BEWARE ICE!!

[Figmo]

Left home to run an errand, half-way there I realized I forgot an important document I needed. Turn around and drive back home. I'm in a hurry so I park in front of the garage, put it in park, hop out (leaving drivers door open) run into house, grab document, run back outside and what do I see....

The driveway in front of my garage is quite steep and this time of year, quite icy. I see my beautiful Bronco sliding backward down the driveway on the ice. Slides into the fence. Bends drivers door forward. Crashes THROUGH the fence, still sliding, finally comes to rest against bottom fence post.

I was now quite late for my appointment so crawled in through the passenger door, drove it out of the fence, parked it in the shop, did a quick assessment before hopping in the Gladiator and heading out again.

What is known so far is LH rear taillight is smashed. Driver door won't close. It's catching on the front fender and door no longer lines up with the door opening at the latch side.

I'll go out there over the weekend and do a more thorough assessment of damage but from what I saw today - thinking this might be beyond my "body man" skills. Gonna have to be an insurance claim.

So - learn from my pain, my brothers and sisters. Beware parking on icy hills.

(BTW - this has never happened in any other vehicle in all the years I've lived here - I suspect these 37" tires I added over the summer are not so bueno on sticking to ice)

Pics of damage to follow...

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[CitrusBronco]

Damn rough break, extra ouch leaving the door open. I’ve had a driveway that I could just not stick to one day, in my ranger with Michelin tires that had good snow traction. Sometimes the ice is just to slick no matter the tires.
Luckily it would not hold long enough to jump out so I ended up parking down in the street.

 

[bassist]

At least you weren’t injured.

Which tires are you running?

 

[timbits588]

Sorry to hear that. Glad you are okay, though.

 

[TheShark]

Oh man, that is rough, I've had a few driveways in my life that I couldn't get up because of ice but never had a vehicle slide down thankfully.
Funny, when I read the title I thought you were worried about being deported

 

[WarthogJr]

Wow! I’d be devastated if I had to drive a Gladiator. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[Squatch]

 

[kodiakisland]

I've seen a few parked cars have a mind of their own on ice, especially when it starts raining with 30+ knot winds. Cars easily go where the wind takes them.

 

[Lucky Nut]

I leave my door ajar like that far too often in order to avoid the double honk. One of these days I’ll get around to using the ForScan.

 

[PaBronco]

My Suburban started sliding down the drive at our hunting camp. Luckily there was an Excursion parked in front of the Suburban a few feet away.
No damage but I now make sure not to park on an incline with ice under the tires.

 

[DemonGT]

 

[ScottyC]

I remember one time as a kid, my mother went out to warm up the '73 Bronco my dad owned so he could get to work in a warmed up vehicle., same type of driveway and the Bronco slid down the driveway to the lower section and luckily, was stopped by a snowbank before going into the road.....whew. Dad was pissed, but not too badly.

 

[sjp]

Oh crap, that really sucks! I also have a very steep driveway, and every vehicle I've owned has slid down it (thankfully, while I was in it, so I could manage to navigate around obstacles at the bottom, where it hits the road and levels out).

I have to shovel after every snowfall, and when I leave the house, I bring a shovel, boots, gloves, and EXOspikes with me so that if it snows again while I'm gone, I can park at the bottom and shovel again without injuring myself or the Bronco. It's a pain in the ass, but better than hitting a fence, a trash can, or another vehicle.

Good luck getting it fixed up. At least it didn't take anybody out, or hit another truck.

 

[CoastieN70]

Left home to run an errand, half-way there I realized I forgot an important document I needed. Turn around and drive back home. I'm in a hurry so I park in front of the garage, put it in park, hop out (leaving drivers door open) run into house, grab document, run back outside and what do I see....

The driveway in front of my garage is quite steep and this time of year, quite icy. I see my beautiful Bronco sliding backward down the driveway on the ice. Slides into the fence. Bends drivers door forward. Crashes THROUGH the fence, still sliding, finally comes to rest against bottom fence post.

I was now quite late for my appointment so crawled in through the passenger door, drove it out of the fence, parked it in the shop, did a quick assessment before hopping in the Gladiator and heading out again.

What is known so far is LH rear taillight is smashed. Driver door won't close. It's catching on the front fender and door no longer lines up with the door opening at the latch side.

I'll go out there over the weekend and do a more thorough assessment of damage but from what I saw today - thinking this might be beyond my "body man" skills. Gonna have to be an insurance claim.

So - learn from my pain, my brothers and sisters. Beware parking on icy hills.

(BTW - this has never happened in any other vehicle in all the years I've lived here - I suspect these 37" tires I added over the summer are not so bueno on sticking to ice)

Pics of damage to follow...

Having to ice-skate into the house didn't trigger a warning?

 

[bassist]

One tip for folks with any sort of potential for ice: shoes with Vibram Arctic Grip soles.

Nothing short of amazing.

I’ve been sure footed even on slick wet ice when I wear them.

It’s like having microscopic spikes that grip the ice.

Oh, and never get out of a car on an icy driveway wearing boat shoes because you’re too lazy to put on proper footwear.

Literally had to crawl up my own driveway after falling as soon as I put one foot out of the vehicle.

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