[BMWCali]

Okay, by definition that's not exactly true but it's close enough. Here's what happened:

This evening, about 7:30PM I was driving on the I-5 south, just north of Los Angeles. I get about two miles when traffic crawls to a dead stop. After 20 minutes of stop and go traffic I finally make it to the end of the traffic jam where it looks like one car slammed into the side of a semi-trailer and another car slammed into that car. It had been pouring rain all day so accidents weren't unexpected. After being stuck in traffic for 20 minutes driving at 2MPH everyone, understandably, accelerates fast out of the traffic jam and drives faster than they might normally drive given the conditions. Everyone else was doing about 70MPH. I was doing about 75MPH.

It was maybe a couple miles after I escaped the traffic jam when WHAM!. I hit a flood of water about a foot deep going 75MPH in the left lane. Obviously it was night, I couldn't see it and it was totally unexpected. My car spins 90 degrees to the right. Then to the left. I can hardly see in front of because the wave of water my car created is covering the windshield. "Oh, shit!" "that wall is getting really close," I think to myself. Luckily, my skills from the BMW Performance Center kick in and I correct. Ten seconds later I can't believe what just happened and how close I came to disaster. If it wasn't for the expert craftsmanship of these cars and my course at the BMW Performance Center I almost surely would have been road kill. Probably literally, too. There was no break down lane in the section of highway I was on so there's a very good chance if I crashed into the wall I would have been smashed into by another car coming up behind me.

5 minutes later after I calmed down from my high-speed incident I decided I better call 911 to report the flooding. I picked up my cell phone and dialed. 10 minutes later (yes, in Los Angeles, 911 puts you on hold for 10 minutes before you reach anyone. Someone's at your house to murder you? Better own a gun. It'll all be over before you even get through to 911) a 911 operator picked up and I told her about the flooding on the section of I-5 I was on. She thanked me for calling it in but said unfortunately I wasn't quick enough. She explained that 3 cars just "1080'd," as the police like to say it" in that exact stretch of highway. I feel bad that I couldn't warn them in time but what can I do?

Just a few hours ago I heard that the California Highway Patrol shut down that section of I-5 and much of what's north of it just 30 minutes after my incident. I sure was lucky. I do have one question though. I checked my car after I returned home and found a screw just under the front bumper that's very loose. I'm not sure whether the incident today caused it or not but I can't even figure out what the screw is for. All the black screws are there and tight that hold the front bumper so this silver screw is a mystery for me. There's a hole right next to it that has no screw but if that's where it goes to then how did it jump over (see the picture to understand what I mean).

Well, that's my adventure for today. Hopefully everyone else in the SoCal area is safe and didn't get into any of the many accidents I saw on I-5 today. Luckily, I wasn't part of them.

[nyc3r]

Wow, close call.. couldn't tell u much about that screw.. i remember every screw holding down the bumper, liner are black.

[Bobby_Light]

Glad you're safe. I saw the aftermath of a crazy crash on the 118 freeway in Simi Valley yesterday. A black MB S Class had its roof cut off. Car was very, very beat up. Seeing that, I was humbled and had to realize that even the best designed vehicles are susceptible to losing control. Gotta slow down.

Looks like the rainy weather is going to continue for the next few days. Drive safely.

[continentalg5]

Wow, you really lucked out.

How bad are the roads there that there is a foot of water on the highway? Bad water drains?

[E90SLAM]

Just flash food is enough to back up LA's storm drain...

[e90fanatic]

yea in cali whenever it rains, there're floods everywhere since they're never prepared. haha...

as for jersey, our drains are just poorly maintained that it just doesnt drain out the water

either way, we're screwed

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by e90fanatic

yea in cali whenever it rains, there're floods everywhere since they're never prepared. haha...

as for jersey, our drains are just poorly maintained that it just doesnt drain out the water

either way, we're screwed

As the city and state never willing to spend millions to upgrade storm drains, because they thought "oh...its only gonna happen a few times in a year" why not spending that money on something else...such as buying the governor a hummer???

They just rather waste the money on something else instead of upgrading and maintain the city/county/state properly.

Besides flooding, there's a big ass pothole reporting on 60-West near Diamond Bar. Caused more than 25 cars with flat tires. Judging by the airal footage by the news, the hole was like about 3/4 of the car width and approx 5-6 foot length, not sure about the depth.

[E90SLAM]

Here's the news footage...can't watch it from work since its blocked...

http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=208616

[BMWCali]

Thanks guys.

Anyone know what the story is with this loose screw though?

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by BMWCali

Thanks guys.

Anyone know what the story is with this loose screw though?

If all else fails, run it by the dealer.

[E90330iS]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

If all else fails, run it by the dealer.

My dealer refuses to look at anything on the exterior of my car, so you should maybe take it to Long lol. Which part of the 5 were you talking about? I know the part next to La Mirada has been under construction for a while and there is almost no water ventilation. Watch out everyone!

[BMWCali]

Originally Posted by E90330iS

My dealer refuses to look at anything on the exterior of my car, so you should maybe take it to Long lol. Which part of the 5 were you talking about? I know the part next to La Mirada has been under construction for a while and there is almost no water ventilation. Watch out everyone!

It was the stretch in between the Los Feliz and Glendale Blvd. exits.

[bspaceman]

The rain here has been wrong. I drove 50 all the way home on the freeway. Glad to hear you were ok.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Here's the news footage...can't watch it from work since its blocked...

http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=208616

that link is about a pothole

[mr. slim]

thnx for the look out. my homie lives around that exit.
jus be safe out there people...
LA rain is dangerous...

[gundamfans]

thank god you got out of it. good skills. good car too.

[BMWCali]

Originally Posted by bspaceman

The rain here has been wrong. I drove 50 all the way home on the freeway. Glad to hear you were ok.

Thanks for all of the nice comments guys.

Yeah. I definitley slowed it down today. I kept it around 65mph. There was still some flooding out on the roads but very minor. Maybe a few inches in the worst spots. I wonder what happened to that huge flooded section that I almost wrecked in. You think they called in a water truck to pump it all out?

[JayeJaymes]

I dont think your car became a submarine, more like a hovercraft...

[OC Guy]

Glad you're safe, post the location next time. The 5 goes all the way to Norcal.

[e92phreak]

Wow... glad you're fine.

I remember when the 5S near the Citadel (Triggs exit) had over 15 feet of water LOL... We had to do a 180 on the 5S and backtrack and exit at Triggs.

Tonight, so many roads were flooded... What happens when there's 4+ inches of rain.

Last night, the 101N near Liberty Canyon was flooded. Good thing I caught it on sigalert before I got on the freeway.

[val3ntin3s]

OP you must be talking about that section between the 2 and 10 freeway? I hit that same huge puddle yesterday going around the same speed as you. As soon as i hit it i felt like i was about to hydroplane, and wanted to hit the brakes, but i felt that was not the wrong thing to do so i just let off the gas and proceed the way and let it slow down on its own. Luckily like you i got out of it just fine, and i had thought to myself if i wasnt in my bimmer would i have spun out....

[sandyeggo325i]

glad you're okay.....but 75 in the rain in LA traffic probably isn't such a good idea....it POURED down here today