That was terrifying

"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
11/04/2014 at 11:48 • Filed to: None

I had my first real experience of bad understeer today. Almost ended up crashing into and over a high curb.

Picture of the road to understand better.

I'm driving down this road, which is all downhill until the turn basically. It's raining just enough to be a nuisance. I'm coasting at about 35MPH. I come to the turn, turn the wheel left and nothing happens. Turn it more, nothing happens. Finally slam on the brakes, rip the wheel left, finally make the turn. Then promptly skid through the stop sign. Oops.

I probably could've handled that better rather than slamming on the brakes. But it worked I guess.

Understeer isn't fun. I like oversteer better.

DISCUSSION (9)

Leadbull > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/04/2014 at 11:51

I think people's first understeer experience is usually worse than their first oversteer experience.

For example, my first understeer experience was when I nearly flipped my car into a cornfield.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/04/2014 at 11:52

Not counting snow and ice, I have only encountered understeer once, and it took an uphill corner in the wet to make it happen. I don't know why people argue over FWD/RWD for off-the-track purposes.

StoneCold > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/04/2014 at 11:56

My Honda Accord has been oversteering on occassion, so I think something is up with the suspension.

Give yours a go over when you have a chance, never too often for an inspection

davedave1111 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
11/04/2014 at 11:59

The funny thing is, the car which understeered worst of all the ones I've ever driven was rear wheel drive - Peugeot 505 estate. The handling was so understeery that I was gobsmacked when I found out fairly recently that it was RWD.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > StoneCold
11/04/2014 at 11:59

I actually just gave it a once over yesterday. Everything looked good.

Thunderface > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/04/2014 at 12:28

....and I have yet to ever drive in snow or bad rain

Big Bubba Ray > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/04/2014 at 12:28

The roads sure are slick around STL today. I was sideways in the Z half the time going to class this morning.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Big Bubba Ray
11/04/2014 at 12:37

I'm pretty sure I had my tires spinning at every stop light.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/04/2014 at 12:50

My one experience with understeer was in my Pontiac Bonneville. The car I had had before that was my Celica from high school, and it was light enough to get thrown around highway off-ramps with abandon. In the Bonneville, I came into an offramp doing about 40, and swung the wheel to the left. The car made about half the turn and then decided to keep going straight, squealing and screaming the whole way. I had the good sense to hit the brakes.