New owner would have wrecked?

TheMilkman

Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Posts
222
Reaction score
0
I had one of those "Oh s....!" moments this morning and feel that if I had not had prior track time and some autocrosses the results could have been much worse.

It was early in the morning and I found myself on a 3/4 - 1 mile stretch of road that went down then up so you could really see far ahead and that there was no traffic, people, bikers, cows etc. Felt like a good time to open it up a bit. I got up to the light in a hurry which was green, still no traffic. Hammered the brakes and made a left turn. That is when the back end decided it didn't want to follow the front end. At the time I was turning I wasn't going fast, right at the speed limit of 35. But with the momentum built up, early morning cold tires, and a switch from black top to concrete the tires lost grip.

I knew the back end was going out, I could feel it before I heard the tires. This is the point where I could see a new owner, someone who may have only driven a couple hundred miles or more already, but finding themselves in a situation they are not prepared for or practiced at. Panic could set in and slamming the brakes would have sent the car into the curb and off the road (ABS doesn't help that much when you are skidding sideways), and adding gas would have spun the car out of control and end the same way as braking. In the end I was able to correct the skid/slide without much thought and continue, but I was thinking to myself that if I didn't have a little track time under my belt I might not have corrected it right.

There are tons of posts on here that say "Take it to the track" and all of that if you want to experience a little speed. Not everyone wants to go to a track or they feel it beats up on their cars. I do feel that attending a track event where you can get a little training will really help you to be a better all around driver. You don't have to go out and beat up your car to get some training in. The Autocross events are nice too because for most of the ones I have been in you don't even have to get out of 1st gear and you learn so much about the handling of your car that would be very difficult to do in daily driving.

So there are threads on here about safety of Vipers, and only go fast at the track and all of that. In the real world, stuff happens. You see what appears to be a safe opportunity to let her rip or conditions change on you. In the end the best drivers are the ones that are paying attention and practiced at what they are doing.
 

Moundir

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 3, 2002
Posts
1,816
Reaction score
0
Location
Ny
Glad you saved it dude! My passengers have an O **** moment every time they get into my car :D Having track experience does help and is tons of fun to boot :drive:
 

PDCjonny

Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 2, 2004
Posts
5,999
Reaction score
3
. In the end the best drivers are the ones that are paying attention and practiced at what they are doing.

Or even better don't get into a situation where you have to "hammer" the brakes through a turn on a cold wet morning?
 

plumcrazy

Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 9, 2003
Posts
16,243
Reaction score
7
Location
ALL OVER
a wise man from Nebraska once told me, soon as you "think" you know what you are doing with a viper, thats when you need to be extra careful cause it will bite you.
 

DeceptioN

Viper Owner
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Posts
338
Reaction score
1
Location
Spring Hill, FL
Had 2 of those moments so far. The first 1 was within a half mile from the dealership. During the test drive I felt pretty comfortable with the car just driving around the town. Leaving the dealership I went to go onto the highway for the first time and while going up the ramp I saw there wasn't anything in sight ( was about 10pm ) so I decided to see what kind of power the car makes. Was in 2nd gear and floored it, and instantly went sideways. Was facing the sidewall for a second and I just turned the steering wheel towads the wall for a second, gave it gas, hoped for traction, then pulled it away from the wall. Felt like I was going sideways on the tire, so figured pulling the tire towards the direction I was skidding might pick up the traction, and luckily it did.

2nd time was just me being a ******* trying to race a motorcycle from a dig, right after it rained. Similiar outcome, except towards a curb instead of a wall. After that I decided to stop doing stupid stuff for a bit.
 

chambers

Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 6, 2011
Posts
123
Reaction score
0
Had 2 of those moments so far. The first 1 was within a half mile from the dealership. During the test drive I felt pretty comfortable with the car just driving around the town. Leaving the dealership I went to go onto the highway for the first time and while going up the ramp I saw there wasn't anything in sight ( was about 10pm ) so I decided to see what kind of power the car makes. Was in 2nd gear and floored it, and instantly went sideways. Was facing the sidewall for a second and I just turned the steering wheel towads the wall for a second, gave it gas, hoped for traction, then pulled it away from the wall. Felt like I was going sideways on the tire, so figured pulling the tire towards the direction I was skidding might pick up the traction, and luckily it did.

2nd time was just me being a ******* trying to race a motorcycle from a dig, right after it rained. Similiar outcome, except towards a curb instead of a wall. After that I decided to stop doing stupid stuff for a bit.



I will be buying my first Viper soon and driving it back to Maryland. Glad you shared your Viper experience with me. I think I will drive all the way back home doing no more than 50 miles an hour
 

SlayerLS1

Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Posts
452
Reaction score
0
Location
MD
I will be buying my first Viper soon and driving it back to Maryland. Glad you shared your Viper experience with me. I think I will drive all the way back home doing no more than 50 miles an hour

Don't think the cruising speed will put you at risk as long as you're doing normal highway speeds. Just be careful and smooth with throttle input and make sure to be extra careful if the wheel is turned.
 

DeceptioN

Viper Owner
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Posts
338
Reaction score
1
Location
Spring Hill, FL
When driving this cars maturely, they really handle pretty well. It is when you decide to test the cars limits where you find at times the engine is much more powerful than your traction.
 
OP
OP
T

TheMilkman

Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Posts
222
Reaction score
0
I learned at an autocross that "I have more weight in my foot than my tires have stickiness." Meaning, a little too much gas will send you out of control, and usually quicker than you might think.

It's the new drivers that are testing the limits as stated that find this information out the hard way. Doesn't matter if you are going 30 or 100, although the outcome may come quicker, if you give a Viper too much gas too quickly it can and most likely will NOT do what you think it should.

Funny, that my mom wanted to drive the car once and my Brother and I considered putting a block of wood under the gas pedal so she wouldn't kill herself. :rolaugh:
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
153,139
Posts
1,681,565
Members
17,640
Latest member
SDViper
Top