Slater
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| posted on 21/12/20 at 06:44 PM |
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Crashed....
During November I had a wee crash in my kit car, nothing serious, just slightly embarrassing, nose cone and pride got dented. I'd gone out for
a drive to cheer myself up as I'd been feeling a bit down ( generally missing Nigeria and the people from my work, my Dad's recent health
issue and lack of sun or Vitamin D). It was about 10 degs and dry, I got a bit chilly after 1hr so headed home.......... basically approached a
roundabout too fast, braked hard and front wheels locked up, I then slid over a small island and onto the roundabout to find a Rover 75 in my path. I
hit it at 90 degs on his rear wheel at quite a low speed. Pulled over and swapped details etc. the elderly couple in the car were really nice and I
felt pretty bad, we had a good chat and parted on good terms. My first ever crash!!!
Rover 75 damage
rear wheel scuffed, small dent on wheelarch and rear door
My Damage
Nosecone smashed
Grill and Radiator bent
Rad Brackets bent
Tyre sidewall damage due to going over island which luckily was low and had 45 deg chamfer kerbs.
The nose cone/mounts and rad brackets seem to have taken all the impact, chassis looks fine and not even scratched. If I'd hit at an angle then
the wishbones/chassis could have been damaged, so I got off lightly.
I've claimed via my A-plan insurance which I have to say have been excellent, I sent them a list of items I needed to buy showing the quoted
prices (most from Kit Car Direct or CBS) I asked for Cash in Lieu and that I would do all the repairs myself, an assessor came to have a look after 1
week, he took some pics and I gave him the same list. They've now sent me the cash minus the VAT, so all good. I've now got a winter
project.....I'll send in the VAT receipts and claim that once it's all done.
I've already got the new rad/hoses and plumbed it in today, the BRG nose cone has to be made to order by Kit Car Direct so should be ready in
January, I will then get a local sign place to redo the yellow vinyl stripe.
I know when your front wheels lock up you are supposed to lift off the brakes and steer/re-apply, but I've now discovered when you are in the
moment and heading for something your overriding instinct is to press harder on the brake. I had practised cadence braking on a big open tarmac space,
just to get a feel for what happens, but it's a different story when you are heading for an impact.
Lessons Learned
1. Be careful when driving when in bad/depressed mood.
2. Old front tyres. My Toyo Proxes T1S had 10,000 miles on them and still had 3mm tread but were made in 2007, so quite old, being a cheapskate I had
not renewed them. I should have changed them earlier. How long do you keep your tyres?
3. Tyres are not as grippy when air/road temperature is low.
4. I am not as good a driver as I thought, not that I had a high opinion anyway.
5. Thumbs up for A-Plan Specialist Kit Car Insurance.
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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steve m
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| posted on 21/12/20 at 07:52 PM |
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These thing s happen, and thats what makes us human, but seriously, "generally missing Nigeria and the people from my work"
You must need your head examining, as Ive worked in Lagos, Airport and Hilton hotel, but it could of been the Sheraton, as we switched often, while
working for Virgin Nigeria, i was offered stupid money to stay and work there, but declined, as EVERY single day, we were jossled, or had a car
stopped by ? and it wasnt the Police! normally vagrants, or people with no arms, , it was hideous, an all because we are white
On my journey from the hotel to the Airport (for work) i had to carry the drivers gun, as we travelled to work in shoguns or Range rovers,
The place is that bad we had our own driver, and car, Although the accommodation etc was in Victoria Island, that resembled a strange place like
Croydon Surrey UK
I have been fortunate to work in many many countries, and i will NEVER go back to Nigeria, but with the current times , i doubt i will need my
passport again
And for the salary i turned down? 110k a year, tax free, two year minimum contract, accommodation and bills paid for
Life, well mine is to important
steve
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 12:44 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slater
I know when your front wheels lock up you are supposed to lift off the brakes and steer/re-apply, but I've now discovered when you are in the
moment and heading for something your overriding instinct is to press harder on the brake. I had practised cadence braking on a big open tarmac space,
just to get a feel for what happens, but it's a different story when you are heading for an impact.
And that's precisely why ABS was invented.
