Dumbest thing you've done in a car.

[airmenair]

Just remembered this....

I took my mom's car to the drag strip back when I was younger. It was my first time going so I was a little nervous. The first run I had was against a GTO, I lost by about 1/2 car length. (Driving an 03 Mach 1, auto). Next race I was really eager to win, I think I was racing an older camaro. I figured I had a pretty good chance at winning. I pulled up to the lights but overshot it a little bit, so I had to reverse to get back into the correct position. Lights go orange, then green and I nail the throttle. Unfortunately I had left it in reverse...imagine my suprise! After I stopped the car and go it into drive I glanced out the window to see all the people laughing at me. My pride got knocked down a couple of notches so in response I floored it out of there and started going sideways. I managed to regain control before I would have slammed into the concrete wall.

Not so much as dumb but definately embarrasing for me :lol:

 

[prizrak]

One thing is theory, another is how it all plays out in the situation. I'm not saying my reaction was in any way clever, but this was one long ass truck. I was quite far into the overtaking when i realised that i wouldn't be able to make it before the other car passed, so i kept on going.

But that happens when you're inexperienced, you make some stupid calls. You feel like you're in total control, but in this kind of situation, more often than not, you just aren't. I've been driving for 1,5 years now, so i'm still not what you would call experienced - at least not compared to people who have had their license for 20-40 years. But i have come to understand my own abilities better, and learned the limits of the car better, so hopefully i take fewer stupid riscs when driving.

It's like that with most people. It takes some time to realize that you're not invulnerable, some never realize it. My friend who has just gotten his license, is always saying "i'm a good driver, better than a lot of others on the road", and i always tell him to wait a year and see if he still says the same thing.

I'd have to agree there while there are general guidelines there are way too many factors in any one situation. For instance it could be a double truck that you were not expecting, you could be past the point of no return where braking will not get you out of it. The other car could be going too fast for that.

The worst for that are limos actually because from the back it normally looks like a regular car but when you are next to it it no longer is.

 

[SirEdward]

One thing is theory, another is how it all plays out in the situation. I'm not saying my reaction was in any way clever, but this was one long ass truck. I was quite far into the overtaking when i realised that i wouldn't be able to make it before the other car passed, so i kept on going.

Oh, no problem. It happens. With a little more experience you will notice that you are not going to make it well before reaching the no-turning-back point. It's just a dumb thing, pretty much like everything else described in this thread. I have been myself unable to quit an overtaking when in fact I shuould have (too dangerous).

But that happens when you're inexperienced, you make some stupid calls. You feel like you're in total control, but in this kind of situation, more often than not, you just aren't. I've been driving for 1,5 years now, so i'm still not what you would call experienced - at least not compared to people who have had their license for 20-40 years. But i have come to understand my own abilities better, and learned the limits of the car better, so hopefully i take fewer stupid riscs when driving. It's like that with most people. It takes some time to realize that you're not invulnerable, some never realize it. My friend who has just gotten his license, is always saying "i'm a good driver, better than a lot of others on the road", and i always tell him to wait a year and see if he still says the same thing.

I've got my licence for 10 years now and still learning... And the moment I made the biggest leap was when I realized that I am not better than many other people at controlling the car, so I would have needed to improve my ability to avoid being in danger in the first place. A good driver thinks ahead. And it's still a work in progress. Try your friend at foreseeing other people's behaviour, especially poor driving people, and make him notice how many things he doesn't see, how many car swerving, making abrupt lane changing, overtaking dangerously, not stopping when they should stop, stopping when they shouldn't, how many unforeseen dangers he has to react to. And have fun knoking out his "I'm a good driver" dream.

(or maybe this is just because I drive in Italy?)

 

[tigger]

All this talk of good driver/bad driver, guidelines, theory, etc reminds me of when I started riding motorcycles. Relative to the rest of the riders on finalgear I've probably got almost no miles on the road, but the little I've had were educational.

Being on a motorcycle forces you to look much further ahead, and pay a lot more attention to your surroundings than being in a car does. Or maybe it just affords you the opportunity to do that? Anyway, it will humble someone who thinks that they're the best driver in the world, if only that it will make them realize all the stupid little things everyone does when driving.

