2003 Taurus Brakes/ Accident

Just today well coming home from work, it a very fine snow, i jump on the highway (because it justs off 20 minutes and 8 sets of light) i come to the off ramp i need this ramp is rates fo 40 kmph (25mph), since it was snowing i decide to travel about 30 kmph (18mph), there is a bend in the off ramp to join the road when i hit there the car began to fishtail to the right, I apply the brakes and try to get onto the left shoulder or even come to a stop, when i had tried to correct it did nothing even with the "ABS" on which only supplies the front i think since i have front discs and rear drums, now the whole rear part of the fender is damaged, my own estimate i am looking at a minimum repair bill of 500 dollars. The road was plowed but not salted upon personal inspection, should i play by myself, or send the city the bill...

Reply to
Minako
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Your first mistake.

and try to get onto the

Send the bill to the city, they probably need a good laugh.

Reply to
Scott

After they're done laughing, there may be a ticket for negligence....

FWIW, $500 will barely cover scratch repair in most Canadian cities.... In Alberta, anything over (IIRC) requires a damaged vehicle sticker from the local constabulary...

At any rate, that just gas to suck after a guys spends all his faloose on Xmas gifts.

Reply to
Jim Warman

Hate to say it, but better to bite the bullet & pay for it yourself.

With a lawyer you 'might' win. They city would need a police report, the police would need to make sure that you were insured (and might even find you at fault) and your insurance would have to put a note on your record that you had an accident.

See where this is going?

Try looking at it this way. You're not injured. The car is driveable, your insurance premiums will stay low. That's worth $500.00 no?

Reply to
joe schmoe

You are kidding, right?

mike hunt

Reply to
Mike Hunter

And how much damage did you do to city property when you failed to control your vehicle? I think you better cut your losses while you are ahead. The municipality is not required to salt the road every five minutes for you driving pleasure. Don't worry. Your Taurus will rust out fast enough if you keep the same fenders long enough.

Reply to
Al Bundy

You made a mistake. Why should the taxpayers pay for it? You should only travel at a rate of speed where you KNOW you're in control.

Reply to
Rick Cantellya

If you describe it as above to them, they will simply either say, or imply, that you dont know how to drive in slippery conditions, never mind what speed you were going.

This points out an unfortunate belief of many - that applying the brakes is effective when you're in a skid, caused by the rear end breaking loose.

I suggest you find a snowy empty parking lot and practice skid recovery.

You'll find the best method is actaully a slight increase of power to the drive wheels and steering so as to get the nose back in front of the tail, until control is established. ie, into the skid.

Even with ABS, applying the brakes only maintains the "status quo"

. . . . . .. .

I doubt you'll have much luck in your circumstance, the best chances are if many have had the same accident/damage at the same spot.

Sometimes it's hard to get relief even in cases of serious road hazards, such as deep potholes that may ruin tires and wreck the suspension.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

in Saint John, New Brunswick the only time the roads are plowed is minimum 24 hours after snowfall and is not salted for up to 36 hours, and this corner is known for the accidents, just coming home tonight @

1 am another car had an accident there, he had hit the exact same place but had managed to bounce down far enough to hit a conrete pillar, causing considerable damage to his 2006 Ford Mustang. I had came 2 feet away from that same concrete pillar, talking with the city, speed was reduced from 80k to 40k 3 years ago, after a city vehicle had struck a car...

I had put my car up on a lift yesterday, there is no structual damage that is visable, but the funder has bowed out 1 1/2 inchs on the rear passenger side.

On the other exit going west end of the city which is a staight onto the one of the main drags is a 60k with 4 sets of rumble strips, both exits come to a major intersection, for the last 4 years there has been a total of 30 semi accidents and 80 auto accidents due to winter conditions on the two exits..

People for years have fought for rumble strips on both for years, the one going east they say it is safe enough that it is not needed, I starting to think i will start up enother petition to have them installed there...

Reply to
Minako

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