Miata Mailing List: November 1993, Message #126
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   From: "Ronnie B. Kon" 
Subject: What happenned?
   Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 16:11:37 -0500

So, driving home from work last night, around 10:00pm.  It had been
raining all day (first rain of the season) but was clear then.  I'm
taking a left turn somewhat fast (in the neighborhood of 30mph if I
had to guess), accelerating through--enough to feel the pull, not
enough to actually have to think about what I'm doing.  This is the
way I usually take this turn.

So last night I turn hard to get into the number 1 lane as a car is in
the number 2 lane somewhat ahead of me (like I said, I wasn't racing
or anything, just enjoying my Miata) when I get major oversteer and
almost hit the median.  I ease of and suddenly I get major understeer,
so I pull my foot off the gas and try to regain control.  I manage to
keep from hitting anything, but I ended up swerving into the #2 lane
from the understeer (happily, the other car was ahead of me).

So what happened?  Oil on the road?  Maybe, but I didn't feel like the
car was out of control: on the contrary, it was hyper-responsive.  It
was not unpleasent, I just want to know what causes this and how to
control it.

				Ronnie