Rain + nannies off = ....

[IROCanSS]

So, as I typically do, I turned all the nannies off today. I feel as if the car just runs better with it off. Smoother, better acceleration... just better.

Well today was no different, turned them off and headed to work. Slight drizzle, wet pavement on my 50 mile commute to work.

As Im driving along in the rain... nannies off, you'll never guess what happened....




NOTHING! I made it safetly to work. No out of control hair raising events. No slamming into the barrier. No ass end around. NOTHING. You know why? Because I exercise these three important rules when driving a 400+ horsepower RWD car in the rain:

1. RESPECT, respect the power and the road conditions
2. COMMON SENSE, by slowing down and not driving like a bat out of hell
3. PAY ATTENTION, watch the cars infront, behind and beside me.


All too many times people blame everyone but themselves for crashing in the rsin with these things.

Yes, this is a tad smartass, but more a reminder as the temps cool and the weather goes sour, respect your car. If you do, they won't hurt you. They aren't wild untamed beasts. They actually handle very well in the rain but, yes, you act a fool and they will put you in the wall QUICK!

Be safe, happy travels!

[CamaroC-17]

[sasquash1984]

Now if everyone in tx could follow those simple steps durning this weather, well said

[Hired Gun]

Good job. I wish when you started the car they were off, and to turn them on you had to hold down the buttons. I am annoyed by lights on the dash, sorry.

[united1]

Not where I thought you were going with this but very well put.

[Steve Dallas]

Yes, driving sanely does make a difference.

Let me provide a counterpoint to this though.

Normally I leave the nannies on except for when I'm at the track. Though sometimes I do drive faster, it's usually out in the boonies on curvy roads...and evne then I leave them on.

One day about a year ago, I was on my way home from a Camaro Club meeting. I decided to turn off the nannies on a whim. I wasn't gong to be doing anything rash, just drive like a normal person. This also was in a slight drizzle, but it was also the first rain of after a long stretch of clear days, so the roads probably had a bit of oil on them that hadn't been rained away yet.

I was doing the speed limit, driving smoothly. I was norhtbound on the Alaskan Way Viaduct here in Seattle. There's a point where it turns right, goes straight for a while, enters a tunnel then makes a sweeping 30 degree right turn.

I entered the left hand bend, but I had not sped up, moved the throttle or anything. I felt the rear end start to shift out to the right and had to correct the car....and SIXTY MILES PER HOUR...for about 2-3 seconds, my rear end had slid out. I corrected the slide...but my heart was racing at that point. This was in a tunnel, with traffic and there was NO room for error.

Point is, I wasn't racing, driving erratically, or anything. I was able to correct, but only because I pay attention when I drive. I wasn't even accerlating at the time, but maintaining steady throttle.

So, conclusion....T/C is great in the rain, but if you do turn it off...things can happen, so always pay attention. At the time, I wasn't driving with my Continentals, but the P-Zeros, and I replaced those about 2 months later. There was still plenty of tread on them though.

[Sawyer]

hmmm driving in the rain with t/c off. your just asking for trouble.

[f5journal]

I get your point and respect it. I did crash a car once by turning the nannies off and getting too "out of shape". By contrast, it was 58 degrees this morning ( a change of over 20 degrees). Traction control kicked in for the first time in many many months when I nailed it on the main road just out of the subdivision. Dry road, cold tires, a little spin while hitting 35-40MPH. That's a good feeling too

[Daily Driver]

[Goatcrapp]

I have to pose the question... is there something inherent in the design of the new camaro (or any modern vehicles, for that matter) - that makes it unsafe?

I've driven RWD vehicles without any safety nannies, including anti-lock brakes. Did i get into stupid situations? yes - usually on purpose, or by being an ass. Under normal driving situations (daily commute to work) - i've never had an incident.. even when having to make emergency stops, emergency lane changes, hard swerves that would gfet me a little sideways, etc...

I'm not saying nannies aren't good - i hardly turn mine off unless i'm intending to drive it hard... that goes for any of my vehicles - mainly because it doesn't enter my mind on a daily-drive situation.

There are many people of the mindset - oh no, don't turn off the traction control!!!" lol. It's silly. I'm not saying they don't add a measure of safety - they obviously do... but millions of people drove successfully without incident, before they existed.

So, unless there's something that makes the car especially difficult to drive without them (in the same way a stealth bomber cannot be flown manually - the computer aids are needed for operation) - then i just don't get the mystique.

[E.T.]

I've found that it's very easy to lose traction on wet roads even with the nannies ON, even with the sixer.

[Goatcrapp]

Originally Posted by E.T.

I've found that it's very easy to lose traction on wet roads even with the nannies ON, even with the sixer.

you're driving a rwd vehicle with summer tires, and a good deal of torque (with either engine) - of course the rear end gets slippery. Its been that way for all rwd vehicles for ages.

[BenningJ]

Originally Posted by jrhaus76

1. RESPECT, respect the power and the road conditions
2. COMMON SENSE, by slowing down and not driving like a bat out of hell
3. PAY ATTENTION, watch the cars infront, behind and beside me.


All too many times people blame everyone but themselves for crashing in the rain with these things.

Truer words have never been spoken.

[toesuf94]

The Titanic was unsinkable...until.