Tannis

So last night I left the store with my new A/V stand in the trunk. Weighs 200 pounds and it was well into the front cabin area with the seats folded down. I had my friend in the passenger seat as well (I say this because it certainly kills your handling). Anywho... I happened to be approaching an intersection and was way too close to the light when it turned yellow to slow down so I picked it up a bit and was doing 50mph (never in this instance was I running a red light, I just saw no reason to slam on the brakes for a yellow). A large Toyota SUV was stopped and ready to make a right turn and I was damn sure he saw me because he sat there for a good 5 seconds before I even got to the light. And then for some god forsaken unknown reason this asshole pulls out in front of me as I near the other side of the intersection. For some reason he just couldn't fucking wait for me to go. I hit the horn and swerved hard enough that I could feel and hear the tires slightly skid over the pavement. I mean, this guy was straight up in my lane. I was able to practically skate around him and back into my lane without incident but it was close. My friend was shaken pretty bad too.

Point is, had I been in any car that was less agile and capable my friend would be dead for sure and the a/v stand might have taken off my head in the process. I'm also fairly certain that sway bar came into play. Not trying to sell anything here, just saying it was a lifesaver. The title of this post is fitting because I never knew what this car was really capable of in an emergency avoidance maneuver. Never once did I lose my ability to steer. Never once did I second guess what I was doing. I pointed and the car went. Simple as that. Acura did well with the TSX and a few mods made it one of the safest and best cars I've ever driven.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Good job on the emergency maneuver

MrOtocinclus

I'm shaken pretty bad just from reading what happened! +1, good job on the maneuver. I love this car.

ttk5

whoa.

and you have a progress rear sway bar? im very glad you your friend are alright and glad to know our cars are capable of such feats

09TSXTech

^Great driving, and yes, TSX handles really well.

ed_423

damnn nice driving man, glad you guys are okay...

TSXKid2010

The "take my head off" part made me cringe.

Glad you and your friend are safe!

Mr. NC

safety 1st, good drivin, the Stig would have been proud

PO_TSX19

Agreed the details did make me cringe, I gotta say really nice reflexes. Glad you and your friends are alright!

ceb

There are a few lessons to be learned here

Don't overload or improperly load your car. This will cause to to drive differently in order not to have your load shift - would you have run that light otherwise?

Do not ever assume that another driver sees you. Do not ever think that another driver will do the rational thing.

Practice emergency handling techniques in advance to see how you and your car will react.

Do not try to beat a light when there is someone in the intersection waiting to turn.

Tannis

Thanks all. I'm glad my head is still attached too. However, if it wasn't I don't think I would really notice.

Now to clarify a few things...

It wasn't overloaded. It just felt like I had a full car. I always drive different with a full car because the dynamics do change. And no I didn't run the light. If I had been further away from it when it changed I would certainly have been able to stop.

Ah, well this is something I really don't ever do to begin with. He approached the light, thought about going, then completely stopped as if he knew he'd be making a mistake with an oncoming vehicle. Nevertheless, I had my eyes pinned on him the whole time because I don't trust anyone on the road.

Ah, now here's where the title of this thread comes in. I drive that thing hard. I know my car inside and out. I make a point of that so when shit like this happens I can keep myself in one piece. However, just going to a random parking lot an setting up cones or obstacles will not improve your reaction time to someone pulling out in front of you. There is a dynamic there that can't be seen unless it actually happens. And that is when I felt I should share with everyone what this car is really capable of even without crazy suspension mods. I've never driven another car that could maintain its composure in a one lane avoidance at that speed and that hard of a swerve.


Again, I wasn't "running" the light and I had the right of way because of this. There was no explanation of why he thought he should turn after sitting there so long with so many opportunities to go before I got close enough to close his window. But apparently in Virginia Beach, everyone thinks they have the right of way.

I understand these are just "lessons learned" bullets but somehow I felt the need to clarify on my end with each one. Might offer better understanding of the situation. Other than that, ceb, you are absolutely right on all of those points. But the last one I can't entirely agree with as long as you aren't running a red. But that is just my opinion.

Take care everyone. Be safe out there.

tvac

Nice maneuvering. I had a similar experience myself just recently. You've gotta love that adrenaline rush. It is reassuring to know that your machine can bail your ass out when necessary.

