i almost died

[coolguy147]

well i have to write this out. i need to talk to somebody.

today i was being an idiot. my car has been pinging a little lately and it only happens when i accelerate hard. i decided to test the MAF today by disconnecting it and seeing how the engine would run.

note: it's been raining a lot today so the roads are slick.

i just was being an idiot today and didn't think anything of it. i also was testing my wipers as i just fixed them because they were skidding a bit.

i drive to the on ramp to the highway and i figure i'd get on then drive off the next exit (very close). i go and floor the car then i keep going and going. my traction control is on so the car is skipping a little due to the computer. i don't think anything of it. then next thing i know i'm going super fast. my car starts to lose control. i left go of the gas but then i lose even more control. it's dark and rainy. i start to lose control. i can't steer. i swerve expectantly near the barricade. swerve back. then next thing i know i can't steer, foot on the brake. thank god my car has anit-lock brakes. i spin out and totally stop traffic going in the same direction. i couldn't believe it. I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING OR ANYBODY. I WAS OK!!! i'm still freaking out as we speak. i can't stop crying. i swear i thought i was in a dream. i immediately straighten out and exit.

i can't believe i'm alive. i did a total spin out on the highway. i totally lost control

my car has a v-8 and is rear wheel drive. my car just totally lost control. i can't believe i'm alive right now. I'M SO THANKFUL THERE'S A GOD. this whole thing was a miracle.

get your kids a safe car. TEACH THEM TO BE DEFENSIVE DRIVERS.

if any variable was different at all. i probably would have died. i'm so thankful nobody got hurt and that i'm ok. my car is perfectly fine. i can't believe i was such an idiot and to especially do this on a RAINY wet day. wow...:facepalm:

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: i almost died

Relax Man, you think your the only one that this happens too? next time your on the highway look for all the cool black marks that go up the Concrete barrier, guess what they did it too but they hit something, happens ALL THE TIME, go get yourself a cool adult beverage and read a book or watch some tv.

Now that said its time for the butt chewing, your car didn't lose control YOU DID, this is a learning experience, but one you were clearly unprepared for. You live in Florida so I guess you get something of a pass from me since you probably have little chance to work on your counter steering techniques but I will tell you I take my 15 yr old daughter out to a large parking lot every chance I can so that she learns how to control losing the rear end on iced up roads which is a very real situation here in Colorado. If I were you I would see if I could reproduce the situation in a controlled area and learn from it so that you don't freeze again. WORST thing you can do is lock the cars brakes up, now you have exactly ZERO chance of controlling things, simply get off the gas and turn into the turn, if its saveable at some point the car will come back just control it and do not allow the car to swap ends again at the same rate, do not slam on the brakes and do not swerve the steering and do not smash the gas, its alot like shooting a gun, smooth is fast fast is smooth, Educate yourself, this is one of those things thats a blast once you get the hang of it.

Very happy your ok though!!

 

[ngt]

Re: i almost died

glad you're ok. accidents and stuff like this are scary. Life is fragile.

 

[roscoe]

Re: i almost died

people need to learn to drive without traction control, awd, anti locks, etc, and then learn to drive with those limits in mind, not come to rely on them.

Every year, I am shocked at how many people think their awd or 4x4, even fwd, will stop as fast as it can accelerate.
thinking the road isn't slippery because they can accelerate and maintain control .... until they have to hit the brakes.


"In the old days" way back 20 years ago, slipping and sliding trying to get going was the way we learned the street was slick, and we kept our speed down.

Glad you came out of it in one piece.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: i almost died

I'M SO THANKFUL THERE'S A GOD.

i'm so thankful nobody got hurt and that i'm ok.

Two very powerful statements. GOD is first and foremost...

In the second statement, you put others before yourself. This speaks volumes about your character.

I'm glad all worked out well. You've obviously learned a very impactive lesson. I'm glad it wasn't an expensive one, especially one which can never be repaid. Reflect upon this experience and draw all from it you can. You're already off to a good start. I'm really glad no one was hurt.

PS: My Buddy Lipp is apparently unaware that you're under 18. He did indeed give you some terriffic advice. Disregard the part about the cool adult beverage, though.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: i almost died

Glad you were not hurt.

I had an experiance where was near freezing going down I-75 in Findlay, Ohio at about 65 came accross the Blanchard river passing a truck doing 55 or so (their speed limit at the time) A camero had spun out and stopped at the 158 exit in the stripped area and a jeep liberty stopped in left lane could not get over because of the truck, road was ice covered hit bracks no Anti-locks. Kept car straight tires from locking up, last minute let off turned slightly left stopped with my bumper a foot in front of his between median wall and him. Yes I have driving skills but no one was hurt and the guy in the Liberty wipped his brow knowing my skills with gods hand saved much pain. Not one scratch on either vehicle, wife had brown marks in her shorts, and my heart went out of rythem. Does this count? Yes we all need to know how to handle all situations, I hate abs, and tracyion control because it changes these limits, and not for the better in all cases.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: i almost died

sorry, i meant that i did.

i was taught to let up on the brakes and push hard then let go. I COULD NOT SEE. i guess i went into panic mode and didn't know what to do.

i don't think i went lock to lock but it kinda steered for me? like the way my momentum was going was the way that it wanted to steer to. i believe my back end slipped up i guess. i can't remember how exactly i but i do after i totally stopped....

no, i don't drink adult only beverages.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: i almost died

sorry, i meant that i did.

i was taught to let up on the brakes and push hard then let go. I COULD NOT SEE. i guess i went into panic mode and didn't know what to do.

i don't think i went lock to lock but it kinda steered for me? like the way my momentum was going was the way that it wanted to steer to. i believe my back end slipped up i guess. i can't remember how exactly i but i do after i totally stopped....

no, i don't drink adult only beverages.

What I was pointing out is you must drive these things to be instinct not just knowing what to do. When my brother and I was young and dumb we did this stuff on raods with no traffic because they were dead ends or mud roads, it has paid off now but because my hands just instinctivlly move now. Thank god we never got hurt.

 

[aspeck]

Re: i almost died

Lipp and VH make some great comments. Get yourself to a deserted parking lot when it is raining and practice putting your car into a skid and then steering out of it. It is fun an you will be glad you learned what to do with experience instead of just head knowledge. I love driving in the snow because I am always practicing my emergency steering and braking.

A valuable lesson learned. Glad you are alive to use the info you learned!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: i almost died

Like Lipp said, relax. However, it's a very good learning experience. It happens all the time, especially in the north where there's snow and ice. When I was growing up, we would purposely break the rear tires loose to learn how to handle the vehicle just incase of an emergency. Of course, we didn't do it on the highway going 55+ mph. Now with all the traction/stability controls, I can't do that with the wifes Charger. Panicking is the worst thing to do.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: i almost died

sorry, i meant that i did.

i was taught to let up on the brakes and push hard then let go. I COULD NOT SEE. i guess i went into panic mode and didn't know what to do.

i don't think i went lock to lock but it kinda steered for me? like the way my momentum was going was the way that it wanted to steer to. i believe my back end slipped up i guess. i can't remember how exactly i but i do after i totally stopped....

no, i don't drink adult only beverages.

Yeah when you say you could not see I'm betting you just froze, pretty common thing that happens when you are placed in a very stressful event like this, but the advice your getting from us is that you have all the abilities you need to remove yourself from this type of event you just need to train/educate yourself in the proper techniques used to counter losing the rear end or as NASCAR likes to say getting "Loose", The single best way to learn how to deal with this is to do it! And do it often! I'm 43 years old and I do it all the time! Drives my wife NUTS!! I tell you that now when we get snow packed roads or worse I pretty much drive as though the roads were dry, getting a little loose isn't a big deal at all, the bigger hazard for us in the Snowy latitudes north of you is all the inexperienced drivers who do as you did and kinda freeze up! As Fishing Dude and Wimusky are saying you have got to drive it in order to make it an instinct. One way for you to reproduce similar effects of ice/slick/snowy roads is to drive on a dirt road that has been recently cut or graded, and play with the rear end of the car turn harder and quicker until you feel the rear get loose and then save it, do it again and again.

BUT make sure you can secure the road before trying this stuff, the last thing you want to do is hurt anyone who thinks your screwing around when in fact your doing what us old guys did and learned how to be effective drivers by "Screwing around", Make the area safe and learn, you kids have a tough row to hoe these days with everyone trying to keep you "Safe".

