Miata Mailing List: November 1993, Message #128
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   From: kparker@kolohe.sim.es.com (Kevin Parker)
Subject: Re: What happenned?
   Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 17:08:05 -0500


I had a similar experience but still different.  (I guess this is one reason
not to push the speed limits in the turns;-)

A couple of weeks ago I was driving home, with the top down, around 60 deg. F,
just a nice leisure drive home.  I came up to the interchange between two 
freeways (the nice little cloverleaf.)  Although the posted speed is 25 MPH, 
I've taken this same corner at 65 in comparable conditions.  I entered the 
corner at around 40 MPG.....not real fast, not real slow.....a very "sane"
speed.  About 3/4 of the way around the corner I smelled petroleum products
and it was about the time I realized that the car was feeling _really_ loose.
I was about to ease off the throttle a little (stop accelerating) and the back
end just took off!!  I was barely able to catch it by turning into it and just
missed the guardrail!!!.. After I got control I looked in front of me and the
box/cargo van in front of me had lots of fluid pouring out of the back of it
as it went around the corner!!!  Too close for comfort!

I learned three things:

	1.  Sliding the Miata around intentionaly is not only good fun but
	    good practise for real life situations.  Let's all have safe and
	    fun practise.

	2.  I have a lot more respect for corners where conditions are unknown.

	3.  The Miata is a very responsive and controlable car. (I already knew
	    this but it was brought home again.


Then just last night a lady in a 1985 Buick decided she was going to use the
rear end of my miata as a new method of stopping.  I was stopped at a light, 
just behind a van, and this 60+ year old lady took her eyes (all four) off the 
road and didn't look up until she made heavy contact with my rear end.  I got
out. looked at her car.  Broke the grill, the fiberglass shroud that the grill
sits in, twisted here metal bumper under, and pushed in her right fender.  I
didn't want to look at my rear end..But it only broke the plastic piece that
holds the license plate, and put a four inch crack in the plastic bumper cover.
There was a little scratch in the rear fender...I assume the collision caused
it so they will repaint the fender.  Total cost of repair: $840

Kevin Parker
'90 Pkg B, Mariner Blue