A word of warning - PLEASE READ!!!!!!
Discussion
Yesterday evening I had a simple choice to make - stay in and watch the Bond film (with a teething baby in the background) OR go out for a quick (read long ;) ) blast in the Tusc.
No contest really!
After pootling round town for a bit letting it warm up properly and ogling the girlies, I ventured out to the lanes.
Near me is a roundabout leading onto a long straight, and I had been following a particularly slow Fiesta for a bit, so, come the straight, I pulled out to overtake.
Got level with him, and gave it some more throttle (long clear straight, perfect weather, local road remember).
Without [i]any[/i] warning, the back steps out of line, I try to correct it, it goes the other way...[b]a lot![/b].
The rest is, as they say, history.
The good news is I missed the car I overtook, the bad news is that I [i]didn't[/i] miss the gravel by the side of the road or the lamp post! :(
As soon as the slide started, I was effectively a passenger, as nothing I did changed my tragectory.
Now if the post was one foot to the left, I'd have missed it.....but it wasn't and I didn't!
Cue one mangled expanse of fibreglass where the nearside wing used to be (I'm hoping it looks worse than it is!).
There then followed two hours I kept hoping I would wake up from.
What with having to stare in disbelief at my P&J, I had to content with a recovery centre operative that I couldn't understand, the police with their itchy breathalyser and somewhat superfluous lectures, sarcastic council workers who came to sweep up the glass from the lamp post and, when it eventually arrived (he had been sent to the wrong area!), the heartbreaking sights and sounds of the car being [b]d-r-a-g-g-e-d[/b] onto the low loader, complete with shards of wing and strange bits of metal falling off that [i]used[/i] to be my wing / suspension :weeping:
Today I've had to sort out the producer, insurance, repair centre and storage depot.
This after a somewhat broken night!
Now, I [b]do[/b] consider myself somewhat lucky compared to what [i]could[/i] have been.
After all, there could have been people waiting by that lamp post (which just so happened to be a bus stop too!), in which case I would probably have been arrested for 'Death by Dangerous Driving'.
I could have had my son (3 1/2) in the car.
I could have ended up in somebodys front garden.
Etc, etc.
The point I'm trying to make here is, my evening went from top-of-the-world-good to I-don't-believe-it-bad in a fraction of a second.
Maybe I gave it too much throttle.
Maybe there was diesel, oil, etc on the road.
Doesn't matter now!
It doesn't matter how well you know the road, how well you think you know the car, how good the conditions are.......
For Gawds sake :shout: PLEASE, [b]PLEASE[/b] be careful!
I wouldn't want any of you to go through what I just have (or worse!), so just remember what you have under your right foot, and have your wits about you [b]at all times!![/b]
We drive pretty unforgiving beasts at the end of the day, so don't get complacent and don't let your guard down for a second.
Should have watched the film!
Drive safe and god bless!
[small]sorry if this rambled a bit, but my head is in a bit of a :spin: at the moment[/small]
No contest really!
After pootling round town for a bit letting it warm up properly and ogling the girlies, I ventured out to the lanes.
Near me is a roundabout leading onto a long straight, and I had been following a particularly slow Fiesta for a bit, so, come the straight, I pulled out to overtake.
Got level with him, and gave it some more throttle (long clear straight, perfect weather, local road remember).
Without [i]any[/i] warning, the back steps out of line, I try to correct it, it goes the other way...[b]a lot![/b].
The rest is, as they say, history.
The good news is I missed the car I overtook, the bad news is that I [i]didn't[/i] miss the gravel by the side of the road or the lamp post! :(
As soon as the slide started, I was effectively a passenger, as nothing I did changed my tragectory.
Now if the post was one foot to the left, I'd have missed it.....but it wasn't and I didn't!
Cue one mangled expanse of fibreglass where the nearside wing used to be (I'm hoping it looks worse than it is!).
There then followed two hours I kept hoping I would wake up from.
What with having to stare in disbelief at my P&J, I had to content with a recovery centre operative that I couldn't understand, the police with their itchy breathalyser and somewhat superfluous lectures, sarcastic council workers who came to sweep up the glass from the lamp post and, when it eventually arrived (he had been sent to the wrong area!), the heartbreaking sights and sounds of the car being [b]d-r-a-g-g-e-d[/b] onto the low loader, complete with shards of wing and strange bits of metal falling off that [i]used[/i] to be my wing / suspension :weeping:
Today I've had to sort out the producer, insurance, repair centre and storage depot.