Releasing the brakes and then pressing them otherwise known as Pumping the brakes is what you do when the brakes lock up in a straight line, when you lose the rear end forget about the brakes they will not help you. all you can do is steer out of it, I can see in a few situations the brakes could help as could the gas pedal but generally when you lose the rear end your going to need to steer out of it. Anti lock brakes only pump the brakes for you and as someone else has said they are not exactly the answer to your prayers, you are, were just trying to get you to see that. When your car is sideways you have lost all traction your rear tires are sliding because they can't turn but your front tires can so thats why you felt the steering wheel turn, the problem is that if your still on the brakes your rear tires can't spin and you need them to spin if your going to recover so get off the brakes and steer your way out eventually it will come back and thats what you need to manage because thats when your more likely to spin completely!

I don't even flinch anymore when the rear end steps out bud, I bet Fishing dude, Aspeck, VH, Roscoe and WIMUSKY are the very same

 

[Cheetah 210es]

Re: i almost died

Your OK, nobody was hurt, no damage done, Result!

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: i almost died

Lipp and VH make some great comments. Get yourself to a deserted parking lot when it is raining and practice putting your car into a skid and then steering out of it. It is fun an you will be glad you learned what to do with experience instead of just head knowledge. I love driving in the snow because I am always practicing my emergency steering and braking.

A valuable lesson learned. Glad you are alive to use the info you learned!

Growing up in Chicago we used to go to a snow packed deserted parking lot and do "donuts" all the time. It is a lot of fun but VERY educational too.

This was before all the electronic braking and traction controls and they actual taught us winter driving skills in high school drivers ed.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: i almost died

today i was being an idiot.

I have never done one single idiotic thing in my life.

Glad your ok and you didn't hurt anyone else. Like everyone said, hopefully you learned a valuable lesson.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: i almost died

it's very vague on how i turned but i remember braking so i would avoid hitting the barrier to my right. then trying to steer out of it and remembering that it was very easy to steer. then i turned all the way to left which resulted in me facing on coming traffic....

i can turn my traction control off.

how do i practice? i don't quite understand?

 

[dlngr]

Re: i almost died

I would advise a defensive driving course. Sounds like you have very little idea of how to handle a car.

 

[nwcove]

Re: i almost died

any time i end up on the highway in bad weather......mainly snow, 9 out of 10 vehicles that are upside down in the woods are suv's, 4 wheel drive trucks, or awd others......why do people think that these types of vehicles will allow them to drive at the posted speed limit when things get messy?
( to the op, sounds like you need some new rubber under your car!!)

 

[coolguy147]

Re: i almost died

I would advise a defensive driving course. Sounds like you have very little idea of how to handle a car.

i want you to drive my car and see how you would have turned out. i understand that i was being stupid. i am a defensive driver. i want a course on how to control my car when i totally lose traction. you're not going to get that in a defensive driver's course.

i wrote this thread because i was freaking out and needed some comfort on what i just did. i thankfully came out alive with no damage or injuries what so ever.

DON'T TELL ME I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A CAR. again, you most defiantly have more experience than me but i have never been more offended on this site. i'm terribly sorry if this post will come across to you as offensive but i took your post as offensive.

thank you.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: i almost died

any time i end up on the highway in bad weather......mainly snow, 9 out of 10 vehicles that are upside down in the woods are suv's, 4 wheel drive trucks, or awd others......why do people think that these types of vehicles will allow them to drive at the posted speed limit when things get messy?
( to the op, sounds like you need some new rubber under your car!!)

i was actually thinking the same thing today! the tires are too bad? i would have stayed in control but my traction control kept cutting the engine in and out which resulted in me losing my rear end the next thing that i know. i think they still got a good amount of tread on them


i drive a rear wheel drive sedan by the way.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: i almost died

Glad everything worked out ok........this time. I say that because it WILL happen again. Next time,you may not be the instigator, but it WILL happen. When I was not much older than you, a few incidents enlightened me to DEFENSIVE driving. You will not believe what a benefit it is to know what you can actually do in what seems like a hopeless situation. I could fill this thread with incidents that have happened since then while driving, that ALL had the potential for very serious injury or death, the most recent being yesterday. Putting yourself into controlled skids, as well as other maneuvers, and have the experience and ability to get out of it, is amazing and life saving. When you know what to do, you body will do it seemingly without thought. You learned a good lesson early. Now get yourself trained early as well. BTW, glad your still with us.