Your decision was poor!

chr15gb · January 19, 2022

23 seconds in, a poor decision and 3 seconds later, a perfectly good Lexus is destined for the breakers.

Linas.P · January 20, 2022

Most of the drivers drives in way too fast, floods the intakes and most likely destroys the engines. I have been through ford with my IS250 dozen times and never had issue. That said I have seen several cars being ruined by this ford even in cases where I can't fault the driver and they did everything right, the ford was just too deep - mostly BMW, I think this channel started mostly on BMW content, but later grew in all cars.

What I found strange that it seems like quite busy connection in the middle of town so I am sure it is time to find better solution there. People literally come to watch cars being destroyed everyday, but I think it is no longer funny considering that goverment forcing us to pay more everyday for whatever little pollution cars make, but nobody seems to have issue with thousands of cars ruined by some stupid ford.

Considering how many cars this ford had ruined, it singlehandedly causing more pollution than all the cars in UK over the day. Maybe it is time to build a bridge there?

Herbie · January 20, 2022

It's just amazing to see how little respect people have, for what is most likely the most expensive purchase they ever make apart from buying a house.

Shahpor · January 20, 2022

Perhaps the IS stalled immediately and didn't bend or break a conrod? There is hope it wasn't wreaked by one stupid moment.

Linas is right though. Considering how infamous this has become, they should really considering doing something about the road.

doog442 · January 20, 2022

It doesn't look in the middle of town though as far as I can see, it's quite rural. There are two perfectly acceptable alternative routes so I guess people being people they're happy to take the risk to save a few minutes on their journey.

There's also warning signs at each end of the road but nothing closer which is a little odd and probably could be addressed for the stupid few. Interestingly there's also a permanent road closed sign off the A614. The presumption is that most of these ~~idiots~~ drivers are local so really should know better.

steve2006 · January 20, 2022

It is in a rural area with Rufford Abbey, park and lake with Centre Parcs across the road so a tourist magnet.

I used to live and work in this area and have driven through the ford many times in the late 1970s- early 1980s. Even then there were occasions where I have approached the ford and made the decision to turn around and take an alternative route via the A614 to Ollerton roundabout, into Ollerton then up the A616 towards Newark. There is a shorter route but this involves entering Ollerton village where traffic calming measures these days are a bit OTT.

Even back then you still got people on the wooden foot bridges “car watching” and many got a good soaking if the river level was up a bit and my foot went down on the loud pedal in the works van.

Of course there was little if any video recording then, perhaps there may be a few Kodak Instamatic snaps from observers as the sheet of water engulfed them, it is only the likes of YouTube which has now put it on the map which may explain why drivers risk writing their cars off for 15 seconds of fame.

Linas.P · January 20, 2022

2 hours ago, Shahpor said:

Perhaps the IS stalled immediately and didn't bend or break a conrod? There is hope it wasn't wreaked by one stupid moment.

Linas is right though. Considering how infamous this has become, they should really considering doing something about the road.

Yes - it is lottery thought, probably 1 in 5 of such mistakes will result in catastrophic damage, because if engine is hydro locked it most likely to be scrap. I would be wishing it just stalled, but driver will need to fish his number plates out of the ford as well.

Can't think it being good for ford waters either when every car washes oil, fuel and so on every time crossing it and some may even have engine explode in the middle of it.

I don't know local area, but if there are alternative routes, then maybe this one needs to be properly closed - at least for me that sounds like sensible idea. I am not saying those drivers are smart, or that they should be doing what they doing, it just surprises me that in the country which babysits everyone with useless signs like "slow down" before the slightest bend, local goverment does not think they should be closing the stretch of the road which is clearly dangerous and results in unacceptable number of damaged cars.

The sign of "closed road" seems to be temporary for last year, but as noted there seems to be no other signs. I think there may be one other thing which catches drivers out - one one day it may be just a puddle you can cross at full speed, another day it may be half-meter deep river. Now common sense tells me that is what "ford" is about, but as we all know - people at large are not known for "common sense". My surprise is just that in every other area government feels the need to enforce their interpretation of "common sense", but only in this particular area which really needs it - they don't!

eleveneleven · January 20, 2022

Entertaining to watch but Crazy how nothing has been done about this road.

Is it just ground clearance/traction (and a little luck) that separates the cars that can easily drive through water like this or is there more to it?

Malc · January 20, 2022

don't understand the mindset of drivers who think they are above reality when it comes to water and cars swimming ........... they just cannot and sense tells drivers surely to just STOP and turn around !

Maybe not tho' eh!

Malc

Linas.P · January 20, 2022

Wading requires skill and a bit of luck, you need to enter the ford slowly build-up the wave and the cross it with steady speed. That is obviously assuming your car has enough clearance and wading depth is not exceeded when doing it. The problem - it is difficult to judge how deep the ford is and I guess many drivers assume that "if the road is open, then the depth must be safe to cross", that is very dangerous assumption.

Obviously, if you have" "lifted" SUV then skill does not matter as much.

I just remember driving in Iceland, we had brand new Jeep Renegade and it was a bit scary. On one hand some fords where clearly too deep and we could not keep-up with proper off-roaders in the area, but others were just matter of skill. I remember stopping by one and wondering whenever I could safely cross it, then local guy came and just blasted thought it with Skoda Octavia 😄

1 minute ago, Malc said:

don't understand the mindset of drivers who think they are above reality when it comes to water and cars swimming ........... they just cannot and sense tells drivers surely to just STOP and turn around !

