Debris flies off truck on the 401, hits my car

[wonderboy905]

So last Wednesday I was on the 401 Eastbound around Dixie Rd at 9:45am when I look up and see this black square (roughly 2 feet by 2 feet and maybe an inch thick at best) come flying towards me (it appeared to come off the back of the truck in front of me, I'm not 100% positive as I was checking my blind spot about to change lanes, looked forward and then saw it). It nailed the front of my car, then went underneath and did a lot of damage to the bottom. Rather than go get the truck's licence # my initial reaction was to slow down and get over to the shoulder and make sure my vehicle was safe. Needless to say after a week in the shop, and a week with a rented 2006 2.5 Altima (4 cylinder + mid-size car = no fun to be had at all) I got my car back. My $300 deductable applied as it was a comprehensive claim (won't affect my rates).

Ever since moving to Milton and commuting on the 401 versus the QEW I've found the 401 to be considerably more dangerous. This isn't the first time something's hit my car, but it was the first time it did any real damage. The 401 is bad enough as the driver's themselves seem less considerate and are more likely to just dart in front of you changing lanes with no indicating, making you slam on your brakes.

My car ended up with a new front end, new radiator, a lot of the A/C had to be replaced and I got an alignment done. The shop was also nice enough to detail it for me. The only thing they didn't do perfect was bend my licence plate back to being perfectly straight, probably not something they could have done, I didn't really ask them about it.

Here's some pics:

Before

After

Just remember to be careful on our highways and ALWAYS be on the lookout for flying crap. If you do get hit and enough damage is done to call your insurance, make sure it's a comprehensive claim and not a collision claim you're making as if it's collision you're likely to be deemed 100% at-fault and you'll be in for a nice rate increase. If the object wasn't moving and you hit it, that's a collision, so be careful.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

wonderboy:

Thankfully, it didn't hit your windshield.

AoD

 

[Canuck 36]

I had my own truck-run-in recently.

Returning from Stratford on Wednesday, doing 82 in an 80 zone on a two lane road. I knew the speed limit was about to drop to 50 so I was in no hurry. This large truck behind me decides to pass, and as he's merging back over his corner hits my side mirror - popping off the acual mirror but leaving only some scratches on the plastic moulding.

Wasn't clever enough to get the plate as I wanted to see how damaged I was and if I could recover my mirror (I could, it was in one piece lying in the middle of the road. Some tape kept it steady in place back to TO).

Called my insurance, they told me it would be covered under collision, so I paid out of pocket. $109 later I got a replacement side mirror.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Truck drivers are now among the *worst* drivers on the road, to say nothing of improperly loaded trucks that leave debris spilling all over the road surface. When you add the apalling absence of cleaning and maintenance, it's not surprising that the 401 especially is not only dangerous but an eyesore.

 

[badga416]

On the day of the blackout a few years back, I was driving to work on the gardiner and ran over an a-frame ladder that must have fallen off of a truck. Big gash in the front bumper panel, but seemingly no other damage. I think the initial impact spun it out of the path of the car. That was one very strange day.

 

[shawnmicallef]

All is well in Lot 65 then.

--

I've driven maybe 250,000 km's between 1992-2000, and very few things ever hit my car. Sometimes i would drive people home in winter, and they would vomit out the window, and frozen barf was on the side of my car until the next thaw. Those people never rode in my car again.

I think pieces of my cars were left behind though. Once i drove home with my muffler dragging on my 86 Accord, and making sparks, on the EC Row expressway in Windsor. I didn't know what to do with it, and i wanted to go to bed. In the morning i used a coathanger to attach it to the car, and it lasted for quite a few months after that.

 

[bizorky]

I've been behind a truck when one of the tires shredded. It was freaky to see how far it all flew.

Agree with Alvin: good thing it didn't hit your windshield.

 

[building babel]

The third photograph - with all the cars lined up, and the perfect lawns, and the squeaky newness of everything - is like a bad dream.

 

[shawnmicallef]

Do people in the neighbourhood need quick escapes? Is that why they are all backed in?

 

[Observer Walt]

Truck drivers are now among the *worst* drivers on the road

In the "good old days" truck drivers were the best. I hear it's now harder and harder to recruit truck drivers and the quality has gone down.

 

[EnviroTO]

4 cylinder + mid-size car = no fun to be had at all

For extra safety don't have fun while driving but instead use it as a form of transportation. Road fun kills.

 

[Copper1212]

I was driving down the 401 and some piece of sh*t transport truck ahead of my started shredding rubber off one of its tires. Before I could get over a big chunk went under my car and ripped one of the brake lines off. The car was still under warranty so I told the dealership that it came loose and fell off and they replaced it at no cost to me, lol.

But anyway, yes the 401 is insane. It is unique also, I used to think every city had a 401 type highway but basically no one has an equivalent. The size and scope of the thing is basically unmatched by anything else in the world. Whenever I take a trip down the 401 with family or friends unfamilar with it their first reaction is "holy f*ck!"

 

[wonderboy905]

Thanks guys, I'm very glad it didn't hit the windshield.

The third photograph - with all the cars lined up, and the perfect lawns, and the squeaky newness of everything - is like a bad dream.

Or to many a great place to start a family, every week it seems like a neighbour has just had a baby.

Do people in the neighbourhood need quick escapes? Is that why they are all backed in?

That's actually the proper way to park, or at least according to Young Drivers. I always back-in 100% of the time unless I need to load stuff into the trunk. It makes things a lot less dangerous when you're pulling out nose first, backing into a driveway/parking spot is easy, backing out into TRAFFIC is dangerous.

For extra safety don't have fun while driving but instead use it as a form of transportation. Road fun kills.

Well when trying to get up to 100kmh when trying to merge onto the 401 and having to take an extra few seconds is not only less fun but more dangerous! I don't drive recklessely, although when passing and such it's always great to have ample power on tap.

But anyway, yes the 401 is insane. It is unique also, I used to think every city had a 401 type highway but basically no one has an equivalent. The size and scope of the thing is basically unmatched by anything else in the world. Whenever I take a trip down the 401 with family or friends unfamilar with it their first reaction is "holy f*ck!

I agree, whenever anyone visits from out of town they always comment on the 401. Most cities have more major arteries then the GTA cutting through them which means the major interstate highways don't have the huge amounts of local traffic the 401 gets.

 

[TdotTrickyRicky]

i've never been hit but the evidence for the number of incidents on highways and debris (particularly truck tires) is marked in the tire marks and debris on the shoulder. Driving through Michigan I noticed there was so much debris on the side of the road that you couldn't even pull off if you wanted to (maybe a shredded tire every 3 feet, is there anyone with the mandate to pick up that stuff?)

 

[Darkstar416]

Driving through Michigan I noticed there was so much debris on the side of the road that you couldn't even pull off if you wanted to (maybe a shredded tire every 3 feet, is there anyone with the mandate to pick up that stuff?)

MTO in Ontario. Welfare mothers in Michigan....probably.