How to help a bad driver get his sports car out of a snow bank

LyndaB
  • #1
What to do if you spot a man who’s driven his sports car into a snow bank, rear end first:

Park vehicle and put flashers on…. walk towards his car shaking head from side to side grinning while driver sits in car and guns it trying to jackrabbit his way out of the snow bank.

Approach the driver and the kind man who’s stopped to assist him…. share “and they say women can’t drive?” and share a chuckle with both men.

Ask a few civil questions to assure the driver’s not injured and then begin dialogue with driver....

“How the heck did you do this?”

“The on-ramp was icy.”

Look down referred to on-ramp and say “There’s no ice on the on-ramp, how fast were you going?”

Try to decipher mumbled response.... offer a possible response.

“25-30?”

“Yeah, 25-30.”

Look down on-ramp at the tire marks he left when he spun out and say “Do you think you might mean 65-70?” Watch man who originally stopped to help him start smirking and fold arms over his chest, grateful that he’s not the victI'm here.

“I wasn’t going that fast.”

“I’m not buying that, this guy’s not buying that and the cops aren’t gonna buy that so you might want to work on your story….. now let’s see if we can get you out.”

Appraise situation. Laugh to yourself at his sissy rims and short car frame and remain bedazzled at the fact that his car is in the bank tail end first.

“Do you have anything you can lay on the ground in front of your rear tires to give us traction?”

“No.”

Go back to Jeep and retrieve bag of potting soil. Ask him to spread half of the bag in front of each rear tire and admire the way he doesn’t seem to notice that his wingtips are getting ruined. While he’s spreading it, he says “is this potting soil?”

“Yes, cat litter also works well.” He seems truly amazed.

Have him get in driver’s seat and tell him to very gently, very slowly, see if that afforded him traction. Tell him to point his front end down hill and see if he can get the car onto the pavement. Listen to wheel’s spin out as he again pretends he’s a jackrabbit.

“Slowly!”

“That wasn’t fast.”

“Was that how slow you came up the on-ramp?” Receive high five from the other man, who still seems to be enjoying himself immensely. “Do you at least have a full tank of gas to give us some leverage?”

“No.”

“Does WalMart still have a driver’s license kiosk way in the back of the store?” Roll eyes while other man holds his gut because he’s laughing so hard.

Try rocking car, try pushing car, try pleading with car. Avoid slapping the driver upside the head while he continues to race the wheels. Realize that nothing short of a wrecker can get this dude out of this mess. Remain grateful that his racing tires never caught the pavement because we all would’ve been killed. Say a silent thank you to your father who taught you and your siblings defensive driving with a health dose of common sense and self-preservation thrown in the mix. Bid adieu to both gentlemen, walk back to Jeep, give it a fond pat for always getting you where you need to go safely and for not having sissy rims and finish the commute to work.
 

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ZeeZ
  • #2
Hey, I'm a sports car driver! Never gotten stuck in anything. My car actually pulled a Chevy truck from the mud pit he thought he could beat when he backed out of his spot in someone's driveway.

And I have enough sense not to drive it in snow.
 

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LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #3
I used to drive an MGB Roadster and that little sports car was the best in the snow, of every vehicle I've had. Well, maybe except for my Jeep Wrangler.

It's definitely not what you drive, it's how you drive it. And this guy just didn't have a clue today. If he was my kid, I'd have taken his car away for a month.
 
scottieb
  • #4
haha well as a small car driver who often curses the snow, I will wait until summer, and then laugh at you while you stand at the gas pump with your SUV or truck or whatever. Then I will go blow the money I saved on fish tank stuff!!!
 
LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #5
And while you're still making your car payments for that widdle car, I'll be buying a larger house for all my new fish tanks with the money I saved because my Jeep's been paid for for years..... oh, and I'll be able to put more fish tanks in my Jeep, too.....

 
Furallicah
  • #6
Lol that's a good story Lynda. I have a manual Honda Civic, I bought those all weather traction tires back in November I had a feeling I would need them. If its a sports car I'll slip, if its a jeep, you'll run out of gas. If its a honda with a nice pair of tires...well if you do get stuck at least you have the gas to get unstuck I keep cat litter in the trunk too
 

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Kopeth
  • #7
It isn't the car you drive as much as how you drive it... I agree.

If you pay attention and take your time you can save a lot of hassle or someones life..it's that simple.
 
Elodea
  • #8
I wonder what happens if your mountain bike and you get stuck that deep in the snow...
 
GemstonePony
  • #9
then you're silly for biking then and there. A four-wheeler with chains or walking would have been a better idea.
 
LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #10

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bolivianbaby
  • #11
With the southern winter storm, we're seeing all kinds of stuff on the news. It's better in person.

There is a decent sized hill in front of my house. Some guy was trying to drive his mustang up the hill. Thought he'd be "smart" and floor it. He slid all the way back down the hill. I was cracking up.

Unlike many others, I know I can't drive on ice so I'll just stay safe at home until the roads aren't solid sheets of ice.
 
GemstonePony
  • #12
my comment was in response to Elodea's. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. IMO, mountain bikes also belong off-road.
 
gunner13
  • #13
Please forgive my obvious statement Lynda, but would it not of been easier to tow the stupid doughnut out with your 4by4 jeep lol

Nick
 
GemstonePony
  • #14
I think it would have been more dangerous in the long run. How'd the kid get his liscence, anyways?
 

