Posted by Larry Hoover on March 2, 2005, at 12:22:41
In reply to Driving/skidding on ice and snow -- help!, posted by Sarah T. on March 2, 2005, at 2:27:08
> I've always heard that you're supposed to steer in the direction of the skid. I don't understand this at all. It makes no sense to me. Can someone tell me how to get out of a skid? Most of the U.S. is having some sort of bad weather or another now, so I thought this post might be helpful to many of us. I'm not sure whether I should have posted this on the Health board since this does affect our health. I'll leave it here for now and see what Dr. Bob decides. But please tell me about that "steering in the direction of the skid." If I steer in the direction of the skid, won't I make a 360-degree turn? Egads! Every time I skid, I feel as if my heart is in my throat.
Don't ask me why, but the "direction of the skid" is in reference to the movement of the center of gravity/momentum, rather than to the direction the front of the vehicle is facing.
A skid to the left is a rotation to the right, and is thus an obvious source of confusion.
As as has been previously stated here, the key is to steer towards the direction you'd rather be facing, which is really an intuitive response to the situation, in any case.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:465323
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050224/msgs/465447.html