Post your "Oh S#!t" Moment

  • Let's see your "Oh S#!t" moment!


    I'll start...


    This is from early morning around 11 am.. It was cloudy, in 50's, and I lost traction driving around 35 mph on the back road. It rained earlier around 5 am, and the road was still wet around 9 am, so I waited until I saw the sun came out, and I looked outside and saw the road seemed "dry," when I took the SS out, then it started to get cloudy again!! :cursing:


    I was going to the dealership to get my recall done, but I cancelled. Let's just say, LESSON LEARNED! :(




  • Which one?
    I always check the weather forecast before setting out on a ride, but I've still had a few times where I've gotten caught in an unexpected downpour or decided I'd better turn around go a different way or just go back home.
    Back before Polaris recognized their mistake with the headlight wiring and load and the subsequent recall, I had my headlights shutdown during a night ride at 60 mph. There was enough moonlight for me to pull over and wait a bit until the circuit starting working again. During this same period, my headlights would occasionally decide they wanted to shutdown if I went over 45-50 mph or so. I could go on several rides in a row w/o problems, but when this occurred, I had to stay around 40 mph to limp home. I never did figure out what was causing the problem, but it eventually stopped occurring. ?(
    Another incident I remember was having my hood to come up during a night ride at 60 mph. The road was curving left, so I was able to see where I was and safely pull over to fix the hood.
    I was driving home from my dealer a while back. Sunny day, dry roads. I was on a bridge and suddenly the rear end slid out on me. It wasn't a major slide, just enough to startle me. Went back to check the road surface, but couldn't see anything that might have caused the rear to slide out.
    Now for my dumbsh.. admission - One of my favorite riding roads has a 60 mph speed limit. One night, I took a 15 mph (suggested speed) turn at just under 40 (I'd done it previously at 30). The rear of the Slingshot slid out and I spun around on the grass shoulder, ending up pointing across the road <X . If I had been going the other direction, I wouldn't have had any shoulder to save me from an unfortunate outcome. I now stick to around 30 or less on that turn! :D

  • OMG.. your stories are even more scarier!! I'll have to check my dash cam video feed and see what exactly made me slip.. but just getting in the highway is crazy enough.. I was about to hit 50 mph when the back tire started to slide.

  • Fortunately, I've learned from my adventures to tone things down a little. If I get caught on wet roads while in my Slingshot, I always slow down. I felt more confident on wet roads on two wheels than I do with that big rear tire on the Slingshot. Wide tires, light weight, wet road surface = slow down and don't push your luck!

  • It also looks like your steering wheel is not centered, which means that you need to get a lazer alignment. The steering wheel not centered going down the road is telling you that the front wheels are not lined up like they are supposed to be. After looking at this video 3 more times , you have something else going on and I am thinking the steering angle sensor is not centered either. Which is what caused this to happen

  • Fortunately, I've learned from my adventures to tone things down a little. If I get caught on wet roads while in my Slingshot, I always slow down. I felt more confident on wet roads on two wheels than I do with that big rear tire on the Slingshot. Wide tires, light weight, wet road surface = slow down and don't push your luck!

    it's funny how we learned things based on experience... I'm not running turbo or supercharge, just full bolt ons, but I can't imagine those who are boosted and how much "SCARE" they get on a conditions like this..


    I have the SL wheels installed on mine, so I have the 20x9 in the back rather than 18x9.5 from the base.

  • It also looks like your steering wheel is not centered, which means that you need to get a lazer alignment. The steering wheel not centered going down the road is telling you that the front wheels are not lined up like they are supposed to be.

    thank you for that observation! I didn't notice until you said it, and watch the video again. Next time that I make it to the dealership, I'll ask for a laser alignment. Do you think that's the reason why I kept sliding? Most of the road I took here has some slight turns to it and I've been avoiding pot holes too..

  • thank you for that observation! I didn't notice until you said it, and watch the video again. Next time that I make it to the dealership, I'll ask for a laser alignment. Do you think that's the reason why I kept sliding? Most of the road I took here has some slight turns to it and I've been avoiding pot holes too..

    Check your conversation/PM

  • trying to figure whats going on in this video, the screeching, did the tire start spinning, or did it lock up? I have had my rear spin because of a loss of traction under power, but never that kind of sound

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

  • Let's see your "Oh S#!t" moment!

    So my wife called on the way home one day and said, "Hey, can you swing by CVS or Walgreens on your way?"


    "Sure, what for?"


