markc Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Pete & Min - speedy recovery to you both and to your CSR. Looking at the pictures you were both very lucky Markc Edited by - markc on 10 Jan 2009 12:11:20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Glad your both OK - looks scary! Take care out there everyone. Im glad I take my car to pieces every winter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Yes Martin that is Min with the sling, she was quite keen to see the car too. I think ealier in the week she was of the mind that we had come to the end of the Caterham chapter in our lives... but the responses on here have really made her appreciate the whole experience of owning as well as driving a Caterham - she is now talking about what colour we might change it too! Rich - I noticed that strip when I came back from the hospital the other day, it also looks like there is a lip where the road seems to go up an inch at that join. I haven't had a close look yet, but I'm planning to go back and have a look soon, so that should be quite interesting. I'd agree though, I'm pretty confident that played a major part in it. Thanks again everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Normuss Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 God, that's quite something. It's not the first time we've seen a 7 suffer significant damage and the occupants walk away which is testament to their energy absorbtion. I would be very surprised if it wasn't written off as there's little I can see that isn't damaged in some way. Glad you're both on the mend. VX HPC - Loud and proud here Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Monster Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Bl**dy hell that is scary! Glad you are both(relatively)OK - that was a very close call.Never mind the car: metal can be repaired or replaced, you two can't. I wish you both all the best & hope you get back in a 7 before too long Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Just seen the pics... Very glad it wasn't worse. Twisted metal is nothing to worry about. Pete and Min, some true British grit displayed. Wishing you both a swift return to the joys of sevening (if you so desire of course). John _________________________ Bugsy: '82 2cv6 (Back on the road!!! 😬) Talloulah: '08 1.6K Classic (Grubby ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I reply to every thread Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Where did this happen? Just after the Vauxhall entry to the A21 or just after the A26 junction? There was an unexplained bike fatality just after the A26 Junction on Boxing day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 It was just after the A26 junction. One of the fire crew said there had been an accident in exactly the same place a week earlier, I think he mentioned a Trike?? Do you know any more about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I reply to every thread Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Just that it was a motorcycle of some sort and that the pillion passenger was killed. Did the car go through the barriers then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I reply to every thread Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I've posted a comment on the website and I'm now on a mission to get that road made safer - anyone with contacts or able to help, please get in touch. We came off the road beyond the barrier so that played no part in the accident... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 A black Fiat Punto that joined the carriageway behind them... And didn't stop?! People like that should hang. Pete, I hope your pleas don't fall on deaf ears. Have a search for road safety campaign groups, the issue may have been raised before. John _________________________ Bugsy: '82 2cv6 (Back on the road!!! 😬) Talloulah: '08 1.6K Classic (Grubby ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkySon Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I was tied up in the tail back on the southbound carriageway on Boxing day as a result of this. Sorry to hear of the fatality. At the time, though, I was just pleased that it meant that I would be spending an hour or more less at the mother-in-laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richyd Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Pete - I drove past "the crime scene" again today, but in my Seven. Just before the tree that you hit, there is a join across the road where the A21 goes over the top of a lane heading out of Tonbridge to Speldhurst/bidborough - I'm guessing it's an expansion joint or something like that as you basically drive over a concrete bridge. Anyway, this joint is very pronounced at the moment, it has a real lip to it, which throws the Seven off-line a little (even in the tin-top it's quite noticable) - I'd suspect that crossing this, whilst changing lane, hence putting a wheel on the tar join that runs up the centre of the road, whilst the road is very cold and covered in grit, is what caused the sudden and catastophic loss of traction...... Point of note - there has been a lot of re-surfacing work going on at night on this part of the road over the last 6 months....... Maybe the Highway Agency need to be informed - I'm sure the police report will back you up. (as the A21 is a trunk road, it's the Highways agency you need as apposed to Kent Highways I think) Good luck C7 DVA - It's a 1.6 187bhp screamer!!!here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3MCJez Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Without wishing to drag this out, I think the "lip" you're talking about is over Upper Haysden Lane. Haysden A bit further up, there is another lip, as you go onto the overpass. Kind of in the middle of this shot. (EDIT - I'm not sure this will point to the right place) Overpass Both of these are sufficient, in the inside lane, to cause my tintop (Z3MC) to hit the suspension stops. Now it's on lowered suspension, so I have this issue in various places, but it happens very infrequently on major roads. Also, as mentioned before, about 6 months ago, this road was closed for a couple of weekends for resurfacing. There's probably a more accurate timeframe on this somewhere on the Tonbridge and Malling website. Jez Edited by - Z3MCJez on 19 Jan 2009 11:06:29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Well it certainly looks as though the road needs something doing about it, the main thing is I dont' want it to happen to anyone else. I'm doing an email the Highways Agency now so it will be interesting to see if I get a response. Sadly the damage is too extensive to put it back on the road so its gonna be written off. The sooner I get back into employment the sooner I can get a new one but think it will be sensible to wait until then. That will give me even more motivation (wanna make it to Wight Blat this year)!! Thanks for all your responses, all very much appreciated... *thumbup* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 OK - I've done the email to this address: ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk asking them to look at it as a matter of urgency. If anyone else wants to do the same, that would be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I reply to every thread Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I too drive this road every week day . That lip has been there for the two & a half years that I have been travelling to 7oaks. After I read this thread I realised that in the Elise I subconsciously back off just before it. I could understand that the combination of lip, slippery conditions & a CSR might not work. Similarly with a motorbike. There's actually a worse patch of road surface in the same area as you come off the A21 onto the A26 - There is a series of undulations/bumps that will unsettle any car at speed. They've been there for 15 years . The strangest thing is that the local authority spent months and millions of pounds rebuilding the bridge going into Tonbridge but ignored that carriageway opposite that people have been complaining about for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richyd Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 AVES - There's actually a worse patch of road surface in the same area as you come off the A21 onto the A26 yep that patch of road is disasterous.... I even saw a Mistu Evo hit the railings on the ouside of that bend once (this was a few months before they refitted them with stronger railings 2 summers ago ) If a 4wd Evo can come off on that bend, anything can. Although, to be fair whilst he wasn't caning it, I think he was driving it like a tw@t. I for one have always taken this bend very steadily... I always take the exit off the A21 by the right hand lane up and around the bend, esp as most cars coming up Quarry Hill assume they have some kind of majestic right of way and just plough on without looking to see if they need to give way... C7 DVA - It's a 1.6 187bhp screamer!!!here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3MCJez Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 There's actually a worse patch of road surface in the same area as you come off the A21 onto the A26 - There is a series of undulations/bumps that will unsettle any car at speed. Indeed. As Richyd says, I take the RH lane, and if it's relatively empty allow the car to run wide (so I'm across the lanes) as you go in to the middle of the corner (there's a massive bump right on the inside) before turning right, to loop round back towards Tonbridge. To lose it there, however, you have to be driving like a fool, as it's reasonably steep uphill and that provides a lot of natural braking. However, we know that those fools exist ☹️ After I read this thread I realised that in the Elise I subconsciously back off just before it. Me too. It's pretty bad if you have to know the road, however, to keep it on the straight and narrow - particularly given the resurfacing that took place. Jez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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