Unexpected sideways action earlier today......

[sko-with-go]

Had a meeting in Aylesbury today and experienced an unwelcome 'incident' on the way home to Bristol!

I came off the A34 onto the A4020 (I think it is) from oxford to Swindon. About a third of the way into this 25ish mile stretch of road there's a section where the single lane opens into a dual carriageway before coming to a roundabout with a left turn. After the roundabout it's dual carriageway again for a shortish stretch, before going back down to one lane.

Ive travelled this route many times and never has an issue before, but today was different!

I had accelerated gently into the outside lane (as many cars stay left and then turn left) before braking, as I approached the roundabout, to about 20 miles an hour. I didn't need to stop and accelerated gently into the roundabout and then wham! (was probably doing 25mph at this point)

The rear end shot round, like lift-of over steer (except I hadn't lifted or touched the brakes), and I was at 180 degrees to the roundabout - I kept my foot in and steered into it and was effectively 'drifitng' around the roundabout. I managed to keep calm and retain control, but I have no idea what caused it.

What concerned/concerns me is that I was driving sensibly and have lost faith in the car a little. I'm guessing it was oil on the road as it was raining gently, I was driving sensibly and my tyres are all in tip-top shape - virtually new rainsports on the front and and Khumo's with about 7mm tread on the back.

It clearly scared the crap out of the cars that had been following me as I drove pretty slowly down the following stretch of dual carriageway, and not a single person bothered to overtake me!

[AlpineWhite]

Maybe a patch of oil or diesel on the road. Sounds like you know you were driving sensibly and keep your car in good order. If it's driving fine elsewhere you might just need to put it down as "one of those things".

[softscoop]

Probably diesel or oil spilled in the road.

My work mate had the same problem on one corner, unfortunately he didn't manage to hold it and slammed his front wheel into a kerb.

Put it down as experience. Sounds like you did well to hold a 180^o spin though

[Titanium_Man]

Sqweeky bum time!!

You did well to keep it together!

I wasn't so good... about 5 years ago i ended up backwards in the middle of that roundabout on the grass on hotwells road!

[vrs'burks]

I've done that on way to work one morning while still half sleepy,woke me up lets say,

as others say. . Id suspect diesel spillage from something.

[Kiwibacon]

You could always try it again?

[Huxley vRS]

Don't let it put you off mate. Go back and do it quicker lol you will soon get the confidence back. Sometimes these things have a way of catching the best of us out.

[Guest BigJase88]

Diesel on the road is mega mega slippy!

I had an unknown diesel leak at the tank on one of my previous cars which dripped all over the rear wheel!

Went round a gently bend about 60mph and snap! Completely sideways! Couldnt save it and took 2 plastic bollards out of the game! Ended ip in a grass ditch minus the exhaust!

Picked up exhaust and threw it in boot and drove home with exhaust hanging out of boot (just wanted to get home)

Welded exhaust back on and polished out some scuffs and voila

[jrw]

I did the same once on an island the day after I had new alloys on my Mk3 Golf! Did a graceful 180 on the island, much to the bemusement of the car behind me who couldn't work out why i was suddenly facing the wrong way when i was only doing about 20mph. Missed the kerb probably by a couple of inches.

[Dave_G]

I would hazard a guess and say it was most likely a diesel spill. The A420 is the main A road between Oxford and Swindon, and is used all day every day by many HGVs.

This road is notorious for accidents big and small. Google A420 accident and you will find many shunts and some fatalities - the most recent in April - a young lady was killed in a head on collision with a truck.

The nature of the road frustrates - so please, go easy and don't make yourself a statistic.

[viewer]

Agree with fuel spill. Killer for motorbikes (use your nose) Had this once in Fabia leaving roundabout. Luckily dual carriageway. Car goes sideways; hold slide waiting for snap back and it slides on and on. Tell wife to hold on - she does........to my arm!!!! The slide was long enough for me to ask her to let go before we straightened up. Stopped, checked tyres and phoned police. Coming home there was a hole in the stone wall where someone had not been so lucky. It's normal to automatically drive a bit slower after an incident like this, but there's nothing wrong with your car and your confidence will soon come back aided by the knowledge that you did all the right things and they worked.

