks for your replies. Now I'm feeling much more comfortable with the idea of buying a steering wheel

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I would credit RBR (with a wheel of course!) for teaching me to relax and be gentle and steady in all actions while driving, it has definately gone through to my real life driving(so have other things, but this as well), especially last year in the Alps. My friends and family now say I drive fairly quickly but very smoothly and in control - i.e. moving along but not in boy-racer aggro-fashion and I also feel much safer and better prepared on the road

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Rodrigo007 Wrote:
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> Kimi couldn't spend much time because he has an
> issue in eye - brain reception that causes nauseum
> in him unfortunately when pass by a prolonged time
> in this.


The lazy bastard (Kimi) probably made that all up! :p

On topic, driving sim games with a wheel improved my Karting skills when I was younger for sure.

Sitting in my simulator is the only time I can get away with some serious 'drink driving'!

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[www.mediafire.com] Some say you should click it, you know you want to. [www.gp4central.com] <----GP4 Central

lmao.

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If anything, game driving made my real driving better and more fun as well I hold the wheel in a 9h15 position, cross arms when turning after a stop, aim for the apex through the window, keep looking at the mirrors, etc. I still follow speed limits tho

Actually, the first time I drove a real car, I nearly crashed it because I was expecting more grip ! I had just got my temporary license, and my dad asked me if I wanted to drive his car (a '94 Oldsmobile Achieva S) from the snack bar to his brother's house. I said SURE ! Well, first thing I did wrong was throttling. I squeezed the throttle, and we were on gravel, so the front wheels spun and gravel flew all around the car. And right before turning right to the driveway, the car was traveling about 50 kph and I braked hard and late, turning at an impossible speed (maybe 40 kph (25 mph). I nearly crashed into the house ! Need I say my dad wasn't very happy to see me take such risks Since then, I somehow forgot about gaming when I drive real cars.

it does affect you a little bit!

When I was 10 I parked by a tree and a coconut fell on the bonnet of the car . My virtual racing comparison would be a F1C GPG session in Sepang where I parked my car (on my hotlap) because my friend was calling me on my cell phone. Laptime? 2:25

I think as a training tool, they are helpful to me. But only in the instance of scenarios etc and honing tactics. You cant really learn how a car 'feels' from them.

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