Car Crash

PowerBookG4 · Aug 5, 2005

So I crashed my audi hard into a telephone pole, I am shaken up but feel like I must keep everybody in the forums what is going on in my life. So me and my good friend are driving home ( i took her out) and i skid on a really wet ground that hadn't been wet in a while so it had all oil residue and what not, and i saw that i was headed for a mini van or some other car, i don't really rememeber and i decided taht i was not going to hit it so i turned the other way, and successfully avoided the vehicle and skid the other way into a pole, for some reason i do not know why my all wheel drive did absoluly nothing in preventing the skid like the people who sold me the car said it would. I don't know havent' completly read the book yet, if i ever get the car back don't know if its totaled or not, but any way, yeah, crashed my car today, wanted everybody to know my embarasing situation and see what people thought of it.
Came here for support guys, you should feel proud, lol.

D3v1L80Y · Aug 5, 2005

PowerBookG4 said:
..... for some reason i do not know why my all wheel drive did absoluly nothing in preventing the skid like the people who sold me the car said it would. I don't know havent' completly read the book yet....

First, its good to hear that you and your friend are alright. The car can always be repaired or replaced. Its a lot harder to do that for you and your friend :black:

Now as far as AWD...it will do nothing to help on a slick roadway. During traction loss on the driven axle, a fully automatic AWD system routes torque to the axle with traction. This means you have to completely lose traction in 2WD on your driven axle first and then the other axle will take over and try to keep the car moving. So, for a moment it is almost the same as 4WD. Doesn't mean much because only two wheels have traction. Your primary power goes only to one axle and makes spinning tires much more likely, due to inefficient use of traction, as likely as in any other 2WD car. Once the powered axle or one of the powered tires loses traction, the powered drive shaft rotates faster than the one that is just rotating along. The control unit reacts to the speed difference and kinda glues both drive shafts together. This way the previously unpowered shaft will get some of the torque and rescue the failing tires. This works kinda OK on slippery pavement, when the vehicle has already sufficient momentum. This fails miserably though, when need of high torque arises or when activated frequently. Once the driven axle regains traction and both axles rotate at the same speed again, the system moves back to 2WD.

Yes, AWD does offer some increased stability but on a wet, slick surface, it isn't going to help you much. But then again, I seriously doubt that the salesmen knew this or really cared to tell you if he did.

I drive a Ford Explorer (True 4WD) and it always tickles me when I see idiots with their AWD Subarus and Volkswagens try to negotiate heavy snow covered roads and try to drive like they are on a normal, dry pavement. They skid and slip all over the place. Even with my 4X4 engaged, I still drive at a cautious, yet consistent speed and have no problem. It comes down to knowing how to drive with AWD or 4WD. In short, AWD and even 4WD is not the great saviour that car companies would like you to believe it to be. No amount of AWD/4WD is going to automatically "save" you from a treacherous road surface, despite what dealers and auto makers would have you believe.

rs2sensen · Aug 5, 2005

It is good to hear that you and your friend are ok. D3... is right, the car can be replaced, that's what insurance is for. Get a good nights rest, I'm sure you could use it after an accident like that.

Ghostwolf · Aug 5, 2005

It's good to hear that you're both safe, & uninjured. Car accidents can be really scary, when i was a teenager i had been in a few. Hopefully you have tomorrow off from work so you can get some extra rest.

macAttack · Aug 5, 2005

I drive a Ford Explorer (True 4WD) and it always tickles me when I see idiots with their AWD Subarus and Volkswagens try to negotiate heavy snow covered roads and try to drive like they are on a normal, dry pavement. They skid and slip all over the place. Even with my 4X4 engaged, I still drive at a cautious, yet consistent speed and have no problem. It comes down to knowing how to drive with AWD or 4WD. In short, AWD and even 4WD is not the great saviour that car companies would like you to believe it to be. No amount of AWD/4WD is going to automatically "save" you from a treacherous road surface, despite what dealers and auto makers would have you believe.

i couldn't disagree more, my family owns 2 AWD audi's (and sadly none of them are mine...) and they are built for snow, deep or shallow. I remember when i was younger my dad driving the 5000 turbo through the worst snow storm all year, cars are peeling off, but the car was wonderful in the snow. Even better in the snow is my dad's S4, the cars are both wonderful in the snow

PowerbookG4 i'm very glad to hear that you and your friend are okay. Car accidents, big or little, are very scary.

mynameis · Aug 5, 2005

AWD doesn't help you much in trying to stop, but it is really nice for making sure you don't get stuck. Post pics

dstopsky · Aug 5, 2005

macAttack said:
i couldn't disagree more, my family owns 2 AWD audi's (and sadly none of them are mine...) and they are built for snow, deep or shallow. I remember when i was younger my dad driving the 5000 turbo through the worst snow storm all year, cars are peeling off, but the car was wonderful in the snow. Even better in the snow is my dad's S4, the cars are both wonderful in the snow.

