Had to tow a Freelander stuck in the snow yesterday driven by a total plonker!! 8)
He had been trying to turn left and go up a hill and had failed due to wheel spin and got stuck broadside across the narrow road totally blocking it. He was sat there with the back wheels spinning going nowhere and very quickly annoying the other drivers stuck waiting for him to move. After sitting there for several minutes thinking he might just get his act together it soon became apparent he had no idea what he was doing!!
I walked up to his window and asked him if he was in 4 wheel drive ‘cos only his back wheels were turning. Not knowing anything about older Freelanders, I wasn’t sure if they had permanent 4 wheel drive. He was a rather large gentleman of ethnic persuasion and he replied.. “Landrovers are sh*t! I thought they went anywhere.” I smiled and said “It’s not the car mate, it’s the person behind the wheel.” “Try engaging whatever that yellow button on the gearlever shaft is....might be the 4 wheel drive selector.” He muttered “Smartarse” So I left him to it and returned to my warm D3.
By this time traffic had backed up behind me so I couldn’t turn around and go back. We all sat there for another 5mins as he sat spinning his wheels going nowhere. He actually got one smoking which I thought was good and wondered if his rear diff might explode!!!
He eventually got out and came to me to ask for assistance....What was apparent was that none of the car drivers were prepared to offer any help whatsoever even though they were all stuck because of him!! I agreed to tow him out of the way after he grovelled for a few minutes....
Using the pavement I managed to get in front of him pointing up the hill he was originally going up, hooked the tow rope on the Freelander and pulled him up the hill clear of the junction. I jumped out unhooked the rope and jumped back in the D3. He got out of his car and shouted to me “You can’t leave me here, tow me up the f**king hill.” I replied “I have a better idea, you stand there and watch a smartarse drive a Sh*t Landrover up a hill!!”
I wonder if he is still there......was I too mean??? ------------------------------
"Ruby"
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Spot on Mike I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
7th Jan 2010 2:12 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
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nice one Mike - what a prat, although I thought all Freelys were permanant 4WD as well.
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7th Jan 2010 2:20 pm
simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
They are permanent 4 wheel drive. I bet his tyres were as well as not knowing what he was doing. The yellow collar round the gearstick is HDC, so would not have helped him at all.
I would have towed him further away Down the hill after his polite request to be towed to the top.
7th Jan 2010 2:38 pm
DG Site Moderator
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not at all mean, you taught him an important lesson or two! Now he knows his car is less of a knob than he is, and that criticising a landrover lovers car is the ultimate stupidity.
It is after all our symbiotic relationship with our cars that makes them damned near unstoppable Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
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excellent A happy childhood ... is the worst possible preparation for life.
7th Jan 2010 3:01 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
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simon wrote:
I bet his tyres were as well...
I've seen way too much of this recently. If there's not enough tread to pick up any snow then chances are you may as well be on slicks. I've seen lots of people with illegal tyres this winter, more than usual, perhaps a money saving step too far in the recession?Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
7th Jan 2010 3:01 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
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Good job Mike!!
7th Jan 2010 3:02 pm
jkp
Member Since: 17 Sep 2005
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Posts: 4528
stunning
I offered a merc a tug on the M8 a couple of weeks back, but as I started to offer he gave me the five finger shuffle sign as I pulled alongside him so informed him what i was going to do and suggested he may be staying where he is for a little while yet, as I eased up the incline and away to an empty motorway ahead of the jams.
7th Jan 2010 5:35 pm
MikeT
Member Since: 31 Aug 2008
Location: Lancs
Posts: 260
Have a feeling there was maybe something wrong with the Freelander if it was permanent 4 wheel drive, as it looked like there was no drive at all to the front wheels.
Not feeling guilty as he should have kept it maintained... ------------------------------
"Ruby"
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Nice one for dumping him at the road side And glad he wasn't a knob of a FL2 driver
I have seen a item on eBay that converts a FL1 into a 2 wheel drive car for better economy, blanks off the diff I think
but then watching the you tube video there is a point when the rears are only spinning too,
If you want a car that crap off road, try my brothers Volvo xc60 Ecodrive ,2 wheel drive version, just been comparing in a snow covered flat carpark and it couldnt get grip at all, my wifes punto is better
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as well as not knowing what he was doing. The yellow collar round the gearstick is HDC, so would not have helped him at all.
