Hitting black Ice - Whats best action

yop

Morning,

Driving up to Dublin from Castlebar at 5am this morning and it was raining, it was cold but didn't seem too frosty.

Driving out the N5 and I noticed lights about 300m ahead, slowed the car, without hitting the brakes to 50mph, then I noticed all blue lights and guards waving me down, hit the brakes and off the car took, road was mirrored in black ice, the car did 3 full 360 spins, in my panic not to hit the guards and hit the cars on the side of the road i pull the handbrake, the car eventually stopped about 100ft from the crash.

Got away with it, but what should i have done, I know I shouldn't have been doing that speed, but it was pissing rain and the under foot conditions when I left home (about 9 miles from the incident) were sound.
But when you hit black ice and go into a spin, whats the best approach?

Cuddlesworth

yop wrote: »

Morning,

Driving up to Dublin from Castlebar at 5am this morning and it was raining, it was cold but didn't seem too frosty.

Driving out the N5 and I noticed lights about 300m ahead, slowed the car, without hitting the brakes to 50mph, then I noticed all blue lights and guards waving me down, hit the brakes and off the car took, road was mirrored in black ice, the car did 3 full 360 spins, in my panic not to hit the guards and hit the cars on the side of the road i pull the handbrake, the car eventually stopped about 100ft from the crash.

Got away with it, but what should i have done, I know I shouldn't have been doing that speed, but it was pissing rain and the under foot conditions when I left home (about 9 miles from the incident) were sound.
But when you hit black ice and go into a spin, whats the best approach?

Once your spinning on true black ice there is nothing you can do besides wait for grip. Keeping the wheels locked at speed will maintain the spin and skid after you get off the ice though.

Also on icy mornings, keep good distance from cars in front and never "hit" the brakes if it can be avoided.

Captain Slow IRL

Pray?!

I hit some coming around a corner, earlier on this year, and the car started fishtailing but I was lucky to catch it when I did - I wasn't going that fast, about 40mph, which probably worked a lot in my favour.

yop

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Once your spinning on true black ice there is nothing you can do besides wait for grip. Keeping the wheels locked at speed will maintain the spin and skid after you get off the ice though.

Also on icy mornings, keep good distance from cars in front and never "hit" the brakes if it can be avoided.

I know what you are saying with the brakes, I didn't hit them for the next 50 miles

The weather conditions were completely deceiving with the rain so otherwise I wouldn't have been driving that speed or have hit the brakes.

kopfan77

yop wrote: »

Morning,

Driving up to Dublin from Castlebar at 5am this morning and it was raining, it was cold but didn't seem too frosty.

Driving out the N5 and I noticed lights about 300m ahead, slowed the car, without hitting the brakes to 50mph, then I noticed all blue lights and guards waving me down, hit the brakes and off the car took, road was mirrored in black ice, the car did 3 full 360 spins, in my panic not to hit the guards and hit the cars on the side of the road i pull the handbrake, the car eventually stopped about 100ft from the crash.

Got away with it, but what should i have done, I know I shouldn't have been doing that speed, but it was pissing rain and the under foot conditions when I left home (about 9 miles from the incident) were sound.
But when you hit black ice and go into a spin, whats the best approach?

Had a close call myself this morning coming onto the dual carriageway the limerick side of adare.....cars after hitting and spinning on ice were in the central divide and the ditch off the hard shoulder...rubber neckers caused traffic to slow very suddenly and all hell broke loose....number of cars started to slide etc. I had to slow quickly so hit the brakes and car started to slide. What I did and thankfully it worked and stopped the impending spin/slide was that I quickly put the car down through the gears....I went from 5th straight to 3rd and then to 2nd....all the while i pumped the brakes very quickly....very short sharp pumps of the brake pedal. Dunno if thats what should be done, but its what I did today and thankfully it allowed me to get to work where I proceeded to change my underpants lol

Mc Love

Thats weird because at the end of the M20 going onto M7 there was lots of grip (infact all the cars coming from Adare were driving like we were living in Siberia) and I had to speed up to get onto the M-way otherwise I would have been stuck in Slip lane for the day

kopfan77

Mc Love wrote: »

Thats weird because at the end of the M20 going onto M7 there was lots of grip (infact all the cars coming from Adare were driving like we were living in Siberia) and I had to speed up to get onto the M-way otherwise I would have been stuck in Slip lane for the day

I know, it seemed to be only at the very start of the M20, just as you went onto the motorway from the two way road....and it was bad there.....but there was a bad patch again at the dooradoyle slip where another car had gone into the ditch. I think cos of those two spots anyone who had come through those from adare wasnt taking the chance when they went from the M20 onto the M7

yop

kopfan77 wrote: »

Had a close call myself this morning coming onto the dual carriageway the limerick side of adare.....cars after hitting and spinning on ice were in the central divide and the ditch off the hard shoulder...rubber neckers caused traffic to slow very suddenly and all hell broke loose....number of cars started to slide etc. I had to slow quickly so hit the brakes and car started to slide. What I did and thankfully it worked and stopped the impending spin/slide was that I quickly put the car down through the gears....I went from 5th straight to 3rd and then to 2nd....all the while i pumped the brakes very quickly....very short sharp pumps of the brake pedal. Dunno if thats what should be done, but its what I did today and thankfully it allowed me to get to work where I proceeded to change my underpants lol

I get you, good idea, I was thinking on the way up ( I have 4 hours to get think about it) , that I probably should have dropped the gears.
The other lad who did crash made shi*e of the car, poor lad was well shock up.

