Two slides at same roundabout

No Pants

Not sure if this is the right forum or a lot of the people here are familiar with this roundabout, but I'm going to start here because this has been bothering me.

Back before Christmas I got into a slide at the roundabout highlighted below. I was coming from Swords, turning 270 degrees to head for Kinsealy. Somewhere between the 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock positions (from my perspective), the back end of the car hopped out a wee bit. It felt like a lot to me, but it might not have been noticeable to any spectators. I recovered, took stock quickly and continued on my way.



Let me just clarify the car's approximate position.



It wasn't raining at the time, but it was December and conditions were damp. It hasn't happened to me since, but I've been slower and more careful every time since. Each time I'm at that roundabout, I'm keeping an eye out for excessive gravel or oil on the road, something to explain what happened, but nothing.

I would leave it there, but the missus has a small slide in the same place about two weeks ago. Car has Hankooks on the front (FWD) and Falkens on the back. Both have plenty of tread, indeed I keep checking the Falkens because they were on the car when I bought it.

I'm not having any slides or traction problems anywhere else, doesn't matter what the conditions are. None. Apart from the snow last March or April.

Has anyone else noticed anything funny about this roundabout?

Spike Witwicky

Yep happens to me on this roundabout occasionally. Damp greasy road there.
Also be careful when entering roundabout not to change gear as the momentum switches from being pulled by front wheels to cars weight propelling it causing the back to kick out.

Saw a Rav4 i think crashed into the signs there a couple of nights ago

Spook_ie

If it's a FWD car don't lift off midway around the RaB back end will go light on you, possibly even breaking away altogether. Happens often enough on all the RaBs in Swords especialy when you get a damp spell after a dry spell

Newuser12345

Back of my RWD car spun out on that exact roundabout in perfect conditions and not going fast. Only time it ever happened to me before or since..

I assumed it was an oil spill but always crawl around it

Bigcheeze

Hope you indicate when taking the Kinsealy exit, unlike most of the bastards there.

mickdw

Tbh it sounds like there is a serious issue there.
Have all you guys reported the issues to the council.
No way should the rear be stepping out at normal speeds regardless of how ham fisted a driver is.

biko

There's a spot by the Menlo RB where there is a bad patch. I never had any brown pants moments but that patch just feels slipperier than the rest of the RB.

cml387

It can happen, and it can be the car.

I noticed the backend would slide out without much provocation on a particular roundabout on the Mullingar bypass when I had the Megane.
Got rid of the car and now no problem. Could be a coincidence, but I thought the Megane's rear wheels seemed very unsure in frosty weather.

No Pants

Spike Witwicky wrote: »

Saw a Rav4 i think crashed into the signs there a couple of nights ago

I was coming back from Malahide last night (avoiding the estuary road which was most likely flooded) and the sign from the Malahide entrance was badly twisted. So that's what caused it...

Spike Witwicky

No Pants wrote: »

I was coming back from Malahide last night (avoiding the estuary road which was most likely flooded) and the sign from the Malahide entrance was badly twisted. So that's what caused it...

Funnily enough, estuary road was grand last night. Not even large puddles.
Yep that was the sign the Rav4 hit.

When i first slid on the roundabout i had ditchfinders on the car but since i got them replaced with Uniroyal Rainsports not so much. But occasionally when its damp it still kicks out a little, usually if i change gear while cornering.

No Pants

Spook_ie wrote: »

If it's a FWD car don't lift off midway around the RaB back end will go light on you, possibly even breaking away altogether. Happens often enough on all the RaBs in Swords especialy when you get a damp spell after a dry spell

I tend to do all my braking and gear changing beforehand and then drive into corners. Comes from my biking days, decades ago now.

Hal1

It might be an idea to check you're thread depth and have correct tyre pressure as per manufactures spec. Also drive as the conditions allow, especially if you're behind the wheel of a rwd beast on a damp / wet roundabout. What did you expect to happen?

Mycroft H

Had the back step out on me on that very roundabout. Now it was an empty transit which was tail happy at the best of times...

RustyNut

I don't know that area too well but I wonder are there any transport company's that use that roundabout regularly as that sounds like regular diesel spills from over full tanks on trucks or busses.

baldshin

biko wrote: »

There's a spot by the Menlo RB where there is a bad patch. I never had any brown pants moments but that patch just feels slipperier than the rest of the RB.

Yep just as you come off to head towards dunnes??

dollybird2

baldshin wrote: »

Yep just as you come off to head towards dunnes??

