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This video could save your life
A good friend and PC member sent me this video to post. Please post any comments
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114 Replies
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Here’s what came to mind as I watched that………..if we drive with cruise control our foot may not be anywhere near the accelerator pedal. Something to be more aware of.
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In case you want to see how mishandling a blowout will affect you and your coach look at the coach in the link below. That’s a pretty quick way to convert a nice coach into what the seller defines as a “project”.
I was somewhat amazed at how much came apart despite the damage that only appears superficial.
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The pilots on here know that practicing stalls is something that goes on and on. The reason is so the pilot’s reaction to a stall is reflex. Failure to recognize a stall or impending stall could result in loss of control so it is important to always be spring loaded to respond properly.
As drivers we cannot practice reacting to blowouts so the next best thing I think is to review videos such as what was posted above regularly until our brains are always going to make us respond properly. The recent crash of a church bus that cost 8 lives and the photos of the Newell that got damaged after a blow out will motivate me to keep my foot on the gas and off the brake.
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Thanks for sharing this, Al.
Rod and I watched a similar video just before we left for Texas to buy our bus. It really freaked me out because I knew my instincts would have had me doing just the opposite.
I agree with Jon, watching videos is the only way to prepare. Then just hope you have the presence of mind to do it right!
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Al, thanks for the memories. Benny Parsons was a fixture in NASCAR until his death from cancer. He was one of the most approachable driver’s in the pit area or when walking through the stands going to the press box. Nice guy all around fromDetroit and cab driving to Ellerbe NC driving cars for L. G. DeWitt, owner of the Rockingham NC 1.17 mile track.
Sure miss Benny – no Boogity, Boogity in that fine gentleman.
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Boateral,
Thanks for posting the video. There is a video just like that one that I saw a couple of years ago but they are using a motorhome. But the same rules obviously apply.
I was thinking if the cruise is on and a tire lost pressure, the cruise would continue on just like in the video. I’m thinking it wouldn’t be too alarming and we could just mash down on the accelerator.
Hope it never happens to any of us!
MM.
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I’ve never had a blowout on a steer tire, but many years ago I
lost an entire front wheel assembly at 70mph.
A catastrophic bearing failure caused the entire right front wheel
assembly to come off the International truck I was driving. This happened at night and the spark show
was quite impressive. I was surprised
to find the truck easy to control, (adrenalin probably played a role here), and
was even more surprised that I needed to steer it to the shoulder of the road.
Mike
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We had a blowout of the curb side steer last October. Cruise set on 70 towing the GX on I-35 north of Austin at 9:30 PM. The thing that no amount of video watching or discussion can prepare you for is the sheer violence of the initial few seconds after it happens. The steering wheel jerked hard enough in my hand to jam 3 fingers into the knuckle. The vibration and shaking was such that it was hard to focus on the road. Fortunately I was able to keep it out of the ditch and we did not sustain any major damage. I did tap the brake briefly and then was on the accelerator until I had full control.
One thing you become accutely aware of is your speed and surroundings while traveling after an incident like this. The other is the condition of your tires although I have always paid close attention to pressures and had just visually inspected the steers about 2 weeks prior to the incident. We are approaching 5 years on all tires and ~ 55,000 miles so I will be replacing them all soon. I am guessing I ran over something that initiated the problem resulting in the blowout.
PS: Good to see everyone!
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Glad it turned out OK Gordon. And especially glad you are back on the site.
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Gordon,
I’m glad you two came out of it alright and I want to address something that I wish they would of included in the video. You said the initial violent reaction when the tire blew was much more than expected. I hope I don’t bore you people with my story but maybe it will help someone. 4 of us took an X-3 out for a test drive the other day and 2 guys did this.
In the early seventies when I learned how to drive a truck we did not have power steering. You actually had to learn angles and pay attention to your surroundings because the wheel was so hard to turn it would wear you out. Also what you were taught is how to hold your hands on the steering wheel. Be it 10 and 2 oclock or 9 and 1 oclock, whatever. Now a days with power steering you can turn the wheel with one hand, drive with 2 fingers and something vital to controlling your vehicle is forgotten. I was taught to drive by a 300lb farmer who carried a 3 foot stick and if at anytime you grabbed the steering wheel with your thumbs locked around the wheel he would hit your hands with the stick to teach you that if you blew a tire the center spoke of the steering wheel would break your thumbs and you were history. As Gordon said, his knuckles were jammed even with power steering. I am not saying hold your thumbs straight in the air but keep them at an angle that if you had a sudden movement of the steering wheel the wheel spoke would not hook your thumbs. If your a 2 finger driver or a guy holding the center spoke when driving, your not giving yourself a chance and if your one of these drivers hanging your arms through the steering wheel, stop it.
We have come a long way in 40 years, this is something I was taught many moons ago and was vital to you handling a blowout. With todays power steering and the suspension available it is much easier today.
I didn’t mean to ramble but Gordons story brought it out of me.
2 guys driving the X-3 grabbed the center spoke of the steering wheel going 65 on the freeway and I slapped both of them and told them this story.
Later
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Sure glad I wasn’t one of the 3 !! It’s probley the only test I’ve past!!!
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I drove long haul a long time ago. I was taught by the old timers to drive with the thumbs to be resting on top of the steering wheel. This way if the steering wheel violently jerked as in a blow out, you wouldn’t break your thumbs. Hard to drive with broken thumbs. Even with the power steering on the bus, I still drive with my thumbs on top. Hard to break an old lesson learned.
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Great commercial. Hyundai’s marketing people are kickin’ it!
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Can’t be any worse than the cars driven by the typical driver today. I wonder if the driverless cars know how to merge, know not to pull in too close when they pass, and if they will cross in front of you and go across 3 lanes to get to an exit without spiking their brakes as they pass in front of the bus?
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