Exactly a year to the day after the Merc hit me up the jacksey, April Fools Day struck again.......
One written off VXR side skirt!
After being away for the first part of the week, we visited some friends on the way back for a couple of days.
The turn out of their drive is very tight onto a single lane with a hedge opposite so no extra room to take the turn. You need to turn left out of the drive onto the road, avoiding scraping the hedge and also watching your left side on the fence post that is there.
The way I had to park I was initially parallel to the road, but inside their fence and facing the opposite way (if you follow), so had to basically do a 180 swing round watching out for the other car that was on their drive. As I got myself half-way out of the drive onto the lane, I knew I was close to these boulders they had on the front bit of grass. You know the type, the ones people have lined up along the front on the grass - Gawd knows why they have them!!
Anyway, I knew I was getting close to one so I asked Jane (Mrs Duncan) to stick her head out the window to make sure I wasn't too close to one. Unfortunately she only looked out and checked the front wheel and said it was okay, but (I didn't realise at the time) that she didn't look behind to check the side/rear wheel bit, and said I was clear. So I continued to drive forward.
First sign that something was wrong was when I heard a bit of a noise and the rear wheel started to lift up - obviously as it started to mount the boulder. I thought and stopped and let the car drop back, to then hear a horrible crunching noise as the side skirt then dropped back onto the boulder. I thought!!
Jumped out to see the damage and was met with the very rear of the skirt resting on the boulder. Couldn't get the boulder out, couldn't drive the car forwards or backwards so ended up getting the friend's jack out (as mine was under the spare wheel in the the boot which was somewhat full). Jacked up the rear slightly and got the boulder out to then let me drive the car forward.
The drive back from Suffolk to here was somewhat quiet.
Fortunately the only damage seems to be the skirt and nothing else. Ordered a new one today, should have it for Wednesday and then off to get painted - so even with the two Bank Holidays in between, I should have it in time for the Irmscher trip.
Next year on April 1st I've decided I'm staying in the house!!!
D
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