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7 Deadly Skids And How to Deal With Them
1. All wheels locked. It is very common and it is a killer.
The came: Foot clamped on the brake pedal too hard and too abruptly. Car may start to skid in straight line, but can spin out as road crown upsets its balance or the road offers uneven friction to the tires.
What to do: Release your brakes instantly. Get your car going straight. Stab-brake in quick jabs. Never let a spin-out begin.
2. Front wheels locked. The safest skid if there a safest at all.
The cause: You brake, and the front wheels, on a slick spot on the road, lock; while the rear wheels brake normally; or the front brakes are set up tighter than the rear ones. You will skid in a straight line because the rear wheels (not locked) act as a rudder to prevent a spin- unless you are in a turn. But you won’t be able to change direction as long as the front wheels of the automobile are locked.
What to do: Release your brakes to recover steering control. Then stab brake to slow down.
3. Rear wheels locked. This one is a real killer because it usually comes at slow speeds.
The cause: You’ve jammed on your brakes. Your car tries instantly to switch ends. This may be for any one of the following reasons:
1. Your rear brakes have been set up tighter than the front-wheel brakes.
2. You have applied your brakes just as you have come off a slick spot-in both cases, the rear wheels lock while the front ones continue to roll.
What to do: Release the brakes and counter steer fast. In any of these situations, never, never apply power.
4. Power skid. You’re more likely to be prepared for this one because you know you are behaving foolishly.
The cause: On a slight curve, or going into a mild skid, you apply power suddenly. This can turn a mild skid into a deadly spin. Power skids also occur in rain, and on snow and ice, when you hit the accelerator from a standing start.
What to do: Get your foot off the gas.
5. Sharp-curve skid. A nasty surprise when you find yourself in a curve that’s sharper than you thought.
The cause: Such skids have nothing to do with braking or wheel lockup. They are the result simply of too much speed and centrifugal force. The faster you go- the less stability your car has. At 70, there is little frictional stability. At 80, you might as well be on slick snow. The curve makes some cars pivot on their front wheels.
What to do: Try guiding your car into an unpowered controlled drift. Make the front wheels stay ahead of the rear ones. Stay off the brake and accelerator.
6. The combination skid. This is composed of a sharp-curve loss of traction in the rear, plus a power skid.
The cause: It is what happens when you get scared on the turn as your rear end loses traction and you hit the accelerator.
What to do: Actually, there is little you can do. Keep your feet off the pedals. Counter steer and hope.
7. Hydroplane skid: Another sneaky one.
The cause: Loss of control on water as little as Ys inch deep. At 60 m.p.h., in 1/2-inch of water, tires lose all road contact. At this point, any turn-even a sharp gust-can start a skid and spin.
What to do: Counter steer. Always remember that skids can be caused by rain-and slow down.
Allen writes on different topics at his auto related blog where he advices people how to maintain and fix their cars [http://carmaintenanceguide.net/common-problems-and-fixes] themselves so they can run longer
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