Magic moment

[mickthemaverick]

I've started this thread as somewhere to relate your motoring tales where you couldn't help laughing when it probably wasn't the right thing to do!!
The inspiration came from an event on my way home today:

Driving from Elstree to Hertford in the rush hour is a continuous battle against traffic. All the obvious routes involve crossing over major south-north roads which are full of workers streaming out of London and heading for our leafy lanes. Because of this I always use a back route which gets me all the way without using more than 1 mile of A road and no dual carriageway at all, crossing the major roads by bridge rather than junctions. Tonight I was going along nicely when I rounded a bend to be confronted with an Audi A4 stopped in front with the driver standing beside the car. As I got closer I could see the reason, in front of the car was a "lake" stretching about 75-100 metres down the road and spreading from bank to wall across. As the Audi was quite close to the left kerb I could see the water was only an inch or so higher than the right kerb. I know the stretch is pretty flat between the kerbs so I slowed to walking pace, selected maintenance position on the suspension and crept round the Audi and very gently through the lake. As I came out of the water I restored the suspension to normal, opened the driver's window and gave the Audi driver a cheery wave as I accelerated away drying the brakes. I watched in the mirror as he stood aghast scratching his chin! I'd love to know if he tried to follow me but I was laughing too much to go back

[NewcastleFalcon]

You need a dash cam Mick.....just in case it happens again

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

I didn't think to take a photo at the time and I wish I had, but that was the route I always use so I'll still have a chance next time!!

[white exec]

Wonderful waders, our fluid Citroëns!

[Stickyfinger]

Don't do it in a Beetle that has holes in the cabin hot air heat exchangers (on the exhaust), you Steam your Ankles as it boils and enters via lower cabin foot vents

[myglaren]

I wonder if the Audi followed and drowned.

[Sloppysod]

............... selected maintenance position on the suspension and crept round the Audi and very gently through the lake. As I came out of the water I restored the suspension to normal, opened the driver's window and gave the Audi driver a cheery wave as I accelerated away drying the brakes. I watched in the mirror as he stood aghast scratching his chin! I'd love to know if he tried to follow me but I was laughing too much to go back

Done that in Spain when I had my XM, the Policeman's face a flapping arms was a picture in my rear view mirror!!

[Peter.N.]

I did something similar some years ago in my CX but the laugh was ultimately on me! The bridge on the Lyme Regis to Seaton road was flooded at Colyford - as it frequently was, I selected high suspension on my trusty steed, ignoring the queue of traffic that was accumulating, straight through, no problem. A few weeks later the o/s rear wheel bearing failed, the suspension arm being hollow had filled up with water in its steeply inclined position and the bearing was at the bottom sitting in the water until it failed.

Peter

[harryp]

Have done similar in Xantia. Came back from holiday in Pembrokshire and had a terrible drive back due to severe flooding on all the major routes, even though I was traveĺling on all minor roads. Eventually came to cross the Severn over a hump back bridge with a short queue, the drivers standing looking ahead. The river had flooded the far field and the road to a guessed depth of 6 to 9 inches and was flowing very swiftly across said road. So heart in mouth in high, drove across just fast enough to create a bow wave. As the water deepened, reminded myself that the air pickup is stupidly low. Anyway, made it across watched by the incredulous driver of a waiting bus! Must re-route the air pickup. Did a similar thing in mk2 petrol golf many years ago, one wheel near the crown and one on the curb. Doing weĺl when an Audi came the other way doing similar but much faster. His bow wave went straight over the car and a thick wall of water clouded this windscreen. Thought that was it for me but we carried on successfully. Much later, opened the bonnet to find grass on top of the air filter case. I still wonder how the water missed the electrics.