I'll bet you are wondering what these have to do with each other. Saturday AM on the way to drop the car off for service. You would think this would be a pretty routine trip and it was for the most part. Those of you from SoCal know that driving the CA freeways is anything but routine. So I am in OC in San Juan Capistrano on the south bound I-5 - a 6 lane mother of a freeway that hosts the most radical driving you have ever seen. See, SoCal, esp OC, drivers are about the worst in the local land, topped only by SD drivers. Speeds are very fast, about 80 and the SUV's have crowded my poor little 348 in so that it feels like a life raft traversing the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. I spy a break and signal to change lanes to the right to get some daylight, not to make a traffic passing sprint past the leviathons, as one would think. I start to change lanes - I am driving alone - and change lanes right into a twisted piece of lawn furniture that some one has so graciously left between lanes. No time for manouvers, just a split second to identify the road hazard before the impact. The wicker relic drives a hole into my lower chin spoiler and absolutely destroys the Serie Speciale lip. You might be interested to know that the original stock part is made of resin and it explodes on impact like a frozen piece of plastic. I am able to pull off the side of the freeway - remember it's 6 lanes - and am forced to dodge rather inconsiderate right lane drivers who are using this exit only lane as a passing lane for the other 5 lanes. Traffic only slows when a CHP officer stops behind my damaged car. I am able to pull the twisted rattan piece from inside and under my body work to continue my trip to the shop. The damage turned out to be not that bad, but it will require some substantial front end repair. So back to the theme of this post. SUV's crowd the freeways and aggressively hem in smaller cars. One cannot see beyond 2-3 car lengths when following one and forget about leaving greater space between you and the beheamoth in front. It will inevitably be filled by one of those idiot SUV's who see this as his opportunity, not as your safety zone. As for the lawn furniture, well, I really don't hate it. I actually like lounging in a nice chair on the sundeck. It's those idiots who transport these lightweight pieces in the back of their pick-up trucks and think that taking the time to tie them down adequately will shorten their senseless lives. So this is my tale of woe. SS 78 will be out of action for a few weeks due to the combination of bad luck, aggressive SUV drivers and thoughtless, self-centered weekend movers. As for me, my take-away lesson is to always travel with a greater forward field of vision regardless. I don't know how to accomplish this so I am looking for suggestions as I develop my own strategies.
damn, that sucks. SUV's are the worst, followed only by Prius'. SF isn't so bad, but it still blows. Nothing to do with SUV's or Prius, but when I was looking at F-cars, I rented a 360 at Bev. Hills Rent-a-car, and after 1000 miles my brother and I were on our way to return the car at about 7:30 am on the 101, and literally right beside us some guys in an old Ford Escort blew a tire, then decided it was a good idea to crank to the right without looking for cars. Of course, poor Mr. Average Joe in a 2005 Honda Accord on his way to work was front-left cornered, and the Escort spun around and wound up teetering on the embankment. Had I left my bro's house .03 seconds later and had chosen a different lane, I would have owed BHRAC a healthy sum. It still makes me shiver to this day. I would call myself lucky if I was in your situation. At least you didn't collide with any other vehicles, and the damage wasn't frame-bending. But more important, because of your post, we shall all be much more careful in our driving habits. So, thanks!
Really, bummer Vince.....glad you're OK. I had two incidents last year in the Ferrari that were similar. I was following a fire truck on I-10 and an orange fiberglass strecher flew off the back and sailed right over the top of the car like it was a plane and struck the guy following me head on. It shattered on impact with the grill into a zillion pieces....poor guy. The other was on the 10 as well and was with an idiot pulling a boat in his SUV. The boat and trailer came off, safety chain and all and was sliding down the freeway right at me, thanks to the 348's handling and a lot of luck I missed it. The trailer and boat ended up perfectly centered in the far right lane about 50 yards from where it came off. Obviously the idiot just set the ball on the hitch and forgot to lock it down and connect the chain. $&#@ happens!
Hey Vince, Happy to hear that the damage ended with nothing more than an opportunity to add a new piece of carbon fibre to the front of your SS You have been thinking that , haven't you................... Glad you're OK Cheers, Hank
Vince, sorry to hear about your mishap, but glad you're OK. As far as replacing the lip spoiler, I have the Valence carbon fiber part on my SS -- it's very nicely made, and includes integral skid plates underneath. It would look very nice on your Nero car. - Eric PS - I thought Valence used to be an FChat sponsor, but I don't see them on the sponsor list now. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Totally sorry to hear about this Vince, I feel a little sick for you man. Similar story... one night I was headed home and got off a freeway exit ramp, and thank god I was paying attention because centered in the lane was a complete propane gas BBQ grill laying on its side... all black of course, making it nearly impossible to see in the dark. I jerked a 60 MPH hard left just in time and JUST missed it... not so for the car behind me, they slammed right into it and it sounded like a bomb went off! I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw his entire front bumper cover ripped right off his car, and went sailing into the sound wall. So uhh... I guess it could have been worse for you?
