To Launch, or not to Launch, that is the question

[MerlintheMad]

I like to take off fast when in pole position and the speed limit is at least 45. On the Bungler Hwy (aka Bangerter), the speed limit is 60 MPH at my favorite intersection (the last one with a light for miles, as the others have been turned into freeway exits and entrances), so no problem there. Lately, after a hiatus of about three years, I have been engaging LC.

This evening I, with my wife onboard, set it up perfectly (this doesn't always happen: a vexing feature I forget is to move the shifter out of manual gate, then have the engine disengage when I bounce off the rev limiter: that can be quite embarrassing if you dwell on it). I watched the left turn arrow turn yellow and just before it turned red I pushed the gas: it turned red and I saw no green light in front of me, and I knew that in the next second or so, the LC was going to bail on me, so, I went. My wife was paying strict attention and practically screamed: "It's RED!" Yes, so it is: and then just before we speed under it, I see it turn green. So, I did not "run" a red light, but I did enter an intersection before it turned green, which I suspect is the same as running a red light under the law. I need to just wait until the light turns green if I want to avoid all risk of an unobserved copper watching me do this wrong, like I just did.

There was no way that I was going to back out of a perfectly set up LC just because the traffic light had a delay in the green. This is an opportunity to hone my timing skills: and catch that green light the instant after I push the go pedal to the floor. I can do this.

 

[namja]

I took a look at that intersection. Going south to enter Bangerter?
Was this your first time estimating that adjacent left turn signal?

Also, I know traffic lights' and the time it goes from yellow to red depends on the current speed limit. As far as transitioning from red to "your" green I wonder if traffic conditions have any effect.

 

[JSolo]

Merlin, do you always drive it like you stole it?

 

[Devin]

I personally would be more concerned with someone running a red light the other direction and center punching me.

 

[nhcowboy28]

To post or not post (16,734)… that is the question.

 

[chattanoogastinger]

The answer to the thread title is "yes".

 

[MerlintheMad]

I took a look at that intersection. Going south to enter Bangerter?
Was this your first time estimating that adjacent left turn signal?

Also, I know traffic lights' and the time it goes from yellow to red depends on the current speed limit. As far as transitioning from red to "your" green I wonder if traffic conditions have any effect.

If you were looking at 9800 South, that is the one alright. I was northbound at c. six o'clock, so the traffic was tapering off. The odd thing is that where the Bungler crosses 9000 South (one mile north of there) the speed limit remains 60 MPH on my NAV (it used to adjust to the still-posted speed limit of 55 MPH), clear past 7800 South, where I exit. Southbound Bungler in that same area the NAV shows 55 MPH: this is the only place I know of where NAV indicates different speed limits for north and southbound traffic.

What that has to do with how the green delays after red shows for the left turn lanes, I don't know.

I have launched both directions at 9800 South before. This was the first time I got caught by the lingering red. Hah. I'll have to be more careful and err on the side of caution, as I try to judge how soon I push the go pedal to launch.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Merlin, do you always drive it like you stole it?

Not always, just pretty much every time.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I personally would be more concerned with someone running a red light the other direction and center punching me.

That was my wife's immediate concern: but as I pointed out to her, the lengthy left turn had kept all east-west traffic stopped for most of a minute already: there was nobody moving: I was the first car to break out of the frozen tableau.

 

[n8hegr8]

i have never launched yet. i want to. i dont know how.

i think you turn off traction
hold the brake
put it in drive
hit the gas pedal
wait for something to say launch control
then let foot off brake

is this correct?

 

[AtomicGTL]

Never used LC once.

 

[vipeboy2000]

i have never launched yet. i want to. i dont know how.

i think you turn off traction
hold the brake
put it in drive
hit the gas pedal
wait for something to say launch control
then let foot off brake

is this correct?

it's pretty simple, just be in sport mode, autohold off, isg off, turn off traction and stability (hold button down for 3+sec) then keep the steering wheel straight and mash the brakes and gas, it'll say launch control active/ready then just let off the brakes.

 

[Devin]

I wasn't impressed by it. I did a couple runs. In sport mode throttle response is pretty good already. With a pedal commander it may just be a wash.

 

[n8hegr8]

why even put launch control on this car. did they think everyone would be taking them to the track. kind of an odd feature to add. i always heard it was bad to have the brake and gas pushed at the same time.

 

[2StingerGarage]

I wasn't impressed by it. I did a couple runs. In sport mode throttle response is pretty good already. With a pedal commander it may just be a wash.

Agreed. I've messed with both LC and Auto Hold/gas mash and I feel like the difference is negligible.. but as had been discussed in other threads, my butt Dyno may be broken...

Either way, after a handful of LC takeoffs, I haven't used it since.

 

[DonD]

My wish is that our Stinger GT1 will provide us with many years of trouble free driving. I can't think that launch control is good for the drivetrain. Car has plenty of power that can be accessed in the old fashioned way, pressing the throttle. Don

 

[MerlintheMad]

My wish is that our Stinger GT1 will provide us with many years of trouble free driving. I can't think that launch control is good for the drivetrain. Car has plenty of power that can be accessed in the old fashioned way, pressing the throttle. Don

I actually agree with this. I've not done more than one LC at a time, since the first time I tried it out back in July 2018. My favorite way to take off fast was described already: use Auto Hold and just mash the accelerator: I found that easing into a rolling start is the best way to do this, so, I will give it about half throttle until I'm moving (takes less than a full second), then bam to the kickdown switch. Shifting for yourself with the paddles will not go faster: but it is more fun.

As the OP says, this LC thing is lately; not sure why; probably just want to be able to use it competently, "because it is there".

 

[JSolo]

Shame me... I've not done a full throttle yet..... at all, in any capacity

 

[n8hegr8]

Shame me... I've not done a full throttle yet..... at all, in any capacity

same, ive not pushed the gas all the way down or went over 80 yet. havent had to, plus theres too much traffic here, no open roads in the city.

 

[JSolo]

Oh I've gone over 65, but just haven't had the need to do full throttle, maybe 75%. It took me a few months to get used to the feel of the car. Each time I looked at speedo I was doing 15 faster than what it felt like. The accord (immediate previous car) was much louder. Feel of speed was much different. I had this issue with one of my motorcycles. 90mph felt like 55mph from the last bike.