Commuite + Black Ice = Telephone Pole

[EburgE]

Originally Posted by Phantom Lotus

GET BACK ON THAT HORSE!!

Where is the foot-in-mouth-and-very-emoticon?!?

[Phantom Lotus]

So Sorry, but there are plenty of widowers here at Etalk to help you through this rough time. We're you clutching a piece of the wreckage on the ride home too? It'l be ok man... Just buy another one, in black, to express the grief of your loss.

[EburgE]

Funny how the way the clam disintegrates. The words "Elise" were spelled out on a shard of fibreglass in plain SweetDaddyD sticker ardent black.

I picked up the souvenir, but the towtruck driver said pitch it, nobody needs it.

[Fungezap]

Originally Posted by EburgE

.. only studs or chains or going slower would have made a difference, IMHO.

Maybe that monkey is the stud you're looking for.

[sjm]

Originally Posted by flyguyskt

are you the guy that was excited last week about trying the elise out in the 10 inches of snow you just got???

one more reason to put these things away for the winter!

sorry to hear.

That would be the idiot who totalled the car that I put back together. Spun it off the road in a snow storm last winter. Elise are not good snow cars especially in LSS trim.

[sjm]

Originally Posted by EburgE

Ouch. I guess mine was good from a few perspectives.

* The airbag did not go off, so I don't think the speed was too great. (Does anyone know the threshold?)
* None of the tires/suspension hit a curb, as there was no curb.
* The strike was direct center, and the windshield did not crack.
* I was not sited, and noone was injured.

So sorry for the loss but think it is repairable. I have personal experience putting one back togethere and from the above, you maybe okay.

The crash structure in the front is designed to save the passengers and the chassis. If you had put a front wheel into the tree, damage would have looked less but chassis would have been toast. I'm sure official word will come soon from the body shop but keep your hopes up, may just need a new front clam, crash structure, radiators, etc and good as new.

Finally, go beat that idiot who left the hose running on the road in freezing weather

[P90Puma]

Originally Posted by sjm

Finally, go beat that idiot who left the hose running on the road in freezing weather

+1 WTF?

How can someone not be held liable for that? Here in canada (Pretty sure in the usa too) if you trip on the sidewalk that wasn't de-iced by the owner you can sue.

[wallabyguy]

I am speechless. Thank God you are OK.

[Shiftlock]

What is it about telephone poles? Seem like they magnetically attract cars. If the poles are 12 inches wide, and there's 50 feet of clear space between poles, why does it seem the car will always hit a pole in an accident?

[mrluky]

Sorry to hear this. At least you are ok.

Shiftlock: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation maybe?

[EburgE]

As the insurance agent continues to read, "Was the telephone pole damaged?"

[wildwhl]

Glad to hear your fine.

I'll second the Exige S motion if she is totalled.

WW

[glb]

As another kind ET member told me: Have the unnec, unsightly seam filled in the new clam. It really does look better.

Glad you are OK.

[EburgE]

Originally Posted by glb

As another kind ET member told me: Have the unnec, unsightly seam filled in the new clam.

Oh crap. Have to head out in the morning to fetch the pieces left by the pole. While I'm there I'll check to make sure the pole is okay.

Seriously, the clam is shot. Nothing that bondo or duct tape can handle.

[WhitePlume]

Looking at pic like that just puts my heart in my stomach. How awful.

[Keeper]

Bummer. At least it happened at the end of the season. It looks repairable, too. Red matches perfectly and the new paint probably won't chip as easily. Maybe an Exige clam upgrade? In any event, I'm glad you're OK.

Originally Posted by EburgE

I don't mean to be confrontational, and I appreciate everybodys' support, but I don't think winter tires are the solution. (I had AD07 Yoks, the standard tires.)

This is ice, not snow. The only good solutions are to

1. Put the car away when it is below freezing or
2. Slow way the heck down on ice.

The thought of ice did not even occur to me this morning because, as Exigent so deligently pointed out, it has not snowed here yet. The truth is, it was 32 degrees in Owings Mills this morning. As someone else said, only studs or chains or going slower would have made a difference, IMHO.

No offense and I only say this for the benefit of those who happen to read this thread, but winter tires make a huge difference, especially in those conditions. The AD07's begin to perform very poorly in cold weather. No snow or ice is even necessary for a similar outcome, but a decent snow tire can save you.

In fact, I just passed on the NJ event because of the temps, not the weather. My ABS can be made to go off with ease below 40F.

Please don't take the above as criticism. I'm just commenting on tires. You hit a patch of ice unexpectedly. You spun out. It happens.

[EburgE]

No offense taken. You guys may be right. I am not familiar with tires that perform on ice.

[propracer]

Sorry to see the damage, glad you're ok since you are not as easily fixed or replaced as the vehicle. But I know the feeling....
Being from a country where black ice forms unexpectedly fast during winter, I can tell you that there is NOTHING you can do when you hit the real stuff (solid black ice, not patches of it). Black ice stays longer in areas where there is a lot of shade or wind even though the temp gauge says it's above freezing.
Going slower just means hitting less hard. I have hit armcos a couple of times and as I got out of my car I slipped on the ice to fall on my hind end to add insult to injury.
Luckily I was being paid to drive and it was not my car...
Add spikes or park it is the only solution to me ...or move away from where ice forms around this time of the year...like I did.
Meanwhile get back with the program like a few others suggested and take that trip to the Lotus dealer....Exige S's are around you know !!

[shay2nak]

oh sh*t! Sorry about the car glad you're ok.

[nugg_dawg]

I've been sitting idle all day......... just got in.........

FVCK! ->

Harold, I'm relieved you are ok. Looking at the pics it looks serious. If you feel any soreness, I strongly suggest you see a doctor. Hopefully, you wont.

I can't believe it, we were on those roads not 2 days ago......his is terrible news. I'm speechless, I don't know what I could say to make ya feel better? Make sure those clueless claims adjusters know the extent of the damage to the crash structure and how much labor it takes to fix.

.........keep us posted, hope you are alright.


John