GR86 What did you do with your GR86 today

Just skidded off the road.

Not doing anything silly. Was driving to my parents for the weekend. Came around a roundabout on my way up the M11. As I came off onto the straight, I pretty much breathed on the throttle to accelerate away (or thought I did), but the roads are sodden and before I knew it, it stepped sideways.
Luckily I didn't hit the central barrier but went off to the left over the kerb and onto the verge.

I'm not hurt and neither are the dogs who were sleeping in the back. Didn't hit anything, no airbags, and the kerb is thankfully chamfered. But the car is sitting on wet grass and at a 30 degree angle. Engine started and I did optimistically see if I could reverse out, but no dice....it's not fully in the ditch but it's soaking wet, long grass. It's going to need to be recovered.

I had a quick look around and I am hoping against hope that I didn't do too much damage. The kerb is thankfully chamfered, so although it sounded rough as I went up it, the wheels are still pointing in the same direction. Unfortunately it was too dark and the grass too long to see if the wheels are damaged. Couldn't see any bodywork damage. If I'm really lucky I can find a recovery company who can pull it backward toward the tarmac and it might still drive. Apart from the kerb I don't think I went over anything hard. But I really don't think I'm that lucky.

Not really sure why I'm posting this. I feel gutted and sick and mainly just a complete prat. Luckily a police officer turned up within a few minutes. Put some tape around it and gave me and the dogs a lift to my parents so I will have to deal with it in the month. Apparently I am not the only prat who's fallen off the road tonight. It's filthy out. Tried to make me feel better by reminding me that they are regularly pulling cars out of the same spot. It didn't help.
 
Conscript said:
Just skidded off the road.

Not doing anything silly. Was driving to my parents for the weekend. Came around a roundabout on my way up the M11. As I came off onto the straight, I pretty much breathed on the throttle to accelerate away (or thought I did), but the roads are sodden and before I knew it, it stepped sideways.
Luckily I didn't hit the central barrier but went off to the left over the kerb and onto the verge.

I'm not hurt and neither are the dogs who were sleeping in the back. Didn't hit anything, no airbags, and the kerb is thankfully chamfered. But the car is sitting on wet grass and at a 30 degree angle. Engine started and I did optimistically see if I could reverse out, but no dice....it's not fully in the ditch but it's soaking wet, long grass. It's going to need to be recovered.

I had a quick look around and I am hoping against hope that I didn't do too much damage. The kerb is thankfully chamfered, so although it sounded rough as I went up it, the wheels are still pointing in the same direction. Unfortunately it was too dark and the grass too long to see if the wheels are damaged. Couldn't see any bodywork damage. If I'm really lucky I can find a recovery company who can pull it backward toward the tarmac and it might still drive. Apart from the kerb I don't think I went over anything hard. But I really don't think I'm that lucky.

Not really sure why I'm posting this. I feel gutted and sick and mainly just a complete prat. Luckily a police officer turned up within a few minutes. Put some tape around it and gave me and the dogs a lift to my parents so I will have to deal with it in the month. Apparently I am not the only prat who's fallen off the road tonight. It's filthy out. Tried to make me feel better by reminding me that they are regularly pulling cars out of the same spot. It didn't help.
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Dude it could have been worse. It's only a car at the end of the day. Be safe 👍
 
Conscript said:
Just skidded off the road.

Not doing anything silly. Was driving to my parents for the weekend. Came around a roundabout on my way up the M11. As I came off onto the straight, I pretty much breathed on the throttle to accelerate away (or thought I did), but the roads are sodden and before I knew it, it stepped sideways.
Luckily I didn't hit the central barrier but went off to the left over the kerb and onto the verge.

I'm not hurt and neither are the dogs who were sleeping in the back. Didn't hit anything, no airbags, and the kerb is thankfully chamfered. But the car is sitting on wet grass and at a 30 degree angle. Engine started and I did optimistically see if I could reverse out, but no dice....it's not fully in the ditch but it's soaking wet, long grass. It's going to need to be recovered.

I had a quick look around and I am hoping against hope that I didn't do too much damage. The kerb is thankfully chamfered, so although it sounded rough as I went up it, the wheels are still pointing in the same direction. Unfortunately it was too dark and the grass too long to see if the wheels are damaged. Couldn't see any bodywork damage. If I'm really lucky I can find a recovery company who can pull it backward toward the tarmac and it might still drive. Apart from the kerb I don't think I went over anything hard. But I really don't think I'm that lucky.

Not really sure why I'm posting this. I feel gutted and sick and mainly just a complete prat. Luckily a police officer turned up within a few minutes. Put some tape around it and gave me and the dogs a lift to my parents so I will have to deal with it in the month. Apparently I am not the only prat who's fallen off the road tonight. It's filthy out. Tried to make me feel better by reminding me that they are regularly pulling cars out of the same spot. It didn't help.
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Glad you and the dogs are ok. The car can be fixed (if it needs it). Take care.....
 
