by "CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
Published 12/06/2017 at 21:48
by "CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
Published 12/06/2017 at 21:48
No Tags
STARS: 2
Have you been out on a back road driving like a hero until you suddenly become a zero? I know I have.
Tell me your best slides, skids, spins and other fuck ups.
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
12/06/2017 at 21:53, STARS: 4
I missed third gear earlier today. *GGGRRNCHH* Felt like a total idiot. Not the best story I have to offer, but it happened today, so that’s what came to mind.
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 21:54, STARS: 1
Those are often the worst. Or stalling while trying to show off.
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 21:56, STARS: 1
I’ll respond to my own thread. I understeered my last car (‘06 Mazda V6 6MT) so bad once while trying to be a driving badass (before I knew much about driving).
I swear, it was the closest to a code brown I’ve ever come
"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
12/06/2017 at 21:59, STARS: 2
Went too hard into a corner last week in the Prelude and ran into the gravel a bit.
"aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe" (emaxxbl)
12/06/2017 at 22:01, STARS: 7
I almost slammed the alfa into a brick wall sideways, who knew 10 year old uniroyal tigerpaws couldn’t make the transition between asphalt to dirt at 35 mph.
I was also messing around on an empty dirt road and got a little too carefree with my skids and took a slight detour through a bean field.
"vicali" (vicali)
12/06/2017 at 22:03, STARS: 5
Blew a downshift in my 22r pickup while trying to get by a semi on the Salmo Creston, the driver laughed on the cb and waved as I had to slink back in behind him and get back up to speed..
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 22:03, STARS: 1
I’ve done that once or twice.
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
12/06/2017 at 22:04, STARS: 1
I ground into second gear last week, felt like a damn novice considering I learned to drive 25 years ago, and I learned in a manual.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
12/06/2017 at 22:04, STARS: 7
I once ran my old Audi into a parked car. Also, this:
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
12/06/2017 at 22:04, STARS: 1
I used to have a Nissan Versa that had electric power steering with literally zero feeling. I was fine with the car overall, the suspension was wallowy as hell, but it just added to the slow car fast feel. However one day on a back road, I was taking a left hand turn and midcorner it just started understeering like a pig with no warning. I was able to recover it, however over half the car slide over the double yellow line.
After that I sold it and got a 90's Civic. I was much happier with that.
"BeaterGT" (beatergt)
12/06/2017 at 22:06, STARS: 3
I’ve spun my Firebird and Camaro from being an idiot and also from driving in poor conditions. I’ve also “money-shifted” my Subaru. The Saturn took all beatings and haven’t had a moment in the Corvette yet, thankfully!
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
12/06/2017 at 22:06, STARS: 6
I’ve had a manual for like 2 months. Stalled a few times in the first week. No biggy, just learning. Since then I have grinded 5th like 6 times. Don’t know why but about once a week I just don’t put the clutch in far enough and its only for 5th. I feel real dumb when it happens.
Also friendly reminder: I crashed my SC drifting. Twice.
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 22:07, STARS: 1
Ugh, so embarrassing.
I was at an intersection recently in the proper lane (first in line) when an i3 rolled up beside me in the lane that ended just past the intersection (ignoring the line at the stop light)
I thought, oh no asshole. Light goes green, I rev and drop the clutch, chirping my tires and letting out a growl from my exhaust.
He was already gone. God damn you instant torque!!!
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
12/06/2017 at 22:07, STARS: 2
I sometimes get mixed up between R and 1st on the Miata when I don’t make the down-and-left motions discrete enough.
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
12/06/2017 at 22:10, STARS: 4
Some dumbass in a 4runner almost ended up in the door of a montero while completely sideways when it iced over last.
Oh wait hang on that was me.
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 22:11, STARS: 2
Oops lol, brave posting that!
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
12/06/2017 at 22:15, STARS: 0
I was driving a rented 2017 Honda Civic 1.5 with a CVT, on a road which I found by looking for turns in google maps (As a European I can still not really get used to all the straight roads in Canada) . It turned out to be a dirt road, and I was like, I’ve got this, I can have it drift through the corners.
