Ok, ok, ..I admit it, I wiped out my car!!!!
Discussion
I've posted this on the TOG forum and also in response to a thread on the Noble Forum. Now that I am out of Hospital and able to tap away on this board I guess I had better out with it on here as well.....
On the 24th November I overtook a slowish moving car near my home and simply used too much right pedal in the pouring rain. I must have lost rear traction. The nearside rear end slid into the car that I was passing, this slight impact sent the rear of the car wildly out to the right, oversteer city, but I couldn't correct it in time: I ended up travelling backwards into a solid wall on the offside, and the front of the Tusc must have wipped round so that the whole nearside took the impact
I was finally cut free and have suffered broken ribs, broken pelvis, ruptured spleen (with spleenectomy) and badly damaged right arm/shoulder due to dis-locating my arm in the impact
Please, please, please, take it easy on these wet and slippy roads
I thought I had almost written the book on how to handle a Tuscan in the wet (oversteer and all that!) but I simply used about 2mm more throttle than I would normally because the car felt like it had shed loads of mechanical grip due to the suspension setup and the new Toyos
Either just don't drive it in the wet or take it mega easy. All I have left of my beautiful car is a single windscreen wiper :-(
Go easy with those feet!!!!!
Happy New Year to all the Tuscans
>>> Edited by 21TVR on Thursday 1st January 21:16
On the 24th November I overtook a slowish moving car near my home and simply used too much right pedal in the pouring rain. I must have lost rear traction. The nearside rear end slid into the car that I was passing, this slight impact sent the rear of the car wildly out to the right, oversteer city, but I couldn't correct it in time: I ended up travelling backwards into a solid wall on the offside, and the front of the Tusc must have wipped round so that the whole nearside took the impact
I was finally cut free and have suffered broken ribs, broken pelvis, ruptured spleen (with spleenectomy) and badly damaged right arm/shoulder due to dis-locating my arm in the impact
Please, please, please, take it easy on these wet and slippy roads
I thought I had almost written the book on how to handle a Tuscan in the wet (oversteer and all that!) but I simply used about 2mm more throttle than I would normally because the car felt like it had shed loads of mechanical grip due to the suspension setup and the new Toyos
Either just don't drive it in the wet or take it mega easy. All I have left of my beautiful car is a single windscreen wiper :-(
Go easy with those feet!!!!!
Happy New Year to all the Tuscans
>>> Edited by 21TVR on Thursday 1st January 21:16
Cars can be replaced your life can not.Simon,
I was surprised to hear this...as I know from driving with you on the track that you had a better understanding of the Tuscan then most. I'm sorry to hear about the Tuscan but am pleased your ok, be it on the mend.
Just shows you they are mean machines...and as I am about to take mine out in the wet this has drummed home that we all need to be careful out there!!
Take care Simon.
Alan.
I was surprised to hear this...as I know from driving with you on the track that you had a better understanding of the Tuscan then most. I'm sorry to hear about the Tuscan but am pleased your ok, be it on the mend.
Just shows you they are mean machines...and as I am about to take mine out in the wet this has drummed home that we all need to be careful out there!!
Take care Simon.
Alan.
Jeez sorry to hear about the car. As said by others at least you're (reasonably) ok.
Just goes to show what can happen in a few seconds when your concentration lapses. I know from experience they can bite - mine has done this in the dry when it hits about 5000 rpm at full throttle in 2nd, but i was lucky the back end just snaked a bit and I got away with it unscathed.
best wishes for 2004
Plipton
Just goes to show what can happen in a few seconds when your concentration lapses. I know from experience they can bite - mine has done this in the dry when it hits about 5000 rpm at full throttle in 2nd, but i was lucky the back end just snaked a bit and I got away with it unscathed.
best wishes for 2004
Plipton
Glad to hear you are OK, but sorry about the car. Just underlines that these cars really are beasts that can bite. I have lost traction at 50mph on a damp cold road and needed a change of pants. Generally, I leave the Tuscan in the garage over the winter months - this being just one of the reasons why. Sounds like you had a particularly nasty set of body work damage to yourself - I hope you make a complete and speedy recovery.
