Gators

Desert Rat · 09-10-2018, 03:06 PM

Couldn't miss it. A Tahoe in front of me in rush hour freeway traffic hit a full length gator with both front wheels, and it was airborne coming at me....hit the ground right in front of the car.

I went over it with all 4 wheels. put a little ding in the lower air dam and basically destroyed the plastic bottom cover under the engine. Still makes my blood boil.

Ordered a new aftermarket cover off amazon along with all new mounting clips. No other damage that I can see, fortunately....but dammit, you try to keep something nice and it never fails that some other a$$hole messes that up for you.

JARblue · 09-10-2018, 03:27 PM

Glad to hear it wasn't too bad - I can't imagine running over a full size gator like that. I ran over a dead dog (80+ lb golden retriever) at 80 mph a number of years ago. 18 wheeler and lifted truck in front of me both straddled it completely. I was pretty close behind cause traffic, so it came out of nowhere. Pretty sure I went airborne; thankfully no damage. Just a mess that baked into a disgusting crust in the Texas summer heat over the remaining 2 hours of my drive home

Lesson learned is I try not to follow too close. Especially in traffic where I may not have the room for an emergency evasive maneuver

Spooler · 09-10-2018, 04:11 PM

Gator as in blown tire tread Gator?

JARblue · 09-10-2018, 04:15 PM

Oh duh... yeah that probably makes more sense lol

Especially considering he's in AZ and not FL

ColtronZ · 09-10-2018, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

Oh duh... yeah that probably makes more sense lol

Especially considering he's in AZ and not FL

Being a Florida boy, I just assumed it was the animal too. Interesting how region can depend on how you interpret this post.

madwi · 09-10-2018, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

Oh duh... yeah that probably makes more sense lol

Especially considering he's in AZ and not FL

I thought the same. Thought maybe he was on vacation or something.

Spooler · 09-10-2018, 07:44 PM

Truckers call blown tires in the road alligators. LOL

Zingston · 09-10-2018, 08:34 PM

I was totally thinking large water lizard. It happens a lot out in the Everglades.

...or he could have run over what's left of the UF Football team after last weekend.

Desert Rat · 09-11-2018, 03:14 PM

Gator as in big truck tire tread. They're everywhere on the freeways here because of the heat.

Nixin · 09-11-2018, 07:26 PM

Gators, be they big lizards or big pieces of rubber are bad. One year in Florida, my buddy and I creamed a huge sea turtle while it was crossing the highway at night. His BMW 325 looked like it smashed into a brick wall. F-ing turtle, apart for a few scrapes and dings on its shell, survived the fiasco intact.

busterbull · 09-11-2018, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zingston

I was totally thinking large water lizard. It happens a lot out in the Everglades.

...or he could have run over what's left of the UF Football team after last weekend.

vtec to vvel · 09-12-2018, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zingston

I was totally thinking large water lizard. It happens a lot out in the Everglades.

...or he could have run over what's left of the UF Football team after last weekend.

Damnit we need Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow back! #gatornation

And even during rush hour traffic, the road alligator still went airborne?

B&W_Evader · 09-13-2018, 09:38 AM

Do I see a movie coming... Gator-nado! Damn pesky gators.

Glad there wasn't any serious damage. Perfect excuse for a couple of upgrades.

Desert Rat · 09-14-2018, 04:49 PM

got my new under engine cover and all the new clips, etc. Will install tomorrow. May as well change oil while im under there even though I'm not due for another 1000 miles....

Hope the aftermarket piece fits right. It WAS cheap...

09-10-2018, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
Desert Rat Base Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 189 Drives: 2014 370Z M6 Base Rep Power: 3365	Gators Couldn't miss it. A Tahoe in front of me in rush hour freeway traffic hit a full length gator with both front wheels, and it was airborne coming at me....hit the ground right in front of the car. I went over it with all 4 wheels. put a little ding in the lower air dam and basically destroyed the plastic bottom cover under the engine. Still makes my blood boil. Ordered a new aftermarket cover off amazon along with all new mounting clips. No other damage that I can see, fortunately....but dammit, you try to keep something nice and it never fails that some other a$$hole messes that up for you.

09-10-2018, 03:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 43 Posts: 36,450 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684440	Glad to hear it wasn't too bad - I can't imagine running over a full size gator like that. I ran over a dead dog (80+ lb golden retriever) at 80 mph a number of years ago. 18 wheeler and lifted truck in front of me both straddled it completely. I was pretty close behind cause traffic, so it came out of nowhere. Pretty sure I went airborne; thankfully no damage. Just a mess that baked into a disgusting crust in the Texas summer heat over the remaining 2 hours of my drive home Lesson learned is I try not to follow too close. Especially in traffic where I may not have the room for an emergency evasive maneuver __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

09-10-2018, 04:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
Spooler A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Ga Posts: 13,834 Drives: 2013 Nismo 370z Rep Power: 2684392	Gator as in blown tire tread Gator? JARblue likes this.

09-10-2018, 04:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 43 Posts: 36,450 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684440	Oh duh... yeah that probably makes more sense lol Especially considering he's in AZ and not FL ColtronZ and busterbull like this. __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

09-10-2018, 07:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Spooler A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Ga Posts: 13,834 Drives: 2013 Nismo 370z Rep Power: 2684392	Truckers call blown tires in the road alligators. LOL JARblue and madwi like this.

09-10-2018, 08:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
Zingston A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2017 Location: Florida Posts: 4,028 Drives: like it's a rental. Rep Power: 2684370	I was totally thinking large water lizard. It happens a lot out in the Everglades. ...or he could have run over what's left of the UF Football team after last weekend. JARblue, madwi, ColtronZ and 3 others like this.

09-11-2018, 03:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
Desert Rat Base Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 189 Drives: 2014 370Z M6 Base Rep Power: 3365	Gator as in big truck tire tread. They're everywhere on the freeways here because of the heat. Spooler likes this.

09-11-2018, 07:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
Nixin A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: GWN Posts: 3,488 Drives: Goodbye Z! Rep Power: 19833	Gators, be they big lizards or big pieces of rubber are bad. One year in Florida, my buddy and I creamed a huge sea turtle while it was crossing the highway at night. His BMW 325 looked like it smashed into a brick wall. F-ing turtle, apart for a few scrapes and dings on its shell, survived the fiasco intact.

09-13-2018, 09:38 AM	#13 (permalink)
B&W_Evader Track Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: CA Posts: 972 Drives: slower than before Rep Power: 387	Do I see a movie coming... Gator-nado! Damn pesky gators. Glad there wasn't any serious damage. Perfect excuse for a couple of upgrades. __________________ \|RIP\|6spd-sport\|OSG-LSD\|XP8\|RBF600\|Eibach Sways\|RE-71R\|FI-34Row\|Gen3-CAI\|Yaw P.S.\|

09-14-2018, 04:49 PM	#14 (permalink)
Desert Rat Base Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 189 Drives: 2014 370Z M6 Base Rep Power: 3365	got my new under engine cover and all the new clips, etc. Will install tomorrow. May as well change oil while im under there even though I'm not due for another 1000 miles.... Hope the aftermarket piece fits right. It WAS cheap...