Weird Car’s weird cars! ‘Triumph goes for a spin then goes for scrap’

[Weird Car]

35 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Sounds like you did well recovering and keeping your head when it happened as it must have been brown trouser moment!

It all happened far too quickly to panic, I remember facing the wrong way in the middle lane on the first spin and saying out loud “well I guess I’m going this way now” swiftly followed by  “shit shit shit shit”

[SilverMachine]

24 minutes ago, Weird Car said:

It all happened far too quickly to panic, I remember facing the wrong way in the middle lane on the first spin and saying out loud “well I guess I’m going this way now” swiftly followed by  “shit shit shit shit”

i think i would probably think and say exactly the same! that did make me chuckle! apologies! just remember, walking away is still walking away be it skill, luck, karma or just not your time, although, it would be interesting to see if anyones dashcam got any footage of it!

[tooSavvy]

Five-0 not interested in 'konkked at side of road/recovery'??

Nuns & Kittens may have been another story, I suppose 😮

Glad yrr OK 👍

🚙💨

[mintwth]

4 hours ago, Weird Car said:

highway agency charged me £320 to have it recovered to their salvage yard

Didn't think the HA had a salvage yard at their place on the M27. Was it a Boarhunt recovery vehicle? 

[Weird Car]

18 minutes ago, mintwth said:

Didn't think the HA had a salvage yard at their place on the M27. Was it a Boarhunt recovery vehicle? 

Went to Ravencroft in Bitterne

[camryv6]

11 hours ago, 2flags said:

You were very lucky there. Does make you wonder about the reasoning of making 40yr old cars MoT exempt. Rust doesn't care how old a car is. 

Looking at the MOT history it makes a very good argument for MOT's on all vehicles

I wonder how many more times things like this have and will happen ?

[camryv6]

I would just like to add that i have no MOT exempt cars, and i would probably have ignored the rust too, but it makes me think twice after seeing that.

[2flags]

I would hate to think that the classic car movement is brought into disrepute because of a tragedy caused by a poorly maintained vehicle, one that was MoT exempt. I could see the press having a field day and some politician deciding to climb up on his soap box and bank his drum for all it was worth. Could you imagine, the banning of all vehicles over, say 40yrs old? I'm sure some prick could come up with all sorts of excuses, emissions, corrosion, safety, especially if he or she has a connection within the motor industry.

[SiC]

This reminds me why I have my Midget pulled apart and its under going nearly 3yr resto when I discovered how badly it was restored last time. 

Apart from the body holding everything together, the most important thing on a car is fully functioning brakes. Even more so on a single line system, given they are on pre-80s cars and have even less crash protection. 

Having the car fall apart when driving along is one thing. Not being able to slow down before you hit the scenery or a pulling out car that isn't looking when you stamp on the brake and burst something. 

[kevins]

The mot exemption was based on statistics, basically these events are far rarer (per car) on 40 year old classics than moderns, I'm not sure an MOT would even have spotted it anyway, suspension components are usually all rusty so they don't get much attention.

[Matty]

I still mot mine for a couple of reasons. 

1. I don't trust insurance companies.

2. I'm not a qualified vehicle mechanic. 

 

[SilverMachine]

3 minutes ago, kevins said:

The mot exemption was based on statistics, basically these events are far rarer (per car) on 40 year old classics than moderns, I'm not sure an MOT would even have spotted it anyway, suspension components are usually all rusty so they don't get much attention.

as i said previously when i bought the fusion, it had had a similar axle breakage, whilst mot'd and had a replacement axle fitted. the car is low miles, and in very good condition considering its now 21 years old! ( i got it about 4 yrs ago) it dosent do many miles as the gf mainly uses it for work, so maybe dose 15 miles a week now on a busy one!  when it was my main car i was doing 25 daily.

[MAF260]

Sorry to hear of the incident and happy to hear you're OK.

 

What I'm most shocked about it how this car was legally allowed on the road. I'm assuming somebody has taken advantage of it turning 40 years of age and then just returned it to the road despite it having majorly failed it's last MOT in 2022 on major structural faults? I'm guessing this is a loophole? If I've got this wrong please forgive my ignorance, but if I'm not then what else is on the road that's hiding similar horrors? These deathtraps will seriously injure or kill somebody.

[captain_70s]

1 hour ago, MAF260 said:

Sorry to hear of the incident and happy to hear you're OK.

 

What I'm most shocked about it how this car was legally allowed on the road. I'm assuming somebody has taken advantage of it turning 40 years of age and then just returned it to the road despite it having majorly failed it's last MOT in 2022 on major structural faults? I'm guessing this is a loophole? If I've got this wrong please forgive my ignorance, but if I'm not then what else is on the road that's hiding similar horrors? These deathtraps will seriously injure or kill somebody.

That's exactly how it works, it isn't really a loophole.

Even the police database will show it as not having an MOT. As I found out when I was pulled over the other week - The car is exempt but the owner is  still responsible for keeping the car in roadworthy condition and is subject to the discretion of the police.

Hence why a car with a valid MOT cert but bald tyres is still illegal to use on the road.

While the general public may have ignorance and a valid MOT cert to use as an excuse in the case of a pull if you're running an exempt car and not having it checked over by a professional you're expected to do it yourself and take responsibility.

The reality is that very few people are using MOT exemption to run bangers on a budget as it's generally not worth the hassle/cost of dailying a 40 year old car and the chance of disastrous failure is very unlikely.