Reply With QuotePaul Missman <com> wrote:
I know you didn't ask for a lecture, driving like this, if your Prius
would allow it, is both bad for your mileage and foolhardy driving.
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Mike Rosenberg
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Toyota Prius: One interesting effect
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- 05-27 02:17 PM #1PaulGuest
One interesting effect
Guys,
I've been happy with my 2005 Prius, and praised the systems which keep the
car from skidding on icy roads. However, I've noticed an unexpected side
effect of this system which could cause potential trouble.
In an vehicle without an anti-skid system, if you are at an intersection
making a right turn, and there is oncoming traffic that you decide that you
can beat, you simply "put the petal to the metal", some small gravel flies,
and you make your turn onto the other road.
However, if you try this in a Prius, when you "put the petal to the metal",
the anti-skid system kicks in, and practically shuts down the propulsion
system, stopping the gravel from flying, slowing you to a crawl, and not
letting up until you are most of the way through the turn. This can make
for a few heart-pounding seconds as you wait for the anti-skid system to let
up, and hope that the oncoming traffic doesn't arrive before you are out of
the way.
Whether you actually clear the intersection faster with the anti-skid
system, or without, is difficult to know. The psychological effect of
having acceleration removed from your control, while traffic is fast
approaching, makes for some interesting physiological effects.
Without careful measurement, I'd recommend that you not put yourself in
harms way in this manner. The Prius might actually get you out of the way
faster than "letting the gravel fly", but I wouldn't want to bet on it.
Paul
- 05-27 02:32 PM #2MikeGuest
Re: One interesting effect
- 05-27 02:44 PM #3PaulGuest
Re: One interesting effect
Mike,
Yep. But, being human, we are all going to do something like this once in a
while. I'd owned the Prius for about 7 months before I had this happen, and
it was quite an eye-opener.
Paul
- 05-27 03:38 PM #4mark_digital©Guest
Re: One interesting effect
"Paul Missman" <com> wrote in message
news:864e2$4478600e$d80c11cb$COM...
How does your car respond if you shift to B mode first? Have you tried it?
mark_
- 05-28 02:00 PM #5MichaelGuest
Re: One interesting effect
"Paul Missman" <com> wrote in message
news:864e2$4478600e$d80c11cb$COM...
Our 2002 has a different approach to wheel spin. I understand the current
model nearly shuts down power altogether when a wheel spins but the Classic
version just cuts back for a moment and tries again very quickly so it is
not intrusive. I wonder why the change?
Mike
- 05-28 04:18 PM #6mrv@kluge.netGuest
Re: One interesting effect
Actually, it's the ABS/traction control, not the anti-skid (VSC)
system.
If the spinning tire were to suddenly catch, it can put a lot of strain
on the drivetrain/transmission.
- 05-29 01:17 AM #7BillGuest
Re: One interesting effect
"Paul Missman" <com> wrote in message
news:22584$4478665e$d80c11cb$COM...
Same here.
Bill
- 06-05 11:06 PM #8PaulGuest
Re: One interesting effect
"mark_digital©" <com> wrote in message
news:com...
Mark,
I tried it in a very unscientific experiment. If I'd worked on a looser
pavement, the result might have been different. As far as I could tell,
switching to B had no effect on the anti-skid system. Did the manual say
that it was supposed to defeat this system?
Paul
- 06-12 02:07 PM #9ChrisGuest
Re: One interesting effect
Just to make sure I'm understanding you correctly ... you live in a country
where you drive on the left-hand side of the road, so making a right turn
means you're crossing in front of oncoming traffic.
For those of us in the US, skidding to make a right turn seems like serious
overkill (grin).
"Paul Missman" <com> wrote in message
news:864e2$4478600e$d80c11cb$COM...
- 06-22 05:06 AM #10DavoudGuest
Re: One interesting effect
Paul Missman wrote:
I'm not holier than thou -- I've certainly done this myself, but this
kind of driving is by no means a regular practice with me, and as I've
gotten wiser (though not older, of course) I find that I just don't do
it anymore. Don't recommend it to anyone else, either.
Davoud
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usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
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