Awe Vince, that just sucks. Sorry to hear about your misfortune bro. Just be glad the lower bumper took the punishment and not the windshield. If you need a hand removing the front bumper give me a call. I have tomorrow off, and I'll drive down. We can have it off in less than an hour.
Thanks for the stories. I actually had to smile at them and I feel a whole lot better. That was my main reason for posting here in the first place - to ease my sorrow. Modena and Hank, you guys showed me the bright side - if there is one. Yeah, CF would look pretty cool on my car. I guess everyone has a near miss story on the freeway. I once watched a boat sail off its trailer and slide down the street like it was on a lake. I figure that with watercraft, beer and post boating adventures don't mix. I guess one should tie down the boat and secure the trailer before imbibing, eh? And Dennis, can you imagine the irony of being taken out by a stretcher from a firetruck? Or and ambulance? Ernie, the car's already at the shop, so thanks anyway. I do have to get those fuel flter kits... All I can add, is keep a clear field of view ahead of you my brothers. Short of that, pull right and go slow (PAP you can go left ). Let those idiots sail past you to their doom.
Vince sorry to hear the bad news good luck with the repairs, hopefully it goes smoothly and correctly the first time! AMEN, Here in the Bay Area it is simply horrific! What, does every horrible driver go out and buy a Prius? Or is it the car itself which impairs ones ability to adequately perform basic mental functions? I live in Berkeley, the home of the Prius, I have never ever in my life been able to classify a demographic of people worse at operating a motor vehicle than Prius Drivers! Also as a side note am I the only one who finds Prius head lights to be blindingly bright?? In the Ferrari, this is a even more of an issue than any of my other cars because it is so low. Truly though in any car I am driving whether passing or driving ahead of a Prius I feel like I am receiving damaging LASIK surgery. Cunoe, have I seen your gorgeous 355 near Baker and Turk?
I feel your pain! I drive everyday in NYC and believe me you don't want to know what people discard on the road. Also,we got million potholes and endless construction work..I love the challenge and autocross save my ass 1000 x. Regading the SUV's - "GAS Prices" enough said.
Sometimes it is the "small" stuff that really upsets me with my F-Car. I would have been pissed too. I am truly sorry. Don't mean to hijack, but here is my story: I am driving along a two lane highway and I see a semi coming at me. Next to the semi is a car passing the semi and now I have a car coming at me head on. I miss the car and low and behold....there is a second car passing the semi. I put the right side of my car on the dirt shoulder, and now I am doing 60 MPH starring face to face with a 16 year old girl in her sub compact. The semi swerves off the side of the road to give the girl some extra room and I swore we clipped miirors. She was the second car passing a truck blind over a double yellow line. It scared the shiot out of me. Anyways, yes SUVs are scarry....Young drivers even more scarry. Look what happened to Hulk Hogan's son.
I thought I heard something fall out of the back of my pickup truck. You didn't happen to grab the piece of lawn furniture did you... it's gonna be a pain in the ass to replace it.
Whoa. Are you new to California? Sorry to hear about the wicker hit, but it sounds like it can be put new and fortunately you weren't hurt. I can't stand driving on the freeways around San Diego. You could probably furnish your whole house just by driving from Temecula down to the border with a flatbed and a buddy to help you lift stuff onto it.
Oh man that really sucks! Hey think of it this way, you'll get a respray of your front bumper, and a new CF lip I had my front bumper resprayed after a GIANT SUV backed into my car in Old Town Pasadena while I was parked. Thank god for some bystanders, who got the plate number off the SUV, since the driver took off after putting a nice scratch on the left side of my bumper!!! In my opinion, the roads here (SoCal) are studded with SUV's, Minvans, Trucks, Hybrids etc... and they all SUCK!!! SUV > Minivan = Trucks > Hybrids By the way, 1 week after I got my car back, there was debris on the FWY, which fell out of a rust bucket truck and put two scratches on the bumper again What are you gonna do? Oh well...
it's true it's very difficult (impossible) to keep your daily driver nice here in L.A. always something
Vince let me tell you about my first Ferrari i hit a re-tread off a truck on the infamous 605 warway...i mean freeway got the spoiler re-sprayed / fiberglassed back together....took 3 weeks to get back the very first time i took the car out i got a rock chip the size of a dime right in the center of it.... ....i hadn't driven 5 miles with it yet and IMHO....the highways only seem to be getting worse year after year...more people.....more sheeeet on the roads
Oh man, what r we to do? I guess just keep your insurance current and don't sweat it. Whatever happens happens. I just wish we could get the SUV's off the streets, or maybe force separate licenses for their drivers. Car will be fine and I will survive. Someday soon, someone isn't going to be fine or survive from one of these careless incidents. I wish we could figure out a reasonable path to dealing with these issues. Argh! It's mind numbing. Hey, I got your twisted lawn furniture right here buddy. What's really weird is all the stories I have heard like this both here and from PM's and phone calls. This really isn't right. Thank God I only drive a $50K something car and not some new $200K F430. I'd be paranoid.
