NEVER SWERVE A VEHICLE AT SPEED...!!
- Thread starter DandyDon
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It all depends. Driving a tanker truck on an ice road? (welcome to my life) You’re pretty much committed to “keep on trucking”. Riding a motorcycle on dry pavement? Your superior maneuverability had *better* make up for your lack of seatbelt / crumple zone / airbag / ect. Understand your and your vehicles limitations.
FezUSA
Contributor
Hit a bear on the PA turnpike late at night. Was also towing a short (17') camper. It was an older ('99 I think) Suburban. My goal was to keep it straight and come to as safe a stop as possible on the hard shoulder. I knew there were a couple of 18w rigs not far behind me that I had just passed going up a long hill and they would be coming over the crest blind to what would be in front of them. I wanted to be safely out of the way. The bear was a full grown adult male. The result was a tie, he lost his life and killed my Suburban. Trying to swerve at 55 (had just crested the hill) with a short trailer was a no-no, even with anti-sway bar installed.
Thankfully there was no damage inside the vehicle other than deployed air bags. Outside, the metal front grill was destroyed and the metal bumper on the passenger side was crushed in and the section that wrapped around the passenger front side left a sharp edge and point sticking under 1" from the passenger tyre. That could have been a game changer if that had pierced and blown that tyre. The little plastic Geo Storm that was in the process of overtaking me was really thankful that the bear had passed through his lane into mine. It would have been a very different result for his car.
Now on my 3rd Suburban/ Yukon XL since then (wife "requires" that vehicle as we travel those roads a lot and she feels safe in them now!!). I've since also hit a deer, and short of it jumping in the air just before impact, I'm confident that NOT swerving is the safest approach. Unless you've had advanced driver training and the road conditions and traffic conditions can safely allow, swerving is probably not the best first reaction, especially for smaller animals. Now the smaller and more agile the car and the larger the animal, I might change my mind; but it would still depend on driver skill and the rest of the conditions.
For sure there is no single best response that covers all variables though!!
And when I'm on my motorbike? If there's time/space/conditions, I'm going around, else I'm staying as upright and straight as possible. And even then it may not be enough!
Check these out:
Thankfully there was no damage inside the vehicle other than deployed air bags. Outside, the metal front grill was destroyed and the metal bumper on the passenger side was crushed in and the section that wrapped around the passenger front side left a sharp edge and point sticking under 1" from the passenger tyre. That could have been a game changer if that had pierced and blown that tyre. The little plastic Geo Storm that was in the process of overtaking me was really thankful that the bear had passed through his lane into mine. It would have been a very different result for his car.
Now on my 3rd Suburban/ Yukon XL since then (wife "requires" that vehicle as we travel those roads a lot and she feels safe in them now!!). I've since also hit a deer, and short of it jumping in the air just before impact, I'm confident that NOT swerving is the safest approach. Unless you've had advanced driver training and the road conditions and traffic conditions can safely allow, swerving is probably not the best first reaction, especially for smaller animals. Now the smaller and more agile the car and the larger the animal, I might change my mind; but it would still depend on driver skill and the rest of the conditions.
For sure there is no single best response that covers all variables though!!
And when I'm on my motorbike? If there's time/space/conditions, I'm going around, else I'm staying as upright and straight as possible. And even then it may not be enough!
Check these out:
broncobowsher
Contributor
Looks like the swerve was the right move to make.
FezUSA
Contributor
people today do not know how to drive. Don't avoid and brake hard is a result of breaking systems. It allows you to stay in your lane and handle an emergency condition with out drastic lane changes that would other wise increase the carnage. They reduce loss of control when hard breaking. Front wheel drive also has a roll to play with this. NOTHING in this world will save you from not being to STOP IN TIME. They are 2 different hazzards. Again todays drivers do not know the difference. They can pair a phone to the car but they can not operate the car in any situation other then good driving conditions. I dont get on the road when there is snow. Not because I am not capable but rather that you are not capable.
that is a saying that was true decades ago when you had heavy iron monsters with antique steering systems and rear wheel driving. It is a much less true statement today because of technology. There was also a saying never take your foot of the gas if you loose traction. That is a rear wheel drive issue. They also said never lock the breaks. you do that now because of breaking systems. Systems have made cars safer to the point that new drivers feel invincable and do not drive cautiously. For an incident to happen you have to generate a problem and recover form it. technology is only involved in the recovery of problems. The driver generates the problems.
lamarpaulski
Contributor
I’m familiar with a guy who swerved when a squirrel ran in front of his sports car. He augered into a tree. There was squirrel fur in his grill. He wasn’t hurt bad but damn.
Swerving is almost always a bad move. Unless it’s a kid.
Swerving is almost always a bad move. Unless it’s a kid.
I like you guys. But I own tow trucks. Just close your eyes and nail the brakes. We will clean up the mess.
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