Damnit! Tire from 18-wheeler delaminates, smashes into hood and bumper of TT
04-02-2003, 05:01 PM
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Damnit! Tire from 18-wheeler delaminates, smashes into hood and bumper of TT
The most beautiful day of the year in DC was ruined for me in a split second.
70 degrees, no humidity, strong warm sunshine. Driving on the Inner Loop of the Washington Beltway this afternoon, near the University Blvd. exit for those who know the area, all five lanes crowded, I'm being careful because they've stripped the top layer of asphalt from the road to repave the surface and, of course, they've only done half the lanes, so cars are bobbing and weaving and destabilizing as they cross over the three inch differential between the cleared and uncleared lanes. I'm in the lane next to the far left lane, cars to the front, back, and sides, moving at about 60mph, I see a small puff of dust and the car ahead of me brakes and swerves about two feet to the right, I brake and swerve with him, but before I can react a huuuge largely intact rubber tire from an 18-wheeler flies six feet up and over the car in front and smashes into the left front of my car, compressing into the upper bumper and lower hood area, and then flies over the top of my car. X@#%&!!!!!
I catch a quick glimpse of the license plate of the truck, but not quick enough to see the state clearly, which I think is New Jersey. Startled by the defeaning sound and jarring impact, I pull over to the right shoulder, look at the front of my car and I nearly have an aneurysm.
The lower left side of the hood is badly compressed and the front spoiler is cracked and torn on the upper and lower portions. The dust shows the tire tracks climbing up the hood. Looks like a new front bumper and hood, plus repaint. The left front fender appears intact. I still had a meeting to go to, so I stuck my hand under the hood and popped it back up three inches or so. Still looks awful.
I'm going to try to track down the trucking company, but I'm not optimistic about it or a positive outcome. Looks like a no-fault claim under my Progressive Policy.
DamX! DAmX! DamXX!!!
Hope you all are having a better day.
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/Hoodshot2.jpg" alt=" - " />
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70 degrees, no humidity, strong warm sunshine. Driving on the Inner Loop of the Washington Beltway this afternoon, near the University Blvd. exit for those who know the area, all five lanes crowded, I'm being careful because they've stripped the top layer of asphalt from the road to repave the surface and, of course, they've only done half the lanes, so cars are bobbing and weaving and destabilizing as they cross over the three inch differential between the cleared and uncleared lanes. I'm in the lane next to the far left lane, cars to the front, back, and sides, moving at about 60mph, I see a small puff of dust and the car ahead of me brakes and swerves about two feet to the right, I brake and swerve with him, but before I can react a huuuge largely intact rubber tire from an 18-wheeler flies six feet up and over the car in front and smashes into the left front of my car, compressing into the upper bumper and lower hood area, and then flies over the top of my car. X@#%&!!!!!
I catch a quick glimpse of the license plate of the truck, but not quick enough to see the state clearly, which I think is New Jersey. Startled by the defeaning sound and jarring impact, I pull over to the right shoulder, look at the front of my car and I nearly have an aneurysm.
The lower left side of the hood is badly compressed and the front spoiler is cracked and torn on the upper and lower portions. The dust shows the tire tracks climbing up the hood. Looks like a new front bumper and hood, plus repaint. The left front fender appears intact. I still had a meeting to go to, so I stuck my hand under the hood and popped it back up three inches or so. Still looks awful.
I'm going to try to track down the trucking company, but I'm not optimistic about it or a positive outcome. Looks like a no-fault claim under my Progressive Policy.
DamX! DAmX! DamXX!!!
Hope you all are having a better day.
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/Hoodshot2.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/hoodshot3.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/Hoodshot4.jpg" alt=" - " />
04-02-2003, 05:34 PM
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Sonnnnnnnnnn of a BIIIIIIIIII@#$!!!!! that even PMO! I had the exact same thing happen on my C5 except it skipped the hood and went right through the passenger side of the front window. I followed the guy it was a Cab Driver. He drove on a steel rim for about 200 yrds trying to get a way. I feel for you I hope you have a good shop and a quick turn around.
04-02-2003, 06:32 PM
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John
Obviously, terrible story - I feel for you. The path of a wayward tire (or a piece of tire) is almost impossible to predict, or to avoid, if it's your unlucky day. I guess the silver lining is it didn't go through your windshield. Your body parts aren't as easily repaired.
Did you notice the name of the trucking company? Most of the larger ones use GPS to track their rigs & can pretty easily identify a particular truck by time & location.
Obviously, terrible story - I feel for you. The path of a wayward tire (or a piece of tire) is almost impossible to predict, or to avoid, if it's your unlucky day. I guess the silver lining is it didn't go through your windshield. Your body parts aren't as easily repaired.
Did you notice the name of the trucking company? Most of the larger ones use GPS to track their rigs & can pretty easily identify a particular truck by time & location.
04-02-2003, 06:44 PM
#5
Three Wheelin'
Truly sorry to hear that, John. Up here in Ithaca, aka The Frozen Tundra, we got another half foot of snow a few days ago (after some nice weather), so my 993 driving is again on hiatus.
Your story makes me think of something I see with amazing frequency; I am stunned by the number of people on the roads who drive right alongside the 18-wheelers, mile after mile after mile (usually holding up a line of cars wanting to pass)... Retreads are strewn all over the sides of the roads, yet people cruise along right next to and behind these 80,000 lb trucks totally oblivious to what could happen if anything goes wrong -- flying retreads is just one example. Of course, sometimes traffic conditions force us to be closer to trucks than we'd like. As your unfortunate story shows, sometimes it's just your turn, no matter how diligent and careful you are.
I have no doubt that your beautiful car will be restored to its former glory very soon.
Your story makes me think of something I see with amazing frequency; I am stunned by the number of people on the roads who drive right alongside the 18-wheelers, mile after mile after mile (usually holding up a line of cars wanting to pass)... Retreads are strewn all over the sides of the roads, yet people cruise along right next to and behind these 80,000 lb trucks totally oblivious to what could happen if anything goes wrong -- flying retreads is just one example. Of course, sometimes traffic conditions force us to be closer to trucks than we'd like. As your unfortunate story shows, sometimes it's just your turn, no matter how diligent and careful you are.
I have no doubt that your beautiful car will be restored to its former glory very soon.
04-02-2003, 07:16 PM
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Dan is correct. Try to remember the name of the company. This happened to a friend and we tracked down the truck and the driver by the date, time and location. Many companies monitor the vehicles via GPS. The insurance carrier cut him a check fOr the repairs.
Sorry about the mishap. Good luck.
Sorry about the mishap. Good luck.
04-02-2003, 07:20 PM
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Hey John,
Something similar happened to me about a year and a half ago. A blown out tire was hit by the car in front of me, landing on my hood, leaving a shallow S-curved dent. Shortly thereafter, I drove by the culprits, at the side of the road with a blown tire.
Turned out, these were repo guys (!), towing a small Japanese econobox with an old Ford Bronco with bald tires.
I got all their information, then turned it over to AAA. Spoke with the AAA rep. a short while later, and he told me that the repo shop owner--in Carlsbad, about 30 miles from where I lived--said to bring the car to his shop, where he would have it repainted for free (yeah, right!). Otherwise, he wasn't paying. AAA treated it as being hit by an uninsured driver, took it from there, and my hands were cleansed of the whole mess.
Now, if I didn't have the license number, etc., I would have had to pay my deductible ($1k). Since I was able to supply AAA with the culprit, I didn't have to pay a dime. I imagine your insurance company may have the same policy, dunno.
An upside. The front end of the car received a free re-spray, which never hurts on a 10 year old 911 with 115k miles worth of rock chips.
Best of luck!
Something similar happened to me about a year and a half ago. A blown out tire was hit by the car in front of me, landing on my hood, leaving a shallow S-curved dent. Shortly thereafter, I drove by the culprits, at the side of the road with a blown tire.
Turned out, these were repo guys (!), towing a small Japanese econobox with an old Ford Bronco with bald tires.
I got all their information, then turned it over to AAA. Spoke with the AAA rep. a short while later, and he told me that the repo shop owner--in Carlsbad, about 30 miles from where I lived--said to bring the car to his shop, where he would have it repainted for free (yeah, right!). Otherwise, he wasn't paying. AAA treated it as being hit by an uninsured driver, took it from there, and my hands were cleansed of the whole mess.
Now, if I didn't have the license number, etc., I would have had to pay my deductible ($1k). Since I was able to supply AAA with the culprit, I didn't have to pay a dime. I imagine your insurance company may have the same policy, dunno.
An upside. The front end of the car received a free re-spray, which never hurts on a 10 year old 911 with 115k miles worth of rock chips.
Best of luck!
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04-02-2003, 07:22 PM
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John
Really sorry to hear that.
Been there too. The only blemish on the Queen was from a metal bracket that fell off a truck in a rainstorm, and gouged the lower rocker panel.
Really sorry to hear that.
Been there too. The only blemish on the Queen was from a metal bracket that fell off a truck in a rainstorm, and gouged the lower rocker panel.
