VisualEchos

OK, I'm trying to calm myself...

*big sigh*

I just got back from a little drive that turned out to be my requisite wake-up call... Every once in a while I get a bit too aggressive and I scare the hell out of myself, luckily tonight was more of the same, and I didn't die...

I have several stretches of road in my immediate area that I love to drive fast, and the night time provides the perfect opportunity to really take advantage of them since the traffic is almost non-existent, and the cops have better things to do than hang out on mostly deserted roads.

I drove out to one of these roads earlier and decided to have a go at my new S-03's that I haven't really trounced yet. It was (is) a cool night and it rained earlier, so I had the top up and was prepared to take it easy...whatever.

Anyway, I proceed to drive this road at about 5/10ths of my ability all the way to it's end to make sure there are no bogeys lurking or muddy wet spots on the road. I get to the end and it seems all clear. I head back the way I came at about 8/10ths to warm up the tires. The car is moving well, the cool air is making the engine beg to rev...I push a little harder. At the end of the road I'm at the limits of my ability and then some, tail-out flashy oversteer (hey, it's fun) is the prevailing option.

I'm feelin' good about keeping her in such a good line at this point so I give her a U-Turn and attack again...big mistake.

This road is about 4 miles long and has some really nice curves, some are concrete, some are asphalt. The road itself is in various forms of disarray with one exception, a long right hand up-hill sweeper near the end that is very smooth. The first time through I drove at 5/10ths in this direction...if that, but this time I was seriously hauling the mail! I get to the ending sweeper and the car does what we all hope it will never do...

As I'm going downhill and a little to the left preparing for the uphill off-camber right the car loads, I don't use the brakes at all since the car is loaded so much and as I ascend the other side I keep accelerating. I hit about 110 on the upside and as I'm accelerating I slowly ease off but not slow enough...the back starts to come around and I can sense that there's no catching this one. You know that instant hot feeling that you get when you know you're in trouble? I was broken out in a sweat for what seemed like days. I corrected as the car came around trying to be careful not to over-correct (what a bad experience that can be) but the car just seemed to have a mind of it's own, as if the tires would let go no matter what. The tires let out a scream that seemed deafening, the dark scenery was a blur...the tach still the only glow besides the headlights which were scanning the countryside and trees like some military device. The front of the car starts to go into the inside grass and the car seems not to be slowing at all, I apply the brakes and hold on...

The car screeches a 4 wheel drift arc that is a little too straight and the car bottoms out on the inside of the curve, the rocks and dirt, mud, and water flying everywhere as the back makes it's way around the front. As it comes around and I can no longer see where I'm headed I get a panic so fast it makes me dizzy, the sound of the tires and everything else is just about to paralyze me...

And then...silence.

I'm amazed by two things. First, that I'm alive and I didn't become highly intimate with a tree, and secondly, by the fact that the car is at a happy little idle. I came to a stop about half on the road and half off, with the car bottomed out on the grass. I get out and all I can do is look up at the stars and thank God I'm alive.

As the car sits there humming I get that feeling that I've once again somehow cheated my way out of an accident that should have been, since I do this about once a year, but I've never had an accident. Of course, I could say that it was skill that I've never had an accident, but that isn't entirely accurate...I've gotten lucky too.

I get in the car and pull out of the grass. As the headlights turn the opposite way I see the skid marks and think of those blue, red, and white flashes of a police car and ambulance that could have been. I slowly pull away.

So I'm driving home...at the speed limit, and it occurs to me that I'll be good for a while, but one day soon I'll return to dance with devil again, and love every minute of it.



Andrew

Jimmy325

S2kguy,

Man, the way you described it, I can almost feel like I was in your situation... it's scary like that man. I am truely glad you are still alive... really.

