[tuebor]

Some newcomers to Michigan have asked about driving. One issue that has come up is what to do in case of a skid. Do you turn in the direction you are skidding, or turn in the direction you want to go? I've heard different things about this.

I turn in the direction I want to go. This may cause the car to fishtail back and forth a bit, but I stay in my lane. Turning in the direction of the skid has never worked for me. Maybe you don't fishtail if you turn in the direction of the skid, but it seems to me that the risk of going out of your lane or off the road is greater. Especially if you have front wheel drive, I think you are better off learning how to handle a fishtail without panicking.

[BurtsBees]

Always turn in the direction of the skid.

[trinkit]

Front wheel drive cars react differently than rear wheel drive cars when in a skid.

[magellan]

This site does winter driving training, and they feature a couple of videos showing how to correct out of a skid. If your right rear end starts sliding out, you turn your stearing wheel to the right, and vice versa.

MTU Keweenaw Research Center - Winter Driving School

[and the]

Skidding is merely the sliding of your tires on pavement (or ice). You don't have to worry until you start rotating. If you start to rotate clockwise, turn the wheel to the left and vice versa. You may have to use the gas too to get your rear end back where it's supposed to be. It's fairly intuitive once you practice. Find a snowy parking lot with no light poles in the immediate area and try it. Better yet, if you're really worried about it, make sure you have 4 wheel anti-lock brakes and a front-wheel or all wheel drive car.

[Southernkomfort27]

In theory, your supposed to turn in the direction of the skid, but reality is another matter. If like me, you tend to panic, it's best to go with 4 wheel or all wheel drive. If I didn't have a Subaru, I'd probably be closing my eyes and saying a quick prayer to not go in the ditch!

[tuebor]

Originally Posted by magellan

This site does winter driving training, and they feature a couple of videos showing how to correct out of a skid. If your right rear end starts sliding out, you turn your stearing wheel to the right, and vice versa.

MTU Keweenaw Research Center - Winter Driving School

Yes, this is what I was taught. But this is another way of saying you should turn in the direction you want to go, i.e., against the skid, not with it, as I would understand "with" and "against" in this context. Maybe this is partly just confusion about word usage, and we've been saying the same thing all along.

[Bydand]

Always turn the direction of the skid, even front wheel drive, all-wheel drive and 4 wheel drive. The difference is that with front, all wheel and 4X4, you give it a bit (A bit, not a lot) of gas and the front tires will help pull the front back into line. If you turn with the skid the rear end will change places with the front end in about 2 car lengths and you will have zero control.

What I mean for directions is that if the rear slides to the right, you steer like you are making a right turn. If the rear goes left you steer like you are making a left turn.

Best bet is to avoid a skid as much as you can. How? SLOW down, have good tires and drive within your ability.