Get well soon Simon.Like you say its only plastic but thats little consellation.I recently had the wheel and tyre upgrade fitted to my Chimeara 500 and very shortly after had quite a moment leaving a roundabout.Having always considered myself Mr sensible (and I have criticised people on here for what I thought was bad driving) I was very alarmed.All I could put it down to was new Toyos,greasy surface and heavy right foot.I must admit I do wonder if this would have happened had the car been fitted with Bridgestones.
>> Edited by p7ulg on Friday 2nd January 10:22
>> Edited by p7ulg on Friday 2nd January 10:22
Hi Simon 
Judas told me about this as he had seen your message on the forums. So very, very glad you are OK considering what has happened.
Me and J have been talking about various incidents with these cars (including yours) and when such an experienced driver can get caught out it makes fitting traction control systems for relative novices like us look like a good idea.
Please don't flame me for saying this. It is not about making the Tuscan into a blandomobile, it is about making sure our inexperience doesn't bite us on the ass!
Ace-T
Judas told me about this as he had seen your message on the forums. So very, very glad you are OK considering what has happened.
Me and J have been talking about various incidents with these cars (including yours) and when such an experienced driver can get caught out it makes fitting traction control systems for relative novices like us look like a good idea.
Please don't flame me for saying this. It is not about making the Tuscan into a blandomobile, it is about making sure our inexperience doesn't bite us on the ass!
Ace-T
I echo all the comments on here, Simon - we're very glad you live to tell the tale.
What do you think caused it - tyres, suspension, road surface, standing water, etc?
What speed were you doing - it sounds like quite an impact? Did the BiB get involved and did you get the insurance sorted?
Get fully fit soon and good luck for 2004.
What do you think caused it - tyres, suspension, road surface, standing water, etc?
What speed were you doing - it sounds like quite an impact? Did the BiB get involved and did you get the insurance sorted?
Get fully fit soon and good luck for 2004.
Glad your alright simon,i was at keevil with you earlier in the year and saw how well you could handle the car.
It realy drives it home how these can bite you when it happens to some one you know can handle them.
A mate of mine wrote off his twin turbo supra a couple of nights ago,had it a couple of years could drive it well.he's still in shock and not sure exactly what happened,no other vehicles involved and didn't think he was driving to fast.Luckily he walked away.
In tvr gassing there was another guy just written off his griff as well.Had it a number of years seemed to be a safe and capable driver.
Just goes to show no matter how well we think we know our cars there's no telling what's laying on the roads ahead.
so glad you're relatively alright and thanks for posting,i'll definately take it easier.
be carefull everyone.
It realy drives it home how these can bite you when it happens to some one you know can handle them.
A mate of mine wrote off his twin turbo supra a couple of nights ago,had it a couple of years could drive it well.he's still in shock and not sure exactly what happened,no other vehicles involved and didn't think he was driving to fast.Luckily he walked away.
In tvr gassing there was another guy just written off his griff as well.Had it a number of years seemed to be a safe and capable driver.
Just goes to show no matter how well we think we know our cars there's no telling what's laying on the roads ahead.
so glad you're relatively alright and thanks for posting,i'll definately take it easier.
be carefull everyone.
jigs said:
I echo all the comments on here, Simon - we're very glad you live to tell the tale.
What do you think caused it - tyres, suspension, road surface, standing water, etc?
What speed were you doing - it sounds like quite an impact? Did the BiB get involved and did you get the insurance sorted?
Get fully fit soon and good luck for 2004.
Thank you for your sensible and sincere comments Jigs (I take it all back!!)
As to the speed it was about 55 down to say about 50 staright into the wall backwards (no time to even brake!)
As to why ? I don't actually know, which is the scary part! Yes, was it standing water ? Spilt diesel ? Pure driver error ? I don't know. It wasn't fast though and I sensibly pulled out first to check the coast was clear, I was only going to accelarate, brake, and pull back in again - all straight line stuff. Nice and easy does it an all that
...sadly not
best wishes all of you for the thoughts, many thanks, drive carefully.
Simon
Simon,
Really sad to hear that and glad you ar eon the road to recovery.
Having experienced first hand how easy you can loose a TVR at even very low speeds in the wet or ice and can thoroughly understand how frustrating and confusing it is to what happened.
All the best on your road to recovery and
hope its not too long befor eyou are back behind the wheel of a Tiv.
Regards
Simon
Really sad to hear that and glad you ar eon the road to recovery.
Having experienced first hand how easy you can loose a TVR at even very low speeds in the wet or ice and can thoroughly understand how frustrating and confusing it is to what happened.
All the best on your road to recovery and
hope its not too long befor eyou are back behind the wheel of a Tiv.
Regards
Simon
Yet again it just shows that these cars need the utmost respect this time of the year Simon has had a lot of track experience and he was still caught out I read about this on the ToG a few days ago and with this fresh in my mind on New years day with the roads quite damp and may be with alcohol probably still in the system i abandoned a country blast, wimp?? Get well soon Simon
Tony21TVR said:
As to why ? I don't actually know, which is the scary part! Yes, was it standing water ? Spilt diesel ? Pure driver error ? I don't know. It wasn't fast though...
Simon, I can totally sympathise with you on this. On 26th October, early on a Sunday morning, temp circa 2 degrees in damp conditions, I had a tail sliding moment. No overtaking, simply coming out of a gentle curve and ended up snaking along the road for maybe fifty yards before getting intimate with a tree. Unlike you, I walked away totally unscathed. I was left with a single exhaust can and chunk of rear N/S wing which I picked up after the car was hauled out of the ditch. The car is in Blackpool awaiting completion after £22K worth of damage. I've endlessly analysed my accident and, like you, cannot put my finger on the exact cause. Perhaps it was a little too much acceleration, maybe ice or diesel on the road, but it certainly wasn't excessive speed. It still makes my head numb trying to put the pieces together.
What's the story on your car? Was it a write-off or a rebuild? What are your plans?
I expect when I get mine back at the end of January, it'll take a while to get my bottle back.
I wish the very best of luck to you and speedy and uncomplicated recovery.
Jeez! Just catching up on threads after being away for a few days, and I'm shocked to read about this.
I'm very glad to hear that you're in one (albeit battered) piece, and as many others have said, the car can be fixed or replaced.
Normally when I read about people crashing their cars, my initial thought is "well, they were probably inexperienced or doing something silly", however after being a passenger with you at Keevil I know that you are neither which makes this even more surprising and shocking.
I hope you recover soon, and you're back behind the wheel of another Tuscan before too long.
I'm very glad to hear that you're in one (albeit battered) piece, and as many others have said, the car can be fixed or replaced.
Normally when I read about people crashing their cars, my initial thought is "well, they were probably inexperienced or doing something silly", however after being a passenger with you at Keevil I know that you are neither which makes this even more surprising and shocking.
I hope you recover soon, and you're back behind the wheel of another Tuscan before too long.
Holy smoke Simon, although you are worse for wear, I am glad to read you are recovering. From our experience together at Brunters, we know how good these cars can be on dry roads, and I always drove Ruby with respect in wet conditions. Despite respect, though, you can never know how the road surface will hinder your progress. There are no words to console you on the loss of your beautiful car. Take care, Simon, and hope you are much better soon
Simon, although you are worse for wear, I am glad to read you are recovering. From our experience together at Brunters, we know how good these cars can be on dry roads, and I always drove Ruby with respect in wet conditions. Despite respect, though, you can never know how the road surface will hinder your progress. There are no words to console you on the loss of your beautiful car. Take care, Simon, and hope you are much better soon Gassing Station | Tuscan | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff