You Shouldn't Laugh!

[2Diesels]

I was just browsing on the net & found mention of a Vauxhall Viscount which reminded me of a very funny story I was told by a couple of local lads who specialise in the posher Vauxhalls. I was at their place one night when I had my Royale & there was a Viscount in the yard with a damaged nose & tail.
Now it's maybe a bit far fetched & the tale probably gets taller every time it's told but

What apparantly happened was the elderly owner was fiddling about under the bonnet (engine running) when the throttle jammed open & being an old automatic it climbed into gear as used to be quite common & rocketed down the drive, crossed the street clipped the neighbour's gatepost throwing him onto the road. The car then climbed the neighbour's drive & pushed his Nissan Micra through the garage door & then sat wheels spinning digging holes in the drive. The neighbour came out & did the logical thing & switched off the ignition but being an auto it rolled backwards down the drive, collided with the owner & knocked a telegraph pole over & as a consequence the neighbour was unable to call an ambulance.

Like I said it could be just a mythological load of clap trap but the damage to the car was certainly consistent to the story

 

[quattro]

Reminds me of many years ago I was visiting a garage in Gillingham, Dorset. (I think it was called Sigma?)

In the car park was a metallic bule (yes :? ) S1 P6B with a flat nose. The front was around a foot shorter than it should be.

I spoke to one of the mechanics (they were still called that back then) and was told that they had rebuilt the engine as it had become quite tired.

The elderly chap got home and upon turning into his uphill drive, floored it as he normally did to get up the incline.

His wife was sitting in the lounge watching TV when the car came through the front wall. :shock:

 

[2Diesels]

Nice one
I worked for a Citroen dealer in the early 90s & an elderly customer had a 3 litre XM which he drove over a car park wall onto a lower level. His wife made him buy a ZX as the XM was too big for him.

 

[DaveHerns]

Elderly people and automatic cars are a dangerous combination
Maybe they drive autos because they aren't fit to drive manuals and an auto is the last resort
I investigate insurance claims and we've had several including one old dear who blamed the car for going through Sainsbury's shop front !

 

[webmaster]

Reminds me of the time I drove my sister's XR2 back in the day... I was reversing out of the drive but the rear screen was misted up, anyway I was reversing slowly to be "safe", got about half way across the road and it became a little sluggish so I gave it a bit more throttle, then it got really hard to reverse, so I stopped and pulled back onto the drive.
When I got out of the car I saw the neighbour's brand new Micra parked across the road, half on the pavement with the passenger side stoved right in.... Whoops !!

I turned and looked at the XR2, not a mark on it, for a split second I was tempted to just go back inside and put the kettle on, but my conscience got the better of me, lets just say they weren't very happy when I pointed out the damage.

From that day forward I never drive unless all windows are clear !