Lesson Learnt

V

Vonlipvig

Active member
 West Devon
This morning I learnt a valuable lesson which may come of use to someone and is probably common sense to the rest of you.

Was on a run out this morning, gorgeous sunny day, on a bit of road dropping down into a tight right hander and I lost the back end. I wasn't going particularly quick (although obviously too quick for the corner) and the near side rear clipped the wall. Car went onto two wheels, must have been at about 45 degree angle, and came back down, hazards on, dashboard looking like Christmas. I had a quick check of the side that was hit, nothing hanging off, so moved her safe. After the key was taken out and put back in, dash registered fine, system check all fine, all I had were some superficial scratches and a bit of hedge rash down the nearside. We carried on the run and the car was behaving fine and had a really enjoyable rest of the drive.

This was my first ever time being in a car accident and I was incredibly lucky here, it so could have been must worse. Someone been behind me, or coming in the other direction, more damage to car, damage to me, damage to the wall, list goes on.

This was something that was entirely my fault, no question there. But the lesson I have learnt is one that should be common sense to all, and normally is with me, and that is; Don't drive beyond your ability, where you feel comfortable, and for petes sake especially not on roads you don't know!

I hit the tri-factor here. Even if your confidence is building on unknown roads, remember they are unknown, you never know what is round the next corner.

I'm off to clean the car to see what the underlying scratches look like, comfort my hurt pride, prepare for the bashing from the wife, and to buy a lottery ticket.

Drive safe folks
 
Good post and sorry to hear :( I wouldn't beat yourself up too much, you've had a scare and will learn from it. The first time I had ever driven a rear wheel drive car was a MK1 MR2 on a test drive and got totally carried away, misjudged the quick steering and turned into a bend too soon at 60ish, I clipped the kerb with the front wheel. bounced off and did a 360 onto the opposite side of the road. Luckily the car stalled and I didn't hit anyone or anything. Terrifying wasn't the word. Luckily no damage to the car except my pride. I bought the car after the test drive :)



If you can get to a track day its a good way to learn the cars limits in a safe environment.

Tim.
 
If I can add a head's up about rural roads - you can do every thing right and still come a cropper because some causes are out of your control.

I've spun out twice in the last ten years or so; both on corners and both times in front wheel drive cars (which were my daily) where the back end has broken away and both times due to diesel on the road :o Fortunately both times on empty roads and without going up the hedgeback.

There's a lot of produce/grain being lead back to farms at the moment and the boys don't hang around. They corner a little quicker to get the job done and occasionally fuel slops in the tank and past ill fitting tank caps or jerry cans fall over. You follow (particularly after a summer shower or heavy dew) and the road surface has no grip - just when you most need it.

You also need to watch out for gravel washed onto corners after heavy summer showers - like driving on marbles.

Thankfully a rare event but I guess it comes to all of us sooner or later - just remember country roads are a tricky as town roads and a lot faster -drive safe :thumbsup:
 
Car cleaned, not nearly as bad as it looked before, sideskirt seems to have taken the brunt with a couple of fine lines along the door. With my experience of polishing at a record, null, Buzyg's comment of it may well polish out give me some comfort.

Good shout with the track day Tim, I remember someone mentioned Porsche do a open day at silverstone where you can bring your own car, even a Z, and go out with one of their instructors. That may well be a plan. Oh this wasn't the limit of the car either, very much the limit of me :oops:
 

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Are the marks deep on the skirt? If not, I'd hit that with some 1500 paper on a DA and then polish it up afterwards.

Mike
 
I would say not deep, but I have zero experience with polishing or anything detailing wise so wouldn't have a clue :(
 
Lessons learnt and we've all been there in varying degrees...

On the polishing as you don't know what you're doing I suggest drop to a bodyshop and ask if it can be polished out or needs a respray. They will given honest opinion before you do more harm than good by cutting through and into paint.
However as a test if you can feel scratches with your nail they are unlikely to polish out
 
Door and arches checked, feel nothing with my nail so they should be good, touch wood. Skirt i can feel the scratches so probably spray for them then. Oh I won't be trying any of this myself, for starters I don't own anything to try and would probably ruin it myself
 
There but for the grace of God.............. just be pleased that you are OK. You will soon have the car restored to its former glory.
 
Lesson for us all i think, its easy to inflate your own driving ability and events like this shared help people to plant their feet squarely back on the ground. Good to hear that pride was the only real casualty. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :driving:
 
Rusky said:
Lesson for us all i think, its easy to inflate your own driving ability and events like this shared help people to plant their feet squarely back on the ground. Good to hear that pride was the only real casualty. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :driving:
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Cheers Rusky. That was my aim of the post, I messed up, I will hopefully learn from it. Hopefully by me sharing that it will help someone, someday.

And luckily the wife is not pissed, just happy I'm ok :thumbsup:
 
Just came back from our week in the Dales in a cabin, driving hilly roads with stupid bends of all angles -ended up pulling over more than a few times to let the locals in their 4x4's pass.
 
In fairness you can be driving at an appropriate speed for the conditions and still come unstuck.

If you've correctly identified the cause as loss of control my recommendation would be to get an LSD :thumbsup:
 
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