[Dansby]

Driving down the highway doing 60-65, along with all the other traffic due to heavy rains, I feel the worst feeling in the world. Complete loss of control. My car starts to slide to the right, and I think nothing of it. I turn the wheel back to the left, and what does my car do? Keeps going right. I give it a little gas, still sliding right, front wheels facing left.

There is a ford ranger in the right lane and he see's whats happening. He scoots over to the right and is on the shoulder, thankfully. If he hadn't done that, we both would have been in the wall.

Keep in mind this is all happening on the upside of an overpass, meaning we are going uphill.

We finally get off of whatever was causing me to drift right, keep in mind me wheels are still facing far left. I hit somewhat dry ground and my car shoots left. I get within a foot of the wall, but tapped the brakes and corrected just in time. Thankfully there were no cars directly behind me.

For all of those who didn't follow in the story, I took time to make a detailed drawing of said events.

[Squints]

never turn your wheel far to either side when hydroplaning. try to keep it as straight as you can or turn into the slide a little. but you learned this from experience.

i'm glad you didn't wreck and you are ok. sliding at highway speeds is never fun. happened to me once in my 99 ranger. but, unfortunately, i DID hit the wall. didnt' cause much damage, cause i hit it at such an accute angle. just some scratches on the front bumper and a little on the rear fender. threw up a badass shower of sparks though. it was at night, so really looked cool. when i pulled over to make sure my truck was ok, this guy pulled up behind and jumped out of his car screaming about how that was the coolest thing he'd ever seen. i signed an autograph and proceeded on my way. it was scary though.

[LanceD]

Was your cruise control on? I've read about people who actually catch some air time because their engine tries to keep a steady pace when hydroplaning. Its something I hope to see someday.

Originally Posted by stangless_B never turn your wheel far to either side when hydroplaning. try to keep it as straight as you can or turn into the slide a little. but you learned this from experience. i'm glad you didn't wreck and you are ok. sliding at highway speeds is never fun. happened to me once in my 99 ranger. but, unfortunately, i DID hit the wall. didnt' cause much damage, cause i hit it at such an accute angle. just some scratches on the front bumper and a little on the rear fender. threw up a badass shower of sparks though. it was at night, so really looked cool. when i pulled over to make sure my truck was ok, this guy pulled up behind and jumped out of his car screaming about how that was the coolest thing he'd ever seen. i signed an autograph and proceeded on my way. it was scary though.

The things we do for fame... You should make that a weekly event. Rack up some fans. Then exploit them for millions.

[Squints]

Originally Posted by LanceD Was your cruise control on? I've read about people who actually catch some air time because their engine tries to keep a steady pace when hydroplaning. Its something I hope to see someday. The things we do for fame... You should make that a weekly event. Rack up some fans. Then exploit them for millions.

i don't have the "danger cart" anymore.
and my accord is in good shape, don't wanna tear it up.
the old "A-T-sick-sir" isn't up to the challenge just yet. i'll have to wait a while before i can make my official comeback.

[TheUNZippee!]

The best thing to do in a hydroplaning situation is to put both hands on the wheel, and take your foot off the accelerator. Don't touch the brake unless you absolutely have to.

Try not to steer, but if you have to, steer in the direction the car is sliding. Slightly. The car kept going right because you turned your wheels the wrong way. You're lucky you didn't lose complete control of your car.

Fortunately you managed to learn a lesson about hydroplaning without anything bad happening. Many people think that it will never happen to them because they have 'great tires'. Tires help, but if there is enough water on the road, and enough speed involved, it can happen, and it's a sphincter-puckering experience when it does. I've hydroplaned an 80,000 lb tractor trailer (not all 18 tires at once, usually just the steer tires, but that's enough), so I don't care if you're driving an F450 super duty 4x4. Drive fast enough in heavy enough rain and sooner or later it will catch up to you.

[Onemanzu]

thats one weird bridge

[G.T. Rags]

Originally Posted by TheUNZippee! The best thing to do in a hydroplaning situation is to put both hands on the wheel, and take your foot off the accelerator. Don't touch the brake unless you absolutely have to. Try not to steer, but if you have to, steer in the direction the car is sliding. Slightly. The car kept going right because you turned your wheels the wrong way. You're lucky you didn't lose complete control of your car. Fortunately you managed to learn a lesson about hydroplaning without anything bad happening. Many people think that it will never happen to them because they have 'great tires'. Tires help, but if there is enough water on the road, and enough speed involved, it can happen, and it's a sphincter-puckering experience when it does. I've hydroplaned an 80,000 lb tractor trailer (not all 18 tires at once, usually just the steer tires, but that's enough), so I don't care if you're driving an F450 super duty 4x4. Drive fast enough in heavy enough rain and sooner or later it will catch up to you.

jackknife FTMFL!!!

[TheUNZippee!]

Exackrie

[G.T. Rags]

in truck driving school, do they put u in a jackknife scenario and make u stear out of it?

Like seriously Zip, I've got no doubt about ur ability behind the wheel (video of wife wobbling) but how good are ya?

[TheUNZippee!]

I didn't go to driving school. I rode with an experienced driver for 2 months to learn how to drive. There really is nothing you can do to come back from a jacknife after it passes a certain point. Your only hope is acceleration, but typically when a jacknife situation occurs it's because you're trying to slow down for something and lost control, so accelerating is kind of a moot point.

I've had the trailer out beside me a little bit in really bad weather at lower speeds and gotten it back under control.


And I'm very good.

[G.T. Rags]

i'd shit a brick

[Dansby]

Ha, definitly a learning experience. And fyi...my front tires are bold...

No more driving in the rain for Jake, haha.

[TheUNZippee!]

Bald even

[Dansby]

I was still terrified I couldnt type...haha.

[nba1341]

+rep for those detailed drawings

[Dansby]

Ha, thanks bro.

[Genevieve!]

Originally Posted by nba1341 +rep for those detailed drawings

and They're so neatly done! bravo!!

[Luis_GT]

Originally Posted by jdansby1 Ha, definitly a learning experience. And fyi...my front tires are bold... No more driving in the rain for Jake, haha.

let me tell you... CHANGE THE TIRES WHEN THEY HIT THE WEAR MARKS... a buddy of mine lost control of his lancer cause the dumbass had bold tires... he was driving down the road @ 40 when his car lost traction during a heavy rain... he crashed into the gardrail and stopped when he hit the patch of a hill after the guardrail ended... He was shitting his pants at anything above 40MPH so I screwed with him when he asked for a ride and powershifted all the way to third... That was awesome...

[Dansby]

Originally Posted by GenevieveD and They're so neatly done! bravo!!

I tried.

[Genevieve!]

Originally Posted by jdansby1 I tried.

well , with such detailed drawings, I know exactly what happened . its a good thing the ranger knew what was going on. Ive had shit happen like that to me in my moms old ford Taurus. uugh.