A lesson from my S2000.

I had to go to town today, 25Km from home on good country main roads. It was a beautiful morning, 27C, about 30% fluffy clouds, taking the edge off the sun, the sort of day just designed for convertibles, so I took the S2000.

Business done, I headed for home about 10.30. If anything the day was even nicer, I was cruising along left hand at 10 o’clock, right elbow on the arm rest, fingers on the wheel about 4/5 o’clock, listening to my music, & taking in the sheer pleasure of being alive. No I was not “DRIVING”.

There’s a reasonable hill on the way, my wife’s Mazda 2 will kick back to 3Rd if asked to hold speed up it. It has recently been resurfaced with very dark black material, smooth, but with a coarse grippy surface. It curves right, then lefty near the top, with curves that would become fun above 125Km/H or a bit above. Some drivers slow just a little from the 100 speed limit.

So while I’m off with the fairies, discussing what a wonderful day it is, sitting on about the legal 100, with just enough throttle to maintain my speed up the hill, the tail starts to go out. This took me completely by surprise, as I was driving quite gently, & would have been going at least 20Km/H faster if trying to have fun.

I took off some lock, & adjusted my hands to a better driving position. By now the tail is a long way out, & still going with all lock removed. So what do I do? Well, what I did was make the obvious idiot mistake of both backing off, & applying opposite lock. The tail snapped back the other way, what else could it do? Backing off, or opposite lock should have overcome my problem, doing both was asking for what I got.

About this time I noticed 3 cars coming towards me, going the other way. They all had their wipers on, but none were slowing, or trying to get out of my way, so the cars histrionics can’t have looked as bad from outside, as they felt from inside.

With my new knowledge of the wet road, I very carefully reduced the amount of opposite lock I was applying to each swing, but I had covered at least 100 yards fishtailing, before I had the thing totally straight. By now the wet road was obvious.

I think I had just caught the edge of a passing shower, where the damp road & dust was particularly slippery. Further on, it was not as slippery, where the dust was washed off the road. The tyres are 9 month old, top of the range Bridgestone’s, so I don’t think I should blame them.

Next time I plan on communing with nature, or chatting with the fairies, while driving, I’ll take one of the Triumphs. They don’t get so upset, if you don’t give them your full attention. Jealous little buggers these S2000s.

umm k m8 thank for sharing ay

Happened to me recently. If you are quick enough to slowly back off and give it some counter its normally not very threatening, but like you said if you it come out more then it should, can be big big trouble. Hope the experience hasn't turned you of the S mate.

No way, but it has reminded me to drive the car, not drift off to fairy land. I'm sure I would have stopped it dead, If I'd had both hands on the wheel, & my mind in gear. That was the lesson I was talking about.