Guardian Angels were watching....
11-10-2023, 09:06 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Guardian Angels were watching....
I have a C4S cab and so a couple of months ago I'm driving South on I-75 and I got caught in one of those spectacular Southwest Florida downpours where you can't see 2 feet in front of you.
The speed limit is 70 mph and I slow down to about 35 or 40 and move to the right lane....not sure as I can't remember exactly but I'm driving pretty slow and then I see a little rain puddle when I'm right on top of it and as I hit it it takes the steering wheel completely out of my hands and the car immediately makes a sharp left hand turn and heads across the highway towards the guard rail 3 lanes over. Just as I approach the guardrail and I was sure I would hit it the car stops that slide and immediately goes the other way across the same 3 lanes and just before I'm sure I'm going to go down the embankment (maybe 3 feet away) ...it catches...gives a little shutter and gives me control again. I can remember thinking please God don't let me lose it again when I almost have it.
I hit no-one and no-one hit me...just a miracle! Big semis...everybody flying and everyone misses.
Scariest car experience I've ever had and it happened so fast I can't even tell you what I did as all I could think of was I was about to wreck this car! The angels were watching over me of that I'm sure. Not my time I guess. The next day I replaced the rear tires.
The speed limit is 70 mph and I slow down to about 35 or 40 and move to the right lane....not sure as I can't remember exactly but I'm driving pretty slow and then I see a little rain puddle when I'm right on top of it and as I hit it it takes the steering wheel completely out of my hands and the car immediately makes a sharp left hand turn and heads across the highway towards the guard rail 3 lanes over. Just as I approach the guardrail and I was sure I would hit it the car stops that slide and immediately goes the other way across the same 3 lanes and just before I'm sure I'm going to go down the embankment (maybe 3 feet away) ...it catches...gives a little shutter and gives me control again. I can remember thinking please God don't let me lose it again when I almost have it.
I hit no-one and no-one hit me...just a miracle! Big semis...everybody flying and everyone misses.
Scariest car experience I've ever had and it happened so fast I can't even tell you what I did as all I could think of was I was about to wreck this car! The angels were watching over me of that I'm sure. Not my time I guess. The next day I replaced the rear tires.
11-10-2023, 09:19 AM
#2
I have a C4S cab and so a couple of months ago I'm driving South on I-75 and I got caught in one of those spectacular Southwest Florida downpours where you can't see 2 feet in front of you.
The speed limit is 70 mph and I slow down to about 35 or 40 and move to the right lane....not sure as I can't remember exactly but I'm driving pretty slow and then I see a little rain puddle when I'm right on top of it and as I hit it it takes the steering wheel completely out of my hands and the car immediately makes a sharp left hand turn and heads across the highway towards the guard rail 3 lanes over. Just as I approach the guardrail and I was sure I would hit it the car stops that slide and immediately goes the other way across the same 3 lanes and just before I'm sure I'm going to go down the embankment (maybe 3 feet away) ...it catches...gives a little shutter and gives me control again. I can remember thinking please God don't let me lose it again when I almost have it.
I hit no-one and no-one hit me...just a miracle! Big semis...everybody flying and everyone misses.
Scariest car experience I've ever had and it happened so fast I can't even tell you what I did as all I could think of was I was about to wreck this car! The angels were watching over me of that I'm sure. Not my time I guess. The next day I replaced the rear tires.
The speed limit is 70 mph and I slow down to about 35 or 40 and move to the right lane....not sure as I can't remember exactly but I'm driving pretty slow and then I see a little rain puddle when I'm right on top of it and as I hit it it takes the steering wheel completely out of my hands and the car immediately makes a sharp left hand turn and heads across the highway towards the guard rail 3 lanes over. Just as I approach the guardrail and I was sure I would hit it the car stops that slide and immediately goes the other way across the same 3 lanes and just before I'm sure I'm going to go down the embankment (maybe 3 feet away) ...it catches...gives a little shutter and gives me control again. I can remember thinking please God don't let me lose it again when I almost have it.
I hit no-one and no-one hit me...just a miracle! Big semis...everybody flying and everyone misses.
Scariest car experience I've ever had and it happened so fast I can't even tell you what I did as all I could think of was I was about to wreck this car! The angels were watching over me of that I'm sure. Not my time I guess. The next day I replaced the rear tires.
