Unexpected Vehicle Dynamics Part II

[Jon Sala <jsala@skynet.uah.ualberta.ca>]

Sorry about the previous blank.

I'd like to mention a driving phenomenon we have experienced twice this
winter with our 91 Coupe Q. Car is equipped with new Michelin 205R15 XGT V4 
M&S tires. I don't know how many on this list will be able to relate to the
necessary driving conditions, but I wanted to bring this up for discussion.
I have driven 4x4s (dare I say 'trucks') through similar conditions most of
my life, yet the Quattro's behaviour has totally surprised me. Here is the
scenario:

Since it began accumulating in October, we have considerably more snow than 
usual for this time of year, as well as a municiple government that has opted
not to plow residential streets for budgetary reasons. This has resulted in 
very deep, irregular icy ruts of varying depth, width, and sharpness. My 
wife was driving and I wasn't present on the first incident, so I can't 
be too sure of the details. But the second time, I was driving and here's 
what happened:

We were late for "The Nutcracker". I was zipping down a residential 
shortcut lined with parked magic wagons and 40 year old elms, going 
too fast, about 60K. As usual, the car occasionally "hunts" from side to side
trying to find a spot in the groove that suits it. On one such oscillation,
the rear tires climbed right out of the groove to the right, while the front
tires stay relatively in it. In the small time I had to react, my dusty brain
said "oh-oh, you're going too fast", and lifted the throttle (I now 
believe this was my fatal mistake). The car began a 180 degree 
rotation, vectoring off to the front left, coming to rest in a snowbank 
(miraculously missing all solid objects) facing back the way we had just 
come.

I have been meaning to put some narrower winter grips on, now I am 
"highly motivated".

--
Jon