Or they are just lulled by false sense of security, because they are used to babysitting state looking after them. That is why I always had issue with too many signs and too many rules. When people can experience it, they will over time build proper knowledge, but when people are "shielded" from experience it takes single missing sign and it ends-up in disaster.

So it kind of has to be either one way or another, if goverment chosen to be prescriptive, then they have to like that everywhere, if they decided to let drivers figure it out themselves, then again let them decide everywhere.

Malc · January 20, 2022

10 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

When people can experience it, they will over time build proper knowledge,

and dirty water can hide big holes, obstacles like logs etc ..........just below the surface

BUT I s'pose I'm just ( too ?? ) careful having had quite some of life's experiences :whistling:

Malc

Linas.P · January 20, 2022

Yes, for that reason fords are very rare on public roads in Europe - most countries decided (I guess) they are dangerous enough that they don't consider them safe to use for average driver. Actually, I am not aware of any in Continental Europe (I am sure I am wrong and somebody could tell me all about them), the ones I have encountered are either in UK or in Iceland.

BC99 · January 20, 2022

My friend sent me one of these videos, just laughing at the cars getting written off, i didn't spot the IS. It's one of those things where i'd love to give it a try, but common sense and lack of funds to be able to just risk car like that means wouldn't. I understand the theory of how to ford water, but it's no replacement for experience.

The air intake for 250 is reasonably high up isn't it, being at the top of the front grill, although it enters the airbox (not airtight) lower than that. the sloped front probably doesn't help but just driving in at speed was never going to end well.

wharfhouse · January 20, 2022

I remember in Scotland on holiday with my wife and her mother driving across remote moorland many, many years ago in a Ford Sierra and whilst doing about 50mph hitting a large amount of water in the road. The car spluttered to a standstill and we were left wondering what to do - no mobile phone signal available then. Fortunately after about 30 minutes the car started again so I think it was just the electrics that had a soaking and then dried out. No more problems afterwards though the mother-in-law wasn't impressed!

ahmedali44 · January 23, 2022

Done that on my tx4 last yr when London had lot of rain went half way engine flooded Went too fast but was very lucky my garage saved engine got recovery next day 8am .my old tx1 used to take through flooded road every yr same place never stopped.happened 5pm on Sunday got recovery next day 8am by rac bad service hard lesson learnt tx4 don't like water 🤣71 reg Merc got stuck like me I'm sure his engine was destroyed.this flood nothing compared which I went through had water come in taxi had to get out push it out by couple of guys .other parts of London had cars floating like James bond car .if gone through with electric vehicle will you get electric shock????🤔

dutchie01 · January 23, 2022

I honestly dont understand why that road is still open. Dont know the local details but the majority of car owners have no clue if they can pass safely or not. That road should be closed permanently. And the locals cheering if another one bites the dust raises some questions as well. All a bit embarrasing.

Malc · January 23, 2022

1 hour ago, ahmedali44 said:

if gone through with electric vehicle will you get electric shock

just be well done toast methinks :whistling:

Malc

Linas.P · January 23, 2022

3 hours ago, dutchie01 said:

I honestly dont understand why that road is still open. Dont know the local details but the majority of car owners have no clue if they can pass safely or not. That road should be closed permanently. And the locals cheering if another one bites the dust raises some questions as well. All a bit embarrasing.

Absolutely agree - if that is not something for goverment to do, then I wonder why government even exists. If it would be 1 car once in a while on some remote road on private land - so be it. But this is well known spot where thousands of cars get's damaged every year. So much so that based on some comments it was the case even 30 years ago.

Something has to be done about it and if building a bridge doesn't work out, then it should be at least properly closed for time being.

BC99 · January 23, 2022

3 hours ago, ahmedali44 said:

.if gone through with electric vehicle will you get electric shock????🤔

https://youtu.be/lUYfTrXHK4U?t=40
Tesla, no engine, no risk of hydrolocking. Presumably still has parts that might not take too kindly to being plunged into cold water, might not be good for Battery life either, but no problems at all with fording water.

Linas.P · January 24, 2022

5 hours ago, BC99 said:

https://youtu.be/lUYfTrXHK4U?t=40
Tesla, no engine, no risk of hydrolocking. Presumably still has parts that might not take too kindly to being plunged into cold water, might not be good for battery life either, but no problems at all with fording water.

Another good example why this ford should be permanently and properly closed. For example Mini and Kia drivers were doing everything correctly (except of maybe misjudging how deep it actually was), not driving too fast, creating a wave in front of them etc. But you can see right away that mini was totalled just by the fashion how it all shuttered before stalling.

Then there is example of BMW, you can see that when other car was crossing BMW was literally floating in the ford. If it is so deep that car floats, there is no way safe to cross. Sure helpful locals seems to be pulling cars out, but that should not be the case that such road is even open for public. And it can't be that remote if there are dozens of people filing and laughing all the time.

The-Acre · January 24, 2022

And it can't be that remote if there are dozens of people filing and laughing all the time.

It's like medieval times when they all come out to poke fun at the village idiot. Maybe the council should charge for tickets, it clearly is a local attraction, then they could raise money for a bridge!

steve2006 · January 24, 2022

There Is a car park for the Country park and yes they do charge you to park 😀

At one time the road was closed and diversion directions put in place with high water levels present but this seems not to happen nowadays, just like potholes the local authority just face the other way.