Lets just imagine that you are in sweeping left hand turn traveling around 45mph and the rear end of the car steps out to the right. Without taking into consideration the effects of traction control or anti-lock brakes what is the proper response?

 

If you are sliding you would need to steer out of the slide. (right?)

 

Turn the wheel into the skid (right). Since it's fwd, you should apply the gas, transferring weight to the rear wheels to help them grip. But I'm groggy today, so don't quote me on that.

R

 

Is it that simple? What direction do you turn the wheel? This will be a good discussion. It may surprise alot of people.

 

Bonus points for Davbret! You steer into the skid and moderately apply the gas. Any of the safety mavens out there know why?

 

So, beyond the weight transfer is there any reason to accelerate? What if it were a rear wheel drive vehicle? Accelerating would transfer weight to the rear wheels there too. Is that the right thing to do in a rear wheeldrive car?

 

If you find your back-end coming around in a MINI, it's probably because you let off of the gas, or hit the brakes, during the turn. This unloads the rear tires by shifting more of the weight of the car onto the front tires, causing the rear tires to lose grip.

The proper correction for this predicament is to steer into the direction of the skid (right, in this scenario) and ease back onto the gas.

Applying throttle while your car is sliding can seem very counter-intuitive at first, but once you get the hang of it, it is great fun

 

Yes, listen to Davbret...
Whatever you do, don't let up off the gas. This will likely cause the rear to continue it's way around (possible more than once). I would steer into the direction I was sliding and stomp the gas.

 

I agree, it is BIG fun once you practice it and are comfortable doing it. However, if you never play near the limit you more than likely will not be prepared when conditions unexpectedly push you over it.

 

I have a feeling that no-one from the lets all drive slow club has answered this post.

 

>>However, if you never play near the limit you more than likely will not be prepared when conditions unexpectedly push you over it.


Absolutely True!! But let's just all make sure we "play" in the appropriate place(s).

 

It's a trick question!! No safety maven would ever be going too fast around a turn!

 

Well, I have not succeded in drawing anyone into an argument so I will give you my explaination as to what is going on inside your car during this slide/spin.

Front wheel drive only:
When the rear wheels loose traction and the car starts to spin the rear wheels are actually traveling faster than the front. What you are most likely to do is to lift your foot offof the gas and steer into the slide. This is absolutely wrong! The compression of the engine will cause the front wheels of the car to decelerate further increasing the speed diferental between the two ends of the car. Can you say snapspin? You need to steer into the spin and get the front end of the car out front again pulling.

Rear wheel drive only:
This is where your instincts pay off. In the same scenario in a rear wheel drive car letting your foot off of the accelerator uses the engines compression to slow the rear wheels allowing the front end to get back out in front. As always, steer into the slide.

 

>>Lets just imagine that you are in sweeping left hand turn traveling around 45mph and the rear end of the car steps out to the right. Without taking into consideration the effects of traction control or anti-lock brakes what is the proper response?

I think I was labeled a safety maven from Liquid_Yellow's previous topic (driving Stoopid fast)? Please don't tell my wife, she'd laugh her *ss off.

In this scenario, I'd say press the go pedal to the floor?

When in doubt, Gas it? Works almost always when trail riding and MXing.

 

and, (d*mnit) still in first gear.... :evil:

 

>>and, (d*mnit) still in first gear.... :evil:

RUMINI: *In grandfatherly tone* There, there, my boy. Everything comes with time and effort.

*Normal voice* BTW
This thread lists the gear ratios for posting.

 

In the 60's, the factory rally cars perfected a technique of inducing oversteer (either with the hand break or, the more fun way of planting the right foot in the throttle and blipping the break with the left foot) to get around sharp turns more quickly; heavier FWD cars like Citroens couldn't get this done a easily. Blipping the break pedal momentarily locked the rear breaks allowing the loss of traction.
Whether sharp or sweeping, the hands were always doing the same thing through all this - pointing the nose of the car in the desired direction; If you can't think quickly enough about steering in what direction with respect to the slidding back end, just remember to steer in the direction you want to go! ... and i bit more explaination, the right foot planted in the loud pedal allowed the front to keep spinning while you were trying to lock the back - a break bias issue ...

 

8ball - YOU'RE BACK!!! WOOHOOO! We need to celebrate!!!!

 

STILL NO SAFETY MAVENS?!

Why would you intentionally induce oversteer? That would be reckless!

 

>>STILL NO SAFETY MAVENS?!
>>
>>Why would you intentionally induce oversteer? That would be reckless!

... the more you know about how your car works - and what it can do - the safer you are; sometime its about avoidance and that includes escape.
you are not the biggest thing on the road, but you are the most nimble.

 

>>>>STILL NO SAFETY MAVENS?!
>>>>
>>>>Why would you intentionally induce oversteer? That would be reckless!
>>
>> ... the more you know about how your car works - and what it can do - the safer you are; sometime its about avoidance and that includes escape.
>>you are not the biggest thing on the road, but you are the most nimble.
>>

Hey Liquid_Yellow,

I can see that you're fairly new around here. Welcome to MCO!

What you probably don't realize is that a lot of the "safety mavens" in your other thread are some of the most active and cool members here at MCO. They're probably purposfully avoiding the flame war that you seem to be attempting to start.

It's obvious you're a go-fast guy like me, so I can tell you that you'll find lots of like-minded people here. Just take the chance to get to know all of the regulars in this small community, and I think you'll see that everyone who posted to that other thread was just trying to be caring and friendly.

Cheers,

Soopa

 

So,... If we have DSC and throw this into the mix, then what happens? Does 1.) the DSC compensate for the "scenario" and 2.) if we apply the above are we overcompensating?

Also, is the DSC in the MINI the same as used in other BMW equiped vehicles? Saw an intersting bit on BMW on Speed Vision coupla nights ago.

 

>>So,... If we have DSC and throw this into the mix, then what happens? Does 1.) the DSC compensate for the "scenario" and 2.) if we apply the above are we overcompensating?
>>
>>Also, is the DSC in the MINI the same as used in other BMW equiped vehicles? Saw an intersting bit on BMW on Speed Vision coupla nights ago.

The DSC should compensate in this scenario by applying brake force to the inside rear wheel, thus creating drag and slowing/stopping the rate of spin. Applying the above would not be overcompensating, however, with the DSC might correct most of the problem before you can even react.

Also, I believe that it is the same system as used on BMWs. Developed by Bosch, and also used on the Vette IIRC.

 

Whew! Glad my wife talked me into getting the DSC - too much math just to take a corner a little too fast

 

>>The DSC should compensate in this scenario by applying brake force to the inside rear wheel, thus creating drag and slowing/stopping the rate of spin. Applying the above would not be overcompensating, however, with the DSC might correct most of the problem before you can even react.
>>

And, most un-nervingly, the DSC feels like it is making the engine starve out -- loosing power. On several occasions I have tried to "do the right thing", shoving my foot on the loud pedal, only to have the DSC countermand my finely honed race & rally skills. It's almost like the DSC has two modes,
ON and MORON

Has anyone tried the DSC under controlled (like ice racing) conditions?

Tom