The Embarrassing "Reversing Into's" Thread...

[chubbster]

...with added tales of handbrake failures that weren't your fault either.

 

 

When my wife reversed out of our driveway into a stationary bus yesterday (in her car, thankfully - so it didn't matter), it reminded me of my own embarrassing reversing moments. Here's a couple to get the memories flowing...

 

1. Reversed into my wife's parked car in our own driveway. Her fault, because she didn't park it where she always parks it. No damage to my car - phew.

 

2. Reversed into my front garden wall. Some damage

 

3. Opened the front door to be confronted by a WPC asking me, "Is that your car, sir?" and seeing my pride & joy (my 1st 350z, having owned it for only 2 weeks) stradling the carriageway, at 90degrees to the road. I then became aware of the fact that 350z handbrakes need to be pulled up hard, or your car may roll backwards out of your drive, onto the road and sit there while the world and his wife drive around it. Nissan's fault, for making a handbrake that doesn't work quite as well as it could.

 

 

Do you have any embarrassing reversing stories that weren't your fault?

 

 

Edited to add the bit about handbrakes, as they seem to be almost as popular as the reversing stories.

Edited September 25, 2013 by chubbster

[Ekona]

My brother reversed my truck into a tree last week. And a big tree, not a little sapling.

[HaydnH]

I then became aware of the fact that 350z handbrakes need to be pulled up hard, or your car may roll backwards out of your drive

 

Do you have any embarrassing reversing stories that weren't your fault?

 

I did a similar thing at the Wales meet in 2011, rolled back in to a wooden fence pole, luckily did no damage but the fence pole made a rather load cracking sound. I used to leave it in gear but my HB seems much better since I had my brakes upgraded.

[hensh65]

I reversed once and didn’t hit anything because I am a man and not a woman

 

Although I left my first car (leon) handbrake slightly off, and found it head on with a van down my street

Edited September 25, 2013 by hensh65

[chubbster]

I then became aware of the fact that 350z handbrakes need to be pulled up hard, or your car may roll backwards out of your drive

 

Do you have any embarrassing reversing stories that weren't your fault?

 

I did a similar thing at the Wales meet in 2011, rolled back in to a wooden fence pole, luckily did no damage but the fence pole made a rather load cracking sound. I used to leave it in gear but my HB seems much better since I had my brakes upgraded.

 

Ooo - Ever since that scarey day I've left my car in gear too - just to be safe.

 

I reversed once and didn’t hit anything because I am a man and not a woman

 

Although I left my first car (leon) handbrake slightly off, and found it head on with a van down my street

 

:lol: Life's a bundle of laughs, isn't it?

[Jaz 350z]

When learning how to drive, aged 16/17 my mum and dad let me park their cars when they got into our driveway.

 

I took my dads Audi A6 through the garage door because I reversed into a spot, took my foot off the clutch..... whoops.

 

It hasnt happened again.

 

Dad never got over the damage. ;[ still hear about it every pint.

[nowhereboy]

Years ago I left my old astra at the top of a hill by my college, handbrake on.

 

Came back the next day after a night out and the car was about half a mile down the hill, parked into a tree.

 

there was no damage, the doors where locked and the handbrake was still on!!

 

To this day have no idea wtf happened haha??

[Ricey]

19 bought my first 'proper' sports car - V6 Cougar.......felt like the dogs dangling wanger. 5 days later while creeping carefully out of the girlfriends drive I heard it bottom out on the little kerb that ran at the front of the house.

 

Thought it'd be best to keep going as I was passed the point of no return.......realised it was actually scraping against her bothers car that was parked parallel to the house.

 

Quarter panel trashed :-(

[hensh65]

I then became aware of the fact that 350z handbrakes need to be pulled up hard, or your car may roll backwards out of your drive

 

Do you have any embarrassing reversing stories that weren't your fault?

 

I did a similar thing at the Wales meet in 2011, rolled back in to a wooden fence pole, luckily did no damage but the fence pole made a rather load cracking sound. I used to leave it in gear but my HB seems much better since I had my brakes upgraded.

 

Ooo - Ever since that scarey day I've left my car in gear too - just to be safe.

 

I reversed once and didn’t hit anything because I am a man and not a woman

 

Although I left my first car (leon) handbrake slightly off, and found it head on with a van down my street

 

:lol: Life's a bundle of laughs, isn't it?

 

Thing that was the funniest, not too long after that my mate came to mine and done the exact same thing with his brand new focus straight into the same van

[chubbster]

By the way - you can start your story with the phrase, "I know a bloke who...", if it helps.

[Lexx]

About 10 years ago I was house sharing with a group of friends.