I remember last winter, my friend bought a new IS300. Ofcourse, the car has performance tires, so no good on snow. He was stuck in heavy snow about 20 minutes away from town, so I drove my best friend's girlfriend's Honda CRV thinking it's the bomb since it's an SUV and has 4 wheel drive. It was 3 am, my friend had driven his IS300 for 4 hours already, trying to come home from Syracuse, which normally takes about 1 hour to get to from our town, or rather school. So, I treck out in the slush to save him, and his girlfriend, and his friend. I hit about 50mph and catch up to this car in front of me... I was a little too close, so I decided to apply the breaks... big mistake... the CRV made a 360 and yes.. I know that feeling of panic you get... the hair sticks up everywhere on your body and you just pray you wont' die... The CRV almost.. ALMOST.. tipped over the side of the road into the ditch.. it stopped right on the edge. I looked around.. breathed deeply... and guess what? Within 5 seconds of my stopping, a hugeeeee truck.. 18 wheeler zoomed past me from the opposite direction... had I went left into the opposite lane.. I would have been dead.

Anyway.... that lesson taught me.. try not to do stupid things.. next time I go out on snow, you bet I will drive slower.

Oh also, next time, when you wanna do 120 mph.. please don't do it on wet roads. It's extremely dangerous. Happy and safe driving.

Jimmy

Sev

A lot of people haven't been so lucky, be carefull with this car. It will bite even the most experienced racer. It is not a toy and what you see out of your windshield is not a video game. BTW, you can hurt yourself VERY badly.


Be carefull out there guys, take it easy on the corners.

Sev

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jimmy325
[B]S2kguy,

Man, the way you described it, I can almost feel like I was in your situation... it's scary like that man.

VisualEchos

Hey Jimmy,

Glad you made it out alive...the CRV is more of a car than a real SUV, kudos... The road I was driving on was dry for the most part, maybe the cracks were wet, but this was a case of me going a little too far beyond the limit and not being able to recover.

It happens.

Sev, hope you don't mind me quoting you, it seems to fit me well.

Andrew

Jimmy325

S2kguy,

Yeah, the CRV is more of a car than a real suv.
Man, next time don't push it past the limits man... it scares not just yourself, but the rest of us on the forum!!!


Also, Sev,

SUVs make ppl feel invincible because they got all wheel drive etcetc.. but they don't understand that they can get you started going, but they can't stop you.. SUVs stop probably worse than cars since they weight more... It takes you places where you can get to.. but when you get there.. you can't stop the vehicle..hehe.

Jimmy

Iceman

Lets keep the aggresive driving on the track guys.

pccitg099

I go with Iceman on this one. At least on a track everyone is usually going in the same direction and an ambulance and medics on hand if needed.
I enjoy my S2000 everytime I drive it and dont really need to find out the point where it will break away. I just love the feeling I get when I corner like on rails and just know it can go quicker. It is far too precious to risk dinging it. I also tend to imagine that somewhere around the bend there could be a jogger or folks walking the dog. If I can see well ahead and have an escape route I will open it up for the sheer straight line speed buzz.
I think you are lucky to have been given the best lesson you could possibly have. Lets all be careful out there.

Sebring Silver

This is one the best lines I have ever read on this forum.

Amid the racers and the modders, the skilled and the reckless, there are some wise and observant voices out there.

lvs2k

The scariest near-wreck experience I ever had was in my dad's '65 356 Porsche. Coming home from a date late one night I was driving on my favorite "Porsche" road when I pushed it a little too hard.

The 356 had a tendency to swap ends on you if you weren't careful. Well, I wasn't and it did. I wound up doing a 180 in a sudden snap and sliding across the road and off the shoulder for several feet. When I finally stopped from my slide, I sat there a moment to gather myself before getting out to ascess any damage. I walked around the car and was relieved to find none, other than a little dirt on the body.

Then I saw it, not three feet from the rear bumper: A piece of a concrete barrier sitting there for no reason whatsoever, probably abandoned after a road improvement project. My knees nearly buckled at the thought of what could have happened.

I could have been hurt or killed, totalled my dad's baby or gotten "killed" by my dad for doing so. I drove (for a while) a little slower after that night. I still don't know why my dad ever let me drive his car; I certainly wouldn't let some sixteen year-old kid drive my S2k. My apologies to any sixteen year-olds reading this post.