The recent video of a Secret Service Agent driving the Presidential Limo in reverse around Lime Rock Race Track took the social media by storm. According to some reports the video received 40 Million views. The majority of those viewing the video were under the impression that the video was real, but actually, it was an excellent animation. Truth be told, the first time I looked at it, I thought it was real.
The video did create many questions concerning the skills needed to drive in reverse.
So for those working in the Secure Transportation profession; some thoughts on backing up.
Here are some quick points on backing up when the objective is to escape the Kill Zone
- Backing up quick is difficult, very difficult, requires a great deal of skill and concentration, also backing up slow has no resemblance to backing up fast, and if not done correctly can be hazardous to your health.
- The definition of “Fast” while backing up is not the same as fast going forward. While driving in reverse life can get terribly exciting at 35 MPH
- Backing up around obstacles, such as vehicles, bears no resemblance to backing up in a straight line.
- Backing up in a luxury sedan bears no resemblance to backing up in an SUV.
- Backing up in a high center of gravity SUV bears no resemblance to backing up in a police package vehicle or luxury sedan.
- Backing up in a high center of gravity SUV bears no resemblance to backing up in a 10,000 pound armored SUV.
If you find yourself in the unpleasant position of being caught in the Kill Zone, and the scenario requires that you must reverse out of the kill zone, the more distance you can put between you and them the better. The quicker you get yourself going backward the better off you are. If we use 30 MPH as an average back up speed (that’s fast in reverse), every second is 45 feet of distance you put between you and them. In three seconds you will be 135 feet away from the problem. If you sit there for 1.5 seconds and contemplate your navel, you have given up around 68 feet of distance.
A vehicle handling characteristics in reverse vary a great deal from vehicle to vehicle. If you have to back up around obstacles – never combine lots of steering wheel movement with a heavy foot on the gas pedal. The faster you travel in reverse, the more sensitive the steering becomes, and the greater the chance for disaster. The correct amount of steering and speed in reverse can only be determined through practice. Please keep in mind that, because of the vehicle design characteristics, it doesn’t take much to flip a vehicle while moving in reverse. (Unfortunately, I speak from experience)
The handling characteristics of a vehicle in reverse are not the same as driving forward. Because a vehicle handles well going forward is no indication of how it will handle driving in reverse. As an example: if a vehicle moving forward can drive around an obstacle at 60 mph, the same vehicle going around the same object will lose control while driving in reverse at 20 mph.
Some vehicles have a device, called “the governor,” that limits the speed while driving in reverse. The time to find out that you have a governor on the vehicle, preventing you to drive fast in reverse is before you’re in the deep stuff. As a test put the vehicle in reverse and accelerate; if there is a governor on the vehicle the engine will misfire at around 10 MPH.
This link will show you what happens when driving in reverse and spinning a Limo is not fake, a little different.
http://jalopnik.com/you-know-that-limo-racing-backwards-is-fake-right-1764385747