ESP to the rescue!

[Deleted member 2227]

Last night I found myself entering a tight right-hand bend way too fast. It was entirely driver error, in that I had left my breaking too late and then found the road surface was gritty and loose as I needed to turn in.

I braked hard and tried to steer round the corner and to my amazement the car turned in and executed a four wheel drift on to the correct line at a more sane speed. My passenger naively thought that they had just witnessed an expert piece of driving but the reality was that they had witnessed my car using its electronics to save the day.

Without the car's intervention I would have exited stage left at great speed, destroyed my car and probably hurt myself. The moral of the story is, slow down and be grateful that you drive a Mercedes.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Well done ESP!

The most tricky situation you can get in is braking during a fast corner IMO.

Scub off all excess speed before the corner, you can always accelerate through.

Slow in, fast out.

 

[andy_cyp]

Tractiction off and drifting into the corner would surely have left your passenger with a much greater grin on there face, nvm next time.

P.S package en route.

 

[Deleted member 2227]

To tell you the truth Andy, I think if I'd had ASR/ESP and BAR off I don't think I'd be typing at all

Lets hope AMG suspension further improoves my car

 

[Benzowner]

Lets hope AMG suspension further improoves my car

Or maybe further driving lessons?

 

[BTB 500]

The moral of the story is, slow down and be grateful that you drive a Mercedes.

Well, a car with ESP ... that includes lots of other makes!

My VW has ESP which cuts in now and again (although touch wood I've never had a 'moment' like you describe). My SL only has ASR, but despite having a 5 litre V8 I tend to drive it more sedately, probably down to the auto box (the VW is 6-speed manual).

 

[Deleted member 2227]

Or maybe further driving lessons?

Yup maybe, I've already done my advanced test 3 times to keep uptodate, pasted Masterdrive, done skidpad training, and driven at Knockhill, Brandshatch and Goodwood on various courses. There is always more to learn and anyone can get caught out.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Im sure it it had been fitted to my old car last summer, id still be driving it now!

 

[GrahamC230K]

Greg, I'm doing this one next month:

www.driverdp.com

If it's good enough for Prodrive it's good enough for me

 

[Deleted member 2227]

Greg, I'm doing this one next month:

www.driverdp.com

If it's good enough for Prodrive it's good enough for me

Looks a good day. You'll love it (your tyres might not!). I think learning about limits and how you react is really useful. Have fun and drive safely!

Edit. Now aint that last bit the dilema!

 

[Ian_C]

Man admits driving skills failure...Gosh, this should be headline news...And may well be if ITV had run fair competitions.



I know what you mean, all the training in the world cannot compensate for that one time your minds not on the job.

Ian

 

[e55]

Maybe you should go buy a lottery ticket as well R2!!!!

 

[Deleted member 2227]

Maybe you should go buy a lottery ticket as well R2!!!!

LOL.

 

[glojo]

Yup maybe, I've already done my advanced test 3 times to keep uptodate, pasted Masterdrive, done skidpad training, and driven at Knockhill, Brandshatch and Goodwood on various courses. There is always more to learn and anyone can get caught out.

I salute your honesty, and also the penance in submitting this post.

Thank goodness NO ONE was hurt and top marks for admitting the mistake. :bannana:

Let anyone who is perfect throw the first insult

John the imperfect

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Glad you're okay, last week I got to drive a C55 AMG at MB World Brooklands as part of a corporate event. The main thing they taught was the benefits of ESP, BAS & ABS etc.

They explained over & understeer then took us out on the circuit to demonstrate the electronic systems that we've started to take for granted.

I firmly believe that if it wasn't for many of these systems a lot of us may not be here. It truly is amazing what they can do, okay it's not completely fool proof but I genuinely believe that such technology saves lives and prevents many accidents.

 

[jpskiller]

Dont know about you, but my 260e had nothing, iv'e just replaced her with a 190 and whooohoo! its got ABS , now thats advancement:bannana:

 

[Rose Chap]

I agree with all these points about ESP. I won't buy a car now that doesn't have some sort of stability control system - even my little Smart Roadster has it.

Glad it saved your bacon on this occasion and definitely hats off for admitting a rare lapse of concentration - shows it can happen to the most qualified of drivers.

 

[recycled]

happy it all worked out for you and thank goodness you are safe .
I was always taught to try and brake in a straight line at my advanced course .
That way the car is not unsettled going into a corner but as you said no one is perfect. take care.

 

[Satch]

I firmly believe that if it wasn't for many of these systems a lot of us may not be here. It truly is amazing what they can do, okay it's not completely fool proof but I genuinely believe that such technology saves lives and prevents many accidents.

Oh yes. Last year I had a moment whilst negotiating a hairpin bend in Austria.
To be precise a downhill left hander and snow falling although most of the road was clear. Sadly the "most" bit did not include a patch where a mass of snow had fallen off the mountain and sprawled across the road just at the start of the turn.

At that moment a coach was coming around the corner so forcing me further to the left and into the snow. Going quite slow but with the steep downhill road cue slitherly sideways lurch despite snow tyres. No prospect of a plunge to certain doom but there was a big "eek" from the passenger seat all the same. I merely had time to utter "Ffffffuuuu........."

A lot of very rapid brake chuntering as the ESP did the business and braked individual wheels, produced some strange corrective yawing motions that no human driver can ever hope to deliver and normal service was resumed bar wondering if SWMBO was in need of fresh undergarments. As opposed to going sideways into some damn big rocks, that would have been a bargin.

ESP may been seen as a hinderance to progess on track and can give a slightly dead feel but in the mainstream motoring world it makes a lot of sense. I understand there is an EU proposal to make it mandatory fit on all new cars from 2010-ish.

 

[GrahamC230K]

The fact is regardless of driver we only have one brake pedal, the bias already decided for us. ESP has control over each wheel. As far as I am concerend, the driver can prevent the need for it to activate, but can never replicate it's effect.