My First Near-Horrible Accident – A Moment I’ll Never Forget

[Junkyard Dog]

Last night around 10 PM, I had the most intense driving experience of my life—and I felt it was worth sharing here.


I was out on a quiet road with my dad in the passenger seat. We had just installed a device in the car (Bouncie) that tracks speed, braking, and acceleration. My dad wanted to test what would qualify as “hard acceleration,” so I planned to launch from a red light.


Out of nowhere, a 2017 Mustang V6 pulled up in the lane next to me. Clearly wanted to run.
I was in Drag Strip mode, and I made the mistake of turning traction control off.


Light turns green—we both launch. I immediately pulled ahead, but around 4 seconds in, I hit 7,400 RPM, pedal still buried.


Then, it happened.


The rear of the car kicked out to the right, and the front swung left—straight toward the V6’s lane.


It felt like someone had lifted the car and rotated it sideways. The tires were screaming, and in that instant, my eyes widened. I felt a level of fear and dread I hadn’t felt in years. It genuinely felt like all control I had as the driver was ripped away in a heartbeat.


I knew if I reacted wrong—stayed in it, yanked the wheel, overcorrected—it would end in a spin, possibly a crash.


So I did the only thing I could think of: I tapped the brakes. Quick and controlled.


Snap.
The car jolted back straight. Traction returned. I regained full control.


No curb. No impact. No damage. Just silence.


Looking back, it’s a good thing he wasn’t a GT. If that had been a neck-and-neck run with another V8, I likely would’ve slid right into him—pushed him over the curb, and possibly into oncoming traffic.
That could’ve meant serious injury… or worse. And for me? Possibly a manslaughter charge.


I’ve always known the S650 has power and attitude—but last night, I learned respect. This car is no joke, and when you disable safety systems without the experience to back it up, things can go south fast.


Just remember, guys—your life can change just like that.
One second of overconfidence. One mistake. That’s all it takes.


Drive safe. Respect the machine. Always.

Your Dad needs to be slapped, hard.

First for getting a 15 year old a car like this, and again for encouraging you to pull this stunt on a public street last night.

Since your Dad is not responsible enough, then you should be aware that racing in Florida is up to one year in jail, a $1000 fine, and the loss of your license for one year - that license revocation is mandatory. Mustang gets impounded for 30 days. Have you checked the cost of daily impound fees in your neck of the woods?

Florida just passed a new law that can apply to passengers in the car, as well. Just heads up for the Dad of The Year.

Since you are 15 years old, and driving on a Learner's permit, you should be aware that any moving violation can result in an additional year before you get your license, up until the age of 18. Did you know that?

I assume you are not in your first 3 months, because that is daylight hours driving only. 3-6 months is up until 10:00 p.m.

When they told your Dad to log supervised driving hours, this is not what the Florida authorities had in mind.

Somebody above recommended track days, or HPDE. Maybe talk to your Dad about your interest in keeping performance driving where it is intended. Track days are fun and will give you an outlet for driving more to the car's potential. If acceleration is your interest, then there is always drag racing on an actual drag strip. Or do both. Then keep your driving on the streets legal and safe.

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[Sinthor 5.56]

I'm surprised there isn't more of this based on having four GT's. If I knew the answer, other than not street racing, I'd tell you.

So what would make the car do this when it's already up to speed? I get not mashing the gas as you turn and pull out of a parking lot or in a corner, but going STRAIGHT at high speed these things will hop sideways like that???

 

[Junkyard Dog]

So what would make the car do this when it's already up to speed? I get not mashing the gas as you turn and pull out of a parking lot or in a corner, but going STRAIGHT at high speed these things will hop sideways like that???

It wasn't "at speed." He was, according to his own estimation, around 4 seconds in. I doubt his estimation is accurate, but, even if it was, his Mustang takes more than 4 seconds even to do a 0-60 run in perfect conditions.

Yes, these cars will get a little sideways in Drag Mode "at speed." I have personally experienced a good deal of loss of traction at speeds around the same as roughly described by the OP when starting from a standing start, when I am behaving like a juvenile delinquent.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I am pretty sure if you add a Whipple Stage 2 or better it will do this at any legal speeds on your local roads.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

The best muscle cars that are legends in the 60s and 70s had no more than 425 to 450 horsepower.

This car is 486 with active exhaust, a full 500 in my Dark Horse.

This car would have been legendary had it come out in 1968. It would have absolutely trounced any muscle car. I have published the comparisons with the painfully slow Mustang performance models of the period.

If I told you, however, that a Hemi GTX has a tendency to lose traction well up into second or third gear, you would have no problems believing it, but here we have a car that would probably eat that Hemi GTX's lunch in a drag race, but you have problems believing the same?

So, yes, I am telling you from personal experience, be careful. Your car absolutely will lose traction at speed if you are accelerating from a standing start in Drag Mode. You paid extra for this sort of car and experience.

