OP
OP
Flyng Low
VCA Member
To those who have spun, and the rest who will...
Here is the closure on this thread. I'm a LOT smarter now. This is what I have learned about what the heck happened that morning - why I was suddenly going backwards on the wet freeway.
CAR: The car, including alignment, was fine - this was not the cause.
TIRES: The Michelin Pilot SX tires had 1/4" tread left, but were old and hard. I've learned that tires get harder with age and loose their grip. This was surely a factor and I have new Michelin Pilot Sport tires on the way.
SPEED: I happened to be out on the same freeway early this morning with similar rain conditions in a Ford Explorer. Our SoCal freeways do not drain well and there were numerous areas of standing water. I'm sure the shudders I initially felt that night were running into patches of standing water. Even in the Explorer with smaller, deep-tread tires I had to slow down to 55 mph to maintain control this morning. I was going faster in the Viper that night with much wider (hard) tires. This was the cause of my spin that morning.
TRAINING: Unfortunately I just attended Viper Days driver school last weekend, six weeks after the spin and thump. I believe what I learned over the weekend would have avoided this accident:
a. I would have had replaced the old hard tires for better traction.
b. I would have recognized the decreasing traction and slowed down.
c. I would have caught the impending spin with a quick steering correction.
d. If the spin started, I would have immediately depressed the clutch and brake, causing the car to slide straight ahead and not left into the center divider.
I encourage all Viper drivers to SLOW TO 55 MPH MAXIMUM IN HEAVY RAIN, or where there is any chance of standing water, and do a driver training course. We need to keep these wonderful cars, and their drivers and passengers between the lines where they belong. Please don't let my accident happen to you!
Curt
Here is the closure on this thread. I'm a LOT smarter now. This is what I have learned about what the heck happened that morning - why I was suddenly going backwards on the wet freeway.
CAR: The car, including alignment, was fine - this was not the cause.
TIRES: The Michelin Pilot SX tires had 1/4" tread left, but were old and hard. I've learned that tires get harder with age and loose their grip. This was surely a factor and I have new Michelin Pilot Sport tires on the way.
SPEED: I happened to be out on the same freeway early this morning with similar rain conditions in a Ford Explorer. Our SoCal freeways do not drain well and there were numerous areas of standing water. I'm sure the shudders I initially felt that night were running into patches of standing water. Even in the Explorer with smaller, deep-tread tires I had to slow down to 55 mph to maintain control this morning. I was going faster in the Viper that night with much wider (hard) tires. This was the cause of my spin that morning.
TRAINING: Unfortunately I just attended Viper Days driver school last weekend, six weeks after the spin and thump. I believe what I learned over the weekend would have avoided this accident:
a. I would have had replaced the old hard tires for better traction.
b. I would have recognized the decreasing traction and slowed down.
c. I would have caught the impending spin with a quick steering correction.
d. If the spin started, I would have immediately depressed the clutch and brake, causing the car to slide straight ahead and not left into the center divider.
I encourage all Viper drivers to SLOW TO 55 MPH MAXIMUM IN HEAVY RAIN, or where there is any chance of standing water, and do a driver training course. We need to keep these wonderful cars, and their drivers and passengers between the lines where they belong. Please don't let my accident happen to you!
Curt
