Re: Art of taking Speed Breakers(humps) without scraping the belly. My two year old Aspire fell victim of a monster speed breaker. This is second hit during this two years of life.
Starting with my first experience.
Car was fully loaded with 5 heavy adults + language & I was driving towards Digha (popular sea beach tourist spot) from Kolkata.
There was a Shaktiman type truck with broken building materials (bricks / chunks of concrete / etc) followed by a Tata Sumo & then me. Unfortunately while crossing a set of 3 speed breakers, a huge chunk of brick/concrete block fell down from the truck & unfortunately landed on top of 2nd or 3rd speed breaker (not exactly sure). Since the Sumo was in between, I had no clue & went ahead with speed breaker crossing slowly. Just as my front cleared the first one, I hard that unfortunate sound.
Traffic was heavy & a bus was inches away from my boot & honking madly. I tried to ride it out but after some heart sinking grinding noise I got stuck.
I had to let out my passengers but still it wouldn't budge. Then a bus helper came running with a metal rod (may be the one they use for tyre change) & poked that chunk free for me to drive out.
Later, after returning I took it to Ford & surprisingly after a wash I myself too couldn't spot a single scratch mark anywhere. Lucky escape.
Second hit
Second one happened yesterday while coming to Tarapith (pilgrimage place) from Kolkata. Google map was showing a route via interior roads & that was almost 50kms less than the usual highway I take for this location. I have previously travelled on this route some 6/7 years ago & knew about this road to be narrow & slow due to passing via village with cattle & slower pedestrian & or such traffic. But family members were adamant that this one will make them seat less since 50kms savings will definitely translate to time saving.
Road surface was good but unfortunately it seemed every able person had put up couple of monster bumpers before & after their house.
Passed most of them with angular approach with minor taps. Which weren't audible but as a driver I felt the faint taps sometime. But one monster got me bad due to heavy traffic with my inability to do an angular approach. Massive grinding noise.
I felt like my own skin getting ripped off.
Yet to complete the return journey & eager to visit the ASC to inspect the damage.
:( |