Re: Got sideways for the first time! (Little Audi Content)

["Gerry Snow" <gsnow@iea.com>]

I remember the first time I got seriously sideways, without wanting to be.
This was 20 some years ago.  I was driving my '67 Camaro SS350 on a ski
outing.  Not a good ski car at all--gobs of power but little weight in the
back.  We were on the highway and I pulled around to pass an 18 wheeler.  As
we got beside him, I shifted down, maybe to 2nd gear and punched it,
thinking the road was bare and dry.  We hit a patch of ice, and went almost
90 degrees.  I'll I could see was those big wheels rotating beyond the front
of the car.  Then, with over-correction, we went sideways the other way.
After a couple of iterations on this, I finally got it collected, eased off
and just slide in again behind the truck.  Anyway, the skiing was great that
day.

Best Regards,

Gerry Snow
Spokane, Washington, USA
84 4kq

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeryd <Leuck@concentric.net>
To: quattro@audifans.com <quattro@audifans.com>
Date: Wednesday, December 22, 1999 8:05 PM
Subject: Got sideways for the first time!


>Wow...  I almost lost control of my 4kq today, quite a scary event!
>
>    My friend and I  were driving down Bear Creek doing about 55 when we
>came up to a nice turn...  I drive this almost every day to my friends
house
>so I know the turns pretty good, and usually I can take this turn at about
>70...
>
>    Well the problem came when I was in the middle of the turn and I saw
>that I was over the white line so I decided that I needed to get back in my
>lane....  I did that but then I noticed that there was a big ford f350
>truck, with dollies and all part way in my lane.....  And as soon as I saw
>that I turned away and the rear end of the car slid out!   I guess it was
>caused from my sudden cause of weight transfer..  My friend was in the car
>with me and he said that we were at least 50 degrees side ways!
>
>    Very scary!  All I could think to do was to turn the wheel and step on
>it even more hopping that the front tires would catch  and we would be
>safe...
>
>    It worked, but it was far from a clean slid (read over correcting
>majorly!)  and it took what seamed like a very long time and lots of
touches
>to the wheel to get the car straight on the road again...
>
>Now if I could only find a nice place where I could practice the sliding
>safely, (and legally) then I would be in heaven, but until then I think I
>will be driving a little more carefully....
>