I pulled over and near puked my head off when I stopped the car up the road. Still loads of boys tearing it up and down the road.

I was saying to the lads here, i am sure it wouldn't be too difficult but if a temp sign was put on each speed sign it would help big time.

Mc Love

kopfan77 wrote: »

I know, it seemed to be only at the very start of the M20, just as you went onto the motorway from the two way road....and it was bad there.....but there was a bad patch again at the dooradoyle slip where another car had gone into the ditch. I think cos of those two spots anyone who had come through those from adare wasnt taking the chance when they went from the M20 onto the M7

Where was it bad at the Dooradoyle slip? Going up to Dooradoyle, other side wasnt too bad - although seeing your report on here, should have been a little more careful

kopfan77

Mc Love wrote: »

Where was it bad at the Dooradoyle slip? Going up to Dooradoyle, other side wasnt too bad - although seeing your report on here, should have been a little more careful

It was bad on the motorway between the slip road to dooradoyle and the slip road from dooradoyle, around and under the overbridge...dont know what the slips themselves were like...but looks like someone lost it coming from dooradoyle onto the motorway and ploughed into a tree...i passed it at bout 8.25am...seemed to have happened earlier as no one in the car or around it

CiniO

yop wrote: »

Morning,

Driving up to Dublin from Castlebar at 5am this morning and it was raining, it was cold but didn't seem too frosty.

Driving out the N5 and I noticed lights about 300m ahead, slowed the car, without hitting the brakes to 50mph, then I noticed all blue lights and guards waving me down, hit the brakes and off the car took, road was mirrored in black ice, the car did 3 full 360 spins, in my panic not to hit the guards and hit the cars on the side of the road i pull the handbrake, the car eventually stopped about 100ft from the crash.

Got away with it, but what should i have done, I know I shouldn't have been doing that speed, but it was pissing rain and the under foot conditions when I left home (about 9 miles from the incident) were sound.
But when you hit black ice and go into a spin, whats the best approach?

1. What car do you drive? Does it have ABS or not?

Pretty much when you start spinning there's nothing really you can do. Just wait and pray.
But there's a lot you can do before.
In the first place - you should observe the surface. Black ice can be seen if you pay proper attention. Secondly - you can feel it. Your steering wheel turns lighter then usual.
In case you don't have ABS, you hit the brakes and feel that it's a black ice and car starts skidding, then release brakes as fast as you can, together with adjusting your steering wheel to keep car going straight. Then apply brake againg but much slighter, and keep pressing it until you feel that wheels begin to lock again. Then release pressure on the brake, and press it down again. It all have to be done very lightly.
If you have ABS you might try putting your brake to the floor, and wait until car slows down. Whenever car is pulling down to left or right, you have to contrturn with your steering wheel.
It's all not that difficult, but noone will be able to do it without practice.
That's why practicing of driving on slippery surface is so important, especially before winter. Just find some empty parking or something and do training. If you do it intentianally 100times, then next time it'll happen to you on the road, you will know what to do.

But sadly, lot's of people on that forum doesn't support training, with just saying "drive to the conditions, and you'll be fine"
That's not true.
As you can see, that things can happen anytime. The most important thing to do, is to know what to do when it happens, and have it trained.

thirtythirty

yop wrote: »

Morning,


But when you hit black ice and go into a spin, whats the best approach?

Pretty much your only option is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOqOmb5hD8k

As a preventative meaure over the winter, you should start driving and practise light breaking methods now. All about maintaining the small amount friction you have!

Mc Love

kopfan77 wrote: »

It was bad on the motorway between the slip road to dooradoyle and the slip road from dooradoyle, around and under the overbridge...dont know what the slips themselves were like...but looks like someone lost it coming from dooradoyle onto the motorway and ploughed into a tree...i passed it at bout 8.25am...seemed to have happened earlier as no one in the car or around it

I was going to work about 7.45 didnt see any RTA, so must have been after that and before 8.25

JimmyCrackCorn

If your going straight ish your fine.:D

BronsonTB

I was on the N5 today & it was very misleading....raining...but the road was lethal in places....had to slight skids on corners but was deffo a misleading morning......glad I got to work safe.....

OP Hitting black ice & spinning...very lilttle you can do but invest in snow socks & take it handy....better arriving safe late than in pieces....


Eoin
www.celicaireland.com