Cobalt OUCH
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From: Chicago, IL
Cobalt OUCH
Source: http://www.chicagoz.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18174
Well guys I never thought I would see this... let alone so close and from start to end. Here's the story.
I'm on my way home on I-80 east coming up to the 57 south exit which I need to take. A Cobalt SS S/C pulls up next to me and is looking at the Z. No big deal. No ricer revs or anything so I slow down and get behind to make the exit. Cruising on the ramp at around 50-55 ish. its a real gradual turn.. 30-35 degrees or so i'd say (probably very wrong) but then it gets real tight real quick (like double what is starts off as) and if your not paying attention it will catch you off guard. i've almost lost it in my moms durango in the exact spot cause i wasnt paying attention.
Anyway... he is in front and we're just crusing ( no street racing or anything going on so keep those stupid comments to yourself guys) and he hits that lil kink and catches him funny i think. he starts sliding to the left like hes drifting... corrects it but then it catches on a HUGE pot hole and shoots him sideways to the right across the 4 lanes of traffic. I think he did some sort of 270-360 spin and then hit the ditch at 55-60 mph. He hit the first bank and flipped 2 times in the air and landed on and crushed the steel cables that block cars from going in off the Northbound lanes. If those weren't htere he would be dead cause he'd be in oncoming traffic. after bounced off that he rolled again and landed upside down. I was stopped and getting out before he even stopped bouncing around. Ran across the 4 lanes of traffic and started asking him if he was OK. Pulled him out and he was fine. Sat down for a sec to regain composure. By that time another couple stopped and called 911.
This all happened in literally 2 seconds. It went from "man I'm tried and want to sleep" to "OMFG He is for sure dead" Docs checked him out and he's fine. Just a tiny scratch on the top of his palm. Ironic thing was we're both on the same board (thechicagogarage.com) and had talked before. my words were "well shitty way to meet but glad your OK"
All said and done it was the scariest thing I've seen to date for sure, and it didnt even happen TO Me. It was 20 feet from my car and just hell broke loose. Again... no racing or stupid driving. Just some weird curves and pot holes and some cold pavement on semi bald tires.
So please guys... Be careful out there. I've never been one to fuck around that much while driving but this just shows that shit can hit the fan even if you're not fucking around. i was shaking and still am as i type this. I waiting with him til the ambulance and stuff showed up and until the car was gone incase he needed something. Oh and the cop gave him a ticket for failure to brake to avoid city property (the guard rail) his response was "officer my brakes were in the air" lol
Here's the pics (had my cam gear with me)
I'm on my way home on I-80 east coming up to the 57 south exit which I need to take. A Cobalt SS S/C pulls up next to me and is looking at the Z. No big deal. No ricer revs or anything so I slow down and get behind to make the exit. Cruising on the ramp at around 50-55 ish. its a real gradual turn.. 30-35 degrees or so i'd say (probably very wrong) but then it gets real tight real quick (like double what is starts off as) and if your not paying attention it will catch you off guard. i've almost lost it in my moms durango in the exact spot cause i wasnt paying attention.
Anyway... he is in front and we're just crusing ( no street racing or anything going on so keep those stupid comments to yourself guys) and he hits that lil kink and catches him funny i think. he starts sliding to the left like hes drifting... corrects it but then it catches on a HUGE pot hole and shoots him sideways to the right across the 4 lanes of traffic. I think he did some sort of 270-360 spin and then hit the ditch at 55-60 mph. He hit the first bank and flipped 2 times in the air and landed on and crushed the steel cables that block cars from going in off the Northbound lanes. If those weren't htere he would be dead cause he'd be in oncoming traffic. after bounced off that he rolled again and landed upside down. I was stopped and getting out before he even stopped bouncing around. Ran across the 4 lanes of traffic and started asking him if he was OK. Pulled him out and he was fine. Sat down for a sec to regain composure. By that time another couple stopped and called 911.
This all happened in literally 2 seconds. It went from "man I'm tried and want to sleep" to "OMFG He is for sure dead" Docs checked him out and he's fine. Just a tiny scratch on the top of his palm. Ironic thing was we're both on the same board (thechicagogarage.com) and had talked before. my words were "well shitty way to meet but glad your OK"
All said and done it was the scariest thing I've seen to date for sure, and it didnt even happen TO Me. It was 20 feet from my car and just hell broke loose. Again... no racing or stupid driving. Just some weird curves and pot holes and some cold pavement on semi bald tires.
So please guys... Be careful out there. I've never been one to fuck around that much while driving but this just shows that shit can hit the fan even if you're not fucking around. i was shaking and still am as i type this. I waiting with him til the ambulance and stuff showed up and until the car was gone incase he needed something. Oh and the cop gave him a ticket for failure to brake to avoid city property (the guard rail) his response was "officer my brakes were in the air" lol
Here's the pics (had my cam gear with me)
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Moderator Alumnus
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Disinformation Terminator
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: NorCal
Or not.
Why the hell did they do that?
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 544
Likes: 4
Wow, that is pretty brutal. The drive is a lucky SOB for getting out of that one with only a minor scratch.
Tow truck operator = Fail. I can just imagine that upside down Cobalt sliding around on top of the deck and falling off on the freeway at 55mph...
Tow truck operator = Fail. I can just imagine that upside down Cobalt sliding around on top of the deck and falling off on the freeway at 55mph...
AZ Community Team
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 32,488
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From: N35°03'16.75", W 080°51'0.9"
Decreasing Radius turns FTL.
There's one down here on the Blue Ridge Parkway they call .... duh-dum .... "Dead Mans Curve". You can't see that the radius tightens up quickly until it's too late. Catches out a bunch of bikers almost every year.
There's one down here on the Blue Ridge Parkway they call .... duh-dum .... "Dead Mans Curve". You can't see that the radius tightens up quickly until it's too late. Catches out a bunch of bikers almost every year.
That thing's gonna slide off on the first corner.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,190
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From: 0.
i dont think you can "mudlock" your engine. =P
i laughed at that. that's a first.
i laughed at that. that's a first.
Crazy. Glad he's OK. Cool of that guy to help out.. but honestly he should have let the guy climb out himself and maybe just guided him. If that guy was hurt and the OP pulled him out, the injured guy could go after the OP.
And yeah, I've never seen a car upside-down on a flatbed like that either. Lazy driver...
And yeah, I've never seen a car upside-down on a flatbed like that either. Lazy driver...
Not Registered
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,831
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From: Virginia
It is me or are both his front tires pretty bald? I've taken ramps and gone over the joints in the road and it can slightly toss a car around, but for it to throw your car off the road your either flying or not paying attention. Most people pay attention when entering or exiting the highway.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 20,067
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From: Cleveland area, OH
a) I guess GM builds Cobalts pretty well for the guy to walk away from a multiple rollover like that. Glad he did walk away.
b) Bald tires FTMFL! :thumbsdow Guys, take care of your car, it's cheaper to buy new tires than to pay for a hospital bill, a new car, or a new life after you've been killed.
at the upside down towing
CL in lawnmower status
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,600
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From: Canada
wow that's a crazy storyWe've be learning about compound curves in my roadway design class for the last couple of weeks, and now i know why my teacher says they can be dangerous sometimes... The more you know
i think GM cars are very safe. i was once in a '97 Grand Am and was in a head on collision and i walked out with just a couple scratches. both cars were destroyed
The cop was not being an asshole... he was just doing his job. That is a required ticket he had to issue. They also issue similar tickets if you damage a fire hydrant, telephone pole, etc.
If it's an accident and you weren't being reckless or driving while intoxicated... the ticket will be tossed in court.
I got into an accident when I was younger... lost control on a turn after a fresh rain, spun into oncoming traffic, and the guy coming down the hill went into a yard to avoid me. I wasn't speeding or anything, just hit a slick spot... and at 16 y/o, over corrected and spun. I received a ticket for crossing the double yellow at the scene, but the ticket was tossed out since the accident was deemed "no-fault".
Not a big deal and it's standard procedure.
teh Senior Instigator
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Huntington Beach, CA -> Ashburn, VA -> Raleigh, NC -> Walnut Creek, CA
Yeah, but you said it better. Short and to the point 
teh Senior Instigator
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Huntington Beach, CA -> Ashburn, VA -> Raleigh, NC -> Walnut Creek, CA
I'll be honest, I don't understand the ticket. The guy crashed his car by accident...he didn't do it on purpose. seems like a frivolous ticket. Give him a ticket for unable to control vehicle or something. But damaging city property? Let a lone a guard rail that is there for people to crash into?
Fahrvergnügen'd
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,494
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From: Maryland
I'll be honest, I don't understand the ticket. The guy crashed his car by accident...he didn't do it on purpose. seems like a frivolous ticket. Give him a ticket for unable to control vehicle or something. But damaging city property? Let a lone a guard rail that is there for people to crash into?
Let the judge throw it out ... *shrug*