Trailer weight distribution demonstration

On 10/5/2016 8:04 PM, wrote:
Bob, I can't tell whether you're questioning my sanity or confessing to
having a similar experience. Snip...

Heh - sorry, I was "confessing." Like you, my real-world introduction(s) to
"the instability aspect" of glider trailer towing occurred early-on in my
glider-towing "career." Happily, all (but one, exciting, otherwise minor,
self-inflicted foot shot) has always ended well, though once or twice I
could've opened an adrenaline retail store afterward. All my incidents were
considerably shorter in time than your extended education. None ever to be
forgotten...

And that's how I changed "book knowledge" of "proper trailer tongue weight"
into "practical experience..."

Yeah, it was exciting at times. Kind of like when I was easing down a hill
in the snow many years ago and the rear end of my small, rear-wheel-drive
car swung out. I wasn't on the brakes but the deceleration from holding it
in a lower gear was enough to trigger the skid. Snip...

BTDT, too, except I was fortunate enough to have it happen on the level and
without nearby traffic...nor was I "intentionally experimenting" in any way.
Driving to work on a rare (in the west) sleeting morning, I was "alarmedly
aware" how slick it was and how dismal were the handling aspects of the
vehicle I was driving, had had numerous prior warnings almost any throttle
applications at all resulted in wheel spin (and often, an extended slide),
thought it likely I'd have to park the car and walk the last few miles up a
gentle grade to my workplace, and was otherwise fully engaged in
simultaneously developing an "approach plan" while dealing with the
low-traction-issue-of-the-moment. I'd'a turned around and gone home but
couldn't find a place to safely do so until about 3/4 of the way to work.
(Happily, the ice was gone by noon.)

While simply doing nothing but trying to maintain an even throttle pressure in
high gear (minimizing engine braking effects) at the lowest speed that didn't
lug the engine (more wheel spin!), a momentary feather of the throttle
resulted in the rear end lazily easing sideways. Flooring the clutch pedal and
countersteering eventually - slowly, and after several increasing-amplitude
over-corrections - resulted in my doing a low-rotational-speed 180 and sliding
(rolling?) backward in my lane, looking through the windshield at a few other
commuters formerly behind me, with time to check the mirror for oncoming
traffic (none) my state might incite into the dreaded chain reaction, and to
gauge/"somewhat select" the (very shallow) angle at which I'd slide off the
road. The instant the left rear wheel contacted the slightly rougher shoulder
gravel, it "bit" and the vehicle completed a near-180 to its right and parked
itself neatly on the shoulder, facing the proper direction - almost as if I'd
planned it.

The car and I made it all the way to work without further excitement...

Bob W.