Had an "Oh, sh*t!" moment on I-74 today.

"mazda616" (mazda616)
09/27/2014 at 18:20 • Filed to: None

My wife and I are in Indianapolis for a Colts game. My uncle lives up here too and we were heading to his house for dinner today. There was a pickup in front of us, and all of a sudden a broom and some other broom looking thing (looks like something used to flatten/smooth out fresh concrete) fly out. I had no choice but to hit them. We were going about 70. I slammed the brakes and swerved so the CX-5 straddled the sharp end of the concrete smoother and BAM, BAM. Both of them plowed the undercarriage. I immediately pulled over and checked everything out. Didn't see any damage. I think mostly what they hit was the floor pan and maybe the exhaust. All of the plastic and stuff under there is good, thank God.

We made the rest of the drive alright and it is still good, so I'd say we got really lucky.

A pic of what we hit:

DISCUSSION (7)

$kaycog > mazda616
09/27/2014 at 18:32

Scary stuff! Yeah, I'd say you were very lucky indeed.

tromoly > mazda616
09/27/2014 at 18:56

Yeah, that's a concrete tool. Good to hear you guys are safe, that thing could have done some serious damage.

Stuff flying out of vehicles on the highway scares me, a few years ago I was in a work vehicle when a flathead screwdriver about a foot long came out of the pickup well ahead of me, I watched the thing bounce in slow motion into the grill of the truck. Pulled over right away and there was no damage, still isn't something I'd ever like to do again.

mazda616 > tromoly
09/27/2014 at 18:57

I think if I didn't swerve and let the car straddle the tool and go between the tires, we'd have been stranded.

Wurrwulf > mazda616
09/27/2014 at 19:12

Down here, we call those "come alongs". They're used to pull concrete into place. Glad nothing was seriously damaged!

Takuro Spirit > mazda616
09/27/2014 at 19:44

JOO GOT LUKEE

Seen so many plastic under trays, especially since there are SO MANY on cars these days for aero.... also seen many plastic gas tanks ruptured by road debris. And knocked off oil filters (AND THEY KEPT DRIVING UNTIL REKT).

Still have all your little rubber flaps ahead of the wheels?

SirRaoulDuke > mazda616
09/27/2014 at 19:46

You fared better than me today here in Indiana.

I blasted a coyote this morning, doing 55. Blew out the foglight assembly and will need a new front bumper. Car fared better than the coyote, who is currently dead in the median.

mazda616 > Takuro Spirit
09/27/2014 at 21:15

Yep. Everything is intact. And, we drove it another 90 miles today with no weird noises or vibrations or anything else out of the ordinary. I think we are very blessed indeed.