    "I need a couple more pregnancy tests, two different reputable companies, to double check the two positives I've already got."


    Yeah....that "aww shit" has been 5 1/2 years of my life so far, 12 1/2 left to go. Not that I'm counting. :00008172:

  • trying to figure whats going on in this video, the screeching, did the tire start spinning, or did it lock up? I have had my rear spin because of a loss of traction under power, but never that kind of sound

    in this video. i think one of my wheels locked up, but wasn't sure exactly which one. I'll have the SS towed in and let the dealer look at it and see what's going on!


    Thanks again @FunCycle!

  • So my wife called on the way home one day and said, "Hey, can you swing by CVS or Walgreens on your way?"
    "Sure, what for?"


    "I need a couple more pregnancy tests, two different reputable companies, to double check the two positives I've already got."


    Yeah....that "aww shit" has been 5 1/2 years of my life so far, 12 1/2 left to go. Not that I'm counting. :00008172:

    OH NO!


    Always be prepared.. make sure you have Plan A, B, C up to Z! :D

  • What rear tire are you running? How was the tread? Was the road damp at that time? Kinda hard to tell...


    Don’t forget your rear tire is running on top of all the drippings from other vehicles...oil, gasoline, tranny fluid, radiator water, pumpkin grease. So the slightest bit of moisture on the road creates a dangerous lose of traction issue.


    A little bit of gravel makes the rear wheel break loose, a lot of gravel makes it even worse...

  • in this video. i think one of my wheels locked up, but wasn't sure exactly which one. I'll have the SS towed in and let the dealer look at it and see what's going on!
    Thanks again @FunCycle!

    yes, thats what it sounded like, like a skid from breaking, Of course it is hard to tell, not being there, but it doesnt seem like a normal loss of traction issue from road conditions.


    Please let me know what the dealer says - almost seems like a malfunction of the system

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

  • I had something like this happen just last weekend. No video, but 2W2X1, MIM, and a couple others saw it happen on our Luckenbach ride. We had just come over the river crossing and all the tires were wet. I thought they had dried off enough but about 1/8th of a mile past, I was accelerating and came over a small rise in the road and went squirrelly just like you did. Little steer to the right and everything was fine, but I'm wondering if it was the traction control that kicked in unexpectedly?

  • What rear tire are you running? How was the tread? Was the road damp at that time? Kinda hard to tell...
    Don’t forget your rear tire is running on top of all the drippings from other vehicles...oil, gasoline, tranny fluid, radiator water, pumpkin grease. So the slightest bit of moisture on the road creates a dangerous lose of traction issue.


    A little bit of gravel makes the rear wheel break loose, a lot of gravel makes it even worse...

    i have a 2016 base and replaced the set of wheels for SL wheels. The thread is still good since I have about 200 miles on it. I can't really tell if the road was damp, but it DID rain earlier this morning. I thought it would have dried out after a couple hours.. but you know what happened.


    ALSO, I have the dash cam footage from both incident.. Take a look.



    Do you see anything that may have caused this?


    The back camera is 720p so its a bit crappy.. but the front is 1296p.



    yes, thats what it sounded like, like a skid from breaking, Of course it is hard to tell, not being there, but it doesnt seem like a normal loss of traction issue from road conditions.
    Please let me know what the dealer says - almost seems like a malfunction of the system

    Will do....

    I had something like this happen just last weekend. No video, but 2W2X1, MIM, and a couple others saw it happen on our Luckenbach ride. We had just come over the river crossing and all the tires were wet. I thought they had dried off enough but about 1/8th of a mile past, I was accelerating and came over a small rise in the road and went squirrelly just like you did. Little steer to the right and everything was fine, but I'm wondering if it was the traction control that kicked in unexpectedly?

    Here's the dash cam footage... let me know if you see anything I may have missed.



    The back camera is 720p so its a bit crappy.. but the front is 1296p.

  • Watching the last video I see dark spots in the middle of your lane and the one to the right. Looks wet to me since I don’t see the other lanes with them. Greasiest spot of the highway...with water on it.


    When I’m driving my may concern is trying to keep the rear wheel in the best possible spot for optimum traction....if that means straddling the lane or leaning it right or left of center....so be it....I try to stay off the middle for this very reason....especially if it’s wet or looks wet.


    The other day I was in a line of 4 other cars in front of me....all of a sudden the road was getting wet in front of me....under my left tire.....from the smell it was antifreeze.....the lead car just blew his bottom radiator hose....


    There is always stuff dripping on the center of the road from other vehicles...