What is Hairpin turn?
[[Image:Bobby pin.jpg|thumb|The type of hair pin ([[bobby pin]]) from which a 'hairpin turn' takes its name.]] A '''hairpin turn''' (also hairpin bend, hairpin corner, or just hairpin), is a very tight corner. It makes a [[vehicle]] turn almost 180° to continue on the road. It gets its name from the way it looks like a hairpin or [[bobby pin]]. Hairpin turns may be called '''switchbacks''' in [[American English]]. Hairpin turns may be built when a road or path climbs up or down a steep slope. This allows the path to travel the slope with a smaller slope. Hairpin turns may be used in [[race track]]s to slow down the race cars after a long, fast straight. {{-}} {{Gallery | title = Hairpin turns | lines = 3 | File:Col de Braus-small.jpg |Road ascends to the Col de Braus using hairpin bends in the French Alps | File:Haarspeldbocht.jpg |Hairpin turn on the [[Mont Ventoux]] in France | File:Fairmont Hairpin Monaco IMG 1012.jpg |Grand Hotel Hairpin in [[Circuit de Monaco]] }} {{Commons category}} {{transport-stub}} [[Category:Roads]] [[Category:Railway track layouts]]