Central reservation marries & divorces Griffith quickly

[Johno]

Over 100k miles in TVR's and over 55k miles in the Griffith in all conditions including snow, then today on the M4 I was being ever so careful in the middle lane at 60mph when she hit a cross road puddle of standing water, turned through 180 degrees without any reaction to my opposite lock and went in to the central reservation . .

Where upon she slid along it for a while and with only 100m visibility I had to choose to make a run for it or try and get the car off the motorway. Took the latter and made it. . .

It's drivebale, but leaving for France in the morning for 6 days and 2000 miles of hooning . . . Really gutted having had it off the road sorting steering rack and then the Emerald install it's going to have to come back off the road again and it's right at the start of the summer . . . .

It's my confidence that has taken the biggest bash, I know that car and how it handles very very well having done miles on track and instruction on advacned driving and yet today there wasn't a thing I could do. It's not the first time I've had to catch a slide on the road, it happens, but the aqua plaining was so bad that as quickly as I put opposite lock it never affected the attitude of the car at all, I was a complete passenger. It's going to take some time to get that confidence back in the wet . .

It could have been a whole lot worse given the conditions and time of day, thankfully I took no one else out so I am counting my lucky stars that I'm here, no one else is cursing me and as long as tonights inspection of the suspension yields no issues then I can still go to France . . .

[rev-erend]

Johno - very sorry to hear that !

With that much standing water could have just been down to the depth of tread on the tyres or even the type of tyre (Toyo 888's gave me cold sweats in standing water at 70..)

Hope the car can be repaired.

[HRG]

st, that's a real fker. Hope the damage isn't too bad!

I know what you mean about confidence, I killed an E30 sliding round a roundabout, something I did every single day and when you lose it it does shake you up. It'll come back in time

Gutted for you!!

[Pupp]

That's a toughie mate... sorry to hear it. But glad it wasn't worse

[Del Del Del]

Sorry to hear this Johno it can be repaired & knowone hurt is the main thing....

[spend]

Really bad timing old chap.... even more so after your recent efforts to get it prepared.

I was a little surprised by your actions as I thought the technique for standing water / aquaplaning was just to be inert till you come out the other side? I would have thought any steering / brake input would be instant trouble. Far worse hazard than black ice IMHO.

[Miss Ballistic B]

So Sorry to hear this and Glad your Ok thats the main thing.

Hopefully the car will be ok to carry on with the Hoon as I am sure it will be although battle-scared...doubt the others would go with out you as it wouldnt be the same.
You've had no luck in the last couple of years with the Black Beast. Hopefully as they come in 3's this is it..get car sorted and you'll have years of endless no issues driving in it.

Chin up and enjoy your hols

[HRG]

There's a Miss BB on here too?

One post in 52 months, that's pretty good going.

[Del Del Del]

HRG said:

There's a Miss BB on here too?

One post in 52 months, that's pretty good going.

Oh my gawd !!!!

[HRG]

Del Del Del said:

HRG said:

There's a Miss BB on here too?

One post in 52 months, that's pretty good going.

Oh my gawd !!!!

After 52 months she's obviously a keeper

[Del Del Del]

HRG said:

Del Del Del said:

HRG said:

There's a Miss BB on here too?

One post in 52 months, that's pretty good going.

Oh my gawd !!!!

After 52 months she's obviously a keeper

Or its Simon wearing a dress

[HRG]

Well he's got the right haircut for wig wearing

[crackedfinger]

If you simply need a rack for your griff to go on holiday, I have a spare recently reconditioned manual one in Chiswick that I have not got around to putting ont he car, you could borrow/ replace later if you wish

[Johno]

spend said:

Really bad timing old chap.... even more so after your recent efforts to get it prepared.

I was a little surprised by your actions as I thought the technique for standing water / aquaplaning was just to be inert till you come out the other side? I would have thought any steering / brake input would be instant trouble. Far worse hazard than black ice IMHO.

I completely agree with you Dave and that's how I have driven in these conditions for years and will continue to do so. However, once i'd hit the standing water on a constant throttle, no change to steering input, no braking the car snapped sideways. I do mean snapped, there was no warning, no pull, nothing . .

Given the car is now pointing towards the barrier my immediate reaction is to try and catch the slide and deal with the reverse oversteer from likely over correction, never got the chance, steering in to the slide there was no reaction.

It felt like the rear quarter of the car sat down, whilst the front picked up. Worse than being on ice, nothing I did had an affect.

It was like the front wheels were picked up, the rear drove the car forward, then the drivers side rear wheel picked up as well, then the car is being effectively driven from the passenger side. If it had been progressive then I could perhaps done something, but this was in a split second.

Then you're trying to catch it and if the fronts weren't in touch with the road nothing I would have done would have had an affect. I'm summising here, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment.

I've had all sorts of slides in the Griffith, of my own making and ones that were unexpected and it was like nothing I've experienced in 50k miles of in driving it in all conditions . . .. Scary actually, cos I can't explain it and I certainly couldn't deal with it.

I will get back in it this afternoon and we'll start to become re-acquainted again, carefully.

[Johno]

crackedfinger said:

If you simply need a rack for your griff to go on holiday, I have a spare recently reconditioned manual one in Chiswick that I have not got around to putting ont he car, you could borrow/ replace later if you wish

Cheers CF, car appears to be driving fine and got me from past j13 to Petrolted's and onto Staines.

Wheels badly scuffed, but tyres have no apparent nicks etc.

The car drives straight and so hopefully after a gentle run round the 25 to Kent this afternoon I'll have a good lock underneath to make sure nothing has been cracked/damaged that would prevent me going away.

The brunt of the impact was a glancing one and was taken by the rear quarter in front of the lights, so not onto a wheel directly, so I'm 95% confident everything will be as it was, but I will be checking to make sure.

[Johno]

Miss Ballistic B said:

So Sorry to hear this and Glad your Ok thats the main thing.

Hopefully the car will be ok to carry on with the Hoon as I am sure it will be although battle-scared...doubt the others would go with out you as it wouldnt be the same.
You've had no luck in the last couple of years with the Black Beast. Hopefully as they come in 3's this is it..get car sorted and you'll have years of endless no issues driving in it.

Chin up and enjoy your hols

Cheers x

[Johno]

Thanks everyone for the comments, take care out there.

[Del Del Del]

I've got a spare 16" wheel, pair of dampers (were ok when taken off) & i think a rear upper wisbone if needed..

[HRG]

Actually I've got a pair of old lower front wishbones sat here and a full set of dampers. Was just going to junk them but they are there if you need them.

[The AJP Griff]

So sorry to hear such bad news,Johno.Glad your alright,and that hopefully the Griff isn't too bad.Fingers crossed for your French trip,mate.