Whilst trying to covertly reverse park onto the drive to sneak in a bunch of valentines day flowers for the woman who was one of the house sharers (she should have been at work but was off ill), my foot slipped of the clutch (wet converse on metal pedal) and as I was at high revs (steep drive) and I clobbered straight into the house.

New rear bumper needed.

 

At the time the woman in question spurned my romantic gesture. But things turned out well in the end as she is now my wife!

[Will370z]

2 days after buying my Saab convertible years ago I was reversing up the rather steep drive at my parents.

 

I stalled, lost brakes and steering, panicked, hit the wrong pedals and rolled the car back down the drive, through a huge flower box and through the outer kitchen wall. Kitchen came off rather badly but the Saab was hardly affected.

 

Felt kinda stoopid though.

[Av8er]

I've got a story that involved a hill, poor handbrake, bonnet and my ex.....

 

I will say no more

[hensh65]

I've got a story that involved a hill, poor handbrake, bonnet and my ex.....

 

I will say no more

 

Your ex kicked your bonnet which broke your handbrake resulting in you car rolling down a hill?

[chubbster]

I've got a story that involved a hill, poor handbrake, bonnet and my ex.....

 

I will say no more

 

The mind boggles

 

 

Edit - Were the bonnet and your 'ex' in contact with one another at any point in the story?

Edited September 25, 2013 by chubbster

[Av8er]

I've got a story that involved a hill, poor handbrake, bonnet and my ex.....

 

I will say no more

 

Your ex kicked your bonnet which broke your handbrake resulting in you car rolling down a hill?

 

I'm glad you worked it out!!!! I anger everytime I think of it

 

[hensh65]

I've got a story that involved a hill, poor handbrake, bonnet and my ex.....

 

I will say no more

 

Your ex kicked your bonnet which broke your handbrake resulting in you car rolling down a hill?

 

I'm glad you worked it out!!!! I anger everytime I think of it

 

 

My first thought was you broke your ex on the bonnet resulting in braking the handbrake and rolling down a hill

[AMT]

Reveresed 4ft into the side of a chemists delivery focus that had JUST pulled up behind me after looking left and right lol...bass

[Av8er]

I've got a story that involved a hill, poor handbrake, bonnet and my ex.....

 

I will say no more

 

Your ex kicked your bonnet which broke your handbrake resulting in you car rolling down a hill?

 

I'm glad you worked it out!!!! I anger everytime I think of it

 

 

My first thought was you broke your ex on the bonnet resulting in braking the handbrake and rolling down a hill

 

Every man should trust his instinct

[Neilp]

I then became aware of the fact that 350z handbrakes need to be pulled up hard, or your car may roll backwards out of your drive

 

Do you have any embarrassing reversing stories that weren't your fault?

 

I did a similar thing at the Wales meet in 2011, rolled back in to a wooden fence pole, luckily did no damage but the fence pole made a rather load cracking sound. I used to leave it in gear but my HB seems much better since I had my brakes upgraded.

 

Don't know why it feels better as the handbrake is completely separate from your normal brake calipers. The brake shoes sit inside the drum on the rear. Only think that I can think of is that you new rear discs have better friction on the internals(if you replaced your discs that is)

[Neilp]

I answered a knock at the door from my neighbour who pointed out my work car had reversed across the road, through her fence and into her garden..

 

Left the car with the handbrake on and wheel locked at a slight angle. Luckily the steering angle made the car avoid my other car that was parked 10yards down the street.

 

No damage to the car except a scuff. Council fixed her fence for her for free because she's elderly.

 

A year after, the car was in for its service, it turns out there was a recall on the car (about 2 yrs previous) as when you held the button in when pulling the handbrake up it prevented the handbrake from engaging correctly and this was quite a common occurrence.

[longsh07]

I reversed into wall once while parking, very slowly so not even a scratch

Had the door open and was looking at the white lines to judge how far in the space I was then the car just jolted a bit.

Pulled forward slightly and got out to find out the space was about 3/4 the size of all the others

[chubbster]

This isn't exactly reversing, but when I was 16 my mate let me have a go on his Lambretta in a car park. Next thing I knew I'd driven straight through a white picket fence. "Oh," he said, "I forgot to tell you. The footbrake doesn't work."

 

By then I already knew.

[JetSet]

Yes, reversed The Zed into a 2 foot high post at The MOT station, quite a thud, the diffuser took a bit of damage but the bumper was fine. Next time I went up there with Caroline's Zed I pointed out to her the post I hit and just underneath it were chunks of other peoples tail lights . Also reversed Caroline's Zed into a low wall, just touched it really so no significant damage.

 

 

Pete

[Dblock]

My brother reversed my truck into a tree last week. And a big tree, not a little sapling.

 

truck?