This after a somewhat broken night!
Now, I [b]do[/b] consider myself somewhat lucky compared to what [i]could[/i] have been.
After all, there could have been people waiting by that lamp post (which just so happened to be a bus stop too!), in which case I would probably have been arrested for 'Death by Dangerous Driving'.
I could have had my son (3 1/2) in the car.
I could have ended up in somebodys front garden.
Etc, etc.
The point I'm trying to make here is, my evening went from top-of-the-world-good to I-don't-believe-it-bad in a fraction of a second.
Maybe I gave it too much throttle.
Maybe there was diesel, oil, etc on the road.
Doesn't matter now!
It doesn't matter how well you know the road, how well you think you know the car, how good the conditions are.......
For Gawds sake :shout: PLEASE, [b]PLEASE[/b] be careful!
I wouldn't want any of you to go through what I just have (or worse!), so just remember what you have under your right foot, and have your wits about you [b]at all times!![/b]
We drive pretty unforgiving beasts at the end of the day, so don't get complacent and don't let your guard down for a second.
Should have watched the film!
Drive safe and god bless!
[small]sorry if this rambled a bit, but my head is in a bit of a :spin: at the moment[/small]
As I said, maybe it was something on the road, maybe it was over exuberance on my part with the throttle.
I'm not sure, these things happen with terrifying speed.
All I do know for sure is....if I could go back, I wouldn't have put my foot down quite so much.
I would still have overtaken though
I'm not sure, these things happen with terrifying speed.
All I do know for sure is....if I could go back, I wouldn't have put my foot down quite so much.
I would still have overtaken though
Doesn't sound like simple over exuberance, you don't have *that* much power available. I'd be concerned if you can get so much wheelspin in ideal conditions that you can't catch it, either there was something wrong with the car, or there was something making that particular bit of road slippery, or your car control skills need serious attention.
BTW do you think one thread would be enough?
>> Edited by GreenV8S on Saturday 16th July 17:57
BTW do you think one thread would be enough?
>> Edited by GreenV8S on Saturday 16th July 17:57
nelly1 said:
It doesn't matter how well you know the road, how well you think you know the car, how good the conditions are.......
For Gawds sakePLEASE, PLEASE be careful!
I wouldn't want any of you to go through what I just have (or worse!), so just remember what you have under your right foot, and have your wits about you at all times!!
We drive pretty unforgiving beasts at the end of the day, so don't get complacent and don't let your guard down for a second.
Should have watched the film!
Drive safe and god bless!
sorry if this rambled a bit, but my head is in a bit of aat the moment
I think we can all learn from this.
Bugger and hearfelt commiserations. Glad you are OK though and we don't have another in memorium thread running.
Out of interest, IIRC you are running the car on Nitrons - and as someone who is currentlt experimenting with different set ups, I would be interested to learn how you had yours set. Of course, it maybe that JSG had different spring rates etc fitted as well which make cars incomparable - but if you can share that info, tyres, tyre pressures, what gear you are in, it would be useful.
I remember losing rear traction in my Tuscan once, but it was leaving Blackpool on Friday 13th December, it was 1 C above zero and the road was a little damp. 2nd gear and 50 mph made for a slippery exit, in more than one way.
Out of interest, IIRC you are running the car on Nitrons - and as someone who is currentlt experimenting with different set ups, I would be interested to learn how you had yours set. Of course, it maybe that JSG had different spring rates etc fitted as well which make cars incomparable - but if you can share that info, tyres, tyre pressures, what gear you are in, it would be useful.
I remember losing rear traction in my Tuscan once, but it was leaving Blackpool on Friday 13th December, it was 1 C above zero and the road was a little damp. 2nd gear and 50 mph made for a slippery exit, in more than one way.
TUS 373 said:
Bugger and hearfelt commiserations. Glad you are OK though and we don't have another in memorium thread running.
Out of interest, IIRC you are running the car on Nitrons - and as someone who is currentlt experimenting with different set ups, I would be interested to learn how you had yours set. Of course, it maybe that JSG had different spring rates etc fitted as well which make cars incomparable - but if you can share that info, tyres, tyre pressures, what gear you are in, it would be useful.
I remember losing rear traction in my Tuscan once, but it was leaving Blackpool on Friday 13th December, it was 1 C above zero and the road was a little damp. 2nd gear and 50 mph made for a slippery exit, in more than one way.
If it's as I left it, the springs were particularly soft - dropped a couple of ratings from the standard Cerb kit that Joolz was supplying (325lb rear, possibly? - can't remember we went through SO many sets)
If dampers were the same, I *think* I left it at about 4 clicks from softest rear, 6 front. (But I can't remember, as I changed them regularly - they were definitely soft)
Likewise, if tyres were left the same, I ran just over 24 all round (or 25 when filling up with a digital pump).
For a Tusc, it was a grippy b*stard, that's for sure...
J_S_G v2.0 said:
If it's as I left it, the springs were particularly soft - dropped a couple of ratings from the standard Cerb kit that Joolz was supplying (325lb rear, possibly? - can't remember we went through SO many sets)
If dampers were the same, I *think* I left it at about 4 clicks from softest rear, 6 front. (But I can't remember, as I changed them regularly - they were definitely soft)
Likewise, if tyres were left the same, I ran just over 24 all round (or 25 when filling up with a digital pump).
For a Tusc, it was a grippy b*stard, that's for sure...
All damper settings were 'as recieved'.
I had checked the tyre pressures the previous evening....24psi all round.
I've since been to the scene, and the tarmac changes from smooth 'shellgrip' to rough old stuff at the very place I lost it.
This may be a coincidence, but I reckon it was this coupled with the engine really coming on cam in second wot done it!
...funny really -with the recent rear re-alignment, I was thinking how good it felt, with much less tramlining, etc, than previously!
This goes with what I said about not letting your guard down....I did!
Nelly1,
Good to hear you came out of it unscathed. I had a similar incident the 2nd time I drove my Chim 500. I initially put it down to clumsy driving, but on reflection I've pushed the much harder since. My conclusion now is that I hit a patch of diesel/grit.
My solution is I'm going to do some driver training.
Good to hear you came out of it unscathed. I had a similar incident the 2nd time I drove my Chim 500. I initially put it down to clumsy driving, but on reflection I've pushed the much harder since. My conclusion now is that I hit a patch of diesel/grit.
My solution is I'm going to do some driver training.
Thanks James for the car set up info. I have been playing with my Nitrons and still searching for the ideal set up. I guess my springs are standard and a little firmer then than Nelly1's. I', on 6 clicks from soft at the back and 8 at the front so I think I experiment by going a couple of clicks softer still.
Changing the subject, I can recommend the Ride Drive courses. I found it helpful in that you can learn the car's dynamics off of the public road (depending on which course you choose of course). This helped me particularly on one occasion where I coming down an A road at speed, braking and coming off on a sliproad. The road surface was a little dusty and it suddenly felt like I was driving on ice. I didn't panic, but got the brakes and steering sorted out, as if by second nature, and brought the car back under control again and got to where I wanted to go again with no harm done. I'm not sure what the outcome would have been without having done the handling skills - so yes, definitely recommended to get some quality supervision and tuition in driving one of the fastest cars on the road.
Changing the subject, I can recommend the Ride Drive courses. I found it helpful in that you can learn the car's dynamics off of the public road (depending on which course you choose of course). This helped me particularly on one occasion where I coming down an A road at speed, braking and coming off on a sliproad. The road surface was a little dusty and it suddenly felt like I was driving on ice. I didn't panic, but got the brakes and steering sorted out, as if by second nature, and brought the car back under control again and got to where I wanted to go again with no harm done. I'm not sure what the outcome would have been without having done the handling skills - so yes, definitely recommended to get some quality supervision and tuition in driving one of the fastest cars on the road.
Same happened to me in April, spun on overtaking in 2nd gear at about 40mph. Back came out without warning, tried to correct it, but ended up spinning 180 degrees and bouncing up the kerb.
Was experimenting with newly fitted Nitrons at the time, and was subsequently told that I had set them too soft at 1 click from max soft all round.
Was experimenting with newly fitted Nitrons at the time, and was subsequently told that I had set them too soft at 1 click from max soft all round.
Sorry to hear that, I would look on the bright side and say that it could have been a lot worse as you have mentioned.
A very similar thing happened to me a few years ago, when I had my M3 (E36 no traction control). I overtook a car on a similarly poorly tarmacced road and as I accelerated as well as overtaking I just caught the fishtailing before it came out of control.