Well first corner comes up, I do a bit of an scandinavian flick, rear steps out a bit, but follows my inputs nicely. After that I got a bit too confident, because at the next corner I gave it a large flick the other way, managed to get the nose fully pointing in , but then the stability control decided to start working, making my thoughtfully applied inputs useless, and messing up my turn. T he car was just going towards the inside of the corner now, so I braked as hard as I could, and luckily got it to stop before hitting anything.
"aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe" (emaxxbl)
12/06/2017 at 22:16, STARS: 3
that wasn’t an accident, you were just using all of the available road.
"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
12/06/2017 at 22:17, STARS: 0
hen I was young, dumb, and immortal, plenty of instances of ambition outrunning talent,starting aged 16 with crashing my Mom’s car, whcih she didn’t know I had, in the hills above my town while trying to learn the Scandinavian flick.
Most recently, “Downshifting” the XJR from top to reverse, having forgotten I’d moved it out of the manual leg of the J gate. Fortunately the transmission was smart enough to go “Ummm, No!” and disable itself. Bloody embarrassing to have to glide to a stop & turn the ignition off and on before it’d give me back a gear though.
"tpw_rules" (tpwrules)
12/06/2017 at 22:18, STARS: 3
Took a wide left way too fast on a shitty rainy day and spuuuuuun. Right in front of a cop (among other traffic). By some miracle I missed everyone, and the cop wasn’t paying attention either. They pulled me over and yelled at me for trying to make an illegal u-turn.
"46and2aheadofme" (aheadofme)
12/06/2017 at 22:21, STARS: 2
My biggest internet driving error:
"jvirgs drives a Subaru" (jvirgs)
12/06/2017 at 22:21, STARS: 1
I’ve done that before, just not captured on camera.
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
12/06/2017 at 22:25, STARS: 1
Not even a month into owning the Outback
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"winterlegacy, here 'till the end" (winterlegacy)
12/06/2017 at 22:27, STARS: 1
My first gen Legacy OBW has seen its fair share of damage from an irresponsible, tired, and (relatively) new driver.
Like driving it over a curb in a supermarket parking lot because I just wanted to go home and sleep, proceeding to damage the exhaust.
"fintail" (fintail)
12/06/2017 at 22:27, STARS: 2
Worst one aside from dopey newbie driving memories that I repress, was pushing the fintail in a parking garage (waiting for tow, fuel injection part had failed after 50+ years, and the car had been sitting for a month- I was anxious to get it out of there). Cut a corner close and scraped the car, wouldn’t buff out. I put a band aid sticker over the mark. Still irritates me.
Otherwise, I’ve been lucky, maybe because most of my cars haven’t been the most likely hoonmobiles, or I plan ahead before going crazy. I curbed a wheel a few years ago, about a 2" mark, 30 minutes at the wheel guy and it was as-new. Still, $100 out of my pocket. About 20 years ago, I misjudged the speed of an oncoming car and got honked at when turning left, embarrassing.
"DasWauto" (DasWauto)
12/06/2017 at 22:27, STARS: 1
It’s been 15 years for me and the predominantly straight roads still kill me.
:<
There’s one excellent bit of road near me, thankfully, and I visit it often. If you head up to Collingwood or Creemore from Toronto before you leave, let me know and I’ll show you said road, it’s on the way.
"No Prius Needed" (nopriusneeded)
12/06/2017 at 22:29, STARS: 2
I got pulled over right after thinking to myself “There is probably a cop on the other side of this crest.” The officer sadly did not recognize me as No Prius Needed from Jalopnik or my famous SR20 swapped RL so I ended up receiving a ticket. Invest in a radar detector.