I went from Cup 2's to 4S's and have to say, the 4S feels like driving on a cheat code in both the dry and wet but especially the wet. I'm surprised a tire this good in the dry could perform this well in the wet.
11-10-2023, 09:30 AM
#3
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
2009 C2S 193k miles
Lucky... good news.
TIP: When I experience possible hydroplaning situation or snow/ice slipperyness, I move my car to the right so my right tires are actually in the breakdown lane and over the line. I found that the breakdown lane contains a lot of stones and they stick up and give you some traction.
Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)
Lucky... good news.
TIP: When I experience possible hydroplaning situation or snow/ice slipperyness, I move my car to the right so my right tires are actually in the breakdown lane and over the line. I found that the breakdown lane contains a lot of stones and they stick up and give you some traction.
Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)
11-10-2023, 10:25 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
That could have been curtains for you and the car!
Glad everything turned out as it did Tom!
Glad everything turned out as it did Tom!
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TommyV44 (11-10-2023)
11-10-2023, 02:24 PM
#6
Your driving skills and reflexes prolly had a lot to do with it. Glad no one was hit or hurt.
I was driving home yesterday afternoon passed some cars that were stationary in the left turn lane at the light.
Noticed, just in time, that an idiot in a pick up truck had three or four steel posts with base plates hanging off the side of his truck. Would have impaled my windshield dead center in front of my face.
No red flag. No nothing. They weren't just hanging over the rear. They were from the corner behind the driver over the middle of the bed, hanging well into the adjacent lane.
Stay safe out there.
I was driving home yesterday afternoon passed some cars that were stationary in the left turn lane at the light.
Noticed, just in time, that an idiot in a pick up truck had three or four steel posts with base plates hanging off the side of his truck. Would have impaled my windshield dead center in front of my face.
No red flag. No nothing. They weren't just hanging over the rear. They were from the corner behind the driver over the middle of the bed, hanging well into the adjacent lane.
Stay safe out there.
The following users liked this post:
TommyV44 (11-10-2023)
11-10-2023, 02:35 PM
#7
Drifting
Thread Starter
2009 C2S 193k miles
Lucky... good news.
TIP: When I experience possible hydroplaning situation or snow/ice slipperyness, I move my car to the right so my right tires are actually in the breakdown lane and over the line. I found that the breakdown lane contains a lot of stones and they stick up and give you some traction.
Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)
Lucky... good news.
TIP: When I experience possible hydroplaning situation or snow/ice slipperyness, I move my car to the right so my right tires are actually in the breakdown lane and over the line. I found that the breakdown lane contains a lot of stones and they stick up and give you some traction.
Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)
Trending Topics
11-10-2023, 09:52 PM
#8
Rennlist Member
Yo, Tommy.
Dodged a bullet there.
Congrat's.
A near miss can make you feel more "alive".
Ironic that a brush with death can illicit that response.
Been there, far too many times, in aviation- and on a few other occasions... in a 911 fighting trailing throttle over-steer amidst a decreasing radius corner.
Don't lift!
Dodged a bullet there.
Congrat's.
A near miss can make you feel more "alive".
Ironic that a brush with death can illicit that response.
Been there, far too many times, in aviation- and on a few other occasions... in a 911 fighting trailing throttle over-steer amidst a decreasing radius corner.
Don't lift!
11-10-2023, 11:27 PM
#9
Drifting
Thread Starter
Yo, Tommy.
Dodged a bullet there.
Congrat's.
A near miss can make you feel more "alive".
Ironic that a brush with death can illicit that response.
Been there, far too many times, in aviation- and on a few other occasions... in a 911 fighting trailing throttle over-steer amidst a decreasing radius corner.
Don't lift!
Dodged a bullet there.
Congrat's.
A near miss can make you feel more "alive".
Ironic that a brush with death can illicit that response.
Been there, far too many times, in aviation- and on a few other occasions... in a 911 fighting trailing throttle over-steer amidst a decreasing radius corner.
Don't lift!
11-10-2023, 11:33 PM
#10
Drifting
Thread Starter
Really does highlight the importance of tires eh? Good to hear things worked out well.
I went from Cup 2's to 4S's and have to say, the 4S feels like driving on a cheat code in both the dry and wet but especially the wet. I'm surprised a tire this good in the dry could perform this well in the wet.
I went from Cup 2's to 4S's and have to say, the 4S feels like driving on a cheat code in both the dry and wet but especially the wet. I'm surprised a tire this good in the dry could perform this well in the wet.
