Date: Mon Feb 19
Time: 8:00pm
Location: I-5 South 10 miles before I-15

Story: I had went to visit my cousin who had just turned 18 in Visalia with my other cousin and we were on our way back. The whole trip up from Loma Linda was great, saw a couch on the freeway on the way up and avoided that. Well when we were on our way back it was pretty dark in the hills and lots of traffic. I'm traveling behind a Ford Explorer and I have traffic all around me... traveling about 60mph with about 20 feet ahead of me and the Explorer. Well we were just traveling down the 5 and I see a huge orange object come from underneath the Explorer and I didn't have time enough to swerve due to traffic. In the split second that i saw it I had just thought it was a dead animal and that I was going to have a whole lot of blood under the car.

Unfortunately, I was met with a very noisy grinding noise under my car that wasn't going away, and to my amazement I look out my rear view mirror and see a shower of sparks, I know I hit something metal. So I pull over to the shoulder, which wasn't really any wider then my car and flash my warning blinkers, instruct my cousin in the passenger seat to get out and try to get whatever the orange metallic object was out of my precious tC's undercarriage only for my "hefty but stronger then I" cousin not able to dislodge it. I pulled forward a little bit and instructed him to try to pull it out, no cigar, I do the opposite, no cigar. As soon as we were done and about to get the jack to lift the car and take out the object a Highway Patrolman pulls behind us and tells us that we have a huge pipe sticking out from the back of the car and that he was on his way to retrieve it... I got it out of the road for him. He tells me to move my car to a wider shoulder about 200 feet ahead and I tell him I cant, its stuck and wont let me drive to it without something messing up. He told me to do so anyways, so I pushed the gas a little, hoping it wouldn't catch a crack... it did, so I backed up again, and tried again... same thing. Finally I said whatever, and went on the gas a little, felt the car pick up a little while cringing my face to my cousin... it came dislodged from my car and so I picked it up and put it in my trunk. Went to the shoulder and the highway patrolman asked me if it was still there and I told him no... so then he left.

Well I take off the flashers, and continue on my journey home only to notice my exhaust sounds a lot different then it should. As if I had a ricer muffler. I take a look under the car with a flashlight and didn't see any visible damage. Took it to the Dealership that i had bought it from 3 months earlier and had them change the oil (needed it anyways) and to look at it for me....

TOTAL DAMAGE: $2038.11

Apparently it ripped the poop out of my exhaust and other important exhaust stuff... so... called the Insurance place and told them what happened. They said they would have someone call me tomorrow. Until then I have a wierd sounding tC.

I'll take pictures of the object and post pictures tomorrow.[/b]

 

Sucks bro, hope insurance gets you settled. Had a few instances where that almost happened to me.

 

Should have told the cop no chance, it's a risk to your life and to his for that matter. If you remember his name I'd send a copy of the bill to the local place stating that he ordered you to move your vehicle. There's a good chance that if he stopped he radioed in for something too.

 

damnn that sux!!! u shoda told the patrolguy to *** himself n not moved ur car

 

x2

 

this takes me back to my theroy dont let the police push you around they are the same as you and me the only differance is the have a job with their name on their shirt. if you know youre in the right stick to your guns (no pun intended).

 

Leading cause of accidents:

1. Alcohol
2. Fatigue
3. Tailgating


It's a shame that driver education in the country is so horrible, and that traffic law enforcement is based on revenue generation, rather than safety.

 

perfectly stated, it seems that this could have been avoided if your were following the two second rule. Not trying to bash on you, but next you might want to consider getting off their **** so you can have time to avoid things.

 

ya'll must never drive in traffic... around here if you leave more than 20 feet between cars, some idiot will take that space... so bag on them all you want for not leaving space, but then go drive your country bumpkin roads... here in the big city, there is no such thing as "a buffer" on the freeways (that's just cuttin' in room).

Anyway, I think that estimate is SUPER high. You could probably get an aftermarket exhaust and come out ahead.

Also, don't put this on your insurance as it will probably jack up your rates! Not worth it for a couple $k!

 

I drive in Atlanta if that tells you anything... and yes you should leave enough room and if some idiot cuts you off then give that person the space and move on (which is the hardest thing for me to do). There are many dumbarses out there so you should drive defensively not offensively trying to keep from getting cut off.

 

Lol, try driving in Italy...

 

I learned how to drive in Venezuela. Same deal... roads with 4 painted lanes are at least 6 deep in rush hour with motorcycles cutting the lanes.

So how's the right lane treating you? I know that ATL traffic is bad and crazy, so I'm sure that you get your (un)fair share of fist shakes and one finger salutes if you're giving 2 seconds gap at all times.

 

I wouldn't know I drive in the second to the far left. I've never had people do any of those things I guess it is because I get out of the way of faster traffic, though usually I stay with the pack. Though I guess people would do that if I got in the way and drove slow.

 

To be perfectly honest, I don't think I really had a choice about what I should do. I'm sure you understand traffic and the problem that it is here in California. What was I supposed to do? Stop in the middle of the freeway, swerve into other traffic ridden lanes? Doing any of those would have probably caused me to hurt myself and more then likely others as well when I cause a pileup on the I-5.

As been stated, more then 20 feet here in California is just a welcome mat for someone to come and get in front of you. You create another buffer in between the person who just cut in front of you, and boom, again. I would love to drive in freeways where there was no traffic... unfortunately I don't have that pleasure. I have to drive the only way you can in traffic to get anywhere in any amount of time deemed 'sufficient'.

Anyways, I got an adjuster supposed to call me today, and tell me what my options are. I have considered the after market exhaust.

I should have pictures of the metal today after noon.[/b]

 

I would try to blame it on the officer...

 

That's INSANE!!! (if it's just exhaust replacement, after the s-pipe)

 

You could probably buy the entire stock exhaust off of someone who has bought aftermarket, and save yourself a hassle. If you translated the $2038 dealership quote into modern English, it would read "We saw you coming".

 

If it was something that was not very important and just a hole in my exhaust then I think I would do that. I am going to go and get underneath my car and take a look and see if anything is visible.

Talked to the Insurance person. $500 deductible.

Sorry about the pictures, gonna see if I can get them tomorrow.