Originally posted by emvanderpol:
Not really sure how it turned out, but the NSX was more than capable of handling this curve, "but-for" the improper maintanance of the sprinkler/irrigation system, i.e. water. Blah, Blah, Blah....
Too bad the city didn’t have the corner flagstand staffed so that the corner worker could have given you a waiving yellow warning you of the road hazard. :;
As we know, public roads are not controlled racetracks staffed with professional corner workers so we drivers have no idea what to expect around the bend and should therefore not be surprised when we find school busses, potholes, joggers, bicyclists, work crews, standing water…etc, in our racing line. When driving under these circumstances (on public roads), the only logical way to approach blind corners is with enough of a safety margin to adjust our line and speed (lift or hit the brakes to slow down without losing control of the vehicle) to avoid the obstacle safely. In my book, this is reasonable common sense.
To drive over the posted speed limit on public roads around blind corners requires that the driver know the limits of his/her car well and is driving with enough traction in the bank to slow and maneuver around common obstacles. To be comfortable and safe driving in this manner takes a lot of practice at the racetrack under various road conditions and takes a calm, cool driver.
In my opinion, a driver who is driving marginally close to the traction limits of their car around blind corners on a public road is a hazard, putting an innocent and unsuspecting public at risk not unlike a gunman shooting randomly around blind corners. If anyone on this list has lost a loved one due to a reckless driver then you know from where I talk.
Now, I love to drive fast and take corners really fast just like everyone else on this list, but I’ll take the risk to do so only when I bare the sole responsibly for my actions. The only place to drive the NSX like a madman and not put the public at risk is at a controlled racetrack.
I’m glad that this accident didn’t seriously injure the driver and I’m even gladder that this accident didn’t hurt anyone else who happed to be passing by that day. I’m not suggesting that the driver in this case was intending to drive “recklessly” but I don’t understand how a change in road surface conditions could cause a total loss of vehicle control unless the vehicle was already approaching its limits AND there was absolutely no room left on the road to increase the radius of the turn to reduce the traction requirements. My guess is that there were many drivers that day who managed to navigate their cars through the turn without ending up balled up on the sidewalk across the street.
Man, the above paragraphs seem pretty harsh but I don’t intend them to be. I’d just know that there are a lot of us out there on the public roads going a little faster than we should be to safely negotiate the “unexpected”. Most likely, the driver in this case was doing what we all do on a nice open traffic-free corner and just ran into an unlucky situation. I guess my point is that these “unlucky” road conditions are quite common and that we should all remember how fast things can change on the roads and the consequences of losing control of our 3000lb vehicles.
Drive safely and keep some traction in the bank!
DanO