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LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #15
Please forgive my obvious statement Lynda, but would it not of been easier to tow the stupid doughnut out with your 4by4 jeep lol

Nick

Oh so sadly, Nick, I forgot that I had a chain with me......

Actually, I wasn't about to pull that kind of good samaritan thing with him. He'd probably have his mommy sue me up one side and down the other when the front of his pansy car ripped off.....
 
scottieb
  • #16
Snow really seems to bring out the brainiacs, eh? 6-12 inches tonight - hopefully the commute home won't be so bad.
 
Erica0107
  • #17
Lol that's a good story Lynda. I have a manual Honda Civic, I bought those all weather traction tires back in November I had a feeling I would need them. If its a sports car I'll slip, if its a jeep, you'll run out of gas. If its a honda with a nice pair of tires...well if you do get stuck at least you have the gas to get unstuck I keep cat litter in the trunk too

I drive the same old honda my parents gave me when I was a teenager. I'm 28 now and it was used then, lol. Gotta love Hondas!
 
LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #18
Lucky for me, I'll already be home and all cozy before the storm begins, although you couldn't tell that by looking at the sky right now. I have a feeling it's going to start a tad earlier than they thought.

I've found that year by year, we become a society of "the rules don't apply to me" drivers. It reminds me of my friend from California who once said "Oh, those speed limit signs are just suggestions...."
 

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gunner13
  • #19
Fair enough, lets hope his insurance does'nt pay for the damage he incured being a reckless plum.

Nick
 
LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #20
Judging by the marks in the snow bank this morning, he definitely got himself pulled out of there. There was definitely no driving involved. It looked like they ended up pulling him onto a flat bed. Geez, I almost feel sorry for the guy. But I'm sure he had AAA and mommy didn't have to pay out of pocket....
 
scottieb
  • #21
Haha speed limit? I thought those were minimums... my bad.
 
LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #22
Oh, I get it. Like at the carnival, where the sign says "must be this tall to ride this ride". So, the speed limits are like "must drive this fast to use this road".
 

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Nutter
  • #23
Good story Lynda. I'd have just made sure they were ok & then driven off laughing like a drain.

I'm amazed that only one person (Kopeth) picked up on the fact that it isn't the car you drive but how you drive it. By the sound of it this particular person would have ended up in the snow bank even if they were driving a 4x4 (SUV to you Americans) that was designed for Artic exploration.
 
scottieb
  • #24
Well it certainly seems that people with SUVs get a bit overconfident in the snow around here. 4x4 helps you go, but it won't help you stop!
 
GemstonePony
  • #25
as my dad says, "four-wheel-drive is not four-wheel-stop". As far as I can tell, most the reckless-in-winter drivers(and cars in the ditch) are trucks and SUVs. Most people in MN don't drive fancy cars in winter due to all the salt on the roads anyways, so I guess it's an unfair judging system, though.
 
trailblazer295
  • #26
Oh so sadly, Nick, I forgot that I had a chain with me......

Actually, I wasn't about to pull that kind of good samaritan thing with him. He'd probably have his mommy sue me up one side and down the other when the front of his pansy car ripped off.....

That's the problem with cars today, nothing solid on them to attach tow rope to. In cases like that you have the owner put a rope on but your right someone will still probably blame you. Once saw a video of exactly that I'll try and find it.

<< owner of a 4x4 Explorer sport, gets decent mileage for a truck, tows my snowmobiles and has gotten be through over a foot of snow without even slowing down.

Found it

 

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LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #27
That one wasn't my fault.... honest.... I've never even been in that neighborhood.....

 
Shine
  • #28
yep... gotta be real careful what you attach a tow rope to

love the story LyndaB, you've got real talent as a comic writer
 
LyndaB
  • Thread Starter
  • #29
maybe I should try to write a story about my hubby's ex?
 
ZeeZ
  • #30
I'm planning on saving up so I can get a Nissan Xterra so I can have the best of both worlds!

Then I'll be able to laugh at everybody.
 

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trailblazer295
  • #31
I'm planning on saving up so I can get a Nissan Xterra so I can have the best of both worlds!

Then I'll be able to laugh at everybody.

Those things get terrible mileage for the size, was looking at them myself when I was car shopping. High cost and poor mileage I scratched them off my list.
 
psalm18.2
  • #32
HAHA!!! That video is hillarious!! IDIOT! Who attaches a tow rope to a plastic bumper?
 
ooosparkeyooo
  • #33
Haha! That is freaking funny! I love watching funny stuff like that! Its like why are you driving??
 
trailblazer295
  • #34
He isn't driving anymore half is car is missing lol
 

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Captin P
  • #35
Gratefully, We Southerners do not have that problem. I have been in the snow twice in my life and that was one time too many. Its quite beautiful but its cold and its wet and a pain in the neck to travel in. Y'all come on down where its warm! MardI Gras is rolling around soon! I would not visit in July or August however, to the ill prepared a South Louisiana summer will send you packin!
 
ZeeZ
  • #36
Those things get terrible mileage for the size, was looking at them myself when I was car shopping. High cost and poor mileage I scratched them off my list.

How about the Pathfinders?

I'm just a Nissan guy...
 
trailblazer295
  • #37
How about the Pathfinders?

I'm just a Nissan guy...

Can't recall at the moment. This is a site I used while I was car shopping. Breaks down vechiles by make, model and model years in terms of when major changes were made.
 
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