Proof the 75 has excellent handling & grip

[Commodore]

This evening I had a meeting in Central London. As I would be arriving in the West End after the congestion charge finished for the evening, I decided to drive in and park in my company's car park rather than rough it on the tube.

Anyway, driving down the A40, in the middle lane, just as I was passing the Hoover Building, what appears in front of me on the road.....





A DOOR!

Yes, clearly something that had passed through before me had managed to drop an entire, very large and thick front door into the middle lane. The car in front of me was a 4x4 and must have driven straight over it, as it did nothing to suggest there was a problem ahead (like swerve or break).

I saw it only at the last minute and took evasive action. In one swift move I was able to swerve the entire car around it without doing any damage to any part of the car (or the tyres as I didn't run over it), and managed not to step out of my lane, thus ensuring I did not hit the Peugeot 206 in the fast lane.

Not that he appreciated my near-miss with the door given his combo of horn blowing and hand gestures - NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- French car drivers!

Anyway - the moral of this story is that few cars could have pulled off the manouver I did so effortlessly and without damaging something.

I'm impressed.

[Simon]

Having just posted a congrats in your steering wheel thread, I feel another congrats in this thread on an accident-well-avoided!

Did you see a car on the hard-shoulder later on without a door?! Makes you wonder what the driver of said car was doing for it to fall off :oops:


Ever since owning my ZT I've thought "this car has good handling" and now (thanks to you!) I can prove it! :D

[madone]

I know that stretch of road very well, used it to travel to work from Ruislip. As its always busy, used to call it the "whacky races", it appears you have been very fortunate. Great cars :)

[JP53]

This evening I had a meeting in Central London. As I would be arriving in the West End after the congestion charge finished for the evening, I decided to drive in and park in my company's car park rather than rough it on the tube.

Anyway, driving down the A40, in the middle lane, just as I was passing the Hoover Building, what appears in front of me on the road.....





A DOOR!

Yes, clearly something that had passed through before me had managed to drop an entire, very large and thick front door into the middle lane. The car in front of me was a 4x4 and must have driven straight over it, as it did nothing to suggest there was a problem ahead (like swerve or break).

I saw it only at the last minute and took evasive action. In one swift move I was able to swerve the entire car around it without doing any damage to any part of the car (or the tyres as I didn't run over it), and managed not to step out of my lane, thus ensuring I did not hit the Peugeot 206 in the fast lane.

Not that he appreciated my near-miss with the door given his combo of horn blowing and hand gestures - NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- French car drivers!

Anyway - the moral of this story is that few cars could have pulled off the manouver I did so effortlessly and without damaging something.

I'm impressed.

Well done mate, glad you ahd car are safe and unharmed. Great bit of driving and a great car.

[scannerman]

well done,well handled,,,thats more than i've managed in the past,twice infact the first being a very large aluminiun extension ladder which the car passing me hit and took off(all four wheels off the ground)and spun the ladder under my scorpio in the dark on an unlit road we did'nt have a chance,also following that a large oil can,about two gallon i would think complete with spout and handle fell from the back of a breakdown truck bounced from the inside to the outside lane and straight under my car,took out my traction control arm,steering exhaust and damage to a lot of the underside i got the name off the truck and they paid,my brother recently ran into a large builders tressle and demolished the front off his brand new beetle.
it seems we live in an age when talking on the phone or eating while driving is wrong but you can carry as many unsafe loads as you like and the law dose'nt care.strange is'nt ....

phil

[Kandyman]

Commodore nice driving ;)

I remember my drive along the A40 in the evenings, the Hoover building always looked nice with the flood lights on, and what’s on top of the “Vickers” building now, I have seen an aeroplane, Father Christmas but I’ve not been past there for a year or so

[Simon W]

Commodore nice driving ;)

I remember my drive along the A40 in the evenings, the Hoover building always looked nice with the flood lights on, and what’s on top of the “Vickers” building now, I have seen an aeroplane, Father Christmas but I’ve not been past there for a year or so

They used to have a Hawker Hunter on the roof of one of the A40 buildings - can't remember if it was the Vickers building though.

[Kandyman]

Well it was either the vickers building or a very small runway strip ;)

i always wanted to see them put it up there, i bet it must of been something to watch.

actually i think it was called the Vanguard building ?

