I Feel Sick!!!!

[Lordyb]

Guys i feel really sick!!!
i have just damaged my 8 day old Twingo RS Silverstone!!!

i was putting my football boots into the back of the car behind the drivers seat, and then stood up and decided to start the car.
now since i have owned even my old Twingo ( 3 years) i have always parked it in gear. and for some stupid reason today i decided to start the car, i really dont no why i didnt even think about the car being in gear!

so it happened, my car decided too start rolling backwards. which i couldnt stop as i was getting pushed along by the car door! it all happened so fast, the car kept going and stopped in the wall that was at least 2 metres away!

now i understand that i shouldnt have started the car standing outside of the car. my huge mistake!
but i have done this before with less heart breaking results! the car should just stall. and only jerk. but why did my car decide to continue to roll almost 2 metres!?

i am sick, i have soo much bad luck with my red Twingo, and it seems to have continued on with my new Twingo!!

sorry for the rant, but i am really hacked off!

here is the damage:

when i look at it, theres not too much damage too the bumper. and in the grand scheme of things, nobody was hurt etc. but i am Pi***d off!
i am slightly worried about any damage done too the exhaust, as it would have hit the wall. i hope i havnt bent it slightly and then this too cause it too rust?? and probably the tracking is off now!!??

thanks for listening!

 

[maggi200]

Bugger

 

[TURBO]

now since i have owned even my old Twingo ( 3 years) i have always parked it in gear.

:roll:

sorry mate but we have customers who leave there car in gear everyday and it p*ss's me off!
unless your handbrake is broken there is no need for it!

 

[Ollie133cup]

Wow. now that is ****.

 

[madmatt]

Aw gutting man!

Hope the damage gets sorted soon

 

[Leanne]

Aww dude! gutted for ya! Hope it gets sorted soon for ya though!

 

[Courtney]

My nan always leaves the quashqui in gear. every time i go in it i stall it.. why do people leave cars in gear??

But gutted for you, i know the two times my car has been damaged i hated it and ended up getting new ones! So bad after you've only had it a week or two!

 

[maggi200]

It should he habit to check it's safe to start a vehicle before you do, that means checking it's not in gear. You should be taught in when learning to drive even. I always check out of habit, I also always leave my car in gear for obvious reasons, I remember my first cars handbrake used to just flick down all the time on it's own

 

[Courtney]

It should be habit, and when I'm in my car i always check it, but in the quashqui its such an effort to go to the gear stick i do it as little as i can, plus i don't drive it very often so I usually treat it badly

 

[Courtney]

P.s. the handbrake in them is a nightmare too!

 

[Sam]

I accidentally left mine in Sainsbury's car park with the handbrake off and in neutral for over an hour not so long ago. Fortunately came back and car was still in the same place but had anyone knocked it, only realised when I went to take the handbrake off and realised it already was off!!

Gutted for you though, doesn't look like the damage is that bad from the photos, I think that scuff will probably just polish out on the paintwork.

 

[singlespeed]

Gutted for you Gordy

The kick from the starter motor can produce quite a lot of movement... Whan I was in the airforce, one of the armourers was working on an aircraft and turned on the ignition of the minibus to power up the radio for some tunes. It was in gear and jumped forwards about 10ft, ending up with the chaff and flare pod impaled through the windscreen and into the passenger seat :shock: Fortunately no-one was sat in the seat at the time.

 

[Karl]

Not good mate. I feel your pain

 

[Lordyb]

Thanks guys. It's going into the garage today.

I know about checking the car before starting. I really don't no why I even started it!?!?

But leaving it on gear shouldn't be an issue, as I dnt like leaving it on the handbrake as I dnt drive it every day, I find it always sticks. Well the red one did.

Anyway, I hope the paint garage dnt rip me off!

 

[Sam]

The only time I leave it in gear is if I'm parked on a steep hill facig upwards in 1st or facing downwards in reverse. That would be the only time I leave the car in gear.

When you're on flat ground or a lighter incline I don't see the point

 

[jra3d]

Ouch :-( never nice when you do something like that

 

[DrDrew]

Sorry to hear. Doesn't look too bad, so will hopefully be a quick fix for you

 

[Lordyb]

It's going in tomorrow morning too get fixed.

£320 for the full bumper and alloy.

Money I could do without spending, but I'm not having an 8 day old car with damage in it!

Ahh well. Huge lesson learned! And will be super Careful for now on!

 

[Leanne]

Ouch!! at least its getting fixed and could have been a lot worse!

 

[dempsej]

Well - it is possible to start the engine when in gear, and it rolled, beacuse it had enough power at idle speed to move.
That's why nowadays manufacturers tend to install sensors which won't let you start the engine unless its in neutral AND clutch pedal is pushed.

I always put my car in 1st gear and handbrake, and always before starting it i double check if its in neutral. This happens also when I start it while standing outside

Anyway, I would cry if I were You, I was pissed when someone scratched my 7y old Kangoo and It wasn't new. Or sporty. Or awesome looking ;]