Autobahn at 160mph+ What do you do when...
07-03-2010, 02:10 PM
#16
Phil
07-03-2010, 02:39 PM
#17
Instructor
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Mythbusters had an episode on this kind of thing, except they were testing hitting a moose, not a dear.
If I recall, they tested three scenarios: braking hard, continuing at same speed, and speeding up, and none of them made any difference. The car (and presumably you) were equally screwed.
If I recall, they tested three scenarios: braking hard, continuing at same speed, and speeding up, and none of them made any difference. The car (and presumably you) were equally screwed.
07-03-2010, 03:19 PM
#18
Drifting
Mythbusters had an episode on this kind of thing, except they were testing hitting a moose, not a dear.
If I recall, they tested three scenarios: braking hard, continuing at same speed, and speeding up, and none of them made any difference. The car (and presumably you) were equally screwed.
If I recall, they tested three scenarios: braking hard, continuing at same speed, and speeding up, and none of them made any difference. The car (and presumably you) were equally screwed.
Brake squat isn't going to make a whole lot of difference to the deer or the car; it's going to be hitting the windshield regardless. Ducking may let the bulk of the deer and glass pass over you, but would also put your face smack in the airbag, which brings about its own risks if the strike is severe enough to deploy it. Diving sideways towards the passenger seat the moment before impact might be the best thing to do, but that's going to put your spine in a very bad position to absorb the impact, not to mention make the seatbelts and airbags ineffective.
Alternately, turn off PSM, pull the E-Brake, and let the car do what it naturally wants do to, and hit the deer ***-first
07-03-2010, 03:19 PM
#19
Poseur
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
By the time you see the deer your ability to do anything is gone. But don't make any overt moves. When driving at those speeds you have to be heads up and looking 5 miles down the road in the first place. (BTW, autobahns are designed with game passages to minimize such occurrences.)
07-03-2010, 03:26 PM
#20
Team Owner
Full on brakes, no steering, do not brace for impact.
07-03-2010, 03:35 PM
#22
BTW not recommended at 160 mph , but at PCA Driver Skills we practiced hard braking and steering at the same time, and it is downright amazing how hard you can brake in these cars and still have good control. I think at 60 mph you could floor the brakes and still be able to steer to avoid.
07-03-2010, 03:45 PM
#23
Why wouldn't PSM save your a** and allow you to "gently" steer (swerve) out of the way?
Computers are supposed to be fast and the situation is a totally straight line.
If not at 160+, at which speeds does PSM come in reasonably and reliably handy? Assume clean straight roads.
Computers are supposed to be fast and the situation is a totally straight line.
If not at 160+, at which speeds does PSM come in reasonably and reliably handy? Assume clean straight roads.
07-03-2010, 03:46 PM
#24
Race Director
Amen. At 160mph you're travelling over 230' or 75 yards per second. Unless you're paying absolute attention, (and the OP's original scenario of "all of a sudden" kind of rules that out) you'd be on the deer by the time you even had a chance to see it and react. Game over.
07-03-2010, 03:51 PM
#25
Race Director
Why wouldn't PSM save your a** and allow you to "gently" steer (swerve) out of the way?
Computers are supposed to be fast and the situation is a totally straight line.
If not at 160+, at which speeds does PSM come in reasonably and reliably handy? Assume clean straight roads.
Computers are supposed to be fast and the situation is a totally straight line.
If not at 160+, at which speeds does PSM come in reasonably and reliably handy? Assume clean straight roads.
At the speeds you're talking about, your scenario is one of those situations.
07-03-2010, 06:34 PM
#28
Those suicidal turkeys will try and take you with them. A few weeks ago I was cruising a little over the Michigan 70 MPH limit. The animal walked toward my car obliquely. They are big.
07-03-2010, 06:53 PM
#29
OTOH, I'm thinking as long as all four wheels stay in contact with the road shouldn't the computer, sensors and actuators be able to stabilize the car?
In Porsche's claim I'm thinking the "laws of physics" they refer to are the laws of physics applied to the cost-constrained components they put into their PSM.
Is that possible? Just talking, no big deal.
I've seen police chase videos where straight line swerve at high speed results in disaster. However, it takes a LONG TIME for the roll over crash to occur. What could a theoretically optimal PSM do with all that time?