I put it down to the speed that I moved to the right to overtake, and then left to straighten the car in the road. This was obviously worsened by the further lack of traction due to the power coming through the back wheels on the poor road.
I just put it down to 'one of those things' and tried the same feat a bit more gingerly next time...
The other strange moment came where a span the car 180 degrees on an exit to a mini roundabout doing 15-20 mph! Again was one of those things, and may not have happened if the road wasnt damp, covered in diesel from the BP petrol station leading from it, and some poor use of adverse camber...
As they say, as long as everyone is ok, a mistake only lasts if you dont learnt from it!
A very similar thing happened to me a few years ago, when I had my M3 (E36 no traction control). I overtook a car on a similarly poorly tarmacced road and as I accelerated as well as overtaking I just caught the fishtailing before it came out of control.
I put it down to the speed that I moved to the right to overtake, and then left to straighten the car in the road. This was obviously worsened by the further lack of traction due to the power coming through the back wheels on the poor road.
I just put it down to 'one of those things' and tried the same feat a bit more gingerly next time...
The other strange moment came where a span the car 180 degrees on an exit to a mini roundabout doing 15-20 mph! Again was one of those things, and may not have happened if the road wasnt damp, covered in diesel from the BP petrol station leading from it, and some poor use of adverse camber...
As they say, as long as everyone is ok, a mistake only lasts if you dont learnt from it!
nelly1 said:
Yesterday evening I had a simple choice to make - stay in and watch the Bond film (with a teething baby in the background) OR go out for a quick (read long
No contest really!
After pootling round town for a bit letting it warm up properly and ogling the girlies, I ventured out to the lanes.
Near me is a roundabout leading onto a long straight, and I had been following a particularly slow Fiesta for a bit, so, come the straight, I pulled out to overtake.
Got level with him, and gave it some more throttle (long clear straight, perfect weather, local road remember).
Without any warning, the back steps out of line, I try to correct it, it goes the other way...a lot!.
The rest is, as they say, history.
The good news is I missed the car I overtook, the bad news is that I didn't miss the gravel by the side of the road or the lamp post!
As soon as the slide started, I was effectively a passenger, as nothing I did changed my tragectory.
Now if the post was one foot to the left, I'd have missed it.....but it wasn't and I didn't!
Cue one mangled expanse of fibreglass where the nearside wing used to be (I'm hoping it looks worse than it is!).
There then followed two hours I kept hoping I would wake up from.
What with having to stare in disbelief at my P&J, I had to content with a recovery centre operative that I couldn't understand, the police with their itchy breathalyser and somewhat superfluous lectures, sarcastic council workers who came to sweep up the glass from the lamp post and, when it eventually arrived (he had been sent to the wrong area!), the heartbreaking sights and sounds of the car being d-r-a-g-g-e-d onto the low loader, complete with shards of wing and strange bits of metal falling off that used to be my wing / suspension
Today I've had to sort out the producer, insurance, repair centre and storage depot.
This after a somewhat broken night!
Now, I do consider myself somewhat lucky compared to what could have been.
After all, there could have been people waiting by that lamp post (which just so happened to be a bus stop too!), in which case I would probably have been arrested for 'Death by Dangerous Driving'.
I could have had my son (3 1/2) in the car.
I could have ended up in somebodys front garden.
Etc, etc.
The point I'm trying to make here is, my evening went from top-of-the-world-good to I-don't-believe-it-bad in a fraction of a second.
Maybe I gave it too much throttle.
Maybe there was diesel, oil, etc on the road.
Doesn't matter now!
It doesn't matter how well you know the road, how well you think you know the car, how good the conditions are.......
For Gawds sake
I wouldn't want any of you to go through what I just have (or worse!), so just remember what you have under your right foot, and have your wits about you at all times!!
We drive pretty unforgiving beasts at the end of the day, so don't get complacent and don't let your guard down for a second.
Should have watched the film!
Drive safe and god bless!
sorry if this rambled a bit, but my head is in a bit of a
at least your ok its happened to must of us myself included but i got away fairley lightly two smashed alloys and a scrape down one side or ive forgotten 9months ban after been reported by an off duty numty put i agree with yourself dont get to complacent just when youve got it sorted it bites thats why we love our trevors
>> Edited by halls on Saturday 13th August 21:55
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