[Keith]

well done,well handled,,,thats more than i've managed in the past,twice infact the first being a very large aluminiun extension ladder which the car passing me hit and took off(all four wheels off the ground)and spun the ladder under my scorpio in the dark on an unlit road we did'nt have a chance,also following that a large oil can,about two gallon i would think complete with spout and handle fell from the back of a breakdown truck bounced from the inside to the outside lane and straight under my car,took out my traction control arm,steering exhaust and damage to a lot of the underside i got the name off the truck and they paid,my brother recently ran into a large builders tressle and demolished the front off his brand new beetle.
it seems we live in an age when talking on the phone or eating while driving is wrong but you can carry as many unsafe loads as you like and the law dose'nt care.strange is'nt ....

phil


Strewth you need an armoured truck ;)

I clipped a Shovel on the M25 once, big bang and I thought oh drat (insert expletive of choice) when I was able to examine the car the only damage was to an alloy wheel but it had sheared through an entire spoke.

I think debris on busy motorways cause a lot more accidents than we are aware of, another good reason for keeping a safe distance.

Biggest scare I ever had was driving home after the nightshift at Gec on the morning of the great storm 17/10/87 whilst the wind was still ragiing. A large (and I mean huge) piece of roof material came of the Toys are Us roof at Rochester Airport an flew straight into the A pillar of my car.
I was very lucky it exploded into bits of foam as it was just the insulation I would not be here today if it had been anything else.

[Kandyman]

I hear there is a big dog up there now or was very recently.


http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/VirtualContent/109271/Giant_inflatable_dog___overlooking_road.jpg

[Simon W]

actually i think it was called the Vanguard building ?

Yes that was it. They had a self-propelled gun up there once too. Must be military hardware fanatics.

[Keith]

Big Dog! SP gun, whats that all about then

[Kandyman]

Not sure why they did it, maybe just for fun ?


http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/hunter/survivors/wt555greenford.jpg

[Simon W]

Yep, that's a Hawker Hunter or I'm a Dutchman!

Wonder why the pilot is still in the cockpit.

[Keith]

Oh its an advert, thats very good!

Who remembers the bright Orange model T? that used to be on a pole at a breakers on the A20 at Sidcup?

[Keith]

Yep, that's a Hawker Hunter or I'm a Dutchman!

Wonder why the pilot is still in the cockpit.

Caption comp?

"Phew that was a close call they don't make these carriers as big as I remember" !

[EnEnGee]

They used to have a Hawker Hunter on the roof of one of the A40 buildings - can't remember if it was the Vickers building though.

No, the Vanguard removals building had the Hawker Hunter on the top. They were until taken over by Pickfords a company specialising in commercial removals. The MD of the company was an aviation enthusiast and I think that were a variety of aircraft up there over the years.

The other landmark I remember around those parts was the large Christmas Tree outside Hoovers. This stopped when Tescos took over the use of the building although it's now returned. I grew up a 10 minute walk from both buildings and these two buildings were reknowned local landmarks.

I'm not sure whether Pickford Vanguard are still there as part of their yard is used for an open air bus garage.

[Simon W]

No, the Vanguard removals building had the Hawker Hunter on the top. They were until taken over by Pickfords a company specialising in commercial removals. The MD of the company was an aviation enthusiast and I think that were a variety of aircraft up there over the years.

The other landmark I remember around those parts was the large Christmas Tree outside Hoovers. This stopped when Tescos took over the use of the building although it's now returned. I grew up a 10 minute walk from both buildings and these two buildings were reknowned local landmarks.



Hoover is a listed building isn't it?

[EnEnGee]

Hoover is a listed building isn't it?

Yes. It was made a Grade 1 Listed building in the early 80s. The only major difference to the frontage is the wording over the centre of the frontage which used to read "Hoover Limited" with the Royal Warrant between the words. It now reads "Hoover Building". It had started to deteriorate badly in the years after Hoover moved out in 1986, with broken windows and paint wearing off.

Tescos moved in and opened a supermarket in 1990, and to be fair to them they restored the building very well. The entrance to the supermarket is round the back and all of the entrance additions and car park adornments were done in the same style.

Contrary to usual belief, it was used as the offices of the Hoover company with another office building behind that was demolished when Tesco moved in, on what is now the Tesco Car park. The factory actually occupied several buildings in adjacent roads, all of which still stand and some still show the Hoover heritage in light of the Hoover house style flag pole.

The Firestone tyre factory on the A4 was built around the same time in a similar style. This was going to be listed but it turned out to be a race between the listers and the wrecking ball. The demolision gangs moved in over August Bank Holiday 1980 whilst Hounslow Council and English Heritage were not at work and got in first!

There you go.

[Commodore]

Yep, both the Hoover Building and the Vanguard building are listed.

Tesco are doing the big Christmas tree again - they were stopped from putting it up for a few years by the council who got paranoid that it might be blown onto the A40 in high wind, despite it never ever having happened before.

The big Father Christmas figure should be going up on top of the Vanguard building in a week or two. Usually goes up first week of December.

Chris