This is all great advice, especially for those that also ride motorcycles. The irrational and preoccupied drivers are the worst menace. Even a run-of-mill drunk will give himself away with erratic behavior, but the erratic driver acts on impulse alone. Glad to hear your experience with one ended well.

PyroDave

i definately agree with this. sadly i've witnessed exactly how far i can push this car, and though the car is insanely good, sometimes other drivers are epicly worse. short story, a few months ago i was driving in a town about 40 minutes away from where i live, with a full car. friend in the passenger seat, friend in the back behind the passenger seat, a little girl(about 6 i think) in back of me, and her middle-aged nanny in the middle. i was going straight at about 9-10pm on a friday or sat night, going about 28 in a 25(its not really speeding, so don't yell at me lol, i wouldn't actually speed with a kid in the car, that'd be insanely stupid). as i approached the intersection, the light turned orange, i entered the intersection, and a little less than halfway through, the light turned red. an asshole in oncoming traffic was gunning it, but i assumed he'd stop on the red, either way, i wasn't crossing him, i was heading straight on my own side(in the left lane) of a 4 lane road, two in each direction. if he blows it, it doesn't affect me. as soon as the light turned red, he blew the light, and made a LEFT TURN! i saw the headlights turning, hit the wheel right as hard as i could and hit the gas, then spun the wheel left. my main concern was not letting him t-bone me where the little girl was sitting. the car reacted like a charm, but he was going too fast, and he still clipped me. very back of the drivers side rear door, and the rear wheel. i instantly corrected the fish tail from impact, and pulled over right after the intersection. he was gone. the road he turned onto wasn't an actual highway, but it was a main road with 2-3 lanes of traffic in either direction and a speed limit of 45. everyone was alright, the girl was a bit shaken, but we told her that we just hit a big rock on the road. i was sore for a few days, i think i over extended my left shoulder when i pushed hard right, and i already had 3 cracked vertabrae from football. i still have the dent in the door, and the scratches on the rim, but i buffed most of the scratches out of the door. never found the other driver, i assume he was drunk. had it been just me, or me and a friend, i would have instantly pulled a u-turn, and chased the guy down while calling the cops. but she was my primary concern. i had to make sure she was ok first, and i can't go chasing a car down with people in the car.

TL : DR PEOPLE FUCKING SUCK. WHY WOULD YOU RUN A RED LIGHT WHILE SPEEDING AND MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN DESPITE ONCOMING TRAFFIC! the car responded beautifully(stock I4), i think my actions were adequate, but im only 18, so my experience isn't that great. maybe my dad could have fully avoided the guy. i did my best. sometimes a great car isn't enough with idiots on the road though. please don't drink and drive, i know too many who have died way too young from it. and speeding when theres people around isn't worth it. 5 minutes isn't worth an accident, a totalled car, or a life. BE SAFE. i understand doing 80 or even 90 on a clear sunny day on a fairly empty highway, but on town streets? just be smart.

VortexBlueTSX

Agreed, nice driving my friend! Progress sway bar FTMFW its unreal the difference, unreal

KillerG

pyro...writing fucking novels lately

tannis, im glad you survived. driving can go from really fun to really scary in a heartbeat

all bros: if i lower my car (plan to this summer ^.^) AND add a RSB... will it be too tight for my liking?

PyroDave

can it ever be tighter than you like it? and yes i know, im a fucking author

09TSXTech

Keep up the good work, writing in complete sentences is fast becoming a lost art.

ed_423

pyro and killer made me

s40 driver

Glad you are safe for sure! I love the way my car feels although apparently the steering is heavy and there is lots of under steer according to all the reviews.

VortexBlueTSX

Ill take you for a ride in mine, and you be the judge!

potmilkz

glad to see your ok.. but next time, yellow means slow down, not ok to run..

PyroDave

sometimes its more dangerous to hit the brakes on a yellow than to go through it. but obviously dont accelerate to make it

KillerG

Thats actually a pretty good idea. Im getting horny for mods and im only done with a month of school. God Damnit.


i think you remove part of the RSB to install springs right? so i might as well upgrade both at the same time

VortexBlueTSX

Ya man i get out of class at 12 monday and weds and 2 tuesday and thursday so just let me know we can figure something out...i might be in boston on weds visitng some friends

KillerG

sure, weekends and random weekdays sometimes work for me, my schedule is usually 9-5 and then study from 5-9 lol

i know it sounds sad but yeah