If you want it to be safer, leave it in Normal mode, and all the nannies will help keep you from becoming overwhelmed and losing control, as car will tend to rein in the traction issues. But. It isn't the same experience as romping the gas in Drag Mode. Just sayin'

 

[Rambo5.0h]

It wasn't "at speed." He was, according to his own estimation, around 4 seconds in. I doubt his estimation is accurate, but, even if it was, his Mustang takes more than 4 seconds even to do a 0-60 run in perfect conditions.

Yes, these cars will get a little sideways in Drag Mode "at speed." I have personally experienced a good deal of loss of traction at speeds around the same as roughly described by the OP when starting from a standing start, when I am behaving like a juvenile delinquent.

I don't really remember cuz I didn't look. It might have been like 3 seconds in

 

[rijndael]

If I told you, however, that a Hemi GTX has a tendency to lose traction well up into second or third gear

They had what ... a 215mm wide tire?

 

[Sinthor 5.56]

It wasn't "at speed." He was, according to his own estimation, around 4 seconds in. I doubt his estimation is accurate, but, even if it was, his Mustang takes more than 4 seconds even to do a 0-60 run in perfect conditions.

Yes, these cars will get a little sideways in Drag Mode "at speed." I have personally experienced a good deal of loss of traction at speeds around the same as roughly described by the OP when starting from a standing start, when I am behaving like a juvenile delinquent.

Ok, ok...that makes more sense. I had the picture of already being at speed for some time, probably around 70 or so and then just suddenly having that happen. That would not be fun! But while you're starting the pull and all that acceleration, it makes more sense.

 

[Frogdog1]

So what would make the car do this when it's already up to speed? I get not mashing the gas as you turn and pull out of a parking lot or in a corner, but going STRAIGHT at high speed these things will hop sideways like that???

1. I have no idea what you're talking about. I only tell my car what to do, to a point.

2. I would not let irresponsible, inexperienced adolescents with fathers of the same ilk, drive some cars and give them to their children to drive.

I don't know, will they all hop sideways like the OP's did when criminally street racing?

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I don't know, will they all hop sideways like the OP's did when criminally street racing?

Yes, they will, given the same conditions (e.g., selecting Drag Mode prior to starting, etc.)

 

[Starship Enterprise]

So what would make the car do this when it's already up to speed? I get not mashing the gas as you turn and pull out of a parking lot or in a corner, but going STRAIGHT at high speed these things will hop sideways like that???

I figure since he claimed he floored it and it was still winding past 7500 RPM yet only 3 or 4 seconds in, it then probably broke traction as it grabbed the next gear.

My God. Only 15 and street racing at WOT in a 486 hp sports car with his Dad riding shotgun?!?

 

[Sinthor 5.56]

1. I have no idea what you're talking about. I only tell my car what to do, to a point.

2. I would not let irresponsible, inexperienced adolescents with fathers of the same ilk, drive some cars and give them to their children to drive.

I don't know, will they all hop sideways like the OP's did when criminally street racing?

Ok, bud, relax. Nobody will ever break the rules and go over the posted speed limits. You obviously never do that either. You might also take a look at your mental state. If people asking theoretical questions on the internet offends you...... In any case, not all of us are so all knowing as you yourself apparently are, so we ask questions. If that bothers you, maybe...don't read them?

 

[young at heart]

Look at the bold word as well.

This all is chatGPT

No offense man, but not everybody who stayed awake in Mrs. Callaway’s 6th grade English class is a bot. And yeah I realize that decent sentence structure and careful spelling makes you suspect on a forum but there you go. I’m guilty too. Maybe I’m a bot?

Trolls are pretty easy to spot and this kid isn’t one.

Now, as far as his dad, yeah maybe not the best judgement. But the son seems to be a good egg and I think he’ll learn from his mistakes. Provided of course he takes it easy and buys himself some time to do so.

 

[Sinthor 5.56]

I figure since he claimed he floored it and it was still winding past 7500 RPM yet only 3 or 4 seconds in, it then probably broke traction as it grabbed the next gear.

My God. Only 15 and street racing at WOT in a 486 hp sports car with his Dad riding shotgun?!?

Yeah, that makes sense. I hadn't parsed that correctly and was thinking it was going on much later. As for the dad...I don't know exactly what kind of road it was and how much traffic, etc. Dad might have thought it was a "safe" place to let his son experiment and figured...get it over with while he's there to supervise and not later? In any case, doesn't matter. What happened happened. Hopefully some lessons were learned that will prevent that behavior in the future!

 

[GrabThatBlue]

No offense man, but not everybody who stayed awake in Mrs. Callaway’s 6th grade English class is a bot. And yeah I realize that decent sentence structure and careful spelling makes you suspect on a forum but there you go. I’m guilty too. Maybe I’m a bot?

Trolls are pretty easy to spot and this kid isn’t one.

Now, as far as his dad, yeah maybe not the best judgement. But the son seems to be a good egg and I think he’ll learn from his mistakes. Provided of course he takes it easy and buys himself some time to do so.

Sorry to tell you, but his comments were fully AI. Nothing to do with school.

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