I was watching some YT videos of Rufford Ford that came up on my feed.
There seems to be a thriving cottage industry videoing vehicles traversing the ford, especially when the water levels are high.
I noted several drivers that attempted the crossing, usually at an inappropriately high speed, only to come to a complete standstill in the middle, presumably with a ruined engine. Some were shown being recovered.
Just wondered what the insurance companies' position is, in these situations?
They make great watching but it always amazes me how some people get away with it whilst others dont…watched a Lambo go through the other day and it surprisingly made it. The last video did nobble a few though even some of the lorries…guess the intake is down low.
there is no insurance get out clause named STUPID ,
Rufford one of my favourite golf courses
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Insurance covers accidents or unavoidable incidents beyond the drivers control.
Deliberately driving through a swollen ford or river, or driving past "road closed£ or "Flood" signs is an avoidable act and not covered by insurance.
This also came up on my feed a few months ago. Haven’t looked into it but is that road the only way in and out as I can’t believe that people would risk crossing especially when seeing cars abandoned in the water otherwise.
You`re assuming far too much in giving what appears to be a high percentage of the members of the public a modicum of common sense.Originally Posted by IAmATeaf
I didn't watch many vids but did see an old immaculate looking Volvo estate (240?) being driven into what looked like over 2ft of water - not sure what the driver was thinking TBH! Predictably stalled in the middle of the ford and had to be eventually recovered.
In the meantime, a newish Skoda 4x4*(Kodiak/Karoq?) that was approaching the ford from the other side, watched all this drama, then tried to pass the stranded Volvo and duly stalled themselves.
2 nice vehicles, probably written off due to the driver's ignorance and or stupidity. Shame really - especially the Volvo.
The other thing I never understood was why drivers seemed to speed up approaching the water, as if the force was going to part the water like Moses and the Red Sea - FFS!!! Slow and steady - surely it's common sense in a normal car! (Unless you have some heavily modified 4x4 with a lift, snorkel, underbody protection etc. and are having some fun).
*All these drivers in their "4x4s" - thinking that they're driving proper offroaders (i.e. Land Rovers/Landcruisers etc) but many of these crossovers are really jacked up cars and not designed to wade through 2ft of water. For example my Landcruiser has a max wading depth of 700mm as standard - with the mods but no snorkel, it's still probably over 800mm+ now.
I get a perverse pleasure from seeing all the BMW’s Audi’s and VW’s getting stranded and hopefully written off.👍👍
Not that body of water but i lost one of my BMW's to water ingestion.Not written off, it lived , well mechanically at least after the water was removed new filters and oil, The electrics were never the same as it sat for 4 days before it could be recovered.
In the latest video the yellow measuring pole shows a water level of 3 feet. Yet a Clio / Corsa tried to ford it ! The car was bobbing around like a cork. Even the snorkel vehicles were using their tyres as paddles to get across . Just plane daft. As stated above a hydro locked egine plus trashed ECU is a write off in most cases.
Whilst taking my Honda for a service a few years ago , the salesman said one of their customers had just taken a 6 month old Honda CRV through a ford , wrote it off. Minimum of £15k damage to the engine wiring , never mind all the upholstery switches, displays and micro motors / servos.
I wonder; when the vehicle stalls in the middle of the ford who`s job is it to fumble underwater in an attempt to locate the towing hitch cover, unfasten it, srew in the towing hitch eye and attach the rope - the recovery/rescue operative or the driver of the stricken vehicle?
I expect the recovery drivers get great pleasure and a certain amount of satisfaction from insisting it`s the idiot that requires extraction from his watery woe for that particular job..
I saw one of the Rufford vids where the driver didn`t fancy getting himself soaking wet and decided to fix the rope to something under the bonnet/to the rear of the engine.
Once the tow rope slack was taken up by the recovery truck it simply pulled whatever it was attached to clean off and was seen to leave the engine bay and plop into the water.
Clowns.
Last edited by E_2_Right-Force; 20th February 2022 at 13:39.
Well the wet weather at the weekend really brought out the ideots.
https://youtu.be/EOMDeDrFrpI
Steve
Jeez, first 10 seconds - guy hydrolocks a BMW 6 series Gran Coupe; I know it's a bit of a barge but.....
Amazed that 90% of people don’t know how to drive though high water.
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Funnily enough, about 1/2 way through the vid, a Hybrid Yaris (of all things!) shows how it's done. ;-)
Thought that wedding car was going to try haha...
I don't get it...are these people doing it for show to the crowd, not caring about the risk of damaging their engine? It's only 3 miles to drive around it by another route.
The look on that bald bloke’s face when is red evoke is pluming white smoke!!!
It has been a chavvie pass-time for years there.
I did once zip through in my Impreza (when it was almost dry, and no crowd, I might add!) and managed to dislodge the front bumper!!
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I lived really close by for pretty much my whole life and I've driven through twice when it's been really low in the summer, it also clearly shows how deep the water is. Interesting point about people thinking they've got off-roaders. I remember someone telling me they'd changed their Focus for a Nissan Duke as they wanted something better in bad weather.
There were a lot of Japanese imports after the Tsunami which subsequently had electrical problems. I wonder why! I have seen a car, that had been totally submerged, then "dried out" and "cleaned/serviced" after purchase from an auction in the US. I was amazed that it actually ran at all. It wasn't insured, so was never a write off! Buyer beware!
Anything with modern electronics and an ECU for everything including the cigarette lighter will be toast once water damaged.
Total fails this time , 71 plate vehicles, AND 3’ levels, it beggars belief
https://youtu.be/GPWMyryS6pM
Last edited by higham5; 24th February 2022 at 21:47.
I honestly don't get it...it's not as if the ford is deceptively deep...it's clear theres enough water to float your car. Why would you take a new beemer or 71 plate small van and try to drive through? The reward isn't even worth the risk...it's about 3 miles to drive round. Plus, there's a crowd of people with cameras ready...is that not warning enough? Then there is the car that see's another get stuck, them just goes for it anyway! Nothing adds up to me...do they just not care or are people that stupid?
I know it sounds completely counter intuitive but EVs seem to fair better in deep water than ICE cars:
https://youtu.be/Y9plRzRZ_PY
Maybe a Nissan leaf would be the perfect tool if you regularly had to cross a ford.
A former boss of mine had a Mercedes S-Class that he took through a ford which was deeper than he expected.
Destroyed the engine and the car was written off, but the insurer paid out.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
After the success of the chap at Heathrow last week, maybe there's an opportunity for a Rufford Ford live stream stream? I should look into it.
About 99% of BMW drivers don’t know that the air intake is below number plate levels. I always got the fear in mine when negotiating puddles.
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Just marvel at the unquenchable stoopid...does lend strength to the theory that we're a nation of proud masochists, never happier than when doing something that likely will end badly, costing us...which explains rather a lot.I honestly don't get it...it's not as if the ford is deceptively deep...it's clear theres enough water to float your car. Why would you take a new beemer or 71 plate small van and try to drive through? The reward isn't even worth the risk...it's about 3 miles to drive round. Plus, there's a crowd of people with cameras ready...is that not warning enough? Then there is the car that see's another get stuck, them just goes for it anyway! Nothing adds up to me...do they just not care or are people that stupid?
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