This past Sunday I was driving down to Birmingham, AL with my girlfriend, I drove my 951 and she was ahead in her Jeep. I was on I-20 literally 1 mile from my exit as we had JUST past the exit sign. Immediately when I came over the hill before the exit there was blue police lights and completely stopped traffic due to another wreck. My girlfriend slammed on her brakes and I was forced to do the same along with the drivers behind me. It was down hill, very wet and cold out and the car locked up and began fish tailing back and fourth about 4-5 times. All I could hear was screeching tires, and I could see my girlfriend's Jeep bump the car in front of her as she was sliding also. I had no doubt in my mind that I was going to hit her and also be crushed from behind. I remember thinking while sliding that I was going to hit something and it was all over, I was just waiting for the impact. But AMAZINGLY the 944 gods must have been watching over me and I was able to counter steer several times to get the car under control at the last second and squeeze over onto the shoulder just inches from getting smashed front and rear. I still can not believe I escaped untouched.

LUCKILY my girlfriend was unharmed but unfortunately I can not say the same for her car. The bumper got pushed in pretty far, and the driver's fender got bent out above the wheel but no airbag deployment. It's not horrible but will definitely need a trip to the body shop. She says she might not fix it and continue the search for an E36 M3. The cop did not give her a ticket, and even the guy she hit said there was nothing she could do and to not worry about it.

Basically it looked like the original wreck was someone coming over the hill and lost control and hit the guard rail and spun out in the middle lane causing the 3 lanes of traffic to stop and go around in the far left lane and shoulder. At the gas station off the exit there was someone else who I think was behind me saying he was sliding also and hit the guard rail with his truck but only messed up the step bar.

 

I can hear you now, colin, "well most people want these cars without ABS."

I only poke fun because everyone's okay. I would have come to your house and beat you if you had messed up that white 951, though!

I think I'm heading down to the talladega grand prix track in alabama with PileOPorsche on Dec 29. You coming?

 

how far behind the jeep were you? anything over 3 seconds driving time i would think normal brake pressure would have been fine.

i know at 20 mph my car will stop in 13 feet, and you have bigger brakes then i do

 

I honestly don't think ABS would have done anything given the situation. My girlfriends car and the ones behind me were all newer with ABS and they were locked up and sliding more then I was.

Trust me I would have been beating myself as well if the car was wrecked lol. Whats going on at Talladega?

 

Wow! Glad it turned out alright and you were able to get away.

 

Wait, so you went over a hill unaware of anything unusual and then came upon a wreck that hadn't been alerted to you via police lights or barricades, beforehand? They were just asking for a huge pileup. Around here, the Oklahomans might be stupid, but we know how to handle a traffic collision (should be able to, whit the amount of retarded drivers here). I can't tell you how many times, I've seen cop lights and cones etc. LONG before seeing the actual accident being worked.

Anyway, glad you came out okay. I would have cried for you.

 

Glad the 944 gods were watching you!

 

Good to hear it is all good. I think my 951's life flashes before its eyes every time I walk past it with a sawzall..

 

I was more then 3 seconds behind, but like I posted given the speed and situation there was no chance "normal" brake pressure would have worked. This was highway speeds and zero indication of problems ahead, it was complete stoppage out of no where.

Yep, there was no prior warning at all. We were sailing along at normal highway speeds coming to the top of the hill, and suddenly right over the peak BAM total stoppage and everyone hauling on the brakes etc. I couldn't believe there was no prior warnings considering the wreck had been there long enough for a cop to show up and be parked next to it with just his blue lights flashing. So given that we were doing at least 60mph, cold wet roads, no warning, and going down a hill made the situation very unavoidable and dangerous.

 

944 gods? Maybe.

More likely your skill and knowledge of your car. Well done.

 

Yeah you gotta watch that unweighting of the car as you apex a hill, and then of course gravity acting against you down it.

PileOPorsche is putting together a little track day at the talladega grand prix motorcycle track. It's like $150 per car I think; there will be about 12 of us with 3 cars out at a time. Search for her user name and shoot her a PM.

 

First off glad to hear everyone is OK!!

Secondly, the same thing happened to me about a month ago!!
We were all going highway speed then all of the sudden traffic in front of us over the next hill is stopped!
the two cars next to me collided and I had the pedal going trying to stop, thank goodness for good brakes, I ended up maybe two feet from the mini van in front of me that went sideways.

What is with hills and trying to kill these cars?

BTW if any So MD'ers read this it was at the hill on Rt 4 and Plum Point road...

 

Wow that was close...

 

Locking up your brakes will cause the car to actually come to a stop in longer time / distance than not locking them up, especially in the wet.

So ABS, or purposely modulating braking at the threshold of grip, may have stopped you sooner, and without fishtailing. Admittedly this is very difficult to do in a pressure situation even if you are well practiced in it.

 

Wet and cold. Both those seriously reduce grip.