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Thank you Porsche - PSM, RAS, & ABS saved my bacon today
I'm still a little shaken up. I keep replaying in slow motion. Most other cars, and I'd probably be seriously hurt right now.
There's a spot on the beltway 8 feeder road southbound between Kimberly and Briar Forest that is a double 90 degree S-turn (right, under the beltway, then left). To the left southbound there is a T intersection with a stoplight at Briar Hill Dr. Here's what it looks like on google maps:
I was headed that way today and just at the apex (~10 ft from the end of the island in the 1st picture, right about where the X is in the 2nd picture) of the first right hand turn, a fullsize pickup lost control coming around the U in the opposite direction and plowed into my lane, literally just as I downshifted from 3rd -> 2nd and applied power. I caught him just in my peripheral vision. There was no time to think, only react. Thankfully I had an open lane to my right and I decreased radius to apex in the right lane. I don't know how my left fender missed him. The turn was so much sharper than I anticipated (RAS?), and I think PSM intervened just as I started to counter-steer the rear-end as I felt the traction break - it's weird, I was totally in control...but the computer really did make it effortless...the car just did exactly what I willed it to do. At this point my brain registered that I was still on the gas, and the left hand turn was coming up fast - the truck was just to my left, and trying to turn, but it felt like he was understeering and likely to be in my lane and force me into the guardrail. Both feet in. Felt the ABS pulse and my seatbelt smashed my chest as I just did my best to steer clear and stop as short as possible and as close to the curb as I could. The truck missed me again by just inches and screeched to a crawl (I think he did bump the rail with this front bumper) then turned hard and took off. Hazards on, I pulled myself together and started back up slowly.
I was lucky today, reflexes were good. But the car also kept me safe - had I been in my SUV, which I almost drove today - It would be a different story. I'll have a nice mark across my chest in the morning from the seatbelt, but otherwise okay. And the car didn't even touch the curb. I'm honestly in awe of the emergency handling.
Know the road there well and see accidents there too often. Really glad it didn't go south for you and glad you took command of the car, those situations can shake you up. Stay safe in H-town
Phew! This town has some freaking stupid drivers. Glad you are safe! Don’t know that spot but that’s a really strange intersection, even by TX standards.
I think most (all?) of us buy these cars for the fun and performance, but those same features, along with the new technologies that make them safer. As you said, that same maneuver without PSM, RAS, and ABS and the results may not have been the same.
Wow! What an experience. I’ve had “close ones” in my driving life and each time I’ve played them back in my head only to think, “another second earlier or later the outcome would have been so different”
Glad you’re OK and that the “T” held up its part of the event!
Phew! This town has some freaking stupid drivers. Glad you are safe! Don’t know that spot but that’s a really strange intersection, even by TX standards.
That's for sure. Incidents like that make me think that access to driving is far too easy in the US, and Texas in particular. I taught both my kids to drive there, and while my daughter had to take the state written test to get her permit, after actual driving with mom and dad, we only had to provide parental assurance that she was competent--no driving test required.
Gotta love Porsche. My wife had a semi come into her lane on top of her Cayenne S. Guard rail to the left - Semi swerving from her right - all at 65-70 mph. She swerved a little to the left putting two wheels into the gravel/crap on the side of the road and went all in on the brakes and the tail end of that semi missed her by inches. The Cayenne S not only slowed like "God had grabbed it", but it did so with complete composure. no swerving, no nose dive. Just complete composure. The ABS compensated for the friction / road surface differential on the left and right side. My wife isn't a car person, but she kept saying "I could feel my car doing things for me to keep me in control" The engineering in these cars is amazing.
Incidents like that make me think that access to driving is far too easy in the US, and Texas in particular. I taught both my kids to drive there, and while my daughter had to take the state written test to get her permit, after actual driving with mom and dad, we only had to provide parental assurance that she was competent--no driving test required.
Interesting.....we're in DFW and both my kids had/have to take a drivers test.
Agreed though - it is way too easy to get a drivers license in the US. Should be a privilege but it's treated as a right.
Interesting.....we're in DFW and both my kids had/have to take a drivers test.
Agreed though - it is way too easy to get a drivers license in the US. Should be a privilege but it's treated as a right.
When my son learned 3 years later he had to take a test (still laughably easy, especially compared to some other countries). I think the era when the politicians in Austin decided that forcing new drivers to take a test was unreasonable government intrusion was only around 2008.
As for the location of the OP's incident, I used to ride my bike along Buffalo Bayou trail and would turn around under Beltway 8, and sometimes pause for a breather in the shade. A LOT of drivers, in pickups, Porsches, and other vehicles "enjoyed" accelerating around that S-bend, with mixed results.
07-03-2018 | 11:45 PM
Thank you Porsche - PSM, RAS, & ABS saved my bacon today
