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I'm driving down I-95 last night. Light rain, lots of traffic, in far right lane getting ready to exit in about a mile.
Something comes flying across the traffic lanes and lands directly in front of me. With a jersey barrier to my right and cars to my left I swerve to my right as much as I can. I hear a noise that sounds like someone crumpling up an empty water bottle and a slight bump. No change in driving dynamic, gauges all good, tire pressure normal.
I exit the highway and get to my destination. Get out if the car to see if I screwed up the air dam and this is what I find.
It looks like something took a giant bite out of the car. No scratches, no rub marks, just the big hole.
FML
Picture from this morning
Daylight photo. Mud and dirt is from my driveway. Tire is stiil properly inflated. Whatever got me was definitely airborne. There are a few small scrapes where the bodywork was ripped out, not a mark on the air dam, which is usually the first thing to go.
Wow....I saw a few sticks of firewood in the road yesterday in the area I live in. Also a few pieces of blown out tire. Driving a GS with the front end as low as they are, I keep a eye open for stuff like that...
Looks like after a new front bumper cover you will be ready to go. The main thing is that you are o.k. Thousands of people die every year from objects coming off of vehicles and crashing through windshields.
I'm driving down I-95 last night. Light rain, lots of traffic, in far right lane getting ready to exit in about a mile.
Something comes flying across the traffic lanes and lands directly in front of me. With a jersey barrier to my right and cars to my left I swerve to my right as much as I can. I hear a noise that sounds like someone crumpling up an empty water bottle and a slight bump. No change in driving dynamic, gauges all good, tire pressure normal.
I exit the highway and get to my destination. Get out if the car to see if I screwed up the air dam and this is what I find.
It looks like something took a giant bite out of the car. No scratches, no rub marks, just the big hole.
FML
Picture from this morning
Daylight photo. Mud and dirt is from my driveway. Tire is stiil properly inflated. Whatever got me was definitely airborne. There are a few small scrapes where the bodywork was ripped out, not a mark on the air dam, which is usually the first thing to go.
Well, it looks like your air dam is OK! Sorry man that sucks....
Looks like you might have run over one of those treads off a semi and it wrapped around your tire and broke the fender as it came back down.
No, there are a few gouges on the bumper cover; the damage is from something hitting it full on and ripping through. There are also two small gouges in the wheel; they weren't there when I put new tires on last week.
Looks like after a new front bumper cover you will be ready to go. The main thing is that you are o.k. Thousands of people die every year from objects coming off of vehicles and crashing through windshields.
I remember that some years back a lady driving to work in moderate traffic on I-80 around Berkeley, CA got hit in the head by the starter motor that fell out of the old beater truck ahead of her. DOA. I have also noticed an increasing "bounty" of thrown truck recap treads on the CA freeways. Those can do a real number on a fiberglass car too.
So sorry, but at least no one was hurt. One of the ongoing hazards. I always worry about the "unseen" hazards on our expressways here in Houston that pop up with no time to react--some times you have no choice. Best wishes as you get it fixed.
02-26-2017, 10:29 AM
Something took a bite out of my car
It sucks, but the damage can be fixed and, especially under the conditions, it could have been a lot worse.
