Weird stuff on the side of the road | FerrariChat

Weird stuff on the side of the road

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by TheMayor, Jul 31, 2009.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. TheMayor

    TheMayor Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    106,236
    Vegas baby
    So, I'm driving in endless bumper to bumper traffic on the 405 fwy today that somehow the people of LA put up with everyday. I'm stuck there and I look into the center divider area and what do I see?

    A transmission torque converter, looking like an oversized pink donut from Randy's donuts.

    So I'm asking myself, how the heck does a torque converter get here? Did the entire transmission of a car fall out somewhere? It's the only way I can figure someone could lose one. If so, how does a transmission FALL OUT of a car? And, if they picked up the transmission, why leave behind the torque converter?

    It made me wonder (as I was stuck in traffic anyway): What is the weirdest car part or oddball thing anyone has seen on the side of the road?
     
  2. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mar 18, 2008
    32,277
    Seattle Area
    Full Name:
    Dave
    #2 Jedi, Jul 31, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  3. tatcat

    tatcat F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2001
    11,013
    panama city beach FL
    Full Name:
    rick c
    ow. i just scrapped one of our kittys off the street and planted it this morning. on a lighter note; i always wondered why you always see one shoe on the road. one day i plan to drive around the country and make a photo essay of those solitary shoes.
     
  4. lambo472

    lambo472 Formula 3

    May 27, 2009
    1,080
    Leawood, Kansas
    Full Name:
    Ricky
    the worst thing I've seen is a Semi Truck hit a skunk, we were right behind the semi...

    i've also seen a STUFFED deer at the side of the highway
     
  5. 150shot

    150shot Formula Junior

    Jun 15, 2003
    807
    San Dimas, CA
    Ouch not a really lighter note on the one shoe. This could very possibly be accident victims, when you are supposedly hit by a car or any serious traumatic force it literally knocks your shoes off . Its crazy I know but it is a fact that this happens. Unfortunately this could be the source....but highway unlikely maybe but still...
     
  6. Lemke

    Lemke F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2004
    4,644
    Vancouver, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    I've seen a boat that got detached from the truck that was towing it. A mattress and a folding lawn chair. The boat was defintely interesting though.
     
  7. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    99,912
    the bed (back half) of a pickup, missing the rest of the truck. Surely you'd notice if that fell off?!?
     
  8. Lee in Texas

    Lee in Texas Formula Junior

    Oct 21, 2006
    685
    near Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Lee
    As a kid in the '70s, I once saw 2 or 3 pickup roofs. A and B pillars, glass, and all. They were full of stuff. I don't remember what. That's just bizarre.

    Central Texas is overrun with deer. Twice I've driven by road kill deer and seen the heads cut off, hunting trophy style. It wasn't poachers; I drove by the same deer several times before the heads got cut off. What kind of jackass has road kill on the wall of his trophy room?
     
  9. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 14, 2003
    61,158
    In front of you
    Full Name:
    BCHC
    There has been a bumper on the side of the 90 for three days.
     
  10. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 14, 2003
    61,158
    In front of you
    Full Name:
    BCHC
    There was UCLA prof who (years ago) suggested they leave wrecks on the side of the road to desensitize and stop the lookyloos.
     
  11. Ferrarista3

    Ferrarista3 F1 Rookie

    Oct 30, 2007
    4,595
    MC/UK
    Full Name:
    Carlo
    The other day I avoided a steering wheel which was in the middle of a highway.

    Now...how does one loose a steering wheel? :eek:

    Perhaps someone like this will pick it up---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9w8FY0ikT4 :D
     
  12. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    A bedframe and a folding table.
     
  13. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    14,763
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
    A whole boat, laying on the side of the road, no trailer. The boat was not seaworthy, badly weathered, motor gone, glass gone and a nice hole in the hull.
     
  14. chris marsh

    chris marsh F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 30, 2005
    5,760
    Detroit
    Full Name:
    Chris Marsh
    I once read a list of strange things those guys in the orange vest pick up on the side of the road I don't remember the whole list but seems they find a lot of cell phones and strangest thing was that they find false teeth fairly often.


    The torque convertor, I suspect that fell off a scrap yard truck.
     
  15. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
    18,221
    Twin Cities
    Full Name:
    Tim Keseluk
    Back in the 70's a friend of mine raced flat-bottom powerboats and traveled around towing the trailer with a school bus. At a race in another state he had an unfortunate mishap that resulted in the boat burning to the waterline. After getting the wreckage loaded back on the trailer they headed back the 200 miles home to regroup and rebuild. About an hour later they pulled over for gas and discovered OOPS, no trailer! Apparently it had come unhitched and nobody noticed it leave.

    They immediately turned around and headed back the way they came until they encountered an array of emergency vehicles with flashing lights converged in a field a short distance from the 4-lane divided highway on the side they were now traveling. Initially pretending to know nothing, they inquired as to the nature of the situation and were told that there may have been a plane crash, judging by the appearance of the charred wreckage but they had not located a pilot. After determining that nobody had been injured and explaining what had really occurred they were able to sell the wreckage to the farmer who owned the land and were back on their way home.
     
  16. mchas

    mchas F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 5, 2004
    6,109
    Los Angeles
    Full Name:
    Mark
    I saw an old guy taking a whiz on the side of the 405 once, near the 105. Traffic was going nowhere so he just pulled his caddy over to the left (yes, the left), opened his door, and stood on the other side of it (so people couldn't see I guess?) and handled his business. When you gotta go you gotta go I guess.
     
  17. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    99,912
    not "side of the road", but today I saw a ghettoed-out Pontiac Grand Prix with a bullet hole in the left rear quarter panel. At first I thought it was one of those stickers, but upon closer inspection...it was real!
     
  18. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

    Feb 16, 2003
    14,656
    The fabulous PNW
    Full Name:
    Han Solo
    Fell off scrap truck
     
  19. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

    Feb 16, 2003
    14,656
    The fabulous PNW
    Full Name:
    Han Solo
    #19 Spasso, Aug 1, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  20. Patrick_Bateman

    Patrick_Bateman Formula Junior

    Dec 7, 2008
    395
    I completely freaker out today and almost hit an oncoming car after seeing what I thought was a body on the side of the road.
     
  21. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
    18,221
    Twin Cities
    Full Name:
    Tim Keseluk
    One of the radio stations here routinely issues "urine-stained mattress alerts". ;)
     
  22. Steveny360

    Steveny360 F1 Veteran

    Sep 5, 2007
    7,070
    In my early 20's a buddy and I with some friends were on the way home from Syracuse after a Billy Idol concert. He had this old POS rusted out VW bus. It was freezing cold and the thing had no heat. We are heading down the highway at top speed ~45 mph. and the engine is making the typical vw rattle. Without any warning the motor just stops and there is this huge bang like we hit something. I look out the rear window and I see the entire motor bouncing down the highway. LOL. It was SOOOOOO cold walking to the nearest exit.
     
  23. UroTrash

    UroTrash Four Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Jan 20, 2004
    40,506
    Purgatory
    Full Name:
    Clifford Gunboat
    THATS what memories are made of.

    Seriously.

    Had you returned home unscathed, you'd net cared to remember....long live VW!!
     
  24. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2005
    6,706
    Sun Coast
    Full Name:
    Jim
    Bowling balls
     
  25. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    26,001
    Las Vegas, NV
    Full Name:
    Ryan Alexander
    The silver one on the Eastbound side? Still there yesterday.
     

Share This Page