DAH!!! 116 vs. Large piece of firewood! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

my126benz · #1 10-15-2006, 11:24 PM

A few hours ago I was driving my new baby to Wally World and came down a dark off ramp and for a split second saw what i thought was a carboard box in the middle of the road. Then right before i hit it I realzed it was a large piece of firewood about 2 feet long and a foot in diamter. I hit it doing about 40. All i could think of was a smashed oil pan. I pulled over dragging the log with me and then backed up freeing the log. I looked and saw that the metal deflector with the plastic grill was bent and the grill smashed but everything else seems okay. So I went on my way to Wal-mart and see a truck parked there with a trailer full of the same logs. I left a note on his truck suggesting that he secure his load and explained what happend leaving my name and number. Hopefully I'll get a call HA HA. Id be happy with 50 bucks or so. That way i could bend the metal into place then get the grill from the parts yard. I'm very glad that defletor was there it semmed to save the oil pan. If i had been in my Camry I feel it might not have been as nice.

Hatterasguy · #2 10-15-2006, 11:31 PM

Wow that sucks! On the W126 it would have been by by radiator and probably the oil pan.

#3 10-16-2006, 08:23 AM

Same thing happened last fall on a road near me. A load of logs were dropping off of a flat trailer. I tried to stop the driver, but he seemed to be in a race. I could not see license plate to get a number. There were 4 or 5 pieces that came off of the trailer.

I hate to seem anal or 'Ralph Nadderish' about this, but unsecured loads are illegal, dangerous, and potentially lethal. Far too many things happen because of the irresponsibility of others.

Mismost · #4 10-16-2006, 09:51 AM

Rope is such a simple tool! Too bad there are so many folks that don't know how to use it.

rrgrassi · #5 10-16-2006, 02:36 PM

Glad you are ok, abd that the Benz was only slightly injured.

Yes tie down the loads, use a tail gate. Even a 16 ft trailer has a slot where you can use 2x12 as a tail gate.

As said earlier, rope is a cheap tool. Ratcheting tie downs are cheap tools also.

winmutt · #6 10-16-2006, 02:39 PM

Riding on a bike you learn never to follow a pickup truck. Ever. They can have stuff in there you cant see. One pot hole and you can get a fleeting view of what was in there.