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General Discussion Area / Re: Just desserts?
« on: 23 April 2007, 10:11:32 »
Speaking of just desserts one evening last winter I had to go to a meeting after work and left about 10 PM. It had previously snowed and just as the snow was melting there was a frost and it all turned to ice.
I slipped over whilst walking to my car in the car park so mental note to drive very carefully!
I was driving along a dual carriageway that had been gritted reasonably well but it was slippy in places so I stuck to 30-40 MPH. BMW 3 series again (uncanny, that) passed me at 80+. Thought he was being stupid.
Half a mile later I notice a distinct line across the road surface and a bit of a sheen thereafter. Tried a little sway on the the steering wheel. No change of direction whatsoever. Dabbed the brakes. Instant lockup. I let the car coast down to a safe speed (in these conditions sub-10MPH. There was no grip whatsoever). Round the next corner I spotted a single hazard light flashing by the side of the road. It was Mr. 3 Series who had been playing pinball using the barriers each side of the road as flippers. Not a single panel on his car wasn't completely knackered.
I did the good samaritan thing and stopped to see if he was OK. He quite rudely (i thought) told me he was on the phone to a recovery company and didn't need any help. I got back into my car. Couldn't resist a parting "Drive carefully" as I left though. [smiley=evil.gif]
There was a double decker bus in the convoy of vehicles creeping back home after this incident. Even he was sliding all over the place.
I have often wondered if the gritter lorry just ran out of salt or whether the fact that the gritting stopped exactly on the Surrey / Hampshire county boundary is significant?
Kevin
I slipped over whilst walking to my car in the car park so mental note to drive very carefully!
I was driving along a dual carriageway that had been gritted reasonably well but it was slippy in places so I stuck to 30-40 MPH. BMW 3 series again (uncanny, that) passed me at 80+. Thought he was being stupid.
Half a mile later I notice a distinct line across the road surface and a bit of a sheen thereafter. Tried a little sway on the the steering wheel. No change of direction whatsoever. Dabbed the brakes. Instant lockup. I let the car coast down to a safe speed (in these conditions sub-10MPH. There was no grip whatsoever). Round the next corner I spotted a single hazard light flashing by the side of the road. It was Mr. 3 Series who had been playing pinball using the barriers each side of the road as flippers. Not a single panel on his car wasn't completely knackered.
I did the good samaritan thing and stopped to see if he was OK. He quite rudely (i thought) told me he was on the phone to a recovery company and didn't need any help. I got back into my car. Couldn't resist a parting "Drive carefully" as I left though. [smiley=evil.gif]
There was a double decker bus in the convoy of vehicles creeping back home after this incident. Even he was sliding all over the place.
I have often wondered if the gritter lorry just ran out of salt or whether the fact that the gritting stopped exactly on the Surrey / Hampshire county boundary is significant?
Kevin