Amazing recovery at speed on the Autobahn (Audi)

[Sorry Pete]

Hello all, I've dug-up this video clip. It's a tremendous recovery, but I was more interested in just where it all went wrong for him? Did 4wd save the day? I didn't hear him lift-off before losing the tail; did he hit a bit of oil/diesel? I'm curious as to whether there's a recognised method to driving at speed on the motorway: using the lanes or following a racing line. Might sound like a dumb question, but I read somewhere that it's better to stay in a marked lane, as you'll hit oil where there's little/no tyre scrub clearing the way if you follow a racing line/crossing lanes. Any truth in that? Just something I heard on t'internet.

 

[Donald]

I bet the cost of cleaning the brown stain of his seat would have expensive!

 

[sgtbob]

I thought he was going to carry on afterwards, as he was rolling on for a while before he stopped. Probably just recovering from the '2p - 6 pence, 2p - 6 pence moment!

 

[wemorgan]

Do you know what speed he was doing? >100mph I'd guess.
Just before approaching the white car he applies a bit more turn to the wheel, did this unsettle the car at that 'high speed?

As for the lane question. I would imagine changing lanes would be best so that you can position your car more maximum visibility ahead.

edit: once the car began to skid I don't believe 4wd vs 2wd makes any difference.

 

[Sorry Pete]

I'd have been a quivering wreck after that! With the ignonimous ordeal of taping myself changing my keks on the hard shoulder!

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Is this viral marketing?

The bloke on the radio seems to be jabbering on about Quattro during the action.

 

[Sorry Pete]

Is this viral marketing?

The bloke on the radio seems to be jabbering on about Quattro during the action.

Oh man, I only just picked-up on that!! Nah, don't think so.. you never know. Helluva stunt for a viral though!

I just picked-out the extra steering input he made before losing it. Don't know what speed he was doing.

 

[Chattonmill]

Looks like he may have clipped the front end on the Barrier, which would explain him stopping to check the wing?

 

[Mr E]

Another copy of that video on YouTube says that this is in Portugal and the guy was on his way to a track day with track tyres when he hit oil on the road...

Whatever, wherever, he was very lucky that he had the room to correct.

 

[DITTRICH]

I suspect that as he was trying to pass the car, he steered more to the right and depressed the pedal to power past. At this point he lost control. I do wonder though at how he "just" happened to have a camera on in the car to record what was going on. He was very very lucky in spite of the fact that he steered correctly in order to recover. The seats looked quite dark so maybe the stains won't be that visible.
Les

 

[Sp!ke]

Just before he loses it, as he passes the white car you can see a large slightly darker patch on the road surface. I wondered if this was oil or diesel.

He did well to recover it in any event.

 

[jadefox]

Looks like an oil slick skid to me. And he saved it absolutely expertly. He did exactly as he should - couldn't guarantee I'd have been as calm in same situation! He was very lucky he had the room to pull the skid back!
Phew!

 

[jadefox]

Something else just struck me - you have to wonder how much of his driving skill was down to his age - i mean, don't most people of that age have a LOT of experience (usually) with console driving games?? It could have just been instinctual, but I often wonder how much experience you can gain from driving 'virtually'

 

[talltimtam]

He was driving to fast for those conditions, notice how he wasnt paying much attention when he was overtaking cars.

Also did you see the warning messages on the over head road sign

Road loads a little small to be one of those unlimited speed Autobhans., but I could be wrong....

 

[robert.saunders]

There is another video I've seen (may have been posted here before, possibly by me!) about the police on a motorway who is tailing another police car, 100+ and the onboard camera shows the slewing and recovery after a tyre burst, that was fairly bum clenching

 

[talltimtam]

He was driving to fast for those conditions, notice how he wasnt paying much attention when he was overtaking cars.

Also did you see the warning messages on the over head road sign

Road loads a little small to be one of those unlimited speed Autobhans., but I could be wrong....

Look at the sign

 

[jadefox]

Ahhhhh, yeah good point detective!

 

[janner]

Another copy of that video on YouTube says that this is in Portugal ....

I can believe it. Everyone in Portugal drives too fast

 

[popuptoaster]

Do you know what speed he was doing? >100mph I'd guess.
Just before approaching the white car he applies a bit more turn to the wheel, did this unsettle the car at that 'high speed?

As for the lane question. I would imagine changing lanes would be best so that you can position your car more maximum visibility ahead.

edit: once the car began to skid I don't believe 4wd vs 2wd makes any difference.

It can make a differnece, theres a definate technique involved in driving 4x4 cars depending on how they are set up, i've had plenty of 4x4 Sierras and with the centre viscous diff and the tourque biased to the rear you can recover from a lot of situations just by sticking your boot down hard on the gas which can be the complete opposite of what yoiur brain wants you to do, if you over cook it and you find the tail going loose you can steer into it like normal, give it a boot full and because the rear wheels are spinning the car will send the max tourque to the front and the front wheels will tend to pull you out of the slide, while doing the same when its under steering will tend to kick the back out, this is one of the reason the cossies were always so spectacular to watch.

I dunno how quattro 4x4 works, but even in a slide he may have been able to rescue it while in a fwd he may not, i dunno, but it is possible to make use of 4x4 while sliding, i used to frighten my mates all the time in mine who assumed you couldn't drift a 4x4.

 

[stumpy1]

He was helped no doubt by the weight of the entire engine being in front of the front axle line