How has stability control saved your butt ?
Discussion
Here is a small deviation from the thread about ABS.
Many newer cars now, have some sort of 'stability control'
It can be called several different names, but essentially, it does the same thing.
It keeps us on the black stuff, istead of driffting off into the bushes.
So, lets discuss if we can, how we see the benefits of this in car system ?
Any close calls, where Stability control, has prevented you from a crash?
'vette
Many newer cars now, have some sort of 'stability control'
It can be called several different names, but essentially, it does the same thing.
It keeps us on the black stuff, istead of driffting off into the bushes.
So, lets discuss if we can, how we see the benefits of this in car system ?
Any close calls, where Stability control, has prevented you from a crash?
'vette
Edited by uk_vette on Thursday 13th January 11:58
Edited by uk_vette on Thursday 13th January 12:47
Only time I found it useful was on the Astra, and it allowed me to reverse up a steep bank, at a rally stage, with one of the drive wheels 2' off the ground. Seems the ESP on the Mk5 Astra has an e-diff that'll lock a drive wheel when the car is at a funny angle.
Otherwise it's a total hinderance to extreme roundabout exits.
Otherwise it's a total hinderance to extreme roundabout exits.
Traction control on my Celsior applies the brakes to either rear wheel if one of them breaks traction
It's actually kicked in a few times when I was not even aware they had broken loose... usually when pulling away in the wet or accelerating away from roundabouts.
Not sure if it saved my butt... it obviously felt it had
It's actually kicked in a few times when I was not even aware they had broken loose... usually when pulling away in the wet or accelerating away from roundabouts.
Not sure if it saved my butt... it obviously felt it had
It hasn't, in fact the system in my wife's XC90 nearly killed me as I was playing in a car park in the snow and it started doing all manner of wierd things and would over-ride my inputs.
However I was driven around Curborogh sprint track by a lad (who freely admitted he hadn't got a clue) in a P1.
To feel what that car was doing to keep itself on the track was amazing.
It didn't make me want to buy one though as I want to drive the car - being in control is the fun part.
However I was driven around Curborogh sprint track by a lad (who freely admitted he hadn't got a clue) in a P1.
To feel what that car was doing to keep itself on the track was amazing.
It didn't make me want to buy one though as I want to drive the car - being in control is the fun part.
Well the ESP on my Focus ST definately saved my bacon on at least one occasion. Of course my fault totally, cornering near the limit on a r/bout when an old wifey drove straight out in front and I had to brake hard, which of course pushed me over the limits and the ESP cut in. Was like a giant hand grabbed the underside of the car and pulled it straight again. So yeah it works.
Having said that its better to learn to drive without driver aids, but on a public road and in poor weather (not snow it makes it worse in snow) its a heaven send IMO.
One of the reasons I parted company with my mid engined RWD sports car with no driver aids was I realised eventually I'd crash it. Even the best driver in the world gets it wrong eventually and one screw up is all it takes.
Having said that its better to learn to drive without driver aids, but on a public road and in poor weather (not snow it makes it worse in snow) its a heaven send IMO.
One of the reasons I parted company with my mid engined RWD sports car with no driver aids was I realised eventually I'd crash it. Even the best driver in the world gets it wrong eventually and one screw up is all it takes.
I have had it activiate a couple of times, once on a country, fast B road, sweeping left hand bend, slightly off camber the rear (on my fwd Saab) started sliding, as I realised and went to correct it did its thing, also on a diesel slicked roundabout, it just intervenes before I can.
I have driven on a track in a 911 Turbo with it on and it does sap the fun but to be honest if I were going quick enough to do that on the road in a 911 Turbo I would be expecting a NIP every other day !
I think that, by and large, for most drivers and eventualities it is a positive development and it doesnt for most foster lazy driving as to be honest most dont seem to understand it or have it activate very often if ever.
Of course there will now be the heroic driving gods to warn us of its evils but its been proven time and again to avoid accidents and save lives, not advocating it should be fitted to everything and you not be able to switch it off but I would rather have more drivers with it, than without it, because frankly most drive too fast and arent very good, if you dont know which set of wheels are driven on your car, you need it !
I have driven on a track in a 911 Turbo with it on and it does sap the fun but to be honest if I were going quick enough to do that on the road in a 911 Turbo I would be expecting a NIP every other day !
I think that, by and large, for most drivers and eventualities it is a positive development and it doesnt for most foster lazy driving as to be honest most dont seem to understand it or have it activate very often if ever.
