Not sure where to put this post really, but since mine's a Fabia, I thought here would be good.

Anyway, we went on a weekend trip out to 'the countryside' for a family wedding. We got to the hotel and met all the other guests etc etc, did a quick change of clothes and then we all piled into our motors and cavalcaded off to fetch the bride, and then to church.

Well, we (me, the wife and an uncle) were the penultimate car in the procession. We all zoomed along the motorway a bit, and then peeled off onto some hairy little country roads. I was a bit worried about getting lost out there, so perhaps I was going a bit quick... plus the roads were a bit slippery- it's the first few days of winter out here in Poland.

So anyway, I hared up this steep bit of road, crested the rise, and suddenly found that what little tarmac there was doing the job of 'road', had *very* suddenly done a sharp ninety and gone off to the right. So I whipped the wheel and took us into a field. The level of the earth in the field was pretty far below that of the road, so our faithful Fabia tipped over to my side (left hand drive, remember) and came to a gentle rest on it's side.

It really was a very gentle impact- the soil had recently been tilled and despite a light frost covering, the impact was as gentle as one could hope for. No whiplash, no craziness. We all had our belts on and- kudos to Skoda- they held us as gently yet firmly as a fresh pair of nappys on a baby's bum. The weird thing was looking *up* my right shoulder at the wife, who was hanging from her belt wearing an expression that said 'I might need to change *my* nappys' :lol: And fair enough too.

So, to bring this story to a close, the people behind us stopped and the bloke- a great big blonde bear of a man with muscles like Popeye- held the car upright whilst we climbed out. After a bit of dusting-down and quick picture taking (non digital I'm afraid, I'll post the pics here when I get em back in a couple of days), I got back in and drove out of the field.

Damage Report: Front Left Quarter panel dented and deformed, impairing opening of the driver's side door. Scratches down left side from front quarter panel to rear passenger door. And nothing else! Even the mirror folded back out and continues to work. The side indicator light is fine, everything. All in all, a bloody lucky escape if you ask me. Gave the whole thing a wash the next day and scraped half a ton of earth out of the recesses, re-packed the contents of the boot, checked all the fluids and drove it the sixty Km back home.

My main feeling about the whole episode is basically embarrassment, and some worry over the financial fallout. Mitigating my shame somewhat is the fact that a) there was no warning sign about an upcoming ******* of a corner; and that nearly everyone else in the procession lost it on that corner. Ah well.

If I have a question about all of this, it's this: repair the car (covered by insurance), or get a replacement (also an option under our insurance)?

I was on the way to work this morning. Minus 2 deg showing on the Climatronic, when a young man on the road ahead started to wave his hands!:confused:

So doing the 'good samaritain' thing I stopped, only to find a Clio on it roof at the side of the road. (Not the young mans)

To cut a long story short, pulled a young girl (come on, it could have happened to anyone on the icys roads?) out of the passenger door, now pointing upwards, who was fine, concidering she had just spent the last 60sec's doing a torvil and dean, then a nice roll into a ditch. (I live in the sticks)

Anyway, a few concerned rolled the car back onto its wheels and managed to drive it out of the ditch, WRC style. (While been passed, by plenty other commuters, who didn't seem to care!)

Apart from a bit of grassy frosting, absolutely NO damage!:confused:

I know the front wings are plastic, but the rest of the car was OK too!

How come when I was her age and had a Sunbeam Alpine, my first experdition into the the unknown (i.e. a ditch) wrote off the car.

Either car are built better/safer or girls are better at crashing than boy's?

Anyone else seen some action over the last few days.....?

On the roads that is.!

Sorry to hear of your little mishap. Personally if it's only superficial bodywork damage I'd be inclined to get it repaired.

Looks like everyone wants to join the IBMA.........

It' is very dodgy out there though at the moment. I "gracefully" glided into 3, as opposed to 1, car park spaces as i turned just a little too quickly on the car park this morning........

and i love the avatar.....Entrepid class etc etc etc.....lol

i nearly made friends with a few hedges tonight Mud and ice on the road went round wheels lost traction started to spin a bit and well.... with a bit of lucky steering i got out of it but the car was all over the road car survived so did i!

On my way to work yesterday I came across a Rover 418 Diesel on its side across the road. Several cars had pulled up to assist whilst waiting for the police to arrive so I carried on to work.

Looked like everyone was OK

Sad one a couple of weeks ago about a guy in a XK8 that crashed off the A38 just outside of Plymouth. No one saw it happen but a passerby found the car in thick undergrowth around 7:30am. Apparently it could have happened anytime from 10:30pm the previous night.

Glad to hear your all ok!

It's very nasty out at the moment, lots of ice and in some places mud as I found out yesterday, a wee bit of fish tailing but nothing to break a sweat over.

Just a reminder that we should all take care during the winter months

Glad that your ok!

Glad everyone is ok...Reminds me of my off-road experience, only my Furby survived without damage! Only thing damaged was my pride

Heh, yeah, Ye Olde Pride took a dent there and no mistake. The funny part will be when I take her in tomorrow for her appointment to get the snow tyres fitted: "By the way, I rolled it over t'other day- you couldn't give it a quick look-over and replace the driver's side panels?" :lol: