Post # 1
Member
270 posts
Helper bee
I’ve fallen up some stairs, and fallen down other stairs which resulted in me needing a donut cushion for two months. I’ve walked into countless doorways…. but today takes the cake! I got squished by my own car.
I was in the road,waiting to turn into my driveway when my parents were reversing out the driveway. I decided to switch the car off, pull the handbrake, and talk to my mother. Next thing that happens, my mother is shouting that my car is rolling down the road, and the rear of her car was in its path! I stood in front of my car to slow the momentum ( I couldn’t get to the door in time to apply the brakes) while my dad moved their car forward. In this process I was squished by my own car… have a bruised foot, scraped and sore knee, and an achy hip to show for it.
Lessons learnt：don’t leave a car in neutral if I’m switching it off, and my car needs a wash (there are handprints all over the bonnet from the mishap today)
Has anyone else experienced such mishaps?
Post # 2
Member
1993 posts
Buzzing bee
Wait, you physically tried to stop a moving car by standing in front of it!?
Post # 3
Member
6837 posts
Busy Beekeeper
timonandpumba : Not really the best of plans. Next time just let the cars crash (or, you know, don’t have a next time)
As it happens, I’ve done something similar but did make it to the door in time. I was a teen and set the car in neutral while I listened to the end of a song I liked, then forgot to put it in park when I got out. I stopped it from hitting the corner of our house by mere inches, pressing the brake with my hand. Then had to work out how the hell I was supposed to go from my hand on the brake to my foot so I could back out of there. I managed somehow and luckily no one was home to witness… I doubt I’d ever live it down!
Post # 4
Member
1179 posts
Bumble bee
Holy cow you are v lucky. One of my favorite actors, Anton Yelchin, died by being pinned by his “parked” car that started rolling.
Post # 5
Member
462 posts
Helper bee
If you had been “squished”, you would be dead.
Post # 6
Member
3352 posts
Sugar bee
timonandpumba : sorry you’ve had a rough day…but that was really dumb. either the car is moving slowly enough that any damage would be negligible, or it’s moving fast enough that you cannot do anything worthwhile to slow it down. so it sounds like you got needlessly injured.
Post # 7
Member
8256 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
I dont even get why you would do neutral + hand break instead of just park. Its actually less work just to do it properly?? Anyways, glad you didn’t die.
Post # 8
Member
860 posts
Busy bee
fiver : This was the first person who came to mind to me, too.
timonandpumba : Thankfully, never! You are so lucky you weren’t badly injured.
I was always taught that “neutral” was for car towing and pushing it when the engine failed (with a person behind the wheel steering). It would never, ever occur to me to put a car in neutral and put a break on and then get out. And unless I was 2100lbs and covered in a steel exoskeleton, I would never put myself in front of a moving vehicle.
Post # 9
Member
1247 posts
Bumble bee
I’m confused why you didn’t just park the car….? What was the purpose of putting it in neutral and pulling the hand brake instead? Nevertheless glad you’re okay but next time let the cars crash! That’s so incredibly dangerous and not worth the risks.
Most important lesson learnt: Don’t try to stop a moving car with your physical body!!! And Neutral =/= Park! Screw the car wash 🤦🏻♀️
Post # 10
Member
5689 posts
Bee Keeper
You could have died. Never ever stand in front of a rolling car again. If the cars crash without people so be it.
Post # 11
Member
7841 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
Neutral is specifically to allow cars to roll when they need to be towed or pushed. It is NOT for parking; that is what PARK is for. I’m glad you didn’t get run over, but hopefully you won’t make the same mistake again. Clumsy is one thing; ignorant is another. Didn’t you have to take a written exam in order to drive?
Post # 13
Member
115 posts
Blushing bee
This is clearly a manual transmission vehicle, folks. There is no park on this car. Or so I gather anyway. The car should have been shut off in gear (I usually leave it in first) with the parking brake engaged.
Post # 14
Member
860 posts
Busy bee
111118b : Oh, right! That’s funny, it has been so long since I’ve driven a manual that I didn’t even think of that.
Post # 15
Member
7841 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
111118b : Upon further consideration, you are likely correct. Even so, it is always better to park IN GEAR than in neutral, specifically because it helps to keep the car from rolling as much if the parking brake slips (which I did not see you had added).
