uncleben

There is a back road that I drive often that has 2 sharp 90 degree right then left curves in it. And I mean sharp. I usually go through them at around 40-45mph and the back end usually comes hanging out pretty wide through the second curve. It's really a fun little piece of road. (when it's dry, heh)

Well, tonight it had been raining and I came upon this same part of road and briefly *thought* about speeding through it, and then changed my mind as the road seemed a little wet still. (honest, I wasn't going that fast) Turns out I was wrong about just how wet and slick the road was. I slowed to 2nd, and as I got ready to take the curve, my car just understeered (plowed) through the first right curve and towards the left edge. There is a fairly steep drop-off, about 3-4 feet, and my car just started to topple over until it was completely on it's side. I thought it was going to roll over, but it didn't, it just slid a ways on it's side, and stopped. I just kind of sat in the car, sideways, in shock.

I had to find my cell-phone first, which had flown out of the console. It's weird standing on the driver door in your car. I was calm, but it was weird. I kept wanting to get out of the car, but then kept telling myself that if I didn't find the cell, I'd be screwed. I finally found it and then stood up inside the car, and opened the passenger side door, lifting it up and outward above my head. I guess I was a little rattled because it didn't occur to me to just open the window. So I pulled myself out, which was no easy task while keeping the door open, and then stood on top of the car before jumping to the ground. I called my roommate and father who would arrive in about 20 minutes (my roommate with a camcorder in hand, haha).

Meanwhile - It was kind of out in the country so it was real quiet and I just sat there waiting. Finally a car came along and then just drove RIGHT PAST ME! Didn't even stop to see if I was okay. I thought that was odd. Then as time passed about 7 people stopped, each asking me if I was alright, it was getting pretty late by now. Even a pretty girl stopped and chatted a bit and asked if I wanted her to stay and keep me company, and I eventually told her it was alright and she left. (wtf was I thinking?!)

So anyway, I digress, my help finally arrived and we looked over the car and decided to hook a chain to the tow-hook on the back and try and bring the car back onto all four wheels. It looked like the edge of the road was going to sharply high-side the car's underbody, but we didn't have much of a choice, and the way it was dug in the dirt, it didn't look like a tow truck would be able to do anything else either. So we pulled the car onto all four wheels with our truck.... man, it crashed so loud onto the pavement when it high-sided. I just cringed and cursed. Luckily the passenger side wheels took a lot of the force, I think. We next re-positioned the truck, and then drug the car out of the ditch, with me inside steering. It scrapped and moaned the whole way out of the ditch and it looked and sounded like hell. We looked over the engine bay and didn't see anything leaking, and the driver-side wheels looked good except for all the scratches. So I crossed my fingers, cranked the engine, and on the first try it started right up! I couldn't believe it! I drove it home and the car felt smooth and quiet, and even still in alignment. I still can't believe it. I drove it to a car wash a little later to spray off all the mud and stuff and it looks pretty bad!

I'll have it checked tomorrow or the next day by a local Honda shop to see if I messed up any suspension parts or any thing else under the car.

I had actually been considering making this Integra a track-only car for this coming season... and well, it looks like I'll be doing that for sure now! Hmm, now what to buy for the daily driver??

Goy091

sheit... so much for goin to the mountains this weekend....

Art Vandeleigh

glad you are ok!!!!...its not a total waste....TRACK CAR!!!!!!

uncleben

thanks, and I forgot to mention - I was completely unhurt in this accident!
(well, except for my pride that is)

strils

thats nuts, glad your ok, your lucky a cop didnt come by and give you a ticket for wreckless driving, that happened to me in my jeep awhile back at around 2am and all i damaged was a couple stupid trees and just my luck a state trooper showed up as i was trying to get help to get the jeep out.

strils

well i found out first hand that you can get a wreckless ticket for wrecking your own car

speedymon

Va is ghey anyways. Glad you're alright and from the pics the car looks in good shape despite what happened.

strils

bahahha, to make it worse in was over near Va Tech in the boonies and the state trooper said that dispatch had called and woke him up to come out there.

MechE00

Glad you're ok.. it's strange how things happen sometimes.

There's a corner in Tampa coming out of downtown, going onto Bayshore coming off the Platt Street bridge. My older brother used to _always_ drive recklessly through there if no one else was around. Anyway, he had owned a Saab at the time, and it had been in the shop for over a month with transmission issues..

This was the first night he had it back, and he was on his way back home.. it had just started raining, so he decided to take the corner slowly, just to be safe..

You guessed it, he hit an freakishly slick spot, and slid, at about 10mph into the high curb that was there (the curve has been re-done since this happened). Totally destroyed the front suspension on the passenger side.

That was the last night he ever drove that Saab.. (that car was cursed)

Sorry to hear about your misfortune (economically), but glad to hear you're okay.. Just another bit of evidence about how unpredictable conditions are on public roads.. and why I keep my performance driving to autocross.

Redtail

Glad yer okay dude - and it could have been worse
Did you have insurance? If so I would take the cash and buy parts Track Car!!!
I hate cops

yoshi234

glad you're okay

yshi

Hapa DC5

OUCH, glad you're ok man, must have been scary when you rolled, car doesn't look that bad though.


[Modified by NemesisGSR, 3:46 PM 1/24/2002]

Rezon

When the front tires don't get traction in the wet, and you realize that you are just a passenger as you start sliding farther and farther outside of the intended line... that's the worst feeling there is. It's spooky because you lose the resistance in the steering wheel and you feel totally disconnect. Glad you're okay and the damage doesn't look too bad, maybe they can fix it.

_Shadow_

Glad no one was hurt. The roads look pretty wet to me....

neo1z

well im really sorry about the car -- but you really screwed up the girl thing -- i guess its okay, you weren't at your best. once again, sorry. glad ur okay tho.

uncleben

Thanks everyone for your comments, I appreciate it! I'll let everyone know what the Acura dealer shop says. I'm taking it there today hopefully to have them check it out and see if I broke anything that I can't see with my eye. I won't be getting my insurance involved at all though, I just renewed my rates 2 days ago and it dropped to "only" $140/month from it's previous much higher rates back in July. I don't want to risk it going up.

You are so right on the money there - that is exactly how it felt. I remember thinking, "well, there's nothing I can do, it's just going to happen," but I kept thinking I was just going to ride straight off. I think because I had been steering right when the wheel the dirt and grass it helped it go vertical.

And to comment on fuzznuts about the door/window/ignition - my first reaction when I realized I was sitting in my car sideways, was to turn off the ignition, I kept thinking about that viper crash video where the instructor tells the guy to turn off the ignition repeatedly!

Thanks again for everyones responses, I'll post some better pics of my car in the daylight later - it's amazing how rigid the body/frame of the car is. It's obvious it's been wrecked, but you'd be surprised at what little visible body damage there is aside from all small stuff and the front quarter panel being caved in. (plus I broke the center console lid trying to climb out the car, heh)

samagon

if I was able to gripe at acura about one thing this would be it. I had the plastic thing that makes the cover stay on replaced like 5 times under waranty before I said screw it. any time a friend would ride in the car and lean on the center console that little plastic thing would snap. I think I sneezed on it once and it broke. what a piece of junk

uncleben

How much $$$ to replace that thing?

Erik_Pb_Foot

Well hey, if you do turn it into a track car, I need an OH poo poo handle from the passenger side above the window... a grey one.... you wouldn't want to sell yours would you? hehe Glad to hear you are OK. Sorry about the car though, and I agree with you about the insurance... don't make a claim unless it is your LAST RESORT. They will stick it to you in the long run.

GSRaCeRbOI

wow that must have been pretty scary.. glad to hear that you are ok.. wow you made it out completely unhurt.. your lucky... anyway the car is replaceable (maybe repairable) your not.. so just be glad your not hurt or worse.. hope everything goes well w/ fixing the car back..

civicdragon

Dude you DoEs AnYoNe KnOw WheRe I CaN GeT SoMe StRObE LiTEZ AnD LiGhT uP WiNdShiElD NoZzLeS??ed up!!! What were you thinking?

Anyway hopefully nothing else besides cosmetic body damage is wrong with the car

uncleben

pb: heh, well I think I'll keep it, my friends have to have something to hold on to when they riding with me!!

Acura is looking the teg over in the morning, said they'd do a full-inspection.

Here's some more pics... before and after washing it. there's still a bunch of mud and grass stuck in the front brakes. You can't see all the scratches and ripple type dents in the car, mostly the quarter panel is the only real visible damage... and the wheels - oh the poor wheels. I was gonna get K1's anyway!



notice my crafty work with the electrical tape holding the mirror up, ha

Tragedy

The damage doesn't look too bad considering what happened. Doesn't look like there would be any frame damage.

maxxdout

glad you are ok, really glad, just be careful dude.

Jmm0056

sorry to hear that, at least your ok, maybe you'll run into the hot chick who stopped and chatted with you