IwantmyMMnow!
08-11-2011, 06:57 AM
So, yesterday afternoon, I learned a valuable lesson in driving a large vehicle with a powerful engine.
Left work to go to the Navy base clinic to get my MRI results from the day before. When I go to the Navy base, I'm usually leaving from my house and not from work, so was not too familiar with the roads, especially the point where I take the exit ramp off the highway to get to the Navy base. I had taken that route a couple times before, but it had been a while...probably close to a year.
It started pouring about a mile before my exit ramp. The exit ramp starts off with a gentle curve, then becomes a 90 degree right turn to 'merge' onto the other highway. I remembered that there was a sharp curve at the end...just forgot how sharp it was.
So, I took it doing 40mph, then had to crank the wheel hard to make the turn when I realized it was tighter than I remembered. This caused the back end to start fish-tailing; I steered into the skid and gave it a little gas to try and straighten it out. As soon as the rear tires got traction, the car immediately fish-tailed in the other direction and I felt like I was on a tilt-a-whirl.
The road is 6 lanes, with a huge middle/turn lane and fortunately no islands or concrete of any kind. I went around and ended up on the other side of the 6 lanes and finally stopped about 50 feet in front of a car that had stopped coming the other way.
It all happened in a span of 5-6 seconds. It felt like I was on black ice, which is never a good feeling.
Things I took away from the experience:
1. Glad I didn't get hurt or hurt anyone else.
2. Lucky that traffic was very light.
3. Go a little slower when in unfamiliar territory; especially if the roads are wet.
4. Kept foot on gas (it was light pressure, not WOT) too long and forgot about the over-correcting factor. I realize I did this after replaying the event many times in my mind and realizing I didn't hit the brakes until I was in the middle/turn lane.
5. No vehicle damage (mine or anyone else's); only damage was to my ego.
6. Maybe turn traction control on when roads are wet?
It was pretty scary, especially when I 'torpedoed' from my side of the 6 lane road to the other and saw a car there. I think my *** finally un-puckered shortly before I went to bed last night.
It was a humbling experience because I consider myself a very good driver and it's the other 'boneheads' out there I need to watch out for...talk about the shoe being on the other foot!
I'm sure I'd be one sad MM owner right now if things had turned out differently, but am very grateful that I 'escaped' this time...
Left work to go to the Navy base clinic to get my MRI results from the day before. When I go to the Navy base, I'm usually leaving from my house and not from work, so was not too familiar with the roads, especially the point where I take the exit ramp off the highway to get to the Navy base. I had taken that route a couple times before, but it had been a while...probably close to a year.
It started pouring about a mile before my exit ramp. The exit ramp starts off with a gentle curve, then becomes a 90 degree right turn to 'merge' onto the other highway. I remembered that there was a sharp curve at the end...just forgot how sharp it was.
So, I took it doing 40mph, then had to crank the wheel hard to make the turn when I realized it was tighter than I remembered. This caused the back end to start fish-tailing; I steered into the skid and gave it a little gas to try and straighten it out. As soon as the rear tires got traction, the car immediately fish-tailed in the other direction and I felt like I was on a tilt-a-whirl.
The road is 6 lanes, with a huge middle/turn lane and fortunately no islands or concrete of any kind. I went around and ended up on the other side of the 6 lanes and finally stopped about 50 feet in front of a car that had stopped coming the other way.
It all happened in a span of 5-6 seconds. It felt like I was on black ice, which is never a good feeling.
Things I took away from the experience:
1. Glad I didn't get hurt or hurt anyone else.
2. Lucky that traffic was very light.
3. Go a little slower when in unfamiliar territory; especially if the roads are wet.
4. Kept foot on gas (it was light pressure, not WOT) too long and forgot about the over-correcting factor. I realize I did this after replaying the event many times in my mind and realizing I didn't hit the brakes until I was in the middle/turn lane.
5. No vehicle damage (mine or anyone else's); only damage was to my ego.
6. Maybe turn traction control on when roads are wet?
It was pretty scary, especially when I 'torpedoed' from my side of the 6 lane road to the other and saw a car there. I think my *** finally un-puckered shortly before I went to bed last night.
It was a humbling experience because I consider myself a very good driver and it's the other 'boneheads' out there I need to watch out for...talk about the shoe being on the other foot!
I'm sure I'd be one sad MM owner right now if things had turned out differently, but am very grateful that I 'escaped' this time...