# Ran my car over a concrete parking block **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2018, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091 "2018-11-26T01:52:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/1 "2018-11-26T01:52:13Z")
Failed to see a concrete divider in front of me and - boom - ran my SmartCar over it. Only the front wheels though. Now the car is trapped with the concrete block betwixt its front and rear tires. Don’t dare to budge it further. May need to get AAA, but any tips in the meantime? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/2 "2018-11-26T01:58:26Z")
Go get a coffee, it’s going to be a long wait… ETA: if the block is not touching the bottom of the car, you could probably just back it up and not hurt anything (I assume the Smart Car is a front wheel drive). If the car is resting on the block, don’t try that. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/3 "2018-11-26T02:06:39Z")
Are there a couple of people around? It’s not that heavy of a car, they could just lift the front end & roll it back for you. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/4 "2018-11-26T02:12:26Z")
I did that once, long ago. Thought I was backing out of the parking space, but actually had it in drive. I learned my lesson; haven’t driven drunk again since. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/5 "2018-11-26T02:16:55Z")
Smart Car? Just pick it up and move it off the barrier. You should be able to do that and not even put your half case of beer down. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/6 "2018-11-26T02:24:44Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Go get a coffee, it’s going to be a long wait… > > ETA: if the block is not touching the bottom of the car, you could probably just back it up and not hurt anything (I assume the Smart Car is a front wheel drive). If the car is resting on the block, don’t try that. I tried backing up and over, the SmartCar can’t do it. I don’t dare doing it again, the sounds are disconcerting. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/7 "2018-11-26T02:28:03Z")
Just call AAA. That’s what you’re paying your annual membership for. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/8 "2018-11-26T02:37:01Z")
great username/post combo:D ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/9 "2018-11-26T02:53:43Z")
Call AAA. They’ve seen this kind of thing many times. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/10 "2018-11-26T03:57:41Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Go get a coffee, it’s going to be a long wait… Coulda had a V8! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/11 "2018-11-26T05:47:57Z")
I am not real sure what a Smartcar is. If it’s that tiny little pod car, try to lift it off, like they said. Or wait out triple A. I had a Ford focus over a log, high centered once. I just gunned it til I got over, not sure how it worked. It wasn’t my car though. I wasn’t worried if it was messed up. Be careful whatever you do. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/12 "2018-11-26T06:59:13Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I am not real sure what a Smartcar is. If it’s that tiny little pod car, try to lift it off, like they said. Or wait out triple A. I had a Ford focus over a log, high centered once. I just gunned it til I got over, not sure how it worked. It wasn’t my car though. I wasn’t worried if it was messed up. Be careful whatever you do. Another Arkansas Saturday Night! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/13 "2018-11-26T07:17:17Z")
I did the same thing, a number of years ago. I called AAA, and the guy actually dragged the car back off the barrier. The car needed some work done on the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/14 "2018-11-26T10:50:06Z")
I did that with my wife in the car with me. It was around 30 years ago. I still hear about it. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/15 "2018-11-26T13:25:51Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I…the guy actually dragged the car back off the barrier. Yeah. I’d be worried that the towtruck guy might be more into “Let’s get this job done and onto the next one; insurance will sort things out.” than “Let’s be careful not to do further damage.” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/16 "2018-11-26T14:50:02Z")
What you want is a rock hammer. And time. Plenty of time. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/17 "2018-11-26T15:13:51Z")
Any passing group of young men ought to be able to lift a Smart Car off in under a minute, probably just for the yucks, although you could offer them a little cash incentive. We moved larger cars than that as college pranks. Years ago, I drove a Ford Festiva. One snowy day, I tried to leave the work parking lot, but a snowplow had piled up some snow. I gunned it a little bit to push over the mound of snow, only to find it wasn’t snow blocking the entranceway but in fact concealed a large concrete storm drain, and wound up straddling the drain, my front and rear wheels not touching the ground. The bottom of the car rested on the concrete. It was clear I was going nowehere without professional help. Fortunately there was a service station with tow truck literally next door – it was the business next to my office. I walked over and asked for help. The guy fired up the tow truck, drove a hundred yards, pulled me off the obstacle with one yank. I thanked him and asked what the charge was. The tow guy looked at his truck, turned and looked at where he’d just driven from, and turned back to me. “Usually we charge by distance,” he deadpanned. I pulled out a $20. “Would this do?” He seemed quite happy with it, and perhaps also with the story to tell his peers. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/18 "2018-11-26T15:27:57Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Any passing group of young men ought to be able to lift a Smart Car off in under a minute, probably just for the yucks, although you could offer them a little cash incentive. We moved larger cars than that as college pranks. Or reasonably strong women. My great-uncle told me he once managed to do something similar with a Reliant Robin, an admittedly even lighter vehicle. As he was unsuccessfully trying to back out, the factory he was stuck outside ended a shift, and four of the factory girls came over to see what was going on. One of them yelled ‘Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out!’ then each of 'em each grabbed a corner- with him still in the vehicle- and carried it off without any apparent effort. If you ever go to Wigan, never, ever mess with the factory girls 😃 Grateful but terrified about covered it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/19 "2018-11-26T15:29:46Z")
A friend in high-school drove a VW beetle. He parked as close to school as possible, which meant he almost always parked in front of an old woman’s house (she didn’t own a car). She left nasty notes on his windshield daily, telling him she didn’t want him parking there. Naturally, he showed us the notes which were crazed rants. One day a group of us skipped out of study hall and moved his car a few feet at a time until it was on her front lawn. The town cop showed up later that day and pulled him out of class; possibly the best prank I’ve ever been a part of. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091/20 "2018-11-26T16:03:11Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Another Arkansas Saturday Night! > > 😃 You always surprise me with truth you speak. How is it you understand my life so completely? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-my-car-over-a-concrete-parking-block/825091.md?page=2)