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Can anyone explain in detail exactly what a switchback is and how to handle them while driving. THANK YOU
Switchbacks are just sharp turns in a road that goes back and forth up a hill. Just drive slow and take the corners wide.
And whatever you do stay to the LEFT!
They are steep zig zag turns under 90 degrees. I actually find its better to accelerate some as you you begin your approach into the turn so you already have some momentum built up for the steeper apex and exit of the curve.
If you live in a snow belt, sort of like dealing with a snow covered hill - more likely to get slippage if you have to apply too much gas to just to get up the hill.
Drive slowly and stay left. Yes...it is a different experience to drive in the USVI but certainly not impossible or worth stressing over. If it was that hard, we would never have learned to drive in the first place.
With switchbacks and blind curves it is also a good idea to tap the horn once or twice as you approach to let someone coming the other way of your arrival into the turn. This is another reason to have the windows down, taking in the islands and not having the music so loud everyone else knows what you're listening to!
I liken it to driving in Boston in a snow storm, easy to break traction and always on the wrong side of the road but not driving the breakneck speeds you see in Boston.
Thank you everybody.