"G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman)
12/06/2017 at 22:30, STARS: 1
The Crown Vic’s 4R70W started having isolated issues (non-repeatable momentary loss of line pressure, but the fluid looked and smelled normal) in June, which caused one or two “check your shorts” moments. The voice in the back of my head that my car could effectively do a neutral drop at any time and there wasn’t really a way to figure out what was causing it because there were no other symptoms was the second-worst paranoia I’ve experienced in my lifetime. Needless to say, I won’t be buying another automatic-transmissioned vehicle anytime soon.
"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips)
12/06/2017 at 22:32, STARS: 0
When I was younger and stupid, I nearly drove off a cliff, but was saved by a dividing ditch. I was coming down from the top of a coal mine (unpaved road) during a somewhat sudden snowfall on really shitty all terrain tires. I knew from previous experience that I needed to have it 4WD, simply because the front tires’ lack of traction(not tread related) fooled the ABS into not working, locking the front brakes whenever the pedal was breathed upon. I had 2WD engaged up top because snonuts, and neglected to re-engage it. I came up on the first downhill turn, and like clockwork, the brakes locked up. The 4Runner went straight towards the edge, but slammed to a stop. I backed out, got out, assessed the miraculous lack of damage(old Toyotas FTW), and looked where I hit. There on the otherside of where I stopped was a nearly vertical drop. Those tires were gone the next week, and I’ll never buy Pro-Comp tires,
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 22:32, STARS: 0
that sucks!
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
12/06/2017 at 22:38, STARS: 1
Yeah, but it could’ve been worse. Photographer in his Ranger found the same patch of ice the day before and went in the same ditch (you can see his tire marks in the snowbank), but he went in a couple feet further back and hit a tree with the back of his truck. I was able to get yanked out with no damage
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
12/06/2017 at 22:39, STARS: 0
Silliest was the time I backed up into a ditch and got stuck. I was turning around on a snow covered back road and drove right off the road. The way it was plowed the road looked about two feet wider. I remember going to walk around the back of my car, and stepped on what looked like solid ground only to have my entire boot sink into the snow. I had to walk down to the next house and call my father in law, at eleven pm.
There was also a time, just a month or so after I got my license I was hustling down a snowy back road, and took a corner too fast in my Camry. The back end swung out, I over corrected, and ended up the wrong way around in a four foot snow bank. Thankfully the guy in the next house over saw me, drove down in his S-10 and pulled me out. With the evidence of the ordeal begun a crack in my front bumper.
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
12/06/2017 at 22:42, STARS: 0
I nearly had a late 90s grand caravan t-bone me when I turned left at an intersection, I assumed he wouldn’t run his light that recently turned red, but he did. That was the last time I turned left at a yellow/red before oncoming traffic was 100% stopped or nearly stopped. Felt like way too rookie a mistake to have happened like last year....
Less embarrassingly, and more funny, I turned left so fast in my old E28 that my sunglasses flew out the passenger window from the dash storage tray thing.
"SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media" (silentbutnotreallydeadly)
12/06/2017 at 22:43, STARS: 2
I’ll just leave this here...
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
12/06/2017 at 22:43, STARS: 1
I had a similar brake check moment, but randomly on the highway
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"scoob" (scoobsti)
12/06/2017 at 22:53, STARS: 0
On a highway one night, it was pretty much empty and pitch black. Wanted to switch from the entrance to the middle lane, so I shoulder and mirror checked The coast was clear and nobody was behind me so I made the change.
I was about half way through the lane change when all of a sudden an SUV came flying by me halfway over the left lane and my lane.
To this day I still have no idea where it came from. Perhaps they didn’t have their lights on and turned them on right as they narrowly passed me.
"G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman)
12/06/2017 at 22:55, STARS: 1
Also, if any of you have been on the hill up to Summerhill winery in Kelowna, imagine learning what ABS ice mode is like in the dry while you’re going down that hill. Come to think of it, all my “fuck-ups” have been due to shitty cars.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
12/06/2017 at 22:57, STARS: 1
Yeah, it’s just all so straight, which makes it very boring once you’re outside of a city. I must say that I sort of like it within the city, as it does make navigating easier.
