Wheel turning when skidding?

[yarswiss]

I've been driving my hatch like a maniac lately (last-minute x-mas shopping will drive anyone crazy) and it's been raining pretty decently here in socal. Sometimes, I will brake VERY hard, mostly because I'm driving way too fast, but also because it's damn fun to chuck this car around. Since I don't have ABS, the wheels lock up, but instead of the car just sliding, the steering wheel also turns wildly, usually to the left, without me touching it. Even when cornering way too fast to the right on a wet slope, the wheels locked up and then the steering wheel shot to the left. Anyone else notice this?

[nemelek]

It's nice to know how a car will handle in a panic situation.

[Loren]

Read:
http://yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11428

[jambo101]

I've been driving my hatch like a maniac lately (last-minute x-mas shopping will drive anyone crazy) and it's been raining pretty decently here in socal. Sometimes, I will brake VERY hard, mostly because I'm driving way too fast, but also because it's damn fun to chuck this car around. Since I don't have ABS, the wheels lock up, but instead of the car just sliding, the steering wheel also turns wildly, usually to the left, without me touching it. Even when cornering way too fast to the right on a wet slope, the wheels locked up and then the steering wheel shot to the left. Anyone else notice this?

Why not take your maniacle driving to the race track as i'm sure when you finally lose it other people wont be involved.
Hope to wish you a Merry Chrismas next year.:smile:

[ddongbap]

WOO HOO THE NAY SAYERS COME OUT.

Before any of you cast any type of stone, if any of you guys have EVERY broken ANY law that is related to cars, then you shouldn't be telling this guy what to do.

[Loren]

I used to drive like an idiot on the street when I was younger and learned all my lessons the hard way. In this age of internet communication where the wisdom that myself and others have learned the hard way is readily available... why SHOULDN'T we share it?

Drive how you want, but if you're skidding around and you don't understand the physics of WHY... you're an accident waiting to happen. Kudos to the OP for at least asking the question.

[SIPNGAS]

I used to drive like an idiot on the street when I was younger and learned all my lessons the hard way. In this age of internet communication where the wisdom that myself and others have learned the hard way is readily available... why SHOULDN'T we share it?

Drive how you want, but if you're skidding around and you don't understand the physics of WHY... you're an accident waiting to happen. Kudos to the OP for at least asking the question.

Well said.

[nemelek]

WOO HOO THE NAY SAYERS COME OUT.

Before any of you cast any type of stone, if any of you guys have EVERY broken ANY law that is related to cars, then you shouldn't be telling this guy what to do.

Before I was 31 I must have drove drunk over 1000 times. By drunk I mean over .2 bac. Due to blind luck I never got a ticket (that I didn't beat). I felt invincible until 3-26-86 when I was involved in a head on accident that killed a 16 year. It took almost 3 years and turning a 7-11 into a drive through before I was able to quit drinking. I realize that there is nothing that I could say that would change anothers behavior. However, that won't stop me from giving advice.
Having been involved in 2 personal injuries law suits in my life, I wouldn't put anything past lawyers or insurance companies. Be carefull of what you post, it might come back to haunt you later in life. If I am involved in an accident that isn't my fault, I have a lawyer that will go after the other party with both guns loaded. If a person is reckless, careless, or drunk driving and hits me, I will get every cent possible through every means possible. Just because I got away with some irresponsible behavior in my youth doesn't mean that I am a forgiving person today.

[talnlnky]

WOO HOO THE NAY SAYERS COME OUT.

Before any of you cast any type of stone, if any of you guys have EVERY broken ANY law that is related to cars, then you shouldn't be telling this guy what to do.

I don't know anybody who hasn't broken a law. But generally people don't break traffic laws by purposefully putting their car in an out-of-control situation. Enough people die related to driving incidents each year without hourseplaying on the road.

I'm all for fish-tailing on ice and driving wild.... in an empty parking lot or field where you aren't going to injure/kill anybody but yourself.

[zombiegeisha]

I skidded/hydroplaned and did a 180, then a 360 in the opposite direction, and ended up on the other side of the road, facing oncoming traffic.
It was raining, I was slowing down coming off a curved off-ramp. My wheel went right, I instinctively hit the breaks and turned the wheel left. I then braced for impact since I saw the barrier and the toll plaza after it.... I closed my eyes, opened them, I'm at the other side of the road.
There was a small break after the start of a bridge on the other side of the ramp, before the barrier to the toll plazza started. I ended up going through it, going over the grass, and on the other side of the road.
Thank God it wasn't rush hour...! I drive like a granny in the rain now.

Lesson learned, slow down early, yet gradually in rain. The car is a light...

I don't know anything about skidding and drifting it though.... all I know was mine wasn't intentional. =P

When I first got the car, I'd zoom around like a nut, after that incident, I'm taking it easy. I don't wanna die, I don't wanna kill someone, and I don't want to hurt my car. @_@

Oh, but I like doing donuts in the college parking lot at night when just a few of my buddies are around. =D

[RacerFreakXXX]

all i can say is hold onto the steering wheel better if it's moving to much... otherwise calm down. I drive through oncomming traffic so it could be alot worse than what he's doing. I'd say if you wanna drove like that go to a track and get it all out. I slide the car around but do it in parkinglots or streets with no traffic and even then i probally shouldn't. Maybe you should of thought about abs b4 you bought the car if that's how you like to drive.

[ddongbap]

Its one thing to tell people not to drive like an idiot. I'm totally guilty of driving like an idiot during my HS days. But I just hate how people pass death judgements to those who do.

[jambo101]

Its one thing to tell people not to drive like an idiot. I'm totally guilty of driving like an idiot during my HS days. But I just hate how people pass death judgements to those who do.
Some people get a bit sensitive when talking about stupid drivers especially when their stupidity has caused the loss of family members.

[thebarber]

i never got the wheel jerk when the brakes were locked....

[ddongbap]

Mine jerks.

[yarswiss]

Wow, thanks to all for the sobering advice! I totally understand the consequences of my driving, and I would never have driven in such a crazy manner unless I knew that under no circumstance I or anyone else would be endangered. I know it's best left for the race track, but I drive SO conservatively 99% of the time, it's great to let loose and go berserk every now and then...provided it's done safely, of course.

Anyway, going back to my original question: I was truly interested in figuring out the mechanical dynamics of the steering wheel. I have driven many cars and skidded them while taking corners way too fast, and this is the first that spins the steering wheel, so that is why I was asking.

[ddongbap]

Wow, thanks to all for the sobering advice! I totally understand the consequences of my driving, and I would never have driven in such a crazy manner unless I knew that under no circumstance I or anyone else would be endangered. I know it's best left for the race track, but I drive SO conservatively 99% of the time, it's great to let loose and go berserk every now and then...provided it's done safely, of course.

Anyway, going back to my original question: I was truly interested in figuring out the mechanical dynamics of the steering wheel. I have driven many cars and skidded them while taking corners way too fast, and this is the first that spins the steering wheel, so that is why I was asking.

Darn those steering wheel gnomes.

[Loren]

Anyway, going back to my original question: I was truly interested in figuring out the mechanical dynamics of the steering wheel. I have driven many cars and skidded them while taking corners way too fast, and this is the first that spins the steering wheel, so that is why I was asking.

Is this your first front wheel drive car?