![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
...okay, maybe not die, exactly, but the possibility of pain (physical and financial) existed.
So, I'm driving home, and while it's been snowing on and off all day, the roads are pretty clear. I pull up to an intersection and see that the wind has completely covered a section of roadway just beyond the intersection. I see an SUV make the turn and fishtail slightly. I make a note of this, and make a plan.
I will accelerate through the intersection, then coast across the snowy part, letting my momentum carry me straight through. This has worked pretty well in all the years I've been driving this accursed rear-wheel-drive sports car in the snow. No sudden moves. No changes in speed. I see no reason this will not work for me today. Obviously, I did not consider three factors:
1) an automatic is never really 'coasting', as there is always power to the rear wheels (as evidenced by the fact that it will leap forward if you take your foot off the brake).
2) the road is snow-covered like that for a reason, namely, a very stiff wind that's blowing across the road. A wind stiff enough that, combined with the push from the rear wheels, caused my back end to skitter around on me.
3) when push comes to shove, I react back to my roots of driving a front-wheel drive car, which is what I learned on and drove for the first 15 years of my driving life. This is, of course, the exact opposite of what I should have done.
The upshot is that I was damn lucky my reactions got me through the intersection in front of the car in the lane next to me, who was behind me and continued to smartly hang back as I slid all over the roadway until I managed to snag some pavement and get the car back on track. I was also lucky this happened on a divided road, so oncoming traffic was not an issue.
I've driven through far, far worse conditions, but I was not paying enough attention because, overall, the roads were fine. I should have said to hell with the impatient SUV behind me, let them get pissed I'm going slowly, because I know better. I got sloppy and complacent, and one 100-foot stretch of very slick road almost did me in.
...though, had I wrecked the car, I might even now be shopping for a sensible, front-wheel drive standard shift and wouldn't be contemplating future adventures in the snow (where I promise I will be much more careful and keep in mind that, in essence, a car is a two-ton weapon and should be treated with such respect, which I honestly do - we all have our moments, though). Drive safely, everyone!
So, I'm driving home, and while it's been snowing on and off all day, the roads are pretty clear. I pull up to an intersection and see that the wind has completely covered a section of roadway just beyond the intersection. I see an SUV make the turn and fishtail slightly. I make a note of this, and make a plan.
I will accelerate through the intersection, then coast across the snowy part, letting my momentum carry me straight through. This has worked pretty well in all the years I've been driving this accursed rear-wheel-drive sports car in the snow. No sudden moves. No changes in speed. I see no reason this will not work for me today. Obviously, I did not consider three factors:
1) an automatic is never really 'coasting', as there is always power to the rear wheels (as evidenced by the fact that it will leap forward if you take your foot off the brake).
2) the road is snow-covered like that for a reason, namely, a very stiff wind that's blowing across the road. A wind stiff enough that, combined with the push from the rear wheels, caused my back end to skitter around on me.
3) when push comes to shove, I react back to my roots of driving a front-wheel drive car, which is what I learned on and drove for the first 15 years of my driving life. This is, of course, the exact opposite of what I should have done.
The upshot is that I was damn lucky my reactions got me through the intersection in front of the car in the lane next to me, who was behind me and continued to smartly hang back as I slid all over the roadway until I managed to snag some pavement and get the car back on track. I was also lucky this happened on a divided road, so oncoming traffic was not an issue.
I've driven through far, far worse conditions, but I was not paying enough attention because, overall, the roads were fine. I should have said to hell with the impatient SUV behind me, let them get pissed I'm going slowly, because I know better. I got sloppy and complacent, and one 100-foot stretch of very slick road almost did me in.
...though, had I wrecked the car, I might even now be shopping for a sensible, front-wheel drive standard shift and wouldn't be contemplating future adventures in the snow (where I promise I will be much more careful and keep in mind that, in essence, a car is a two-ton weapon and should be treated with such respect, which I honestly do - we all have our moments, though). Drive safely, everyone!
no subject
The most memorable instance was when I was a pre-teen, it was late at night (thankfully) and we were headed north on a 4 lane highway. We had just finished gassing up the car and were going to cross the highway back to our lanes when the full size van fishtailed then we did a 360 into the crossroads of the 4 lane highway pointing E/W. :) Again, thankfully it was night and there were like 2 other cars around who were stopped or not close enough to be in danger.
As we can to a stop, my sister and I bounced in our seats and started yelling 'AGAIN!! AGAIN!!!' My dad chuckled and my mom looked at him very seriously and said "Bobby. Don't you dare."
*evil chuckle*
I also live in Cleveland and was born in Nov. So daddy took me to a parking lot to teach me how to do donuts and get out of them... in the same said full size van. :) We decided to stop when we came to close to a light pole but I did like 8 before that. So awesome.
no subject
That is an awesome story! I mean, since no one was hurt. :D
I think part of the problem is that, while I've had a lot of experience driving *safely* in the snow, I'm so careful I have no experience with what to do when things go pear-shaped (or, in this case, fish-tail-shaped). All of my 'oh my god I'm going to DIE!' experiences came early on, when I learned to drive, in a front-wheel-drive car. I really do need to take the Mustang out to a parking lot and slide around a bit, and learn how to react.
Or get a new car. ;)
no subject
We had a Mustang for awhile and we normally drove my car in the winter. But that was when we worked at the same office. Now, Sam has a truck and I wish I could steal it when it was overly snowy... like today. :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
(and, as much as I joke, I'm glad my paid-off 12-year-old car is okay, too!)
no subject
I'm glad you're okay :)
no subject
Me too!
no subject
I often tell my husband, when we're driving in the rain or if it's icy and there's a buttwipe in an SUV trying to make him go faster, to just ignore them, even encourage them to pass.I do the same...If you want to pass me at warp speed and go flying willy-nilly off the road, fine. I'm not driving unsafely to cater to you.
no subject
no subject
Ass end slid out from underneath me.
Ingrained and instinctive reaction is to turn into the slide, so the wheels are facing the way I'm going. I have always done that. I don't know any other way to react that makes sense in my brain.
It came back, went the other way slightly, and finally (all the while, my foot off the gas) came back to me without further ado. The worst that happened was that I was sideways on my side of the road for a dozen yards or so.
But really? Nerve-wracking. Didn't frighten me, so much... I've had nerves of steel when driving in the snow ever since my little stint in Montana from November to February.
But I really have no fucking clue how to drive a vehicle with rear wheel drive. I suck. *lol*
no subject
I was mostly embarrassed by the incident, honestly. I know better, and I'm actually a better driver than that (usually!). I mean, I was calm enough during the slide I was cheking all my mirrors to see where the other cars were!
no subject
i am glad you are ok. reading that was scaryface.
no subject
...I'm so ready for the spring. :/
no subject
no subject