Broke the rear end loose, learned a lesson.

Vandil · 08-01-2005

Was headed home the other night after a BBQ, driving down one of the only out bound roads in the East side of town. Which incidentally should be an 6 lane road but is currently down to 4 very narrow lanes due to construction. It's late enough to be dark and early enough for a decent amount of traffic on the road + cops, being a local cruise spot.

I'm in the left lane at a set of lights with the big orange construction cones right off my driver side window. Light turns green and I get up to the posted construction speed of 30mph. About 50 feet after the intersection an older rusted out oldsmobile makes a right from a parking lot into the left lane and starts driving like a crack head. Down the center of both lanes, randomly jerking left and right, going maybe 9mph, braking randomly, no turn signals. No left turn signs are posted every 50 feet & at every intersection, there's a huge trench dug out in the center of the road. Yet it looks like Zippy the wonder tard is looking for a place to cut across the construction area.

Of course everyone is stuck behind jerko in the olds because we're all afraid he's high or drunk, He's driving that erratically. I've got my window down being a nice night and I'd finally voiced my opinion of the guys driving at the top of my lungs. He apparently had his window down as well because as soon as "Pick a F$%^&G lane you ja$%a$$" left my mouth he stomped on his brakes and stopped completely, most of the way into the left lane. Seeing this the minivan to my right makes a break for it and squeezes passed the guy. I put it in first, shift my grip on the wheel and peer over my right shoulder to check the large blind spot my louvers make. Then zip into the right lane infront of the next guy who's about 20 feet back. Drop second with my rear tires right next to the guys open passenger window meaning to give the guy a little squak. The backend brakes loose with the tires screaming, the GT makes three small fishtails in my lane laying rubber before I get off the gas enough to track true.

My lovely wife says to me "You didn't need to swerve all over the place like that guy in the olds to prove he was driving like a crack head" All I could says was, totally my fault. GT broke loose alot easier without TCS than I thought it would and with only one hand on the wheel at the 1 oclock making small fast corrections is about impossible. Learned a lesson there.

Moses · 08-01-2005

Bet it was fun though! In a kind of life-threatening way that most people would prefer not to repeat!

GhostlyStang · 08-01-2005

Becareful because that heart pumpin feeling is addictive and now very easy for u to do.....just remeber u gotta have fun with it sometimes

Stoenr · 08-01-2005

Hehe, good story. Prolly belongs in the lounge tho

Vandil · 08-01-2005

Mod's certainly feel free to move the thread if it should be.

ultraclyde · 08-01-2005

aww, hey, it's a tech question - regarding the behavior of the TCS!!

with it turned off, traction is SCARCE! Glad you're okay. If you're moving in a straight line, the TCS will let you bark hard hitting second. I was accellerating out of our neighborhood showing off for the wife, and hit it hard while still turning slightly. Even with the tcs on, it spun enough to kickthe back end about 2 feet sideways. I thought it was great. The wife disagreed!

With it off, you can drift like it's on ice. Great flying chunks of Pirelli ! Um, not that I'd know......

longhaul · 08-01-2005

Yeup-I've been entertaining myself too, with my '05 GT. Added some mods. Have to leave it home some days to let things "cool off" (same cars every day in traffic route to work) and drive something else!
Added C&L Cold air, Diablo tuner, bassini (?) x pipe, and magnaflow cat back. Awesome. Mileage dropped to 17.7 from 20. I am driving much harder though...
Any suggestions to get back mpg without bailing out on performance. (Besides taking it easier, the obvious answer)...