I used to have a car without ABS, took quite a few years as a teenager driving and sliding to get used to cadence braking, but it still doesn't
help when you're in a proper panic like sliding over a dark, unlit drop in a Welsh mountain pass.
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 12:53 AM |
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Dupe
[Edited on 22/12/20 by coyoteboy]
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HowardB
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 07:53 AM |
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Glad that you are ok - to answer your question, I had a very similar crash, discovered afterwards that the tyres on my fury were over 10 years old -
original fitment and still had 5mm on them.
For such a light car tyre wear is less of an issue than tyre hardening through age.
stay safe out there
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again  and goes zoom)
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 08:14 AM |
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Glad you are OK, and reflective on the crash.
Tyres are a nightmare, back in 2008 I was doing the RBRR in my spitfire (2000 miles in 48hrs) Tyres looked low, but popped the best 2 on the rear and
a new pair were fitted to teh front. After all, front does the braking and steering.
Turned out to be a VERY poor decision. The old tyres were 9 years old. Outside Stirling, damp road, there was some diesel/oil on the road, and on a
bend the car never made it. Off the road and a light roll. Police attended, reckoned 2-3 a week over the winter plus 1-2 deaths a year on that very
bend. And indeed, another car lost it and hit another vehicle as I was being checked in the ambulance.
Now I am a "nazi" with tyres. I think 10 years is an official max life, though many say 7 years. I prefer to change at 6 years thesedays.
Re cold weather, I now use Michelin Crossclimates on my spitfire. They work at low temps, and were initially bought for a winter silverstone trackday.
Can't really fault them, perform very well in all conditions, though not tested in snow. Yes, you may find a slightly better summer tyre, but
not by much and the superior wet/cold performance more than makes up for it. After all, that is when the sh!t usually hits the fan.
But get the car fixed, enjoy although it takes a while to build confidence back up. At least it did for me. I still clench if I see diesel/oil on a
road.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 08:21 AM |
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We use Michelin cross climates on our family cars, can't fault them and not even that expensive and a lot cheaper than having two sets of tyres.
Used them in several winters now and they do grip well in the winter and seem to do just fine in the summer.
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nick205
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 09:37 AM |
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Slater
Glad you (and the other party) are uninjured. Also gld you're able to do the repairs on your car yourself (a benefit of self built cars).
You're analysis sounds very much like what I've been told. Sadly in practice our reactions don't always follow the path of what
we've been told or maybe even practiced.
Hope you're back on and enjoying the road again soon!
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Slater
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 12:50 PM |
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Thanks for comments, I really enjoyed building the original car back in 2007-9 so i'm quite happy to mess about in the garage for a few weeks,
specially as the weather is crap. I'll make some other improvements along the way too.
As for Nigeria...... Steve, I can appreciate it's not for everyone and can be very daunting with the initial culture shock and general stramash
of the place. After working in Nigeria/Angola on and off since 2004, plus living in South Africa with family for 5 yrs, I've become used to
Africa. But every day you see something that makes you go WTF!!! In general the people are good, I've got some good friends, although I'd
never take my family there. Working month on/month off seems to work for me/family. I get 6 months off every year.
Our company use drivers/security all the time and have armed escorts to and from Lagos airport. I certainly would not want to drive there. If you
think Lagos is bad, then Port Harcourt is like the wild west. We are only allowed out of gated staff house compound to go to work and visit clients,
all with armed escort vehicles. On Sundays we normally go to a cashpoint along with these chaps keeping an eye out, then visit the local
supermarket.
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 01:04 PM |
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That's a lot of machine guns to go to the shops...
I've worked with lots of Nigerians, great people and really friendly but they have told me what it's like back home and yeah I'd
never go there.
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steve m
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 03:35 PM |
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Good picture!
I also had many good African friends when i worked for Virgin Atlantic, and seconded to Virgin Nigeria, for one year, i also lived in Sierra Leone for
6 Years back in the 60's when i was a sprog
For me, and perhaps ive been lucky, but while at Virgin Atlantic (27 years) ive worked in many Countries, places, New york was probably my favorite
But closely followed by Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Gothenburg (Sweden) all civilized places to live and work,
But when you end up in a place like Lagos, that has two classes of people, the stinking rich, and the stinking in more ways ! the poor, the sights to
be seen, and you have! on the roads etc is utterly appalling
There was on one drive to work that on a free for all crossroads, was what resembled something of a Funeral directors, but it wasnt, they made the
coffin, on the street around the body !! it was utterly disgusting
steve
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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jelly head
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 07:34 PM |
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Had a similar near miss in a Cappuccino, it never occured to me that it didn't have ABS until the mondeo in front slammed on and i did the same,
very many poos came out... Luckily he lifted off the brakes just as i was bracing for impact. Lessons learnt, beware of old tyre in cold wet
conditions and don't get too close..
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SteveWalker
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| posted on 22/12/20 at 11:02 PM |
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I spent a week and a half in Nigeria back in 1992 or 3. I found the people very friendly and eager to chat, but that anyone with the slightest bit of
authority or power abused it. What it's like now, I have no idea.
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JC
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| posted on 23/12/20 at 06:20 AM |
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Good warning on the age of tyres - I was in 2 minds whether to replace the winter tyres on my M135i....they are more than 5 years old now and I think
that’s decided it!
I know exactly what you are saying Steve - I did some month on/month off work in Nigeria, staying in the Sheraton Ikeja, Virgin had switched crews to
the Protea on the other side of the road by then! We used to have armed escorts to and from the hotel but looking at the state of the weaponry we
would have been in more danger if they had tried to use them.....
The Boss lived in Port Harcourt - we were banned from stopping there by him as it was too dangerous!
I remember ‘Friday’ - a fantastic guy who worked all hours looking after our aircraft for about $50 a month, even a small tip was life changing for
him - saying to me ‘But Captain James, you have to remember, in Nigeria, corruption is our national sport’....
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 24/12/20 at 10:04 AM |
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The tyres that came with mine are 15 year old Yokohama's, never been used on the road, show no signs of any cracking. However they do have flat
spots now so will be going to the primary school play park before the car goes for the IVA...
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big_wasa
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| posted on 24/12/20 at 12:59 PM |
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I had a close call a couple of weeks ago. Lovely winters day. Damp roads, old tyres but with 6~7mm of tread.
Coming of a mini roundabout about 15mph 2nd gear it come on boost and before I new about it the back end was overtacking the front. I never felt it
go. I got away with just a broken number plate. Another few seconds would have made a huge differance.
Lesson learned, a 250bhp Locost is nothing like a 250bhp hot hatch.
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Deckman001
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| posted on 3/1/21 at 08:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
The tyres that came with mine are 15 year old Yokohama's, never been used on the road, show no signs of any cracking. However they do have flat
spots now so will be going to the primary school play park before the car goes for the IVA...
I had similar tyres on mine for my test and they flew past the test, sadly it was other things that failed. I will be looking at the tyres at some
point soon though.
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BenB
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| posted on 4/1/21 at 11:05 PM |
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Aaagh you youngsters with your new tyres. Mine is still on the originals. If they were good enough 23 years ago they'd good enough now! Though
the nearside front does have a screw through the centre of the tread- doesn't leak though!
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Deckman001
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| posted on 5/1/21 at 09:16 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Aaagh you youngsters with your new tyres. Mine is still on the originals. If they were good enough 23 years ago they'd good enough now! Though
the nearside front does have a screw through the centre of the tread- doesn't leak though!
Cheers Ben, I've not been called a youngster for over 50 years now
Jason
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 5/1/21 at 09:25 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Aaagh you youngsters with your new tyres. Mine is still on the originals. If they were good enough 23 years ago they'd good enough now! Though
the nearside front does have a screw through the centre of the tread- doesn't leak though!
Tyres? Eee, you were lucky...
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 5/1/21 at 12:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Aaagh you youngsters with your new tyres. Mine is still on the originals. If they were good enough 23 years ago they'd good enough now! Though
the nearside front does have a screw through the centre of the tread- doesn't leak though!
I had a screw in my tyre. I just unwound it a bit and put some superglue on it and screwed it back in. Worked perfectly and was replaced later when it
wore out.
My last boss use to keep calling me "Young Man" till we found out I was 2 years older than him... he just drank a lot more and looked like
he was old enough to be my dad!
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