Agreed. I've been an avid VW/Audi fan for some time now and the Quattro system handles tough weather and road conditions fantastic....that is, if you know how to drive.

Oh, and sorry to hear about your crash PowerbookG4. Luckily no one was hurt.

technologist · Aug 5, 2005

Glad to hear you're okay. I had a near-miss a couple of weeks ago, and that was terrifying enough.

D3v1L80Y said:
...Now as far as AWD...it will do nothing to help on a slick roadway. [...] No amount of AWD/4WD is going to automatically "save" you from a treacherous road surface, despite what dealers and auto makers would have you believe.

Amen. AWD can help you get going (or stay going) on ice/snowpack/muck, but it won't help you when you need to swerve or stop suddenly.

I wonder, is your Audi recent enough to have a stability control system (VSC, ESC, ESP...?) That can help you keep control sometimes. (But just help...not work miracles....) If you did have it, did you see/hear the warning when it activated? I once had the pleasure of having it come on when I swerved, and I was glad it was there.

sarahsboy18 · Aug 5, 2005

What a bummer.... But I'm glad to hear you are OK.

technologist said:
Amen. AWD can help you get going (or stay going) on ice/snowpack/muck, but it won't help you when you need to swerve or stop suddenly.

I agree... No matter how many wheels the engine is attached to you still only have four of them touching the ground when you hit the brakes or turn the wheels.

coach_z · Aug 5, 2005

all car talk and what not aside i am glad you are alright, i would have chose the minivan to run into (as long as it wasnt a head on) for two reasons...the minivan would have moved a little bit more than the stationary pole, and, you would have gotten another ugly *** minivan off of the roads

like i said i am glad you are alright and so is your female friend

PowerBookG4 · Aug 5, 2005

technologist said:
Glad to hear you're okay. I had a near-miss a couple of weeks ago, and that was terrifying enough.

Amen. AWD can help you get going (or stay going) on ice/snowpack/muck, but it won't help you when you need to swerve or stop suddenly.

I wonder, is your Audi recent enough to have a stability control system (VSC, ESC, ESP...?) That can help you keep control sometimes. (But just help...not work miracles....) If you did have it, did you see/hear the warning when it activated? I once had the pleasure of having it come on when I swerved, and I was glad it was there.

It was a 2000 A6 it was suppose to have it, but apparently it didn't if it did, probably wouldn't have crashed since i did everthing right, i have gone through alot of training, and have done the same thing ( on purpose) in rear wheel drive sports cars and was fine.

PowerBookG4 · Aug 5, 2005

coach_z said:
all car talk and what not aside i am glad you are alright, i would have chose the minivan to run into (as long as it wasnt a head on) for two reasons...the minivan would have moved a little bit more than the stationary pole, and, you would have gotten another ugly *** minivan off of the roads

like i said i am glad you are alright and so is your female friend

It was and ugly minivan, old one too lol, it was coming at me at about 35 miles an hour, it would of been head on.

I thank everybody for their concerns you guys have all been really nice and carying.

D3v1L80Y · Aug 5, 2005

technologist said:
Glad to hear you're okay. I had a near-miss a couple of weeks ago, and that was terrifying enough.

Amen. AWD can help you get going (or stay going) on ice/snowpack/muck, but it won't help you when you need to swerve or stop suddenly.

Agreed. Much more 4WD/AWD vehicles are involved in accidents on wet roads, snow and ice than 2WD. The trouble is, that most 4WD/AWD owners think they operate a safer system. Once moving (on any slippery stuff) they drive faster than they should and not as careful and slow as they should.
Since those conditions provide only marginal traction and not enough lateral force can be created to support the tires during a turn, they slip sideways and the vehicle loses control. 4WD/AWD does not prevent that and is not involved in the steering part of driving. Once moving the physics for all vehicles are equal. 1WD, 2WD, 4WD, AWD etc.

And again, its good to hear that you two made it out safely. :black:

iWhat · Aug 5, 2005

I'm very glad to here that you and your friend were able to walk away from the accident without any major injuries.

Take care,

-iWhat