Important Lesson

[webbo]

PLEASE BE CAREFUL

I took my younger brother out in my phase I 172 on Saturday to show him my new car (bought 2 weeks ago for £6900, 20 000 miles, 2001 Y, good condition). Lost the front end coming out of a corner, had to pull the car back over too quickly to avoid oncoming car, back started breaking out and after clipping the rear of the other motorist with my offside wing fought the car down the road for about 50m before spinning sideways into a ditch and treeline. Right hand side totalled, side airbag deployed and thank God no-one was hurt (except my minor cuts and bruises and whiplash).

Car will be assessed for damage this week - roof slightly bent above B pillar (B pillar/A pillar look ok) but Im not optimistic. Total loss is looming along with cancellation of my new insurance policy £700 (Elephant terms and conditions) plus the excess £450. New insurance will be extra high, plus Im carless for the immediate future. Police attended the scene and under caution took my story of events with possible "careless driving" rap.

So, this was one expensive weekend causing a lot of upset and inconvenience but Im alive. Watch those roads, theyre greasy, and I guess like me you feel invinvicble until something bad happens.

Take care.

 

[GR7]

If you dont mind me asking, were you speeding more than usual because your brother was with you? I ask this because very often, guys who live near me with sporty cars, seem to drive much more sensibly when they are alone in their cars. The minute they have their mates in with them, its as though they take on a completely different style of driving ~ they become speed demons, screeching round corners and daft overtaking....

 

[Cuthbert]

Did your brother like the car?

No, Im sorry to hear that. Sounds like you were not used to the handling yet.

 

[webbo]

Although under the speed limit on that road I can hardly say I wasnt going too fast for the conditions given the results.

Ive driven on this road many times before at similar speed, on my own, without any loss of grip or even the feeling that it was too fast. My yonger brother being in the car was incidental to the events, Im just glad he was fine, hurting yourself or bending your car is one thing but hurting other people would leave a massive feeling of guilt.