Re: Most dangerous braking situation...

["Steven Stegmann" <s_stegmann@domain.elided>]

>From: "Tom Harais" <tjhemh@domain.elided>
>To: "John Hofstetter" <hofs@domain.elided>, <tsm1@domain.elided>,
>        "Steven Stegmann" <s_stegmann@domain.elided>
>Cc: <jmbrodsky@domain.elided>, <ihc@domain.elided>,
>        <dougrasmussen@domain.elided>
>Subject: Re: Most dangerous braking situation...
>Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 16:58:50 -0800
>
>John:
>
     <SNIP>

>The moral of the story is, you can't control a skid, no matter your
>training, once the physics of the situation exceeds your ability to 
keep
>steering.
>

Tom,

Remember in these situations you are not on a smooth sheet of ice.  What 
happened probably is one wheel may have caught dry pavement for 4 or 5 
feet.  This would apply enough force to throw the car around as you 
describe.

The inconsistency of the surface is what prevents our great skill from 
saving the bacon all the time.

Actually is your doing this on dry pavement intentionally, it is much 
easier because you can predict what the surface it.  On real-world 
winter ice you don't know.  

I have to keep pounding at my wife and kids that you don't know what the 
surface is till the wheels touch it.  And then you still frequently 
don't.

Steve

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com