My scariest moment!
08-06-2001, 01:40 PM
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My scariest moment!
My journey home tonight was not what you would call normal.
I'd just taken an easy left off one of my favorite roundabouts and accelerated hard. Common sense should have told me to take it easy because the road was damp. Anyway, the next thing I know is that the back end whipped round and I'm looking into the woods on the left hand side of the road
(You know how they say time slows down when things get a bit hairy........it's true).
For what seems ages, although I am sure it was only a few seconds, I alternatively spent pointing the car towards the right verge, then the left verge, then the right verge before I finally got things under control. I saw a red fiesta approaching me and heard the squeal of brakes (I even had time to say to myself "There goes my no claims"). Thankfully I missed it.
The only damage was a scuff mark on my rear left tyre from brushing the kerb.
What the other drivers on the road thought I have no idea. Just hope no-one recognised me
Anyway, thinking back to the incident I realise that a mixture of lifting off the throttle and sawing at the wheel probably made the situation worse.
Where would you advise me to go to get some training in driving my S2000? Has any one attended the MAC courses run by Honda?
I'd just taken an easy left off one of my favorite roundabouts and accelerated hard. Common sense should have told me to take it easy because the road was damp. Anyway, the next thing I know is that the back end whipped round and I'm looking into the woods on the left hand side of the road
(You know how they say time slows down when things get a bit hairy........it's true).
For what seems ages, although I am sure it was only a few seconds, I alternatively spent pointing the car towards the right verge, then the left verge, then the right verge before I finally got things under control. I saw a red fiesta approaching me and heard the squeal of brakes (I even had time to say to myself "There goes my no claims"). Thankfully I missed it.
The only damage was a scuff mark on my rear left tyre from brushing the kerb.
What the other drivers on the road thought I have no idea. Just hope no-one recognised me
Anyway, thinking back to the incident I realise that a mixture of lifting off the throttle and sawing at the wheel probably made the situation worse.
Where would you advise me to go to get some training in driving my S2000? Has any one attended the MAC courses run by Honda?
08-06-2001, 08:20 PM
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tnt
Glad you missed the Fiesta, could have cost more than your NCD....
I'm going to do one of Don Palmers Wetter the Better courses before the winter..... If we can get 8 people doing it we get a discount!
Alternatively, take a look in the back of Autocar/Evo at the different training companies.
Training isn't cheap (Wetter the Better ~250 for 2 hours of constant driving - well driving with you a$se hanging out so it'll feel like 8 hours).
Another way it to get the S2K on the track....
A 20 minute session cost
Glad you missed the Fiesta, could have cost more than your NCD....
I'm going to do one of Don Palmers Wetter the Better courses before the winter..... If we can get 8 people doing it we get a discount!
Alternatively, take a look in the back of Autocar/Evo at the different training companies.
Training isn't cheap (Wetter the Better ~250 for 2 hours of constant driving - well driving with you a$se hanging out so it'll feel like 8 hours).
Another way it to get the S2K on the track....
A 20 minute session cost
08-07-2001, 12:57 AM
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Tnt:
Glad you're O.K. You have got to treat this car with respect in the wet. Most cars on the market come with built in understeer simply because it is the safest for most drivers and situations.In those cars it is very difficult to get the back out without the violent acceleration and steering inputs that you so need to avoid in the S2000, which will tend to oversteer when pushed. My 'half a crown.. tanner' moment came accelerating left out of an island in the wet also
It had to happen sooner or later and thank goodness there was no damage done
The way to look at it is you are now a much wiser bunny
Those S02's by the way which are so wonderful in the dry, leave a lot to be desired in the wet
Glad you're O.K. You have got to treat this car with respect in the wet. Most cars on the market come with built in understeer simply because it is the safest for most drivers and situations.In those cars it is very difficult to get the back out without the violent acceleration and steering inputs that you so need to avoid in the S2000, which will tend to oversteer when pushed. My 'half a crown.. tanner' moment came accelerating left out of an island in the wet also
It had to happen sooner or later and thank goodness there was no damage done The way to look at it is you are now a much wiser bunny Those S02's by the way which are so wonderful in the dry, leave a lot to be desired in the wet
08-07-2001, 05:05 AM
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I think we all go through something like this in the learning curve - and its great if that it comes without a price
- in my interesting sideways moment - it hurt me more than the car - as I banged my head on the metal roof mechanism. My neck was not strong enough to resist the sudden sideways whiplash when the tyres gripped and the car snapped back....that metal hinge is really exposed,
anyway this was in the dry....but with cold tyres - I find quite a difference in grip between cold and hot - ..
