A VERY bad start to the day...

[Gatt]

Started off as a normal drive to work.. roads were quiet

i get off the m-way at my junction and am approaching the end of the sliproad, so i press the brakes

 

No Response.. oh bugger

 

At the end of the sliproad is an island with some barriers on it, i try to stear round the corner but cant, = brakes still not working

 

So the inevitable happens - i plow straight into the island and barriers - stopping the car..

 

Quick check to make sure I'm ok and then reverse out and off the sliproad

 

Upon investigation I find the front bumper haning on by a bolt on the drivers side, but the passenger side is a goner.. lying pathetically on the road..

The front wing is pushing the mudflap onto the tyre, but a quick yank sorts that..

 

After clearing up some debris, i wedge the bumper in place and limp slowly to work..

 

It should be noted that the brakes worked perfectly - both before the sliproad and all the way to work after the prang..

 

Now I need to find the price of a new front bumper - and get my brakes checked...

 

Need some coffee to settle my frayed nerves...

[mattx]

I had the brakes go in an old mini metro I once owned - ended up shoving the car in second [ to try and stall it ] and using the hand brake. Stopped [ before the Zebra Crossing in which people were actually using ], got out the car and almost chucked my guts up.

On checking the tubes connecting brake fluid to the brake assembly had been left off after a service.......

 

Main thing is your ok which is good. It's only a piece of metal / plastic.

[Homer]

Not good! At least they didn't fail on the M way!

 

I spent £120 on my car yesterday for a couple of shot suspension pieces... bloody hell did they need doing

[TwoZeroAlpha]

Had the brakes fail in a Bedford truck once, on the M11/M25 slip, not a great deal of fun that. Glad you're ok, good luck, hope you find a nice cheap fix.

[Gatt]

Now that I have calmed down a bit, I can remember a few more details.

 

I think I hit a patch of diesel and my brakes locked on the diesel and then skidding into the barrier..

 

Still going to test my brakes later to be sure..

[Dos_Box]

That can happen, or more likely as we haven't had any rain for a bit, all of the rubber and small oil deposits have come to the surface and made it like an ice rink. This happens a lot in middle eastern countries where rain is rare. The first sign of a shower and the roads turn to big flat slides.

Glad you're ok though, and next time, try using the handbrake as it's on a seperate braking system (apply slowly!)

Edited July 14, 2010 by Dos_Box

[ICT_GUY]

But you are in one piece, now that's just fantastic!

[Homer]

+1

 

A lot of the motorways turn into skating rinks after long dry spells and then having a lump of rain

 

Other places are also major bus routes, bus stations and wherever a lot of HGVs are!

 

At least you are in one piece though

[Gatt]

Thanks guys

 

@Dos_Box - thanks for the Handbrake tip - I'll keep that in mind - though I am hoping I wont be in this position again.

 

Though considering the stretch of motorway I use (M62 J19 then the M60 J18 - J16) takes a LOT of HGVs then I wouldn't be surprised if i did skid again

[witch]

Glad you are OK - but please check your brakes thoroughly BEFORE you go anywhere in the car - Promise us that you won't drive anywhere until you are sure the brakes work!

[ICT_GUY]

I nearly skidded into an oncoming taxi (who was on my side of the road). Both of us found that after a brief shower after weeks of sunshine the roads are like ice.

[Gatt]

i will be witch - I'll be limping home and testing the brakes (gently) and regular intervals

 

might take it for a spin (pardon the pun!) round the block later to check them......

[BandyQuill]

might be worth having a quick look under the car make sure brake fluid isnt leaking and that its full up in the resevoir before even starting the car, if it happens again just clutch and yank he handbrake and smack the hazzards... had a few hairy moments like this in my old renault but everytime i took it to the garage they said it was fine and no issues, i begged to differ XD

[mattx]

That can happen, or more likely as we haven't had any rain for a bit, all of the rubber and small oil deposits have come to the surface and made it like an ice rink. This happens a lot in middle eastern countries where rain is rare. The first sign of a shower and the roads turn to big flat slides.

Glad you're ok though, and next time, try using the handbrake as it's on a seperate braking system (apply slowly!)

 

My pet hate being on the bike the majority of the time - came off about 5 years ago on a diesel spill - really did some damage to my arm. Fixed the bike at the road - [ always carry gaffa tape in the Givli ] - rang up the council to inform them where the spill was - 8 hours later riding back - they had done sweet FA in regards to clearing it up. Rang the police and informed them - they cleared it up within 30 mins.

[plexer]

Glad you are ok.

 

If you;ve locked up/skidded then you aren't going to be able to stear out of it.

 

If it was brakes then downshifting to use engine braking and then application of handbrake may slow you down enough.

 

Ben

[Gatt]

Here are a few pics (after my temp repair..)

 

 

They dont really show the extent of the damage, but sufficed to say that all that is holding the bumper on is the duct tape, and a single nut & bolt on the drivers side..

[Sarconia]

Nice repair job I'm glad you're ok though, that must have been a very scary position to be in.

[aerospacemango]

Blimey Gatt....good to hear that you got out of it fairly well....

 

Though I can only imagine the state of your pants!

 

Had a similar moment years ago, and even now am especially careful after rain.

[thepineapplehead]

Glad to hear you're ok, would echo the advice that it's just a lump of metal ... a very dangerous piece of metal yes, but as long as you're ok, doesn't matter how smashed up the car is.

 

I thought my car needed a wheel bearing replacing, garage quoted me £160, took it in, four hours and £350 later I had two new wheel bearings and two new brake pads. Needless to say that although I have a big dent in my wallet I feel a lot safer in my car

[Sirbendy]

I hit diesel a few years back..some tit had a leaky tank. Ploughed straight into the back of a van. Most annoyed. Took out a headlamp, wing, indicator, creased the bonnet. Drove home again, found that the battery had come off the tray as well and was dangling on the wiring..good times. Luckily I kept a spares car of the same type and was able to swap the panels/lamps/bonnet over, one spot of welding and it was all sorted.

 

Sure your brakes weren't just soaked? A run down the MWay in the wet will cool and soak them, and they're always naff until they've dried off. If I'm driving in continual rain, I tend to brake very lightly every so often to clear and dry the rotors/pads, or at least set the handbrake very gently on to give me one dryish axle..

 

That said, I took the Astra in for it's first brake check in my ownership..full tidy of the brakes, cleanup and tested for very little money, and the brakes are only lightly worn. Contrast that with my project Astra..rotors worn so thin they've got sharp edges, drums with ridges in, air in the lines..quality maintenance that car had..

 

If you can, I recommend a skidpan training day...WELL worth it. I've done 2 now.

[Gatt]

Well got home safely - thankfully. No sign of any problems with the brakes

It has now been pulled back into shape and repatched with new gaffa tape and looks a lot tidier than it did above!!

[Gatt]

How the car looks now...

 

[Haptic]

Jeez!! Sounds like a curly one, good thing you've escaped unscathed.

 

Good to see it wasnt a Toyota...although being an owner I'm still a tad nervous!

 

Joe

[elsiegee40]

I'm so glad you're OK. You must be quite shaken up by this.

 

It happened to me when I was driving the university minibus years ago... fortunately I wasn't going very fast and I was able to use the handbrake and gears to stop. Our Volvo V70 has a button instead of a manual handbrake... fat lot of good that would be in this situation

[BandyQuill]

you say that but the electronic one kicks in at any speed on the V70, dad and i tried it on his, not good results XD skidded to a stop pretty sharpish...