Sadly I won’t have time for that this year, as I’m leaving in 2 weeks time. But I will be back sometime next year, and I will do a bit of a trip through Canada then, so I might take you up on that offer!
"Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner" (gavinharter30)
12/06/2017 at 23:00, STARS: 0
Ok so a couple of weeks ago (three days after I got the Mini back from the shop), I’m turning off of an exit ramp and I decide to gas it to the next red light. Well the next light turns red as soon as I’m about to go through it, and I decide (stupidly) to slam on the brakes at 65. In a 40. As I hit the brakes, the pedal immediately goes to the floor. The front brakes failed. I panic and rip the handbrake. I still manage to get it stopped. Below is a google earth picture of what happened. *dramatic re-enactment* the green is when I hit the brakes. Red is e-brake
"BeaterGT" (beatergt)
12/06/2017 at 23:01, STARS: 2
F1 would allow it.
"scoob" (scoobsti)
12/06/2017 at 23:02, STARS: 0
You can’t leave that and not say anything!
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
12/06/2017 at 23:02, STARS: 1
Really? Really? Sorry, I’ve done that at least two or three times that I can remember.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
12/06/2017 at 23:05, STARS: 0
I pulled out in front of a bimmer that I was prepared to go much faster than in my Civic. I floored it in first and went to shift into second... and got 5th. Lugged so hard, he had to slow down from 40 to 20 quickly. He stayed waaaay back from me because he thought I was dangerously stupid, which is even more embarrassing than if he had tailgated my ass, honked, swore, passed me etc. Guy put so much distance between us as I shifted down into second and tried to recover...
"sony1492" (sony1492)
12/06/2017 at 23:07, STARS: 0
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/nailed-it-1706463686
Yes I was trying to powerslide a FWD.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
12/06/2017 at 23:09, STARS: 0
Yikes!
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
12/06/2017 at 23:13, STARS: 0
The incident sucked, but my reaction was hilarious
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
12/06/2017 at 23:14, STARS: 0
Well done Mr. Rally Man.
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
12/06/2017 at 23:17, STARS: 1
Wrong rubber for conditions
"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
12/06/2017 at 23:19, STARS: 0
The Muskoka region has lots of great roads.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
12/06/2017 at 23:19, STARS: 0
Haha I was just giving u shit but yeah tires make a difference
"46and2aheadofme" (aheadofme)
12/06/2017 at 23:26, STARS: 0
So, not to be all conspiracy theorist or anything, but I couldn’t post this image as a standalone OPPO post. Something kept blocking me from doing so. I probably tried, in various ways, several dozen times. The only way I could make the point is by posting it as a comment. So sorry for hijacking the thread but wtf else was supposed to do... I’ll post a legit response to the question shortly to make up for it.
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
12/06/2017 at 23:27, STARS: 1
In the Rabbit GTI, which had some pretty narrow gates on the shifter, I hit 3rd when going for 5th. At redline. And I did it twice. These were the only times I’ve seen a tach needle pointing straight down. Tough little engine, though, as it ran just fine after each event.
"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
12/06/2017 at 23:34, STARS: 1
At that point I was still on the all seasons it came with. Can’t remember what they were but I got rid of them in the spring when I noticed the sidewalls were starting to show some cracks
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/06/2017 at 23:52, STARS: 0
It’s not me, it’s the car!
Suuuure lol.
Summerhill’s nice!
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
12/07/2017 at 00:00, STARS: 0
after a solid night of perfect rev match heel toe shifting driving like a full on hero, i hit the highway onramp, revved in 4th up to the redline and shifted... into 3rd :(
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
12/07/2017 at 00:00, STARS: 1
“Really?”
Lol that was bound to happen. Just one sheet of ice and rip.
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
12/07/2017 at 00:02, STARS: 1
Don’t feel bad. I’ve done that, that bad 2x I think. Mostly on freeways. It sucks and it’s heart rushing but if you were a bad driver like you feel afterwords, you would have put your car so far up someone’s rear end they wouldn’t be able to sit.
"CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)" (ccpbb)
12/07/2017 at 00:05, STARS: 0
My friend was driving the Matrix and I had just installed this dandy short shifter. The issue with this was the sheer stiffness and the shift gates became really hard to find with this shifter. He ended up in 3rd and tried to drive.
Cloud of smoke later, bye clutch.
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
12/07/2017 at 00:07, STARS: 0
I always seem to naturally do a brake stand on crest. Cops scare me. I now have a carry permit and feel better about dealing with cops because I have a carry permit. It’s crazy but being a white person with a gun and the proper license makes me feel like I’m better off.
"G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman)
12/07/2017 at 00:18, STARS: 0
I know it sounds like total BS, but I don’t really have any other explanation. I got my kicks early with autocross, no backroads needed. I just experienced more broken stuff in that car than I did in the Cutlass. (How about caliper sliders deciding to stick a little from construction zone vibrations, dragging the pad and rotor and heating a set of wheel studs to a point where, combined with vibration from Ontario construction, all five of them snap going down the QEW?) I’m still convinced that car was cursed. Two different ABS modules didn’t solve the occasional inadvertent ice mode, three IACVs didn’t solve why it would occasionally stall in traffic, the HVAC had a mind of its own. I wouldn’t have sold it to a private party even if I could. Nobody deserved to be burdened with Christine’s cousin Fran.
Number of “oh shit” moments in the Crown Vic? I’ve lost count.
Number of “oh shit” moments in all other cars I’ve driven: Off the top of my head, one (accidentally running over one of the detailing hoses at work with a tire, and it only felt terrible because it sounded expensive. Nothing broke, everything was fine).
As for Summerhill, I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been.
"No Prius Needed" (nopriusneeded)
12/07/2017 at 00:32, STARS: 0
I also do this (now at least) and my ass clenches every time I see a cop now lol. I don’t really know what a carry permit will do for you when dealing with law enforcement to be honest. In my experience, if you are professional and respectful, the officer will act the same.
"SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media" (silentbutnotreallydeadly)
12/07/2017 at 01:05, STARS: 0
Ha! I just did.
OK. Simple story. I wasn’t driving correctly (too bloody fast) given the prevailing road conditions (unsealed blacksoil road with a pair of deep mud filled ruts). Rear end fell into the ruts and around I went into the table drain before the Defender fell over and rolled twice. I was able to climb out through the windscreen frame...
I ended up driving it a couple of hundred metres to where these pics were taken so nothing was souvenired from it before it was recovered.
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
12/07/2017 at 06:54, STARS: 0
I had a serious moment in my MR2 about a year ago. And I wasn’t so lucky in my first 300ZX.
I moved to the city in May. I miss the country roads and the big empty roundabouts. And the wet road shenanigans and the near death experiences. The MR2 is small and nimble for the city roads - it’s fun but it’s not the same brand of fun.
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
12/07/2017 at 06:55, STARS: 0
I’m glad there was no damage
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
12/07/2017 at 07:00, STARS: 1
Love the squeal. Lets you know it was a proper swerve. Well done sir.
I had a similar moment once. A piece of road that was up hill but then flattened. I hit the perfect storm where there was a long line of cars that I couldn’t see due to the flat section. Maybe I could’ve if I really tried.
Anyway it was wet and I by the time I realized the cars ahead of me were slowing down much earlier than I thought, it was almost too late. I reckon I’d have hit someone if not for the ABS in my ‘90 300ZX. Good on ya Nissan.
Also there’s this. Incredible footage.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
12/07/2017 at 07:44, STARS: 0
In order to get a carry permit you have to undergo a background check and people who have permit are not usually the people that are hiding anything.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
12/07/2017 at 08:20, STARS: 1
Me in VT winter: “My WRX has AWD and I’m basically a rally driver”
BOV? check, intake? check, fart can? chiggity check!
Car:
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/07/2017 at 08:24, STARS: 0
Technically the i3 used the lane correctly. Those types of intersections are used so all of traffic can make the light and zipper merge on the other side. It only works when people actually use the lane that ends. Instead of just lining up on one side.
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
12/07/2017 at 08:26, STARS: 2
Hey, Mr. Rally-man, rally me an Outback!
daylight come and we wanna go home....
"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
12/07/2017 at 08:27, STARS: 0
This happened back I was inexperienced, young, and dumb. I had been really sick for a few days and had missed 2 or 3 days of school and the first day I felt better I went back to school (I had a project or something big due, I don’t even remember now). Unfortunately I had slept for shit that last few days and was running on virtually no sleep. On my way home from school I was fighting sleep hard, opening the windows while it was 20F out, turning up the radio, slapping myself, everything. I was almost home (less than half a mile) when I woke up from hitting a parked car. Luckily I only hit an empty parked car. I don’t drive sleep deprived anymore. As soon as I feel my eyes getting heavy I pull over ASAP and sleep or get someone else to drive.
"DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back" (karsonkinja)
12/07/2017 at 08:51, STARS: 0
Late to the party here.
I used to drive a 5 Speed 1996 Toyota Tacoma . I was on my way home from work one Friday evening and it was drizzling lightly. I was coming up to a two-lane left turn and the light just turned yellow. I wasn’t right on it, but to either stop or go through the light would be cutting it close. I chose to go through. I slowed and took the outside left turn lane and turned at what I considered a fairly normal speed to go through a light. Maybe it was a bit fast...though. I straightened up but then realized something.
The back end was still turning
. Tiny nineties truck. No weight in the back. Skinny tires. Lift off oversteer.
So here I was, slowly rotating and heading into the car to my left. What do I do? Do I do the right thing and apply some oppo, steer into it, and recover? That would be the smart thing to do right?
I panicked. I was dumb. I hit the brakes. Yanked the wheel. The good news was that I wasn’t going to hit another car anymore. The bad news is that I was not heading towards a ditch and in a full on slide. I wasn’t going fast so I just slid somewhat sideways into a ditch. This ditch:
There was no way I was getting out. I stood next to my truck. Defeated. Shamed. Cars passed and wold honk. I call my dad who worked nearby and he called a tow.
However, while I was waiting for a tow, a good Samaritan stopped, told me he had some tow straps he was gonna go get and would come back. He did want some compensation for his trouble and I told him as long as he got back before the tow truck he could give it a shot. He takes off in his truck. I wait. And wait. More shame. More anxiety. Finally he returns with the tow straps. We hook ‘em up, he get in his truck and I get in mine. This was probably the sketchiest experience of my life; I was pulled up the incline while he drove forward on the road. I felt like I was going to roll at any moment, so I clung to my steering wheel and tried to steer it smoothly up the incline.
The Taco was free. I thanked the guy so much for his trouble and we went to the gas station across the street so I could pay him. I was still so flustered from the accident that n when I went to u turn, I left the back half of my truck out in the left lane blocking traffic. I have no idea what I was thinking.
Anyway,in the end, I was saved. The good Samaritan earned $60 (which is probably less than what the winch would have cost.) And I learned a super valuable lesson about driving dynamics. I’m just glad I didn’t hurt anyone.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
12/07/2017 at 09:27, STARS: 0
That’s true. I think I’m mostly annoyed at how long my reaction time was (I was staring in the mirrors, which of course you aren’t supposed to do)
"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
12/07/2017 at 10:46, STARS: 0
But it’s rude!!!
"Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
12/07/2017 at 11:58, STARS: 1
I’ve lost count of how many driving errors I’ve had in my work truck...
My worst was when I backed it into a wall. Thankfully it wasn’t that bad.
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
12/07/2017 at 12:01, STARS: 1
“almost”
damn. I wish you were ded
"aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe" (emaxxbl)
12/07/2017 at 12:04, STARS: 1
"thejustache" (thejustache)
12/07/2017 at 14:18, STARS: 0
I’ve managed not to unintentionally leave the road in my XT so far, but I did a pretty similar thing in my Saabaru on the way to work a few years ago. I shoveled my way out but was a good 40 minutes late... Also did a pretty similar thing in the GTI I had before that... and the Outback before that... thankfully I never hurt anything worse than my ego!
"thejustache" (thejustache)
12/07/2017 at 14:26, STARS: 0
I posted up above but just realized I ALSO slid into a ditch in the saabaru right after buying it as well... that time it was still on the original all seasons. While my winter wheels/tires were on their way to me in the mail we got a sudden 6 inches of sloppy wet stuff right before thanksgiving. Traffic was barely moving on the way home so I figured I’d take the longer, more rural route home. The car slid into a mud pit at the side of an off camber turn on a dirt road at no more than 8mph and refused to move. Tires make all the difference!
"BayAreaMiataBoi" (bayareamiataboi)
12/08/2017 at 20:55, STARS: 0
Learned a new global rule of hooning when hero-driving through the fog in the hills in the Miata:
No. 3: Do not speed up just before the pass or the tight corner.
No. 2: Downhill.
No. 1: In the rain (or any other form of precipitation).
(The driver of the pickup truck I passed was nice enough to wait while I backed the car out of the loose berm dirt and Zoom-Zoomed sheepishly into the night. I guess that maybe he didn’t want to be “passed” again that night. . .)
"BayAreaMiataBoi" (bayareamiataboi)
12/08/2017 at 21:24, STARS: 0
I’ve had that happen on my Miata 6-speed quite a few times, but it is usually between 6th and Reverse. I tell you, that Miata just +does not like+ to go into reverse on the freeway!
But the shifting problems get worse: At MRLS (Laguna Seca) last October, I mis-shifted ++3 times++ in the same Corkscrew turn. (Started Turn 8; (1) shifted too low/broke rear end loose; (2) shifted too high/broke rear end loose the other way; (3) SHIFTED +WAY TOO LOW+ and avoided the money shift by feathering the clutch/still broke rear end loose the other other way again because by then I was somehow going faster; and (4) +finally+ found the right gear; had nightmare visions of stuffing my DD into a wall; had a momentary though that the flag worker had already seen lots of drivers lose it on what is really a fairly-easy turn, all before I got to the apex of Turn 8a.)
I am installing high-durometer Blackbird Fabworx Street engine mounts next Monday; I hope I don’t have to swap out the 6-speed anyway. . .
"BayAreaMiataBoi" (bayareamiataboi)
12/08/2017 at 22:07, STARS: 0
From the Out-of-the-Blue department:
Because my Ford Fairlane electrical system had a devil living in it, I was a frequent renter at my local Cheapo Rental Company. After about four rents, they gave me a brand-new (96 miles!) mid-80's Fiesta. On a dry, warm, and sunny day. . .
My buddy thought that it would be a good thing to test the parking brake on the freeway, but he pulled up so hard on the handle that he couldn’t get it to release! I told him to get his hands out of the way, and I POUNDED the release button with my hand while controlling a 4-wheel slide at 75 mph with my other hand. Luckily, I got the brake to release before we got down to 60 mph, but the tires were all flat-spotted.
That was kinda distracting, and I was feeling pretty sad for the rental company. But I wasn’t done yet. . .
Here comes our exit onto an expressway, and I am wondering if the thump-thump-thump tires can manage a high-speed chicane. Oh well, we are now back up to 75 so go for it! I go for a downshift and hit first (about 13-14ooo rpm). Out-of-the-blue: WEHEEEE, tick, tick, tick, tick. . . No, won’t bump start. Let’s just coast into the nearest parking lot near a depression in the pavement. No, won’t push start. Call rental company, wait for their tow truck.
The ‘official’ story: “We don’t know what happened.”
Ford mechanic report: “I’ve never seen one of these 4-bangers with TWO crushed lifters!”