Hmm..

I’ve got my car paintwork slightly scratched this afternoon.. here’s how it happened..

I decided, as the weather seemed to be fairing better than it had been forecast, to go and have a walk along the ridgeway and try to get some more photo opportunities. So, I toddled off down to the Goring area and took a little un-metalled road towards what was signposted “The Downs.” I was surprised at how busy this little single track was. As soon as I turned onto this track another car followed behind me, meaning that if I decided the track ahd become too severe there was no way I could reverse. Anyway, I manage to get about a mile along the track when there’s a large washed out hole on the left side of the track and bushes crowding each side. I couldn’t reverse, I had to go forward, so I pulled right to the right-side of the track, brushing the bushes quite hard so that my left wheels keep on the higher ground. I manage to get through this.. but the upshot is that I now have minor scratches on my paintwork. The car behind, a Peugeot 406, decided to just go straight on.. that was the driver’s folly.. I heard a great crunch and scrape from behind as he passed the obsticle. I parked up soon after this place and noticed that the Peugeot had now left a long trail of oil from the point of the crunch.. he’d ripped a hole in his engine sump! Rather more expensive than my car’s injury.

The scratches (on both sides, as I had to return the way I came) will polish out but it’s still annoying as I’ve been careful whilst washing the car to use things which don’t scratch the surface. :-/

I didn’t even get to walk very far as almost immediately I got out of the car a heavy shower came along. Oh well.