Monday, June 27, 2011

Havin’ a rough day?

The theme for this week’s Thematic Photographic is “rough”.  I decided to go with car problems that would make it a rough day. As I’ve said before, I started carrying a camera around with me everywhere I went during my senior year in high school.  These are all pictures of incidents I just stumbled upon and was lucky I had the camera with me.   Click on the banner to see more rough pictures, and if you have any of your own please join in.
Anybody remember the Vega?  This guy won’t forget digging his out of a snow bank.
The Suzuki Samurai, the SUV that accentuated their tendency to flip on their sides.  We were sitting at the Denny’s on 500 South when this guy took a right turn, realized he was going the wrong way on a one way street and attempted a rapid U turn.
This is the only one that isn’t necessarily because someone did something stupid.  It still could be, but I know people who have had their car catch on fire because of a malfunction, not their mistake.
I’ll give you 10 to 1 odds that this person was on their phone while leaving the parking lot.
Ever had some schmuck go blasting past you on the freeway when there was a couple inches of snow on the road, just to think “Serve him right if I see that guy in a ditch a couple miles down the road.”?  That’s what I thought when this BMW zoomed past me.  He didn’t end up in a ditch, but you can see parts of his car the barrier knocked off his car.
4-wheel drive go up snowy hill great.  4-wheel drive don’t stop so great when he swerve to miss car pulling out. (Hint to all 4x4 drivers: you can’t stop any better than 2-wheel drives; ALL cars have 4 wheel stop.)

9 comments:

Mustang Sally said...

Oh this is a great take on the theme!

YES! I remember the Vega. This one looks bigger than the one I remember though, maybe cause it's viewed from the back.

Samurai's had a tendency to flip on their sides? Really? My Magic Man had one for a few short months, don't know if I ever even drove it, but we loved that car! Used to take it out in the mountains and make our own roads.

I was thinking that I would try to find one again when it came time to get another car. Now you have me wondering about that.

I HAD a car catch on fire once. Rubber hose of some kind sprung a leak ... sprayed all over hot manifold. I had actually parked the car and was inside for about five minutes when someone burst through the door saying there was a car on fire in the parking lot. Somehow I KNEW it was mine, I was right. Scary experience.

Max Sartin said...

Mustang I've actually wanted to buy a Samurai also, despite their reputation. They aren't all that bad, as long as you keep in mind that, like many early SUVs, they tend to be a little top heavy.
.
My sister-in-law had a gas line fail on her and caught the engine compartment on fire. Fortunately she and my brother got it put out before anyone was hurt.

Alexia said...

Great shots - and a nice take on the theme! I'm glad I wasn't in any of these rough positions - and that I don't have to drive on snowy roads!

Max Sartin said...

Alexia - Lucky you! On average, we only have a dozen or so days where the roads are snowy. Compared to Boston, where I grew up, we're also lucky that as soon as the sun comes out, the snow melts and the roads dry up. On the flip side, it seems that Utahns are constantly forgetting how to drive in snow. They drive too fast and when their tires start to slip they seem to think the more gas they give it the better.

Alexia said...

I do remember coming off the road in a small van on the way up the mountain at our nearest skifield - the shuttle from the carpark, which had probably made the trip a million times. It just coasted gently to a halt and there was no damage done, thank heavens.

And many, many years ago I was in a Greyhound bus which went off the road in a snowstorm near Denver, Co. There were several injuries that time, including the driver, and the bus was totalled.

In both cases, poor driving in the conditions.

The English Teacher said...

Oh, I recall a couple of these pics from when you originally posted about them.
It's fun to see them all grouped together under this theme, though. Very clever of you.

PS -- my book review today on crime fiction is one that may interest you. Drop over if you feel like it.

Bob Scotney said...

Rough slides on smooth ice, except for the one on the phone.

carmilevy said...

These are AWESOME, and so evocative of how I feel when I'm on the road, surrounded by one moron after another.

I grew up in Montreal, and always noticed how the vehicles most often in the ditch were 4x4s. They all learn, too late, that the laws of physics apply to them, too.

Great, great take on this week's "rough" theme...I can't stop smiling at how you chose to slice it up!

Max Sartin said...

Carmi - I know a guy who drove a tow truck for 15 years. He told me once that the vehicle he pulled out of snowbanks the most often was a Toyota 4x4 Pickup. Not that they are bad vehicles, I've driven one in the snow before and it does just fine. But a lot of 4x4 drivers think they are invincible in the snow, and for some reason the Toyota seems to attract more of them.