- in my interesting sideways moment - it hurt me more than the car - as I banged my head on the metal roof mechanism. My neck was not strong enough to resist the sudden sideways whiplash when the tyres gripped and the car snapped back....that metal hinge is really exposed,
anyway this was in the dry....but with cold tyres - I find quite a difference in grip between cold and hot - ..
08-07-2001, 07:24 AM
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I went for S02-PP's this time on the back purely for wet weather traction. The tread pattern on the OEM S02 is really tight. In comparison my new tires look like they've got huge groves in them....
I had too many "wobbles" last autumn in the wet....
I'll put OEM S02's back on in the spring
I had too many "wobbles" last autumn in the wet....
I'll put OEM S02's back on in the spring
08-07-2001, 09:32 AM
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I had my first wet driving day in the Stook last Saturday.
I have never done so many fish tails in my life
I am going to have to treat this car with a lot of respect in the wet, it's just tooooooo nice to stuff into a lamp post (already done that one before, wouldn't recommend it
)
I have never done so many fish tails in my life
I am going to have to treat this car with a lot of respect in the wet, it's just tooooooo nice to stuff into a lamp post (already done that one before, wouldn't recommend it
)
08-07-2001, 11:41 AM
#7
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Had similar experience in Nov 1999. Came off a roundabout out of shape (turning right with opposite lock compensating left) snapped left when the rear got grip & went up the verge with full right lock, slithered back onto the road with steering control re-gained. No marks on car but missed lampost somehow.
Lost traction in near icy conditions. Never repeated this - but drive my Civic in winter as I
a) want to keep the salt off my S
b) find the stook unsafe in the cold - much prefer front WD in the slippery conditions
It is also one of the reasons I haven't bothered to get a hard top as it is only really useful in winter.
However I have had plenty of controllable slides in the summer.
Lost traction in near icy conditions. Never repeated this - but drive my Civic in winter as I
a) want to keep the salt off my S
b) find the stook unsafe in the cold - much prefer front WD in the slippery conditions
It is also one of the reasons I haven't bothered to get a hard top as it is only really useful in winter.
However I have had plenty of controllable slides in the summer.
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08-07-2001, 02:59 PM
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Im glad your ok 'T' (was your other T with you ? )
The only really bad back-ender Ive had happened with the snowy conditions in March we had. Id only just had my s2k for about a week and I lost the back end twice in one day and at very low speeds. (20-25 mph)
Ive been pretty lucky in the wet so far... and I mean I do drive pretty fast all the time, so Im also amazed that Ive not lost it regularly... Ive had a little drifting (which is nice), but not a spin... touch wood.
AWinskill, I would be interested in some kind of advanced driving lessons or wetter the better lessons. So if you anyone else is serious about it then count me in for a group session.
Jonathan.
The only really bad back-ender Ive had happened with the snowy conditions in March we had. Id only just had my s2k for about a week and I lost the back end twice in one day and at very low speeds. (20-25 mph)
Ive been pretty lucky in the wet so far... and I mean I do drive pretty fast all the time, so Im also amazed that Ive not lost it regularly... Ive had a little drifting (which is nice), but not a spin... touch wood.
AWinskill, I would be interested in some kind of advanced driving lessons or wetter the better lessons. So if you anyone else is serious about it then count me in for a group session.
Jonathan.
08-07-2001, 08:53 PM
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Jonathan
That's four so far (are you still up for it Brian?).
I'll put it on it's own thread to see if there's any other takers...
BTW which prison is it your S2K is parked infront of?
Andy
That's four so far (are you still up for it Brian?).
I'll put it on it's own thread to see if there's any other takers...
BTW which prison is it your S2K is parked infront of?
Andy
08-07-2001, 10:20 PM
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Thx for all your feedback.
Jonathan, Trisha wasn't with me at the time and I am not too sure what her response would have been. It's highly likely that if she had been in the car I would have been driving more slowly and so wouldn't have had this encounteer.
Andy, I'd certainly be interested in some sort of course if there is room. The more I think about it the more I feel I need the training. I'll look out for your other thread.
Jonathan, Trisha wasn't with me at the time and I am not too sure what her response would have been. It's highly likely that if she had been in the car I would have been driving more slowly
and so wouldn't have had this encounteer.Andy, I'd certainly be interested in some sort of course if there is room. The more I think about it the more I feel I need the training. I'll look out for your other thread.