Hi everyone! Sorry I disappeared for a few months after my short stay when I joined. School got me occupied, then I kinda forgot about this place.

I had a frightening experience on the highway today, and have to commend my HHR's performance on ice and snow.

I was driving on Highway 416 Southbound, a two-lane per direction split highway. I got caught in the middle of a snowstorm (5cm in half an hour with black ice), and was driving at about 60km/h with a Caravan not too far behind me. Suddenly, I was spinning. Black ice. As I was spinning I saw that the Caravan had hit the same patch of ice, and was spinning as well... and heading towards me quickly. I managed to pull Grimm out of the spin and into the left lane, where I started spinning again... I spun 45 degrees and was sliding sideways in the lefthand land. I looked out of my right window and saw the Caravan, still spinning, heading directly towards me. I pulled hard left on the wheel, and spun back into the right direction on the highway, just as the Caravan went by. It missed me by inches... if I was still sideways, it would have plowed right into the passenger-side front end.

I managed to pull over to the left shoulder and stop, as the Caravan plowed hard into the snowbank to the right.

Fortunately, after running across the highway to the other car, I found both occupants OK but really really shaken up. I called their roadside assistance for them, waited for the tow, and got back on my way.

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The moral of the story: Even in the worst weather and dangerous conditions, my HHR held tight and allowed me to regain control (saving myself and others from potentially serious injury) after hitting an inescapable patch of black ice. How bad was it? As I was on the shoulder waiting for the Caravan's tow, a 4x4 Explorer spun on the same patch of ice and into the ditch.

Grimm just earned himself some brownie points today. I'm taking him for a nice interior detailing when I get back to Ottawa.

 

Sounds like some mighty fine defensive driving on your part, glad to hear all involved were ok.

 

Glad you're ok.

Just wondering, do 2006 and 2007 HHR's have ESC?

 

Thanks man, and yeah I think they do.

 

Bet you had to change your underwear real quickly!

 

FYI, ESC offered as a standard only on 2008s, not available on 2006-7

 

back and am glad to hear that you are safe but how could your forget about all of us

 

Hey, welcome back !

I can attest as to how bad the weather was around here yesterday. 4 inches of snow followed by 50 mph winds and a drop of 25F overnight. The snow plow got stuck at 3 AM just past my driveway: it couldn't push the drifts up a 15 foot hill.

Me, I was lucky enough not needing to go anywhere, so I stayed put. I had some snow most of the way back from a 500 miles trip last week, and the HHR handled everything flawlessly, except for a chipped windshield. The narrow winter tires on 15" rims do great work on this car.

Yves

 

Welcome back and glad you are okay. Who are you again?

 

I didn't mean to... school just kinda sidetracked me from too much lurking.