![]() 12/29/2016 at 14:59 • Filed to: A&W, TRACTION CONTROL | ![]() | ![]() |
Double teen burger with fries. I haven’t had A&W in a very long time - it has probably been a few years, at least. Not exactly cheap for fast food (just under 12 dollars) but it’s better than any burger I’ve had recently from Harvey’s, and much better than those from Wendy’s or McD.
On a car-related note: I was on my way back from cheeseburgering and had a brief moment of fright when I took a 90-degree turn, slid a little bit on the abundant, fresh snowfall, and pressed the pedal to get out of the turn but had no power - I forgot that my car has traction control, when I’ve spent the majority of my driving experience in a car that has no TC or ABS. It was very unsettling to press the gas pedal expecting power and some wheelspin only to get fuck-all. Basically, having no safety features since I started driving now gives me a feeling of insecurity when driving with said safety features.
I turned off TC for the rest of the drive and got used to spinning up the wheels again on snow - it felt a lot more natural to drive.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 15:06 |
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My Mini has ABS and stability (which can be turned completely off) but no traction control.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 15:31 |
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I turn off my Traction and Stability control every time I drive my Genesis Coupe because random engine cuts when you’re trying to have fun are not fun. And traction control with a RWD sports car makes it basically undriveable when there’s snow.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 15:44 |
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Canadian A&W is so much better than the U.S. version. Frosted root beer mugs and decent food. Though you did screw up bad by not opting for onion rings.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 16:03 |
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Fuck, I guess I missed onion rings on the menu. Still, I thought the fries were very good.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 16:05 |
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I turn off my fwd Veloster’s TC all the time for snow. I leave it on in the Wife’s AWD Juke. It’s less “invasive” in her car. Maybe because the AWD results in less wheel spin. Not sure. I leave it on for the GMC shop truck. It barely handles snow in 4WD let alone without TC.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 16:18 |
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*Shittly programmed traction control makes RWD sports cars undriveable in the snow.
Mine recognizes when it is a limited grip environment and allows more wheelspin than is normal. Lets me get enough to rotate the back end, but starts cutting in if the back end goes too far around. Hell I don’t even turn it off on track days anymore. It doesn’t step in enough when I leave it on to bother with turning it off.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 16:19 |
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Traction control & stability control systems vary widely in how “invasive” they are. I’ve driven some cars that are downright a PITA with the throttle cuts and brake application kicking in with the slightest hint of wheelspin.
I have to say the Mazdaspeed6 I had was terrific in this regard. The TCS/DSC came on when things got really squirly, but allowed for a reasonable amount of hooning in normal conditions. And a simple on/off switch (not some complicated sequence) allowed for all the snow donuts one could desire in empty lots.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 16:23 |
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Basically, having no safety features since I started driving now gives
me a feeling of insecurity when driving with said safety features.
I felt the same way when I first encountered ABS. The vibrations and noise sure gave the impression that the system was preventing you from using all the brakes available. I became a believer the first time I successfully stopped several feet from a car I was certain I was going to hit.
ABS I’m definitely glad is there for those unexpected stops when threshold braking is unlikely to be executed correctly. Traction control and stability control can be nice aids to have, but I definitely prefer to have a defeat switch avaialble to get them out of the way at key moments.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 16:29 |
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“And traction control with any car makes it basically undriveable when there’s snow.”
FTFY - traction control can go suck it when I’m trying to pull out of a side street in the snow in any car and just need some wheelspin to push the car forward!
![]() 12/29/2016 at 17:05 |
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I try to see how much it takes to get the TC to kick in on pretty much all the vehicles I’ve ever driven. My current Civic doesnt seem to allow you to turn it off after you’ve been driving/or while the car is in motion. Kind of a PITA, especially when it kicks in at the slightest hint of wheelspin. My wife’s Corolla is much better in that regards
![]() 12/29/2016 at 17:28 |
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This is why TC is unsafe it’s always doing shit you don’t expect.....If only people could just learn to drive and not need stupidity aids.....also why i refuse to buy new cars...they are all required to have this crap now.
![]() 12/29/2016 at 19:44 |
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I was going to ask what a “double teen” burger was, then I saw down here A&W has a “Papa” burger, and I was all like “OK.”
![]() 12/29/2016 at 22:52 |
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Newer traction control systems aren’t bad. Still friggen weird if you’re not used to it, but not bad. Not at all like the first one I experience in a Slowbalt where as soon as any slip was detected all engine power was cut, meaning it was impossible to get moving on ice.