Of course there will now be the heroic driving gods to warn us of its evils but its been proven time and again to avoid accidents and save lives, not advocating it should be fitted to everything and you not be able to switch it off but I would rather have more drivers with it, than without it, because frankly most drive too fast and arent very good, if you dont know which set of wheels are driven on your car, you need it !
doogz said:
redgriff500 said:
It hasn't, in fact the system in my wife's XC90 nearly killed me as I was playing in a car park in the snow and it started doing all manner of wierd things and would over-ride my inputs.
However I was driven around Curborogh sprint track by a lad (who freely admitted he hadn't got a clue) in a P1.
To feel what that car was doing to keep itself on the track was amazing.
It didn't make me want to buy one though as I want to drive the car - being in control is the fun part.
An Impreza P1?However I was driven around Curborogh sprint track by a lad (who freely admitted he hadn't got a clue) in a P1.
To feel what that car was doing to keep itself on the track was amazing.
It didn't make me want to buy one though as I want to drive the car - being in control is the fun part.
I drove over some black ice in the Z4 on a sweeping left-right corner at NSL and all sorts of traction control stuff kicked in to help control the car from veering into the oncoming traffic. Jolts and judders from all 4 corners as the car tried to keep itself on the road. Steering went eerily light and barely worked. It was a moment, but the technology saved me. The transit van behind me flipped on it's roof and ended up in a field!!
Haven't needed stability control yet, which is a good thing because I don't have it.
I can't specifically think of any occasions where ABS has stopped me having a crash. I triggered it a couple of times in the most recent snow, at the time I didn't feel like I was in any danger of slithering into the next available lamppost but I suppose you never know. I've never triggered it in a panic stop, though I have locked wheels once or twice on cars without it in an emergency stop, fortunately without crashing.
Cadence braking saved me once, allowing me to slow down and negotiate the corner at the same time while thoroughly engaged in bricking myself. ABS would have possibly made that particular event much less frightening.
Then again, in the same car, the lack of ABS allowed me to lock all four wheels up and slide sideways down the road in relative safety instead of riding up the steep incline that the car was facing, and then barrel rolling back down it. That was an all my own work incident, and I don't know for sure but I suspect that ABS would have sealed my fate on that occasion.
I can't specifically think of any occasions where ABS has stopped me having a crash. I triggered it a couple of times in the most recent snow, at the time I didn't feel like I was in any danger of slithering into the next available lamppost but I suppose you never know. I've never triggered it in a panic stop, though I have locked wheels once or twice on cars without it in an emergency stop, fortunately without crashing.
Cadence braking saved me once, allowing me to slow down and negotiate the corner at the same time while thoroughly engaged in bricking myself. ABS would have possibly made that particular event much less frightening.
Then again, in the same car, the lack of ABS allowed me to lock all four wheels up and slide sideways down the road in relative safety instead of riding up the steep incline that the car was facing, and then barrel rolling back down it. That was an all my own work incident, and I don't know for sure but I suspect that ABS would have sealed my fate on that occasion.
Edited by Alfanatic on Thursday 13th January 12:47
The Lexus has a form of stability control (not one of those all singing ones you can get these days). It has been triggered once, but that was in the chronic snow that happened to be sheet ice underneath. Both me and a following car span in slow motion at around 5 MPH. Nothing that I or the electronics could have done to fix that!
off_again said:
The Lexus has a form of stability control (not one of those all singing ones you can get these days). It has been triggered once, but that was in the chronic snow that happened to be sheet ice underneath. Both me and a following car span in slow motion at around 5 MPH. Nothing that I or the electronics could have done to fix that!
You would be amazed at what a current ESP system can do, on a snowy car park it wont let me spin mine fully.Surprised there was not flashing warning light in the GF's Alfa Mito, you could slide it around in the snow and feel it sorting the slides out cutting power and braking wheels but no warning to let you know it was doing its thing. Managed fine in the snow with the all weather mode thing switched on which just seems to kill the throttle which is fine when she is driving, though seemed dangerous to me that you don't get the usual warning of a esp light to show you are being saved by the electronics.
Has been used a few times in the past, coming round a corner in a z4 where a farmer had left a load of slippery mud on the surface, would have understeered into the oncoming lane without it kicking in though in reality it was a quiet back road and there was nobody coming the other way. Not going very fast at the time and might have been ok without it but would probably have hit something if there was a car coming the other way and the ESP had been off. Partly the farmers fault for leaving the road in an unsafe state and partly mine for going faster than I could see to stop.
