GR Yaris: Attacking Corners Dead and Making Grooves…Failure

While the title might suggest a failed attempt at gutter drop, the reality is quite different. I had completely forgotten the challenge of grasping the vehicle’s dimensions, and in my overconfidence, driving a car that is difficult to get a feel for, I ended up dropping the wheel into a U-shaped gutter… a rather embarrassing story.

Gutter drop… a failure! Please consider it a bit of self-deprecating humor and understanding.

Now, on a certain weekday morning, I was enjoying a drive on the mountain pass in Yamanashi at a modest speed.

Approaching a reasonably tight left corner. I was attacking the inside aggressively when the car suddenly sank and came to a stop.

Hmm? What happened, what happened?

I turned off the engine, checked the surroundings for safety, and got out of the car. To my surprise, the front and rear left wheels were stuck in a U-shaped drainage ditch on the roadside. Quite a predicament. (Photo 1)

Even though I had experienced this road dozens of times before…

Come to think of it, this was my first time driving this road with the GR Yaris.

In the past, when I drove this road, it was either on a motorcycle or in a small left-hand drive Italian car, so I could see the U-shaped ditch and avoid it.

Having added bucket seats to the GR Yaris a while back, I had forgotten about the poor visibility on the passenger side. I hadn’t recognized the presence of the U-shaped gutter this time.

I tried to get out on my own, but when I heard the sound of the belly scraping, I gave up and decided to rely on JAF (Japan Automobile Federation). Rikutsu-Kone-Taro is a JAF member, after all.

I took out my phone and dialed the number on the membership card, but the radio reception was terrible, making it difficult to understand and be understood. It’s surprising that such difficulties still exist in the modern age.

Anyway, JAF arrived on time as informed by the operator.

From this point, the situation progressed quickly and efficiently.

The JAF member skillfully inserted thick logs under the wheels stuck in the U-shaped ditch, slightly lifting the car’s body and providing traction to all four wheels.

Once that happened, it was simple. I easily drove out of the U-shaped ditch. After visually inspecting the underside, the JAF member confirmed that the car was drivable, drove it a few kilometers, and stylishly left after ensuring everything was okay.

By the way, as Rikutsu-Kone-Taro is a JAF member, all the assistance was free. Gratitude, gratitude.

Afterwards, Rikutsu-Kone-Taro safely reached GR Garage, where he usually goes, and asked the mechanic to check the car’s condition and arrange for repairs.

Since the front lower arm was slightly bent, it was replaced, and the repairs were successfully completed a week later.

The left side of the body had not touched the mountain at all, so it remained unscathed.

The lesson from this incident is twofold: U-shaped gutters are too deep for gutter drops, and when driving aggressively, always check for the presence of drainage channels.

For reference, the repair cost was around 35,000 yen (parts + labor), and it took about an hour. During the repair, they considerately confirmed the damage to the lower arm from underneath using a lift. This is what excellent service feels like. (Click here for thoughts on Toyota’s service.)

That’s it for this time.