SKIDDING occurs when the forces acting on a vehicle are greater than the friction between its tires and the road surface.  A skid occurs when changing speed or direction or both, such as when entering a bend too quickly, when braking or accelerating too harshly, or when steering and braking at the same time.

The causes of skidding are all driver-related.  Improving your smoothness and observation will greatly increase your safety.

The two most common types of skids which affect a car, especially when cornering, are described as ‘understeer’ and ‘oversteer’.  It is useful to understand these terms, which are often used to describe the way a car handles at the limits of its road-holding ability.

A tendency to understeer is built into many cars (particularly front-wheel drive cars) for example, as it is considered easier for the average driver to control.

UNDERSTEER (front wheel skid) is what happens when the slip angle of the front tires exceeds that of the rear.  The front tires lose adhesion, and the car takes a wider line than is steered.  Instead of turning in the desired direction, the car tries to go straight on.

Understeer is most common in front-wheel drive vehicles, particularly when wheel spin, due to excessive engine performance is combined with a steering input.  However, excessive speed, braking and steering can induce understeer in both front and rear-wheel drive vehicles.

REMEDY:  To recover the vehicle from an ‘understeering’ condition, reduce speed and steering angle until the front tires grip again and the cornering (turn) line is recovered.

OVERSTEER (rear wheel skid) is what happens when slip angle of the rear tires exceeds that of the front.  The rear tires lose adhesion and the car takes a much tighter line than is steered.  The back of the car slides out sideways.  Extreme oversteer can result in the vehicle rotating into a spin.  Most common in rear-drive vehicles, this loss of rear adhesion can be caused by excessive use of engine performance, causing wheel-spin, when combined with a steering input (i.e. when cornering).  Oversteer can also be induced in certain vehicles – including front-wheel drive cars – by sudden lifting of the accelerator during cornering and can be exaggerated by combining this accelerator release with brake application or increased steering angle.

REMEDY:  Successful oversteer control is much more difficult to achieve than understeer control and requires steering angle in the opposite direction to that originally intended – hence the term “opposite lock” and “steering into the skid”.  In other words, if the rear wheels slide to the right, steer to the right.

This steering response is instinctive in some drivers but is commonly applied excessively and/or too late.  This over-correction may check the skid abruptly, but because it is too harsh a steering input it often causes the vehicle to oversteer again, this time in the opposite direction – hence the term “pendulum effect” or “fish-tailing”.  Smooth recovery from oversteer requires great sensitivity towards vehicle behavior – a sense of balance, a delicate touch and feel, skill and lots of practice.

FOUR-WHEEL SKIDDING (loss of adhesion of all tires) can be caused by violent or late braking (causing the wheels to lock in non-ABS cars) or by excessive cornering speeds.  The vehicle will slide in whatever direction it was heading when the wheels lost adhesion.  If the car skids sideways, it may change direction suddenly when the wheels unlock or recover their grip.

REMEDY:  Recovery from a four-wheel slide requires speed reduction: the methods used in both understeer and oversteer control may also be needed.  In the dry, near maximum speed loss may be achieved by locking the wheels (non-ABS cars).  However in cars without ABS braking, this has the effect of losing all steering control, which can be regained by releasing the brake pressure and allowing the wheels to rotate again.  In cars without anti-lock braking (ABS), ‘cadence’ or ‘pulse’ braking (pumping the brakes on and off) will retain some steering control.

A short article like this can only be a very basic introduction to what is a complex subject.  If you are caught out by a skid, it is vital that you react very quickly and accurately and do not ‘freeze’ through sheer panic. 

Consider visiting a skid pan facility to take lessons in skid prevention and control: it’s not expensive and can be a lot of fun!  And in an emergency, you will find that theory is no substitute for practical experience.

Take care and be safe!

It is vital that you never allow yourself to be drawn into conflict with another motorist.  You must not let your emotions take over, which is what causes road rage in the first place.  It’s known in advanced driving circles as ‘emotional stability and mental control’ behind the wheel
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Pulling out a gun, loaded or not, real or imitation, or for that matter any other weapon is the worst thing you can do and potentially life threatening in extreme circumstances.  Doing this may escalate the situation and allow your adversary to use equal force – everyone loses and there are no winners.

You must never react or respond to aggression on the road.  You never know who you are dealing with, what he (or she) is thinking or how he will react.  The chances are that an aggressor will react badly, and for all you know he may be a violent maniac.  And don’t forget that his car can be used as a lethal weapon.

There are better and more realistic ways of protecting yourself, such as those used by chauffeurs with anti-terrorists training.  For example:

• Lock all the car doors before driving off, and keep the windows closed – particularly in city driving.
• Avoid getting ‘boxed in’ especially when you are stationary; leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you have enough room to drive away. 
• If you are followed and feel threatened, drive to a place where there are a lot of people around, like a gas station, mall complex car parking area, or police station.
• If you are harassed, attract attention by sounding then horn and flash your lights.  Don’t unlock the door, open the window or get out of the car.  Avoid ‘eye contact’, stay calm and don’t get involved in an argument. 
• Learn to drive defensively; develop awareness and keep a ‘cocoon of safe space’ around you, to protect yourself and avoid upsetting others at all costs.

The best protection of all is to avoid any potential or actual conflict in the first place.  Unfortunately, most people think that they are good drivers and don’t consider the possibility that they could be at fault.  Think about your own behavior behind the wheel and how it might affect others or be interpreted by other drivers.  Remember, for every action there is a reaction!
 
Under normal circumstances, it is only when someone thinks that you are driving in a careless, aggressive or stubborn fashion that problems arise.  Other may think or feel that you are ‘asking for it’ and set about ‘teaching you a lesson’ to remember.  Someone always causes these things to happen in the first place - don’t let that driver be you.  More often than not, if you are a victim of road rage, it means you have done something to provoke a reaction from another road user.  It’s that simple.  Staying out of trouble behind the wheel becomes second nature if you understand its importance.   Backing down from road conflict is not the action of a coward – it’s the LOVE OF LIFE!

Take care and be safe!

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The natural tendency for those in power may be to reduce speed limits to achieve a reduction in accidents, but there is the whole picture to consider.  I have more than 50 years of driving experience, and there are times when 50kph seems too fast and 100kph too slow.  Even so, speed limits seem to be exceeded almost as a matter of course.  

If limits are to be respected they must be adjusted to suit modern cars and conditions - but would those responsible for any changes please recognize that a revision upwards is the only way to achieve compliance.  This will imbue road users with a sense of responsibility to, and respect for, the law, which would improve road safety for all. - R.J.

As a precaution against the possibility of becoming the victim of car-jacking, one recommendation that is regularly made is to drive with the doors locked and the windows closed, especially in a town or city.  Such a recommendation would seem controversial, to say the least  This advice could prevent essential access, other than to those suitably equipped, in the event of a serious accident, fire or even illness. What do you think? - W.B.