04-02-2003, 09:01 PM
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Thanks for the well wishes, stories, and strategies.
I just got off the phone with Progressive, they have impressed me with their speed and courtesy (switched from Allstate last year). The repair estimate will be written tomorrow. Not surprisingly, they are steering me to their "pool" of repair shops. There's one on their list that specializes in Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris, and I had a three-way call with the GM of that shop and the Progressive agent. They seem competent. The GM said they currently have a 993 C4 and a 996 C2 getting repaired. On the other hand, everyone, including the local Arlington dealer, recommends Wagonwerks or First Choice in Arlington. When I was looking at shops to repair my driver's door check strap, those two were the most highly recommended. I called those two and here's the rub: they can't get to the car until the end of April and are looking at an early May completion. WTF! The Progressive-endorsed shop can get to the car and finish it by the end of next week, assuming they can get the replacement hood and front bumper parts immediately. I went over the car with a fine tooth comb in the garage and all the damage is to the hood, the bumper, and the insert. How hard can that be to fix? R&R each and paint. I don't necessarily need Leonardo da Vinci for this, right?
Unfortunately, I didn't get a company name on the truck. I have the right license plate numbers, but perhaps the wrong state. I'll give it a good faith effort to track down the truck tomorrow, but again I'm not optimistic. It's funny because I always assiduously stay away from 18-wheelers, as many of you have said. I never putter along next to them, hell I never putter in traffic ever. In fact today I had recently merged onto the Beltway and was making my way over to the far left lane away from the trucks and the cars weaving and bobbing over the uneven surfaces being repaved. Another 20 seconds and that tire would have hit someone else.
While angry and frustrated about the damage, I am thankful I wasn't hurt as that tire was monstrously large. The Progressive agent said he handled a claim just last week involving a fellow in PA who suffered cuts to the face and an injured neck when a truck tire went through the window of his sedan. I'm also glad my wife wasn't in the car because she would still be shaking from the sight of the tire flying up (the duck impulse is so instinctive when something's flying at the windshield) and the loud smack of it hitting.
Ah well, it's just a car; or at least that's what I say to people who'll never understand about these things ...
I just got off the phone with Progressive, they have impressed me with their speed and courtesy (switched from Allstate last year). The repair estimate will be written tomorrow. Not surprisingly, they are steering me to their "pool" of repair shops. There's one on their list that specializes in Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris, and I had a three-way call with the GM of that shop and the Progressive agent. They seem competent. The GM said they currently have a 993 C4 and a 996 C2 getting repaired. On the other hand, everyone, including the local Arlington dealer, recommends Wagonwerks or First Choice in Arlington. When I was looking at shops to repair my driver's door check strap, those two were the most highly recommended. I called those two and here's the rub: they can't get to the car until the end of April and are looking at an early May completion. WTF! The Progressive-endorsed shop can get to the car and finish it by the end of next week, assuming they can get the replacement hood and front bumper parts immediately. I went over the car with a fine tooth comb in the garage and all the damage is to the hood, the bumper, and the insert. How hard can that be to fix? R&R each and paint. I don't necessarily need Leonardo da Vinci for this, right?
Unfortunately, I didn't get a company name on the truck. I have the right license plate numbers, but perhaps the wrong state. I'll give it a good faith effort to track down the truck tomorrow, but again I'm not optimistic. It's funny because I always assiduously stay away from 18-wheelers, as many of you have said. I never putter along next to them, hell I never putter in traffic ever. In fact today I had recently merged onto the Beltway and was making my way over to the far left lane away from the trucks and the cars weaving and bobbing over the uneven surfaces being repaved. Another 20 seconds and that tire would have hit someone else.
While angry and frustrated about the damage, I am thankful I wasn't hurt as that tire was monstrously large. The Progressive agent said he handled a claim just last week involving a fellow in PA who suffered cuts to the face and an injured neck when a truck tire went through the window of his sedan. I'm also glad my wife wasn't in the car because she would still be shaking from the sight of the tire flying up (the duck impulse is so instinctive when something's flying at the windshield) and the loud smack of it hitting.
Ah well, it's just a car; or at least that's what I say to people who'll never understand about these things ...