[Phil-E]

Sounds like you did well to control and it and didn't panick. Definitely sounds like diesel on the road.

I once had a brown trouser moment in my old 1.9D ZX. It was light on the rear end as it was.

Going through some lights on a 40mph road that had a slight summit and a bend to it. Got to the lights and noticed the road was very shiny. I shaved a bit of speed off before hand but not quite enough. Rear wheels went sideways so I just planted the accelerator and pull the car out of it. I drove really slowly after that!

Phil

[TriggerFish]

Had a meeting in Aylesbury today

Sorry to hear that! :(

[vindaloo]

Had a meeting in Aylesbury today and experienced an unwelcome 'incident' on the way home to Bristol!

I came off the A34 onto the A4020 (I think it is) from oxford to Swindon. About a third of the way into this 25ish mile stretch of road there's a section where the single lane opens into a dual carriageway before coming to a roundabout with a left turn. After the roundabout it's dual carriageway again for a shortish stretch, before going back down to one lane.

Ive travelled this route many times and never has an issue before, but today was different!

I had accelerated gently into the outside lane (as many cars stay left and then turn left) before braking, as I approached the roundabout, to about 20 miles an hour. I didn't need to stop and accelerated gently into the roundabout and then wham! (was probably doing 25mph at this point)

The rear end shot round, like lift-of over steer (except I hadn't lifted or touched the brakes), and I was at 180 degrees to the roundabout - I kept my foot in and steered into it and was effectively 'drifitng' around the roundabout. I managed to keep calm and retain control, but I have no idea what caused it.

What concerned/concerns me is that I was driving sensibly and have lost faith in the car a little. I'm guessing it was oil on the road as it was raining gently, I was driving sensibly and my tyres are all in tip-top shape - virtually new rainsports on the front and and Khumo's with about 7mm tread on the back.

It clearly scared the crap out of the cars that had been following me as I drove pretty slowly down the following stretch of dual carriageway, and not a single person bothered to overtake me!

My little incident the other day was also coming off a roundabout in heavy rain. Plan A is to switch the rainsports to the back or bin the existing rear tyres and fit two new rainsports. (tbh I'll probably do both, switch the tyres so I wear out the old ones, then buy new rainsports).

Well done for keeping the boot in, the usual mistake(!?!?) is to back off, at which point it's down to what point your steering wheel twirling lags enough for it to spin out, one way or the other.

BTW: Sure you mean 90 degrees to the roundabout, 180 would be turned around completely providing a frenzied spectacle to all following.

J.

[joe_vrs_tdi]

good effort to keep it on the road mate, i once had a very similar experience about a month after I passed my test over 4 years ago now and it didnt end like your story. I slide out very quickly got the steering wheel pointing the other way and was in a sort drift but then i had dreaded kick back when it finally got grip after the oil had gone and it chucked me the other way and lets say I wasnt quick enough this time to counter steer and ended up fighting with a lampost..........

safe to say the lampost won!

[sko-with-go]

Afternoon..

Yep, it was 90 degrees to the roundabout, maybe a bit beyond 90 at one point.

Didn't really think about what I was doing, just did it calmy and luckily regained control.

I have done various 'instructed' driving days, including a day with an ex-police driving instructor, various track days and a rally driving day (with plenty of deliberate sideways action). I guess these have paid dividends as my reactions just 'took over' so to speak.

It was after the event that my heart started racing a bit!!

[Dave_G]

It was after the event that my heart started racing a bit!!

Always the way!

Edited 22 June, 2012 by Dave_G

[anewman]

The back end of mine tends to spin out in wet conditions if pushed hard around corners/roundabouts. I put it down to having carp tyres mostly.