Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Me and my GF had a very lucky escape last night on the way home.

We were heading home on the M6 about 8pm, we'd just passed the Lancaster turn off, as the road starts to climb into a right hander, there was a load of standing water in the middle lane...

Soon as I saw it I knew what was coming... 80-85mph (ish), 215's on the front and 235's on the rear, big sheet of standing water... aquaplane city!

Well, needless to say she lost it big time. The backend whipped round pretty much the second the wheels hit the water. We ended up hitting the central reservation on the front nearside corner, back end flew round hit it again then we spun across all three lanes, over the hard shoulder up the curb where, luckily the grass banking rises quite steeply so we just came to a stop pointing the right way without flipping the car!!!

More importantly, we didnt impact any other vehicles which is what I was most concernered about during the "event". It's suprising really how much time I had to think about things whilst all this was going on!!

Neither of us have any injuries to speak of and I have to say the car stood up very well. The front nearside wing is knackered, the two nearsided alloys and the nearside corner of the rear bumper. The rear chassis leg looks bent from where it hit the curb (which was missing two large chunks after) and thats about it! The car drove onto the transporter too!!
Considering the speed of the impact, very impressed with the build quality.

I'll get some pics posted up when we get to see it next.

So... reckon it might be worth us putting a couple of quid on the old lotto this weekend?

A very lucky Jeff!

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Sod the lottery ticket, I'd buy the GF some driving lessons

Glad everything turned out OK, its only a car after all. Hope the GF can get confidence back behind the wheel, but don't point to the tyres as the cause (I'm sure the police would have checked them)

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

She's actually a good driver, and to be fair, I doubt theres much anyone would have been able to do in that situation. Like I said, the second we hit the water, the backend came straight round so we were broadside within seconds. She turned into it but that did sweet fa.

As far as blaming the tyres, i think it was a combination of the tyres, amount of water, speed and the fact that we were already in a slight turn with the road plus with the engine being at the rear (albeit mid engine) acting like a pendulum...

As for the police, well, the traffic cop was very understanding and seeing as he had driven through the same patch of water a few minutes prior to us said we were very lucky. He actually said that he lost it momentarily although not to the same extent as us LOL!!!! He even said, and I quote "I'll not insult your intelligence by giving you a breath test...", which was nice!

Anyway, she'll be alright... she did say this morning that if it gets written off, thats the perfect excuse to buy a yellow MR2

Cyberevo

iTrader: (1)

Sorry to hear that. I always find it's easier to drive through by coming off the load peddle just before you hit the water, i.e. not having any power through the wheels while you are on the wet stuff.

Cars can be replaced....

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

She's actually a good driver

contradicts

80-85mph (ish), Right Hander, Standing water etc

But, **** happens, your ok, its only a car and we all get it wrong sometimes.