Yeah, true. I am still feeling a bit sick though. I'm a long way from home, so if it's undrivable I could get it recovered to my parents for now, but then it's going to be stuck there for the foreseeable. I'm going to have to go back in the morning to assess the damage in the light. Really, really hoping it just needs pulling back onto solid ground. Think I might go cry myself to sleep now.
 
Yeh sounds like it could have easily been much worse , doesn't help mulling it over though. May need an alignment, or worst case a new wheel or two if buckled but you might be okay. It's pretty horrid out there. Hoping for great best case tomorrow in the light and you can just drive home [emoji1696]

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk
 
@Conscript hope you are feeling OK this morning after what must have been an unsettling incident.

If you and the dogs are physically well, that's the most important thing.

The car will be fixable. Just be ready to use some more of that "continual patience" us first-batchers have...

Look after yourself over the weekend.
 
Conscript said:
Just skidded off the road.

Not doing anything silly. Was driving to my parents for the weekend. Came around a roundabout on my way up the M11. As I came off onto the straight, I pretty much breathed on the throttle to accelerate away (or thought I did), but the roads are sodden and before I knew it, it stepped sideways.
Luckily I didn't hit the central barrier but went off to the left over the kerb and onto the verge.

I'm not hurt and neither are the dogs who were sleeping in the back. Didn't hit anything, no airbags, and the kerb is thankfully chamfered. But the car is sitting on wet grass and at a 30 degree angle. Engine started and I did optimistically see if I could reverse out, but no dice....it's not fully in the ditch but it's soaking wet, long grass. It's going to need to be recovered.

I had a quick look around and I am hoping against hope that I didn't do too much damage. The kerb is thankfully chamfered, so although it sounded rough as I went up it, the wheels are still pointing in the same direction. Unfortunately it was too dark and the grass too long to see if the wheels are damaged. Couldn't see any bodywork damage. If I'm really lucky I can find a recovery company who can pull it backward toward the tarmac and it might still drive. Apart from the kerb I don't think I went over anything hard. But I really don't think I'm that lucky.

Not really sure why I'm posting this. I feel gutted and sick and mainly just a complete prat. Luckily a police officer turned up within a few minutes. Put some tape around it and gave me and the dogs a lift to my parents so I will have to deal with it in the month. Apparently I am not the only prat who's fallen off the road tonight. It's filthy out. Tried to make me feel better by reminding me that they are regularly pulling cars out of the same spot. It didn't help.
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Glad you and the dogs are OK and unharmed, anything else can be fixed. Don't beat yourself up.
 
Echo the comments above. The state of the roads due to the abysmal weather along with the huge number of accidents I’ve heard about, even via friends not the local or national press has been wild.

Main thing is you’re ok, hopefully when you get back to assess and attempt to recover the car in daylight it’ll be no worse than a couple of dinged up wheels and the geo checked. 🤞🏻
 
Me and dad returned the scene this morning....
1000015486.webp

Took a good look around the car. Covered in greenery, but not a scratch on it. Wheels undamaged and tyres still inflated. Regardless, there was no way it was going back up that bank. I was all ready to give up and call a recovery truck. But luckily my dad isn't such a pushover.

On the right of the pic, further down the bank you can just see some tramlines in the grass leading back to the junction. Evidently someone else had done the same recently. Dad suggested just trying to move it back and down the bank.

Success! Despite being on wet grass, we got enough traction to roll it back and further down the verge. By this time, two passers by stopped, evidently thinking we'd just crashed, and with their help we managed to reverse it all the way back to the junction along those tramlines in the grass. With a bit of wheel spinning, we got it up the incline at the end and back onto the road. I then rejoined the A11 and drove it back to mums....slowly and with no music.

1000015484.webp

Car is now safely back on the driveway and despite being covered in scenery, I can't find any damage. Not so much as a scratch. It drove back perfectly....tracking as straight and true as it did before. Nothing fell off. But I was aiming to get the alignment looked at soon anyway...when I do I will ask them to take a gander incase there's anything I can't see.

To say I'm relieved is an understatement. And I have definitely used up all my luck for the year, because if I had come to a stop just a few feet further forward....

1000015485.webp

....huge concrete manhole that I didn't spot last night. That would have been a bumper gone, or, if I'd come off the road a few feet later, a crushed sump.

Christ. Still shaking.
 
callahan said:
@Conscript I'm at the top of the M11 if I can help at all?
I'm guessing it was the M25 - M11 slip road, that can be pretty lethal in the wet.
Hopefully all is well with you and the car.
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That's very kind, but in the shock of posting last night's I made a typo...this was on the A11, not the M11. Barton Mills roundabout, by Mildenhall, if you're familiar with it. But thank you, I appreciate that the offer.
 
Glad you are ok OP and the car seems to be in good shape

I hate seeing posts about these blue cars.. I’d have ordered that colour like a shot 😞

Hoping that the Ice Silver will give me as much of a buzz when I collect it on Wednesday 🙏
 
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