T bird on ice

[Steve Legel]

Not like a drink on the rocks...I sent this note to Nancy Gioia

Nancy, I have all cool cars. The 2002 Thunderbird is now a 6 year old used car. I am driving it in the winter. I routinely get scolded by my patients and my mailman who see it covered in gray dirty slush.

On Jan 29, I was up on I 275 merging onto I 96 by Twelve Oaks. Two big pickups hit ice and spun out in front of me. I put medium steady pressure on the brake and felt the antilock kick in. The T bird slid sideways, the front in one lane the back in the other, me riding down the dotted lane divider. I gently turned the front wheel in the direction of the rear skid, and the car righted itself. I was able to by pass the trucks as they swerved onto the shoulder and back into the lane.

I had a similar incident during the early January ice night coming home from University of Detroit Dental School meeting. Thunderbird gets the job done!
Steve Legel

[SugarBabe]

Re: T bird on ice

Wow Steve...so glad you are O.K.!! Sounds like your baby took care of you!! That's quite a wild ride!!

Take care!!

Love,

Sugar

[CarolinaTKE]

Re: T bird on ice

Glad to hear everything came out alright, Steve, and you and the Bird are safe. I'm glad you knew what to do when you hit ice--I wouldn't have the first clue.

[FritsB]

Re: T bird on ice

Glad to hear you are ok Steven And good to hear car handles great in that conditions.

[BADOS]

Re: T bird on ice

Congrats on getting out of that one. I bet you needed a double after that! LOL

[Lindy]

Re: T bird on ice

Hey Steve,

Glad it all went well with the slip and slide. The fact that you have been scolded for taking your T-bird out into the elements only reaffirms our convictions that these are really awesome cars!

Thanks much!

--Lindy

[Steve Legel]

Re: T bird on ice

You know, that's right, these cars are awsome. Poor T bird gets licked with 10 Embarrassing Car of the Year list. Seems the big automotive publications favor super cars and the likes of Consumer Reports only wants some mathmatic ratio of hightest mileage and lowest cost. Both overlook the unique niche and emotional appeal of this car.

BTW Nancy replied and said Thunderbird was extensivley tested on "low friction surfaces"

[5bird7]

Re: T bird on ice

Good job, Steve. Probably better than I would have done.

When we go into "town" ie Decatur. We have to get on a 70mph hwy with no on-ramp. At least HWY is semi rural so the traffic is not thick like the Dallas freeways but it still is a4 lane divided road with no stoplights.

Anyway, when the traffic is thicker than normal (lots of big rigs), we need to use the shoulder to get up to speed and merge into the traffic. The problem is the shoulder, though there are no potholes or ruts, it is soooo slippery that anytime I get on it with the tbird, the rear will not grip and the car sashays. I just hang on, keep the steering wheel straight and try to get over to the better road pavement. Watching the traffic come up behind me is a thrill especially when they see the car sashaying down that shoulder - they move over to the left lane real fast! Im not sure what the problem is with the shoulder but we haven't had several good drenching rains in a long time so think there's a build up of oils. The main pavement is fine though so no problem once I'm off the shoulder.

[leisha]

Re: T bird on ice

Steve as a expert in retro birds are you saying that they now should be designated as used cars?

I guess the down turn in the us IS WORSE than we imagined if weathy professionals are religated to driving their once 'special' cars as winter beaters & dailey drivers! ( Dig)

Our two birds are still cozy in the garage.

We helped the Auto industry by buying new 4x4 truck from Ford to do the winter duty!

I just bought a new motorcycle too!

The pricing of used retro birds in Canada still wouldn't put them in the price range of the general public! Not too many 7 year old inpractical used cars in the $25K range are being scooped up! For me it is not worth replacing the T-birds with anything new, there is not much other than the SHELBY GT 500 that turns my crank! Finally the industry has removed the premiums and even has discounted all these cars!

Hopefully the downturn which has resulted in a 20% net loss in Patricia and my pension funds will hit bottom and the influencial people will start working at digging us out of this hole.

I am still working and trying to spend on funds while the prices are low and on things like the motorcycle and new truck to try to do my part.

I feel sorry for the younger families especially in the Auto real estate and financial industries , and I am doing my part by donating more to Charities. If I could give up my job for someone younger I would but that won't happen.

It really makes me feel badly knowing that so many have lost so much.

Best wishes to all the TBN'ers.

Best regards

[EllisonCal]

Re: T bird on ice

Not like a drink on the rocks...I sent this note to Nancy Gioia

Nancy, I have all cool cars. The 2002 Thunderbird is now a 6 year old used car. I am driving it in the winter. I routinely get scolded by my patients and my mailman who see it covered in gray dirty slush.

On Jan 29, I was up on I 275 merging onto I 96 by Twelve Oaks. Two big pickups hit ice and spun out in front of me. I put medium steady pressure on the brake and felt the antilock kick in. The T bird slid sideways, the front in one lane the back in the other, me riding down the dotted lane divider. I gently turned the front wheel in the direction of the rear skid, and the car righted itself. I was able to by pass the trucks as they swerved onto the shoulder and back into the lane.

I had a similar incident during the early January ice night coming home from University of Detroit Dental School meeting. Thunderbird gets the job done!
Steve Legel

Steve, What memories your tale brought back to me!

While attending college in Chicago, I drove a suburban taxi for "Blue Cab Co." in Oak Park, IL. On a winter afternoon, with a fare in the back seat, a car pulled away from the curb and stopped directly in front of me. I was going about 25-30mph and the roads were covered in snow and ice. I hit the brakes and turned the wheel to the left starting the same kind of slide you experienced. With the right side of the Plymouth cab sliding straight toward the back bumper of the stopped car, I spun the steering wheel to the opposite lock and hit the brake again. Now the car straightened out and we missed the stopped car by inches.

The woman in the back seat shouted out, " Wow, can you drive! "

All I could say was, "Man, are we lucky!" I guarantee I could not execute that driving maneuver if I had a hundred tries and it didn't have anything to do with the brakes, the tires, or the driver!