What A Dumb Azz-ME!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,500
Likes: 0
From: Lower, Slower Delaware, formerly from Mobtown, MD (Baltimore)
What A Dumb Azz-ME!
What a beautiful day this was going to turn out for me. Drove down to Law Ride in DC this morning, set up the C5 for a little display, lots of good comments and atta boys. Good crowd for a good cause.
Heading home after it was all over driving on a section of E. Capitol St, there is a 1/4 mile stretch that runs under several bridges, has high concrete walls, kind of boxed in, and no shoulders. I'm just cruising along at about 45-50, and then I see daylight over my head. There goes the roof, just a flying away. One of the club members was following me, he was far enough back to where the roof landed right side up just narrowly missing his car, but had to swerve to avoid hitting it. He did clip the right front corner of the roof. He couldn't avoid it, I'm glad it didn't damage his car.
So there it is, laying in the middle of the two lanes, we're both stopped, traffic was light, but never the less a hazard. I'm already thinking, here we go, got to get a new roof. Geez, I'm pizzed and feeling like a big dumb azz, didn't secure the roof. Jim and I had to wrestle the roof on, but it did secure. Got the heck out of there as soon as we could.
Pulled off where it was safe to look at it. All four corners where mangled a little, big tire mark on top, I figured I'll never get it to seal water tight again.
By this time, I needed a good cup of coffee, back in my drinkin' days, it wouldn't have been coffee. Pulled into a convenience store, all the coffee machines were out of order. What else could go wrong?
Doing a slow burn goin' up the road thinking about how stupid I was not to secure the roof, and I miss my turn-off to the interstate. Now I have to go out of my way to get back on track. I'm already running late, wife is waiting so we can do the Mom and Mom-in-law visits.
Stopped in my favorite gas and go for coffee, filled a cup, then knocked it over, had to clean that mess up. Then we head up to pick up some flowers, they're just about all gone and picked over. Wife's not too happy right about now.
After the visits were over, worked in the roof and managed to salvage it. Straightened the metal under the rubber molding, squeezed the moldings back into where they are supposed to be, compounded the scratches, did a fitment test, seems like it's going to be OK.
Moral of the story, ALWAYS SECURE THE LATCHES IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUTTING THE ROOF ON. I have learned my lesson.
Heading home after it was all over driving on a section of E. Capitol St, there is a 1/4 mile stretch that runs under several bridges, has high concrete walls, kind of boxed in, and no shoulders. I'm just cruising along at about 45-50, and then I see daylight over my head. There goes the roof, just a flying away. One of the club members was following me, he was far enough back to where the roof landed right side up just narrowly missing his car, but had to swerve to avoid hitting it. He did clip the right front corner of the roof. He couldn't avoid it, I'm glad it didn't damage his car.
So there it is, laying in the middle of the two lanes, we're both stopped, traffic was light, but never the less a hazard. I'm already thinking, here we go, got to get a new roof. Geez, I'm pizzed and feeling like a big dumb azz, didn't secure the roof. Jim and I had to wrestle the roof on, but it did secure. Got the heck out of there as soon as we could.
Pulled off where it was safe to look at it. All four corners where mangled a little, big tire mark on top, I figured I'll never get it to seal water tight again.
By this time, I needed a good cup of coffee, back in my drinkin' days, it wouldn't have been coffee. Pulled into a convenience store, all the coffee machines were out of order. What else could go wrong?
Doing a slow burn goin' up the road thinking about how stupid I was not to secure the roof, and I miss my turn-off to the interstate. Now I have to go out of my way to get back on track. I'm already running late, wife is waiting so we can do the Mom and Mom-in-law visits.
Stopped in my favorite gas and go for coffee, filled a cup, then knocked it over, had to clean that mess up. Then we head up to pick up some flowers, they're just about all gone and picked over. Wife's not too happy right about now.
After the visits were over, worked in the roof and managed to salvage it. Straightened the metal under the rubber molding, squeezed the moldings back into where they are supposed to be, compounded the scratches, did a fitment test, seems like it's going to be OK.
Moral of the story, ALWAYS SECURE THE LATCHES IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUTTING THE ROOF ON. I have learned my lesson.
Last edited by C5C6Norm; May 10, 2009 at 11:19 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
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From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Sorry for your crapo day - Norm. My only words of advice are sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield.....
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,500
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From: Lower, Slower Delaware, formerly from Mobtown, MD (Baltimore)
Account disabled by request Dec 2015
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,343
Likes: 3
From: Slidell LA
Glad every thing worked out for you! Sometimes things in our life feel like everything is going wrong at the same time, but when you really look at it things always work out positively in one way or another at the end. There is always a reason and a purpose for everything!! 
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Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,987
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From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
CentralTX Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
It happens to the best of us. Sounds like a pretty crappy day but ended on a slightly positive note. Good luck with the top repair.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
Likes: 30
From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
Ohhhhhh crap! 
I sure hate to hear of these stories!
Sorry for the loss, I believe there are a couple in the For Sale section here
Thanks,Matt
I sure hate to hear of these stories! Sorry for the loss, I believe there are a couple in the For Sale section here
Thanks,Matt
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 30
From: Fairfax Virginia
There are no doubt multiple members of the Flying Roof Club who will read this post
Like myself we will experience that "Been there, done that" moment.
It's a bummer, and then to follow it up with the rest of things that went wrong.
Best of Luck to you for a better Today than Yesterday.
Like myself we will experience that "Been there, done that" moment.
It's a bummer, and then to follow it up with the rest of things that went wrong.
Best of Luck to you for a better Today than Yesterday.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Dumazz.......hey, you said it first.
I bet today you went to shave, looked in the mirror and just said dumazz. I would have.
Sorry you joined the FRC club Norm, glad you got it straightened back out.
You know, FRC's make great Carbon Fibre candidates. Just sayin.....
I bet today you went to shave, looked in the mirror and just said dumazz. I would have.
Sorry you joined the FRC club Norm, glad you got it straightened back out.
You know, FRC's make great Carbon Fibre candidates. Just sayin.....
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,500
Likes: 0
From: Lower, Slower Delaware, formerly from Mobtown, MD (Baltimore)
I feel fortunate, nothing but my pride bruised. Where can I get the sticker, decal, pin, or patch for the "Flying Roof Club"?
Thanks for the encouragement, guys, it could have been worse. Roof's going to turn out OK. 
Thanks for the encouragement, guys, it could have been worse. Roof's going to turn out OK.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,500
Likes: 0
From: Lower, Slower Delaware, formerly from Mobtown, MD (Baltimore)
