So I followed my GPS...

[DAVES89]

Yeterday I was running appointments and was using my GPS. It directed me to make a turn I didn't really agree with, but did the turn anyway. The road quickly became narrower and I considered doing a "U" turn and go back but decided to continue. My GPS then showed an "S" turn upcoming but I never anticipated it being a real tight S curve going down hill and the road being full of ice. I almost "lost it" twice which meant a deep ditch with trees. The big thing was I just hit the brakes once to slow down and then try to steer through it. I also down shifted to "low". I thought sure I was done but I came out of it. Had there been another car coming the other way I would have hit him as I used as much of that narrow road as I could. 

 It would have been the end of the Black which means the Red is next up.

[KDirk]

You need the HAL 2000 GPS. "I'm sorry Dave, I can't let you do that". For those who remember the sequel, "easy as cake".  Or maybe it was "piece of pie". Hey, it's been a while. I'm glad you - and the car - made it out ok. 

[DAVES89]

I forgot that line. It was quite an experience, but turned out okay. One thing I learned is that you should always have good tires on your car you need put your best tires on the rear. Why? Because the rear will track better and follow the front of the car as it should.

[Ronnie]

I'm glad that it turned out for the best Dave. It's good that you've had a lot of experience driving in ice and snow. I probably would have crashed.

[Blue90]

Dave, I'm glad Veronica's OK (and you!).  I always thought your best tires should be on the front for steering and braking.  But I grew up w/rear wheel drive cars and also learned how to drive in the ice and snow in New York.

[retiredmechanic74]

About the issue of the best tires should be put in the rear. Common sense makes me totally disagree with that! Yes I know the industry claims better control when on the rear ( I was once a store manager for Firestone and K-mart service centers ) That was before the thinking of tires on the rear.  Food for thought....You have a 500 pound engine with mediocre tires on the front and new tires on the rear your going down the road and you hit a patch of ice. Being that your driving in a forward motion the first thing that hits the ice is your mediocre tires which starts the sliding action (inertia tends to keep a body in motion ) by the time the rear tires come into play it is already to late. Having the best tires in front and the weight of the engine could take you through that patch of ice without loss of control in the first place. But of course the best scenario is four best tires.  

[DAVES89]

Ronnie that road reminds me of the time I drove over to see you on my way to Florida and made a wrong turn and ended up in Pall Mall Tn hometown of Alvin York highly decorated soldier of World War 1. 

 RM74 I run only radial snow tires to give myself the best chance of getting where I am going safely. The Red and 'vert have the all season radials. 

 Rw/R  I remember the days of rear drive cars and going to parking lots and spinning doughnuts. I still had a rear drive car ['92 and then '93 Buick Roadmaster] when my kids were little and we would go spin dougnuts. They had a great time.

 Looking back what saved me was that I wasn't going that fast and could hit the brakes hard to slow down more and then while fighting the urge to brake more just steer as best I could. It did drop into low when I downshifted so I know I wasn't going fast, but being on ice and a down hill S curve the car still didn't slow too much. 

 But it all ended well.

 

[Ronnie]

2 hours ago, DAVES89 said:

Ronnie that road reminds me of the time I drove over to see you on my way to Florida and made a wrong turn and ended up in Pall Mall Tn hometown of Alvin York highly decorated soldier of World War 1. 

 

Roads like that are typical in East TN when you get off the main highways. That's the reason everyone panics when it snows. It's also the reason it's a lot of fun to drive my Reatta on the backroads of East TN in nice weather.

 

I don't know if anyone who has driven a Reatta in the snow more than you.  I have no doubt that you know the best way to mount snow tires on it. Glad you and your Reatta are OK.

 

 

[2seater]

We were on a trip a couple years ago headed north into Utah from Arizona. We were headed for Canyonlands National Park and the GPS had us turn off on a gravel road from the two lane paved road we were traveling. Not knowing any better, we followed the unpaved road for miles, assuming this was some sort of cut-off, but the road gradually narrowed and became less van friendly. About 15 miles off the paved road, we came to a wye with a large message board covered with glass. In the center was a prominent message that stated "if your GPS brought you here, it is dead wrong"! The fork to the right led to a ranger station, with the note it was Jeep access only, the left leg continued on to a couple of ranches. We had to turn around and travel back to the highway and resort to a paper map to find our way. The only thing we saw on this detour was a couple of jackrabbits, a road runner and a ranch/farm in the distance with a few scattered cattle. In retrospect it's amusing and apparently well known enough that someone was nice to post a warning, but it would be nice if it was 15ft from the highway.