Video: icy bridge in Knoxville TN takes out RWD trucks & SUV's

[MetroMPG]

The question that comes to mind after watching this: do people in Knoxville only own trucks?

Or does the video only show the vehicles that lose traction, which are generally RWD (and trucks)?

I like the little Mini that drives straight through, no trouble.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_sXLvjRXdeE

[Lazarus]

Maybe they are the ones that drive excessively fast and then slam on the brakes? After the mini went through the next SUV was going twice as fast as the truck next to it when it lost it.

[MetroMPG]

Something else that made the former driving instructor in me cringe: the people who stopped their vehicles at the end of the ice sheet (after hitting the curb or whatever).

I find it amazing that they're oblivious to the risk they're putting themselves in. You just lost control of your vehicle on ice... and now you want to stop & position it where it's essentially a set of bowling pins at the end of an ice covered alley?! "Hit me! Hit me!"

[LUVMY02CREW]

I don't think I saw any red light or stop sign that they would have to break for...so I guess they were just making sure their brakes worked and that they knew how to panic when their vehicle lost traction

[AndrewJ]

Maybe it's just the fact that everyone BUT the mini nailed the brakes as soon as they started skidding. No brakes lighting up on the mini, they just watch it play out and then steer around the mess.

I'm constantly amazed by how few people ever bother to learn how to drive in a 4 wheel skid. As far as I'm concerned countersteering out of a skid should be a mandatory part of everyones driving exam.

I grew up on a gravel road, I was practically an expert on countersteering by the time I turned 17, and it's saved my hide numerous times since.

Heck just a few weeks ago I inadvertantly discovered that my rear tires (now at ~70psi) won't hold nearly as many G's as they used to at 45psi.
4 wheel skid around a roundabout turns into massive oversteer
I almost countersteered out of it too, but friction had a way with ol' Harold first. Came to a stop a little crooked in the roundabout, fired up the engine and went on my merry way.
I've been a little more careful about how much speed I'm coasting into the turns with since then though...

[Gone4]

Growing up in New England this video is just hilarious An icy bridge is nothing if you drive properly and don't use your breaks on the ice, but before. One of the first things you learn is to never break while turning, as well. I occasionally have to drive 200ish miles between home and school, and during the winter, the only vehicles you find on the side of the highway are the SUV's that passed you earlier. It's very rare to see cars in a ditch.

(And again, I wish mudflaps were standard issue on those things because it sucks to be passed by them spitting up crap onto my car all the time.)

[WaxyChicken]

Heh, people freaking out about snow and ice in these vids is funny. I lived in SC and got used to it down there (the winters were much colder 20 years ago before global warming went into overdrive)

Now i live in Metro Phoenix Arizona and here people panic if we get 1/4 an inch of rain!

[DifferentPointofView]

WOW... NONE of these people know how to correctly drive an SUV. That Jeep Driver doesn't even deserve to own a Jeep.

When you ACTUALLY drive an SUV, that is, drive it OFF of the ROAD more than you want to ON the road, you deserve to own an SUV. And you'll also know what to do when this happens.

ALL you have to do to know how to drive through Ice and snow, is drive in CLAY-SLIP Like mud with 2WD and make it out without getting stuck " Believe it or not, but REAL Mud, (after a heavy rain, go into a dirt road, not gravel but dirt, and drive on it doing 30, that's real mud) Behaves exactly like Ice, and once your tires get caked in it, it's oversteer/understeer, and the thing you DON'T wanna do is hit the brakes. Let off the gas, and steer into it to correct, or even better, don't move the wheel when your on it, as long as the wheels are straight and your not hitting the gas, you're gonna stay straight until one wheel gets more traction. One thing about mud that's not like ice is, you get stuck in mud, like snow. that's when you wanna hit the gas, to make sure no one is pushing after you get corrected, or you have to call in the local winch owners to get you out.

Driving around gravel roads, and taking corners full speed also is good for teaching yourself to act right in a skid. Hit the brakes and you're just gonna keep going in the way which you slid. most likely into a deep ditch. Let off the gas and slowly steer into it, and you go back forward. This is more practical than Mudding, especially if it hasn't rained in a long time, or your alone.

Or, the best solution is to go on back roads with no ditches, and drive on snowy, icy roads and learn to drive on it, or more safely, the local empty parking lot. purposely go into a skid, and try and correct yourself.

I've done all three so that's one less SUV driver in the ditches. I know one person that will end up in a ditch and it doesn't surprise me. Oh, and he also drives an SUV, and is related to me.

EDIT: Anyone notice the cold weather lately? I don't know if it's true, but I heard in the deep south like LA and GA got snow, and that Utah or something got 8 feet of powder. I don't remember this kind of cold since I was a kid, it's been really cold here lately, and snow has been falling. I can remember it pretty clearly, cause I'm not that old (16).

[RH77]

ALL of these examples show a RWD vehicle on decel, which creates a "slip angle" of the rear wheels vs. the front. For the average driver, this creates panic and hitting the brakes as it feels "completely out of control". This provokes the rear to further slide into the skid, and opposite lock of the steering wheel. The TrailBlazer is the most extreme example, when it hits the wall. RWD produces the pivot point at the rear on decel and accel on ice. In neutral, with anti-locks engaged -- braking should provide the ability to steer, somewhat, and avoid collision. 90-some% of drivers out there have no idea what to do in this case.

Ice often defeats stability control, which is selective ABS based on the intended direction of the vehicle. More people depend on this in extreme conditions, which results in disaster. Light conditions are acceptable for the system (slightly slippery).

4WD creates 2 pivot points on decel (front and rear) and makes braking very difficult. The most extreme experience I've had is running 4WD with Stability Control in muddy-clay back roads at a high speeds for Rally Racing Medical Response. The SC controlled unexpected, rutted roads and the tossing of the rear wheels as a result, but accelerating out of a skid created VERY hairy situations when the go-pedal was dead.

Bottom line, people are completely afraid to test their vehicle in an "out-of-control" situation. My solution? Have drivers test their skills on the Autocross track and loose control. All that can happen is a few cones get knocked over. I'd look into it, or submit to FWD.

RH77

[DifferentPointofView]

Oh, this is hilarious, you guys are gonna love this.

My friend was in his Camero today, and he decided to try and "drift" around a back road this morning. He had NO Idea how they did the art of drifting, just that they skid sideways.

Well... He Definitely got sideways. He ended up in a ditch, getting a concussion and wrecking the Camero and not drifting. Yea... hes dumb, and He's only had his license for less than a month?

Drifters... they take that "Completely out of control" Feeling and make it a sport.

Bottom line, people are completely afraid to test their vehicle in an "out-of-control" situation. My solution? Have drivers test their skills on the Autocross track and loose control. All that can happen is a few cones get knocked over. I'd look into it, or submit to FWD.

My solution, (we're talking trucks going out of control remember?... trucks and autocross...) is... borrow the neighbors truck " Or... take a drifting course! Maybe that's some advise my friend could have used...