04-02-2003, 09:24 PM
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that's too bad your car got hit. glad it is not worse, and you are all right. The "alligator" may have been on the road and flipped up by the big truck ahead of you, and may not actually be off of the truck/trailer you saw. The driver may have not noticed it in time to swerve around it, or had no room to swerve to avoid running it over. If you look at the pieces of tire that come off these big rigs, you will see that a lot of them have lots of thread left; so the driver/ trucking company may not be guilty of running old bald tires. Except for the steering axles, most companies run recapped tires, and sometimes these will let go without much warning. I try staying away from the big trucks too, but sometimes it can't be avoided. Sorry that today you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. good luck with the repaint, max
04-02-2003, 11:26 PM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by John H. in DC Area:
<strong>
Unfortunately, I didn't get a company name on the truck. I have the right license plate numbers, but perhaps the wrong state. I'll give it a good faith effort to track down the truck tomorrow, but again I'm not optimistic.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Well, at least there are only fifty states, two of which you can pretty much rule out.
My condolences, John. I despise the DC Beltway, especially with the gridlock at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday. But you'll get a chance to take care of all of those paint chips and maybe get a new type of front spoiler.
<strong>
Unfortunately, I didn't get a company name on the truck. I have the right license plate numbers, but perhaps the wrong state. I'll give it a good faith effort to track down the truck tomorrow, but again I'm not optimistic.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Well, at least there are only fifty states, two of which you can pretty much rule out.
My condolences, John. I despise the DC Beltway, especially with the gridlock at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday. But you'll get a chance to take care of all of those paint chips and maybe get a new type of front spoiler.
04-02-2003, 11:35 PM
#12
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Hey John,
I just private messaged you today about getting together at some point to check out your car as I live so close... sorry to hear about your mishap. Be glad that situation didn't force you off the road into a jersey barrier or into another car causing a serious, horrible situation. I saw something happen on that same stretch of beltway 10 years nearer to College Park where a tire came off a vehicle in front of the car in front of me... the car swerved to avoid it, but lost control and rolled out of control into the median strip. It just rolled and rolled like in a suspense movie. I couldn't believe it. I wondered it the people even survived the rollover. I was shaken badly.
I hope to get together at some point this spring to compare notes and talk 993's. Wagon Werks is supposed to excellent for paint work. I would also call Zamora's in Rockville Md. They're the best shop we've used in this area. Julia just had her Jag XK8 fixed there after some idiot hit her, and that same day I had my 740i done after someone keyed the whole side of my car and they both came out amazingly well. They are committed to top quality work. They are on Gude Dr in Rockville.
Good Luck,
Steve
I just private messaged you today about getting together at some point to check out your car as I live so close... sorry to hear about your mishap. Be glad that situation didn't force you off the road into a jersey barrier or into another car causing a serious, horrible situation. I saw something happen on that same stretch of beltway 10 years nearer to College Park where a tire came off a vehicle in front of the car in front of me... the car swerved to avoid it, but lost control and rolled out of control into the median strip. It just rolled and rolled like in a suspense movie. I couldn't believe it. I wondered it the people even survived the rollover. I was shaken badly.
I hope to get together at some point this spring to compare notes and talk 993's. Wagon Werks is supposed to excellent for paint work. I would also call Zamora's in Rockville Md. They're the best shop we've used in this area. Julia just had her Jag XK8 fixed there after some idiot hit her, and that same day I had my 740i done after someone keyed the whole side of my car and they both came out amazingly well. They are committed to top quality work. They are on Gude Dr in Rockville.
Good Luck,
Steve
04-03-2003, 02:19 AM
#13
Three Wheelin'
John H,
I think you do need Leonardo da Vinci. I wouldn't take any chances with a bodyshop I wasn't totally confident in. Plenty of shops that "specialize" in Porsches, Ferraris, etc. just don't do the quality of work I assume you want. Just look at all those Porsches out there with less than top quality bodywork. The shop Progressive is steering you toward may be great, but I'd want to learn more about them before I trusted my car to them. It would be a long month waiting until early May for the recommended shops, but that's much less time than would be involved if it's finished sooner but doesn't come out right.
I have to at least wonder why one shop can do it right away, but the favored shops are busy until the end of the month.
Best of luck.
I think you do need Leonardo da Vinci. I wouldn't take any chances with a bodyshop I wasn't totally confident in. Plenty of shops that "specialize" in Porsches, Ferraris, etc. just don't do the quality of work I assume you want. Just look at all those Porsches out there with less than top quality bodywork. The shop Progressive is steering you toward may be great, but I'd want to learn more about them before I trusted my car to them. It would be a long month waiting until early May for the recommended shops, but that's much less time than would be involved if it's finished sooner but doesn't come out right.
I have to at least wonder why one shop can do it right away, but the favored shops are busy until the end of the month.
Best of luck.
04-03-2003, 12:45 PM
#15
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PS - When I was at Zamora's in Rockville to have our Jag and BMW repainted in part, there was a Polar Silver 993 TT there for paintwork so they must do a good job on our cars!