**DISCLAIMER** This situation was my own fault and a direct result of my own stupidity......................................... ............................

So, I am driving home last night on one of our main interstates here and I see this riced out Honda come flying up behind me. I was passing cars at the time so I sped up and moved into the right lane. I was doing about 80 or so in a 65. The honda flys up beside me, gives me a dirty look and revs his fart can. At this time I was in the right lane and he was in the left. We were approaching a curve and there was a semi about 1/4 mile ahead in my lane. I had a bad day at work so I decided to toast the guy. I dropped the hammer going 80 and pulled ahead of him. (duh) I was up to about 115 and moved in front of him in the left lane. We were entering the curve and I was getting ready to pass the semi so I let off to coast it through. All of a sudded the semi didnt see me and changed lanes. All I could do is nail the brakes. Keep in mind that I was in a curve and doing about 110 in a 4000 lb car. Just from the motion of the car and the weight transfer, I could tell the back end was going to slide out and spin me and there was nothing I could do. Almost instantly the StabiliTrak took over and applied brake force to the right rear and left front wheels. (I could hear and feel it) This action brought the car back in line in about 1 second and settled it down. In the one second prior to the system kicking in the car was already beginning to slide and it snapped right out of it.

I am usually not real big on electronic driving aids, but GM and Delphi pulled my stupid butt out of the wringer last night. Thank you.

-Eli

Now go check your rear bumper - you may need to peel off that Honda... ;)

Nice.

Glad to hear you are safe, gm really needs to develop a big electronic hand to smack you upside the head for manuvers like that.

BTW at 110MPH a 1 second skid will take you 160 feet.

It's a blessing you're still with us.

However.... I agree with MayDog. :tisk:

Hence my disclaimer on top. I am actually a very responsible 27 year old with a good job, a wife, a dog, and a cat.

We all do stupid stuff once and a while. In retrospec, yes it was very dumb. The post was to praise the functionality of stabiliTrak in a "real world" situation.

-Eli

2 Things, 1, I want stabilitrak :( Damn base model 97... Ah well. 2, You'd be surprised that despite being FWD, and all, the rears on these cars slide out before the fronts. Glad to see though that your lapse in judgement didn't cost you more...

Glad to hear you are safe, gm really needs to develop a big electronic hand to smack you upside the head for manuvers like that.

BTW at 110MPH a 1 second skid will take you 160 feet.
LOL!!!!

Maydog, they have that slap built into the cars. It's called the passenger seat. Station a wife, g/f, mother-in-law, mother, or basically any female there, and the slap will be administered.

I know it's hard, but remember, don't be too influenced by others and you won't need the Stabilitrac. There are plenty of Civics to kick around town, light to light. (my favorite) :thumbsup:

You'd be surprised that despite being FWD, and all, the rears on these cars slide out before the fronts. ...


my driveway is 400 feet of a gentle right hand swoop of gravel. my mom is getting pissed at me (yes, i still live at home, im 23 with a crapy job) because im pushing all the gravel to the outside of the driveway by coming down it too fast and swinging out the back end of my eldo.

my bro thought it was kinda fin when i got it kinds sideways the other day with him in the car with me

Eli, you mean to tell me that's what has been keepin' my BrownAss alive all these years...STABILITRAK???

Snap, I thought it was my good driving qualities...(lol)

It's a good read Eli and more importantly, you are safe and the STSEli is still with us in good shape!

DAMien