# What Would REALLY Happen If I Tried to Drive Through a Chain-Link Fence Gate

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-really-happen-if-i-tried-to-drive-through-a-chain-link-fence-gate/216092>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 30, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-really-happen-if-i-tried-to-drive-through-a-chain-link-fence-gate/216092 "2003-11-30T18:57:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-really-happen-if-i-tried-to-drive-through-a-chain-link-fence-gate/216092/1 "2003-11-30T18:57:47Z")

</div>

You know the kind of gate I’m talking about – there are two sections of chain-link fence that can swing in or out, usually held together by a padlock and a chain. We all know what happens in the movies – what happens in real life? Does it matter how fast or slow you drive? Which would be a better way to get through the gate with minimal vehicle damage?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-really-happen-if-i-tried-to-drive-through-a-chain-link-fence-gate/216092/2 "2003-11-30T19:20:43Z")

</div>

If the posts are sufficiently strong and well embedded it all comes down to the strength of the gate hasp, which is usually just a cast piece of unimpressive grade galvanized steel, from what I have seen. I don’t think a normal locked hasp could take a direct high speed hit with a large vehicle. Going slower would probably bend the fence down until the chain link broke off the posts or the vehicle was stopped.

A locked chain wrapped directly around the center posts would probably have a much better chance of staying intact, but would be a big PITA to lock and unlock.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-really-happen-if-i-tried-to-drive-through-a-chain-link-fence-gate/216092/3 "2003-11-30T19:24:04Z")

</div>

Don’t know about gates. But in the movies, if your car plows through, [road block signs](http://www.geocities.com/cxzzxc2/SU22.gif) there is no damage. My mom hit _one_ and totalled the car.