11-10-2023, 11:57 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
You can't imagine or maybe you can...when I finally gained control again I was incredulous that nothing happened...it was like 10 seconds disappeared...and I was right back where I started. I can tell you this...I said some prayers when I got home....the scariest time was right at the end when I finally had control again...I was afraid I'd lose it then and that would really kill me (no pun intended).
Came up over a crest in the road doing about 75 and all I saw were brake lights. I slammed on the brakes as did those drivers around me - praying that the car would stop - hydroplaning / sliding.
I remember at one moment looking over to my right and seeing the car in the next lane over doing a 360. I caught a glimpse at one point when the driver next to me was heading down the highway sideways. He was looking at me directly through his windshield through my passenger door window. I instantly thought - there's no way I'm getting out of this one alive.
Unforgettable.
Glad you made it out of it ok Tom.
Last edited by Ironman88; 11-10-2023 at 11:58 PM.
11-11-2023, 07:27 AM
#13
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Wow, what a close one.
I'm not sure the AWD helped in this case. The more forces acting on the front wheels the easier it is to overcome their traction. Could have actually been the fronts losing contact then the right one getting grip sending you hard left then the opposite sending you hard right. Unless you felt the rear drift out the AWD may not have helped you here.
The only 2 cars I've ever lost complete control of due to hydroplaning were a FWD rental Saab convertible in FL and a FWD Buick in TN - very scary when the front feels like it's in ice and going wherever it wants to.
I'm not sure the AWD helped in this case. The more forces acting on the front wheels the easier it is to overcome their traction. Could have actually been the fronts losing contact then the right one getting grip sending you hard left then the opposite sending you hard right. Unless you felt the rear drift out the AWD may not have helped you here.
The only 2 cars I've ever lost complete control of due to hydroplaning were a FWD rental Saab convertible in FL and a FWD Buick in TN - very scary when the front feels like it's in ice and going wherever it wants to.
Last edited by Petza914; 11-11-2023 at 08:26 AM.
11-11-2023, 07:48 AM
#14
Drifting
Thread Starter
Wow, what a close one.
I'm not sure the AWD helped in this case. The more forces acting on the front wheels the easier it is to overcome their traction. Could have actually been the fronts losing contact then the right one getting grip sending you hard left then the opposite sending you hard right. Unless you felt the rear drift out the AWD may not have helped you here.
The only 2 cars I've ever lost complete control of due to hydroplaning were a FWD rental Saab convertible in FL and a FWD Buick in TN - very scary when the front feels like it's in ice and going wherever it wants to.
I'm not sure the AWD helped in this case. The more forces acting on the front wheels the easier it is to overcome their traction. Could have actually been the fronts losing contact then the right one getting grip sending you hard left then the opposite sending you hard right. Unless you felt the rear drift out the AWD may not have helped you here.
The only 2 cars I've ever lost complete control of due to hydroplaning were a FWD rental Saab convertible in FL and a FWD Buick in TN - very scary when the front feels like it's in ice and going wherever it wants to.
Last edited by Petza914; 11-11-2023 at 08:26 AM.
11-11-2023, 07:49 AM
#15
Drifting
Thread Starter
I had a similar feeling - only it was about 40 years ago, traveling on Central Expressway in the Dallas area. It was one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the Dallas area at the time. About 6:30Pm in the summer. Raining like something out of the Bible.
Came up over a crest in the road doing about 75 and all I saw were brake lights. I slammed on the brakes as did those drivers around me - praying that the car would stop - hydroplaning / sliding.
I remember at one moment looking over to my right and seeing the car in the next lane over doing a 360. I caught a glimpse at one point when the driver next to me was heading down the highway sideways. He was looking at me directly through his windshield through my passenger door window. I instantly thought - there's no way I'm getting out of this one alive.
Unforgettable.
Glad you made it out of it ok Tom.
Came up over a crest in the road doing about 75 and all I saw were brake lights. I slammed on the brakes as did those drivers around me - praying that the car would stop - hydroplaning / sliding.
I remember at one moment looking over to my right and seeing the car in the next lane over doing a 360. I caught a glimpse at one point when the driver next to me was heading down the highway sideways. He was looking at me directly through his windshield through my passenger door window. I instantly thought - there's no way I'm getting out of this one alive.
Unforgettable.
Glad you made it out of it ok Tom.