And to stay vaguely on topic, I've done idiotic things on my motorcycles too. I dropped my Yamaha at ~30mph by downshifting (oh-so-gently, too) mid-corner on a damp brick road. That scuffed up a good pair of jeans. Cost the Yamaha a gear shift lever and the edges of some cooling fins, but I was able to pick it up and ride home.

I also nearly drowned my Yamaha on a fire road by driving through a very long puddle that turned out to be 3 feet deep. I was standing on the pegs, full throttle in first gear, repeating in my head, "Don't drop the bike! Do not drop the bike! DO NOT drop the bike!!!" Somehow, the bike didn't fall over and I made it out the other end, soaked almost to my waist. Had to ride for another hour and a half like that. :lol:

 

[Buktu]

Yeah, you just have to be aware that you can't trust anyone but yourself.

I had been driving a scooter for a couple of years before getting my license, and I really do believe that gave me a head start in learning how to read the traffic. When you're as vulnerable as you are on a scooter, you quite quickly learn not to trust anyone driving a car, always expecting the worst.

I doubt I could knock my friend out of his dream though. Even though that would be quite entertaining. Some people just don't want to learn. I'm guessing its either gonna take a lot of time, or an accident for him to realize his limits. In fact he just had an accident a few days ago (after having had his license for mere weeks), so i guess time is what it takes.. Hopefully.. :b

Accidents can be quite effective in that matter. I have another friend, who used to drive like a madman. He was once doing 180kph on the motorway when he lost the rear because he wasn't paying attention. He skidded into a woman driving in the other lane, and totalled the car. None of them were hurt, fortunately, but he has been driving a lot slower and nicer after that experience..

 

[tigger]

Yeah, you just have to be aware that you can't trust anyone but yourself.

Exactly. I didn't think I could get much more cynical until I started riding.

Some people just don't want to learn. I'm guessing its either gonna take a lot of time, or an accident for him to realize his limits.

It's sad but true. A friend of mine (in high school alone) went through 7-8 cars. He's probably had half that many again in the few years since and still thinks he could out drive Lewis Hamilton.

 

[prizrak]

Yeah, you just have to be aware that you can't trust anyone but yourself.

I had been driving a scooter for a couple of years before getting my license, and I really do believe that gave me a head start in learning how to read the traffic. When you're as vulnerable as you are on a scooter, you quite quickly learn not to trust anyone driving a car, always expecting the worst.

I doubt I could knock my friend out of his dream though. Even though that would be quite entertaining. Some people just don't want to learn. I'm guessing its either gonna take a lot of time, or an accident for him to realize his limits. In fact he just had an accident a few days ago (after having had his license for mere weeks), so i guess time is what it takes.. Hopefully.. :b

Accidents can be quite effective in that matter. I have another friend, who used to drive like a madman. He was once doing 180kph on the motorway when he lost the rear because he wasn't paying attention. He skidded into a woman driving in the other lane, and totalled the car. None of them were hurt, fortunately, but he has been driving a lot slower and nicer after that experience..

You should race him on a deserted twisty road Helps alot of people.

It's sad but true. A friend of mine (in high school alone) went through 7-8 cars. He's probably had half that many again in the few years since and still thinks he could out drive Lewis Hamilton.

Same thing with my retarded cousin he been in like 4 major accidents and countless little ones. I dont think he thinks his a good driver but it seems like he doesn't understand how to not fuck it up.

 

[richri929]

About a week after getting my license I drove over a cement/grass median in a parking lot at 30mph and popped all 4 tires...... reason - I wanted a better parking spot. Oh yeah did I mention this was one day after my parents had their 60k service done?

 

[Unconnected]

Actually, at that time, back in the 90's, none of my friends/family wore seatbelts. It just wasn't emphasized as something as important as it is now, so it just wasn't something we really thought much about. Yeah, I know it was stupid, but we were young and didn't really care at the time. Of course I know better now. Trust me, I wish I knew better then........Sometimes you learn things the hard way.

i guess it must be different in the USA, in australia almost everyone wears seatbelts, and has done all my life (post 1989)

 

[melbournian]

I was driving my mum's Honda Odyssey for the first time and didn't brake going through a windy section of road and damn near rolled the thing. I think my brain wasn't functioning and didn't factor in the fact that her car is 600kg heavier than mine, plus I was carrying four adults (90% of my driving is done sans passengers so my whole vehicle would weigh about 1100kg as opposed to 1700 or so kg). Everyone was asleep in the back, but they all woke up in a hurry. d'oh!

 

[dice]

Dear God, where to start?

The dumbest thing I've attempted was probably one time I had been drinking. It was almost 4 in the morning and we were off to buy some fast food, but I reckoned I was sober enough to take a mates '07 SLK since it was sort of dribbling. On the way home we drove past some friends and I decided to show off with a heavy powerslide through a bend. I redlined it and threw it into the corner at atleast 40mph (this was a 20mph zone). I lost grip due to some gravel on the asphalt and went off the road sideways. The back of the car snarled a telephone post with 10cm clearance and less than a meter by a guy-wire in front of the car, skided on the grass for about 10m and ended up literally inches infront of someones livingroom window. There's not words for how lucky I was. Couldn't sleep that night.

I've also driven through a road in between a university at 75mph in a 20 zone which I when I think about it was a bit stupid. I'd imagine I'd still be in jail if they had clocked me.

 

[SirEdward]

I reckoned I was sober enough to take a mates '07 SLK [...]. On the way home [...] I decided to show off with a heavy powerslide through a bend.

You definitely weren't all that sober then...

 

[dice]

Hehe, that struck me after the incident

 

[VXR8Carbon]

Several things:

1. When I started my exchange semester in The Netherlands, I left home at about 5 AM in the morning after not having slept for 20 hours or so...then after an 8 hour drive and hauling all my stuff into my new dorm room and unpacking everything (and still not sleeping) I set off at 8 PM to drive the 15 miles or so to Amsterdam to buy a connecting cable for my TV ( I could have done it the next day in my town, but...). I reached the store 5 minutes before closing time at 9 PM (after getting lost) and set off back home during a thunderstorm which reduced visibility fairly, and it was also getting dark (not to mention the standing water on the motorway). I just remember nodding off for a few seconds while doing 120 km/h in a counterflow...that could have been very nasty.

2. When driving to work a few years ago I made a left-hand turn out of my street, but that street was blocked by a garbage truck. I reversed back into my street while thinking about an alternative route...until I was stopped rather violently, because I was too close to the cars parked at a 90? angle to the kerb on the right side...I hit one of the cars (luckily it was just an old honda accord) but its trailer hook got stuck under my right back wheel arch with no chance of getting the two cars seperated easily again. the other car was not really damaged except a little scratch on the rubber bumper. So I ended up rocking the car up and down together with two cops and one bystander and pulled it off the trailer hook...I gave the owner of the honda 50? for his bumper and got fined 70? from the police for failing to look backwards while reversing and causing an accident...

3. just recently fiddling with my sat nav while doing 60 km/h on a city road (inner lane) and hitting the inside kerb with the front left wheel...since this incident my steering wheel starts wobbling when I go past 80 km/h and there is also a nasty scraping sound when I brake...anyway...got an appointment with the garage next tuesday..my wallet's not going to like this

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

1) I was going about 65 in the pitch dark in the MG out in the country, didnt see a corner coming (great lucas headlights ) and couldnt slow down enough to make the corner. Slid sideways about 20 feet into the cornfield. I was on a first date..

2) After putting the new turbo on the mustang i was too impatient to get my turbo connectors so i connected my IC pipes temporarily with Intake hose and Duct tape. Drove it nice and slow out to the country. Setup the G-tech and Slammed on the gas. Got about 1/8 mile before a very loud explosion shut me down. Had to limp back home basically at idle cause it wouldn't take gas. Apparently intake hose and duct tape are NOT good to 20PSI

Dr.

 

[Bubs360]

I'll have to come up with a better story soon, but here's one for today.

Dumbest thing recently? Assuming my brother could drive. :lol:

He didn't know his way to the hospital (another story for later), so he had to follow me as I drove to school, since it's on my way. I have him follow me into the parking lot. He parks in a space and shuts his car off. I park over behind him so I can tell him to say hello to mom for me, since I had to get to school.

He apparently wasn't happy with his parking job because he proceeds to start his car up and, without looking or listening to the sound of my car's horn, backs right into my beautiful Saturn.

Luckily he has agreed to pay for a new panel. On these Saturns, it's four torx bolts and it basically comes right off. He's just lucky he hit me and not someone else.

 

[yeeha]

I've got my licence for 10 years now and still learning... And the moment I made the biggest leap was when I realized that I am not better than many other people at controlling the car, so I would have needed to improve my ability to avoid being in danger in the first place. A good driver thinks ahead. And it's still a work in progress. Try your friend at foreseeing other people's behaviour, especially poor driving people, and make him notice how many things he doesn't see, how many car swerving, making abrupt lane changing, overtaking dangerously, not stopping when they should stop, stopping when they shouldn't, how many unforeseen dangers he has to react to. And have fun knoking out his "I'm a good driver" dream.

It is pretty cool what you can predict when you pay attention to little things and think ahead. I started doing this when I use to drive what is probably legally defined as 'aggressive'. You can often predict which cars are going to change lanes based on the short time you've had to observe their habits. Cars favoring one side of the lane may be likely to change or exit soon.

If a car is waiting at a stop sign to turn on the road I'm on I tend to look at their rims. I find this is the easiest spot to see if they are creeping forward, which could indicate they are considering trying to slip into that not quite big enough space infront of you.

Sometimes you can take it further than just noticing and actively influence what may be a poor decision on another drivers part. Car behind you is considering passing you when two lanes are about to merge into one? Speed up just a bit to remind them it is a bad idea. Just be ready to hit the brakes if they don't get the hint.


But for my dumbest ever: I almost hit a marked police car.

Small town road the car in front of me was making a right turn and I drifted slightly over the double yellow (only going about 20mph) to to go around him as he turned. At the same instant a cop was making a right turn out of the parking lot on the opposite side of the road (to my left). But he had to make a wide turn around a parked van (which probably would have taken him a bit over the yellow as well) so we never saw each other until it was almost too late. He tapped the breaks and I quickly got back over to my side. Then I see him change his mind and make a sweeping left and pull up right behind me at a red light..... Followed me for a couple lights but never pulled me over thankfully. That would not have been a fun conversation. Maybe not my poorest decision but certainly sticks in my memory.

 

[Wizegui]

Dumbest thing I did was trying to steering with my finger in demonstrating the lightness of the car's power steering system to my friend. Nothing happened, but it was still stupid none the less.

Other thing was when I was trying to reverse park into the spot without noticing this short-ish concrete barrier. I did hit the concrete barrier, but fortunately, it was only on the black plastic part of the bumper, so no scratches or anything like that.

 

[katwalk]

Dumbest thing I did was trying to steering with my finger in demonstrating the lightness of the car's power steering system to my friend. Nothing happened, but it was still stupid none the less.

LOL I did the same thing.


edit:

Other thing was when I was trying to reverse park into the spot without noticing this short-ish concrete barrier. I did hit the concrete barrier, but fortunately, it was only on the black plastic part of the bumper, so no scratches or anything like that.

yup, did that too >:

 

[Labcoatguy]

Other thing was when I was trying to reverse park into the spot without noticing this short-ish concrete barrier. I did hit the concrete barrier, but fortunately, it was only on the black plastic part of the bumper, so no scratches or anything like that.

I hate walls like that. I managed to back into a stone wall that was below my car's beltline while trying to get out of a parking lot, and it tore the paint to the primer off an entire corner of my black car's bumper. I had this plastic-colored splotch on my otherwise glossy black car for months, until someone else rear-ended me and had my entire bumper replaced on her insurance company's tab.