Winter Storm 2009

wsuffa said:
Apparently there was an MX issue in the luggage compartment (they knew about this before boarding) which required epoxy to harden for 15-20 minutes before they could load baggage.
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The choice of line mechanics everywhere!


Trapper John
 
I've developed a love/hate relationship with the traction control in my mom's BMW. It's great on slick roads, it will keep the car moving with absolutely no problem. However, I've found that after you get rather well stuck it's generally best to just turn it off, push the pedal down and wait for the car to start moving again.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
The problem with ABS for me is it doesn't have an "OFF" switch.
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I wonder why that is... Traction control has an off switch! :dunno:

The traction control on my mom's Volvo S70 was worthless. Her Infiniti was even worse than that. It would just cut power whenever it detected a wheel spinning
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As best I can tell, my S60 is simply giving the briefest of stabs to the brakes on the slipping side so more power is transferred to the non-slipping side. It certainly doesn't cut power, at least not noticeably. I've got enough power to break it loose in 3rd gear on dry pavement, but this time of year even the "dry" pavement is slippery due to salt and sand buildup. It still accelerates like crazy even with the traction warning in the dash flashing. I'll have to take it on ice sometime and just pour on the coals to see if it'll limit power or not. :dunno:

lancefisher said:
I'm told that a significant number of drivers simply react to the pedal vibration and noise associated with ABS activation by releasing the brakes. I think I read that Mercedes and/or BMW came out with a system that will override the driver in some circumstances and maintain maximum braking once initiated even if the driver lifts off the pedal.
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Yikes. I hope THAT has an on/off switch! :eek:

The main downside to traction control in normal traffic (vs the track) is that it can severely limit your ability to launch quickly such as when pulling onto a dry highway from a snow covered side street or driveway. I often disable the TCS in my car in such situations, otherwise the system holds the engine back for several seconds at the first sign of wheel slippage, something that can be rather unnerving/annoying if there's traffic bearing down that you should have had room to outrun.
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Again, I don't get that at all on mine. I guess different manufacturers made different design choices when it came to the workings of their traction control. Either that or I'm just so used to snow and ice that I'm pressing the pedal less anyway. It never hesitates once I get the front wheels on drier pavement and stomp on it, though.
 
wsuffa said:
The new connecting flight again closed the door on-time. Then we sat at the gate in the metal tube for 45 minutes. Apparently there was an MX issue in the luggage compartment (they knew about this before boarding) which required epoxy to harden for 15-20 minutes before they could load baggage. They didn't start to load baggage until 25 minutes after they closed the door.... and it took 20 minutes to load.

This is a perfect example of why commercial air travel is disaster.

I understand weather delays. I don't understand laziness nor lack of information. I understand that on-time ratings are related to when the boarding door closes. I don't understand why people should be imprisoned while known maintenance is completed (or at least is close to completion).
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Y'know, that's inexcusable. The DOT should either change the metrics for their statistics so that this does not happen, or the airlines should simply reach the (correct) conclusion that having a check mark in the wrong column is better than ****ing off an entire planeload of CUSTOMERS.

I think they've forgotten what CUSTOMERS are. They call them "PASSENGERS." Maybe that should change too...
 
flyingcheesehead said:
lancefisher said:
But then there are the folks who don't use ABS correctly. I'm told that a significant number of drivers simply react to the pedal vibration and noise associated with ABS activation by releasing the brakes. I think I read that Mercedes and/or BMW came out with a system that will override the driver in some circumstances and maintain maximum braking once initiated even if the driver lifts off the pedal.
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Yikes. I hope THAT has an on/off switch! :eek:
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If I remember the feature on Mercedes, they found that in a panic braking situation people still weren't pushing all the way down on the brake pedal to get maximum braking power. So they adjusted it so that if it detected a sudden significant brake application it would automatically maximize the braking. Not 100% sure that's what Lance's thinking about, but I think it's likely.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
As best I can tell, my S60 is simply giving the briefest of stabs to the brakes on the slipping side so more power is transferred to the non-slipping side. It certainly doesn't cut power, at least not noticeably. I've got enough power to break it loose in 3rd gear on dry pavement, but this time of year even the "dry" pavement is slippery due to salt and sand buildup. It still accelerates like crazy even with the traction warning in the dash flashing. I'll have to take it on ice sometime and just pour on the coals to see if it'll limit power or not. :dunno:
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AFaIK most cars with a mechanical linkage from the gas pedal to the engine throttle don't limit power when a wheel slips. In fact I definitely have seen one or more examples of "traction control" that will automatically disable themselves if they are used very much to prevent brake overheating.

My car has "throttle by wire" so the ECU can dial back the engine power easily. It also uses the ABS to limit rotation of an individually slipping wheel as your car does but that's in conjunction with the ECU limiting engine output.


Again, I don't get that at all on mine. I guess different manufacturers made different design choices when it came to the workings of their traction control. Either that or I'm just so used to snow and ice that I'm pressing the pedal less anyway. It never hesitates once I get the front wheels on drier pavement and stomp on it, though.
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lancefisher said:
AFaIK most cars with a mechanical linkage from the gas pedal to the engine throttle don't limit power when a wheel slips. In fact I definitely have seen one or more examples of "traction control" that will automatically disable themselves if they are used very much to prevent brake overheating.
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There are a number of systems that do. The Infiniti was one (I don't know how it worked), but on at least the earlier Jaguar XJ8s, there was a piece in the middle of the throttle linkage from the gas pedal to the throttle body that would retard the throttle for traction control.

Can't speak for other cars, I'm just a Jaguar nut. :)
 
Does everyone have their power back now? Chip, Kevin, John?
 
Diana said:
Does everyone have their power back now? Chip, Kevin, John?
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We're good, Diana, thanks. Only lost power for a little while. At the bottom of the hill was a tree laying across the power lines putting on one heck of a show!
How things in your neck of the woods?
 
Nope, not yet. I'm slightly optomistic that it might come back on before Monday. Just too many trees and power poles down. Someone I talked to yesterday said there were over 80 poles broken in this immediate area. I think it will take a while to get that all repaired. Luckily I have a generator, plenty of diesel and now, even more firewood :smile:
 
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