On the way home tonight, going up the 95N about 1/2 mile before craig there was a full extension ladder on the freeway. The car in front of me just went up and over the latter... no time for me to swerve, not that it would have mattered because I had no where to go but. UP AND OVER the latter. Being that all lanes were crowded, there was no where for me to go with a car on my right and the wall on the left.

About 4 other cars behind me hit it also, I pulled over and found all underliners from under my car ripped off and dragging on the ground (that I had just replaced a month ago from my trip to Cali, from a screw not being replaced during an oil change and cought the wind and hit the ground then ripped out from under my car).

My grille and drivers sidemarker missing and passengers side front mud flap gone. The front of my bumper not too badly damaged other than a slite rip in the bumper right under the side marker and scratches in the paint that give the spider-web look.

I called NHP as soon as I pulled over, when they came about 10 minutes later they slowed down traffic to find the latter but the person in front of me already pulled it out of the road. I filed a report, although... thats probably going to do me nothing because theres no one to blame for it.. but got one just in case I end up filing this with the insurance.

As soon as I got home I looked uner the car to see a metal brace of some sort hanging down, I honestly dont even know what it was connected to. (maybe the plastic under liner)


:-( .... sucks....

The other cars behind me just stopped and drove away, I think because they were SUVs...

 

they need to dust the ladder for fingerprints and nab those bastards

 

That sux. Had a similar experience many years ago but was able to swerve around the ladder. It still bugs me when I see trucks with all that **** piled in the back not tied down properly. Worst I had to swerve around was a box of nails that fell out of the back of one.

If you have full coverage on your insurance the report should help when you file the claim for repairs. Hopefully the bent bracket you saw was just for the underpanels.

 

You'd ba amazed at what gets found on the freeways. Washing machines, stoves. I almost hit a christmas tree once. I've heard of a semi that hit an engine block that caused the rig to jack knife.

Strange thing is that the freeway is more and more commonly being used as a dump for people that don't want to pay to take their crap to a real disposal facility. Run around the freeway at 2:00 am and you'll see bags of lawn clippings, palm fronds and all kinds of crap. NDoT is out there all night long picking that junk up.

 

I dont know... Im really on the fence about filing with insurance. My deductable is $500... Underpannaling alone is $200, since I replaced it last month (and thats with me installing it)

 

That $500 deductable could have been 3 or 4 track days that could have saved you from nailing the ladder. With track experience you would have been trained to look ahead and you would have seen the ladder LONG before you or the three cars in front of you got to it.

Put that little bit of info into effect two days ago with a huge piece or re-tred. The two cars in front of me and the car behind me hit it, but I was able to avoid it because I was looking about 4 cars ahead of me.

 

Training definately helps out but im sure there are situations that can not be avoided.

I always keep an eye 3-4 ahead but there are times things just pop up from nowhere since a majority of the cars in front of me are bigger and higher

but youre right .. for a ladder im sure there was a lot of swerving activity many cars ahead .. but what if you were sandwiched by 2 semis.. since theyre 2 to 1 out here

either way.. its a suck

 

If traffic is moving and you have ~5 seconds to make a lane change, it is possible, even if you have to cut someone off. I wasn't in the situation, but I am 80% sure it could have been avoided.

 

I almost hit a 4x4 wood beam yesterday right before the charleston exit on the 515 NB. I would have been hella pissed.

 

Dont tell them that you ran it over, tell them that it flew off the truck and hit several cars including the front end of yours before going under. If you tell them that you ran it over then it's your fault. Insurance doesnt cover road debris. A piece of tire tread destroyed the front end of my M3 and I had to pay for it. Insurance company says that it was my fault because I ran it over. BS!

 

This is the part of the 95 that has a little hill just before craig.... you cant see over the hump. So thats why the person in front of me couldnt avoid it becuase it was just over the hump...

I already called my insurance company, and had an estimate done.... $1300 so far and thats just stupid stuff.... I know about 95% of that is BS work that I could do myself.. but at this point, I honestly dont care anymore... IF the inurance company raises my rates, it'll be about 25% on the year... so about $100 more a year, less than $10 a month, ill deal with it.

 

sorry about that aarif - i've had a few close calls with ladders myself - you'll be ready next time, just try to keep a place to bail at all times. i was really wary of this sort of crap when i was lowered 1.5" with that turbo exhaust hanging low...

this is exactly why i quit driving the Z to work last year...