Thats an awful spot, constantly like driving on grease. I dont use left lane there anymore. Reported it but nothing done..

stimpson

On a fwd car you should fit new tyres on the rear and swap the worn ones on to the front. Reason is that a fwd car has little control in an oversteer situation. Once the back end steps out you're in trouble. I've had many an argument when buying tyres over this.

No Pants

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Hope you indicate when taking the Kinsealy exit, unlike most of the bastards there.

I most certainly do, thanks. Even when only using those painted roundabouts and it feels clumsy. You have to be prepared for traffic from Malahide not to stop.

WallyGUFC

biko wrote: »

There's a spot by the Menlo RB where there is a bad patch. I never had any brown pants moments but that patch just feels slipperier than the rest of the RB.

Very bad when you're coming from Flemings side outside Motorpark there. Also fairly bad on the inner part of the roundabout when coming from Terryland side and heading towards Flemings.

kona

stimpson wrote: »

On a fwd car you should fit new tyres on the rear and swap the worn ones on to the front. Reason is that a fwd car has little control in an oversteer situation. Once the back end steps out you're in trouble. I've had many an argument when buying tyres over this.

I'm not suprised, you must enjoy wheelspin. Not to mention chronic under steer when hitting a roundabout with some speed.

In fwd when the back steps out, turn in and plant the accelerator.

challengemaster

kona wrote: »

I'm not suprised, you must enjoy wheelspin. Not to mention chronic under steer when hitting a roundabout with some speed.

You should do your homework, its generally what tyre manufacturers recommend too.

Fair few places around galway city now have really dodgy road. Some of it must have been leveled by stevie wonder.

kona

challengemaster wrote: »

You should do your homework, its generally what tyre manufacturers recommend too.

So they would rather under steer than over steer in a fwd? That's pretty stupid as far as I'm concerned. I like my car to have the best chance of going where is want it to. I also like to be able to drive without wheelspin at junctions or my traction control having a meltdown.

On fwd I want my grip at the front, couldn't give a crap what tyre manufacturers say, if the back kicks out it's a piece of piss to get back of your doing normal speed, if a car undesteers you just have to let off and hope it gets some grip, on a roundabout there's not much room to hope for the best.

Each to their own.

stimpson

There is a video of Vicki Butler Henderson doing a test on Fifth Gear but it seems to have been pulled from YouTube. Instead, here's Uniroyals spokeslesbian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Hb5kQCaTg

kona

stimpson wrote: »

There is a video of Vicki Butler Henderson doing a test on Fifth Gear but it seems to have been pulled from YouTube. Instead, here's Uniroyals spokeslesbian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Hb5kQCaTg

Interesting. Are those cars fwd or rwd? Bimmer did fine tho

stimpson

kona wrote: »

Interesting. Are those cars fwd or rwd? Bimmer did fine tho

They look like a Ford Taurus so FWD.

You're probably still safer on a RWD car, but it's obviously easier to control a skid with the throttle.

mickdw

The tyre companies are recommending new tyres to the rear in order to ensure the safe understeer condition for the majority of drivers.
I don't agree with it at all. I also like to have faith in the front turning in and feeling the rear. I tend to sh1t myself moreso If I turn in and all grip is lost. Also, in heavy standing water, the front tyres will have much now water to deal with, the rears following in the partially cleared wheel tracks.
New on front for me

No Pants

mickdw wrote: »

Tbh it sounds like there is a serious issue there.
Have all you guys reported the issues to the council.
No way should the rear be stepping out at normal speeds regardless of how ham fisted a driver is.

Haven't reported it because I thought I might be the problem. However, since the missus also had a slide and she drives with slightly more...restraint than me, I decided to ask on here. I will be reporting this to Fingal council. I generally find them okay on email response.

RandomAccess

You could try report it on here if the area is covered
https://dcciservices.dublincity.ie/OA_HTML/xxdcchpage.jsp

Click the link for "Report Problem Road Surface"

Once you report it I think you need to keep a copy of the reference so you can check on it.
Otherwise I don't know if you can get back in to check on status.

No Pants

RandomAccess wrote: »

You could try report it on here if the area is covered
https://dcciservices.dublincity.ie/OA_HTML/xxdcchpage.jsp

Click the link for "Report Problem Road Surface"

Once you report it I think you need to keep a copy of the reference so you can check on it.
Otherwise I don't know if you can get back in to check on status.

I believe that area is covered by Fingal. I've reported it on Fixyourstreet.ie