Seems my brakes are too good...

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

On the way to work this morning (pitch black, driving rain) I noticed the car infront of me suddenly go a bit sideways. I then noticed he was doing this because there was a substantial part of a tree in the road and he'd hit his brakes to avoid it. I did the same but I was a decent enough distance behind him that I didn't even need to brake hard enough for the ABS to kick in.

Unfortunately, the guy behind me obviously had no ABS and wasn't a decent distance (in all fairness to him the weather was dreadful, but hen I guess that should have made him drive a bit further back).

The damage to his Y reg Fiesta: Broken headlights, pushed in bumper, smashed radiator grille, pushed up bonnet:

The (apparent) damage to my C-class: Nada, not a thing. Well, there is a small scratch on teh bumper but other than that it seems fine.

I have checked all the panels and inside the boot, behind the padding and underneath and it looks fine.

I have it booked into the local MB dealer in a couple of hours so they can double check but can anyone sugest anythings I should be looking for? I'm hoping, for both his and my sakes, that it's as ok as it appears to be.

 

[ba9rn]

The plastic bumper has sprung back, but there is likely to be some damage to the brackets behind it.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Thanks. Just off to the garage to see what they think.

 

[television]

As ba9m says plus check for damage where the bumper meets other painted areas.

The bumper irons are of the shock obsorbent type.

Malcolm

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Well, the results are in....I took the car to Syntner MB in Newbury (incidentally they were VERY helpful and VERY friendly, even had their after-sales manager make me a cup of coffee) and they had their engineers and their body shop look at it and the final conclusion was that apart from a small scratch on the bumper (which they reckon will polish-out) there is absolutely no damage.

I think the chap that hit me was a bit luckier than he thought, although obviously not that lucky.

So apart from a mildy stiff neck its business as usual.

Very good recomendation for Merc rear-bumpers me thinks.

 

[Myros]

Get that stiffy seen to next

an appointment at the Doctor's please Omni, we don't want your head falling off now, do we.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

just didn't swallow the viagra quick enough....

nice to know you all care (well, Myros anyway. PS Nice B1 - Stood about 50 feet away from one of them taking off with full re-heats once. V Loud!!)

 

[Myros]

Omni, I think it's a TU 160 blackjack

or that's what it said when I found the photo. It reminds me I need to tank up on the way home tonight.

 

[jberks]

Keep his ins details anyway. I had a honda run into the back of the E240. No damage to mine and a cracked number plate on hers, but the impact was slow. In order to actually bend metal, even the tin they make fiestas out of, the rear of your c must have taken quite a knock so I'm surprised that the impact absorbing area didn't suffer some damage somewhere. After all, that's what it's designed to do.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Can I just remind people that ABS does not make your car stop any quicker - it simply stops the wheels from locking up so you retain a degree of control when steering.

On a dry day, a car without ABS and locked wheels will stop much sooner than a car with ABS.

 

[television]

Can I just remind people that ABS does not make your car stop any quicker - it simply stops the wheels from locking up so you retain a degree of control when steering.

On a dry day, a car without ABS and locked wheels will stop much sooner than a car with ABS.

And even to this day,ABS has never shown that it saved a life, but it has stopped many small shunts and claims. Sadly people take their foot off the pedal when they feel it pulsating.


Malcolm

 

[television]

just didn't swallow the viagra quick enough....

nice to know you all care (well, Myros anyway. PS Nice B1 - Stood about 50 feet away from one of them taking off with full re-heats once. V Loud!!)

Omni, you must not take Viagra when driving, if things get too hard,they become brittle and snap easily. As you know,if you drop a file and it falls wrong, it can shatter into a 1000 peices. One thing with a computer is that we cant hear voices,so we would not be able to tell.

malcolm

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

or that's what it said when I found the photo. It reminds me I need to tank up on the way home tonight.

sorry, my eyes are still a little fuzzy from the whiplash....

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

not sure I agree about the ABS comment. I have seen lots of demonstrations on the TV where cars with ABS have pulled up a lot quicker than cars without.

Anyway, that aside, either my brakes were better than his or I was paying more attention. I have just had my pads and brakes and front tyres replaced (all in the last 2 weeks).

I did keep his details but i can't see any damage and nor can the MB garage. It's in for a service on Thursday of next week so I'll get them to check too.

Thanks Guys.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

not sure I agree about the ABS comment. I have seen lots of demonstrations on the TV where cars with ABS have pulled up a lot quicker than cars without.

News to me.

Never seen a clip like that myself. You should hunt it down so we can all see.

 

[42864]

Neil, --- Glad to hear that you are O.K. and no injuries, but watch that neck, if the ache does not go away soon get to the Doctor. Re: the car, one thing I have seen with a rear shunt as you describe, no damage to thbe seen on the outside of the car and all seemed well inside untill--needed to remove spare wheel from boot, it was impossible untill the air was let out of the tyre, the wheel well had closed just enough to pinch the wheel, Needed a new boot floor at quite a large cost. Check that yours is not affected.

dave

 

[C220GJS]

sorry, my eyes are still a little fuzzy from the whiplash....

The first sign of whiplash is usually a sore throat, believe it or not, so if your throat feels raw in the next day or two get down to see your GP and explain the history.
Geo.

 

[jberks]

not sure I agree about the ABS comment. I have seen lots of demonstrations on the TV where cars with ABS have pulled up a lot quicker than cars without.
Thanks Guys.

I have seen this too.
Once a tyre starts to slide, it's friction reduces dramatically. Not sure of the physics, probably partially that it is no longer fuly contacting and partially that the heat generated by the slide is lubricating too, but I believe an ABS equipped car will generally pull up quicker. Just think of sliding something manually - its often hard to get started, but once moving is much easier.
The only exception allegedly is in snow where a wedge of snow builds up in front of a locked tyre.