Had it activate in the M3 when the tail was sliding out on a diesel spill round about, again slow enough that I could have sorted it myself but if you aren’t fully alert on your way to work on a dark wet morning and the back twitches it’s nice to know there is a backup brain keeping things in check. Only switch it off when I am having fun, never activates in normal driving unless you are doing something silly or the tires are past their best.
Has been used a few times in the past, coming round a corner in a z4 where a farmer had left a load of slippery mud on the surface, would have understeered into the oncoming lane without it kicking in though in reality it was a quiet back road and there was nobody coming the other way. Not going very fast at the time and might have been ok without it but would probably have hit something if there was a car coming the other way and the ESP had been off. Partly the farmers fault for leaving the road in an unsafe state and partly mine for going faster than I could see to stop.
Had it activate in the M3 when the tail was sliding out on a diesel spill round about, again slow enough that I could have sorted it myself but if you aren’t fully alert on your way to work on a dark wet morning and the back twitches it’s nice to know there is a backup brain keeping things in check. Only switch it off when I am having fun, never activates in normal driving unless you are doing something silly or the tires are past their best.
Only car I've had with stability is my Audi A6, in the damp booting it round bends for fun its done the odd flash but to be honest is was so un-intrusive that if there had not been the light on the dash flash I'd have not known it operating.
Most impressive demo on stability control was on track in the passenger seat of a friends Porsche 996 turbo, he purposely drove into a tight 90 degree bend about 15mph faster than the car could ever have hoped to get round. The stability control took over on him swinging it into the bend and slwoed the car down very rapidly whilst negotiating the bend and kept it between the cones in a very impressive fashion.
Most impressive demo on stability control was on track in the passenger seat of a friends Porsche 996 turbo, he purposely drove into a tight 90 degree bend about 15mph faster than the car could ever have hoped to get round. The stability control took over on him swinging it into the bend and slwoed the car down very rapidly whilst negotiating the bend and kept it between the cones in a very impressive fashion.
I was driving up the M5 on a Sunday evening a few weeks ago. It was fine when I left home, but around Weston Super Mare it started to snow. The road was fine however, the snow wasn't settling so I left the car on cruise and kept going as normal. Just before Bristol there is a large hill. I caught up a couple of cars going up the hill in lane 3, so cancelled the cruise. As we approached the crest of the hill, the two cars in front completed passing the car in lane 2 and pulled in. I hit "resume" on the cruise and the car started to accelerate. Before the car had got back to cruising speed, the back end twitched and the TC light started flashing. Snow has settled in the outside lane at the crest of the hill and it was very slippery. Don't know if I'd have crashed without TC, but I'd imagine it would have been a lot more scary and may have involved a spin.
Edited by VladD on Thursday 13th January 13:08
uk_vette said:
Here is a small deviation from the tread about ABS.
Many newer cars now, have some sort of 'stability control'
It can be called several different names, but essentially, it does the same thing.
It keeps us on the black stuff, istead of driffting off into the bushes.
So, lets discuss if we can, how we see the benefits of this in car system ?
Any close calls, where Stability control, has prevented you from a crash?
'vette
Not a close call, but I did conduct a test in the snowy weather before Christmas in my smart Roadster.Many newer cars now, have some sort of 'stability control'
It can be called several different names, but essentially, it does the same thing.
It keeps us on the black stuff, istead of driffting off into the bushes.
So, lets discuss if we can, how we see the benefits of this in car system ?
Any close calls, where Stability control, has prevented you from a crash?
'vette
Edited by uk_vette on Thursday 13th January 11:58
There's a fairly steep hill near me, that always lingers with snow or ice covering.
First attempt ESP ON - It was really amazing, very very effective and noticeable. The TCS almost made it feel like it had a LSD. It would spin the wheels with provocation but you could feel the car keeping itself straight.
Second attempt ESP OFF - Very different, it still went up the hill ok, but would wheel spin so much easier and you could pull some massive yaw angles with loads of counter steer. ESP certainly was more challenging to get it up the hill and I was very impressed on the ESP's ability.
This video may be of interest so some of you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3m24bjkfg0
(Tiff shows us how useful traction control is)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3m24bjkfg0
(Tiff shows us how useful traction control is)
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff