h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...but I thought I'd write here first

Evidently, belts slipping from their thingies makes nice, automatic steering turn into nastily stiff steering Fortunately, I was going less than 5 mph when the crosswalk pole stopped my attempts to make the left off the highway by Denny's. No mark on the pole, and a small scratch on the bumper. No one hurt, but extreme embarrassment was had. I managed to pull into the Denny's parking lot, after some backing and filling to get around the corner, hazard lights blinking the while. Tom got a rather unwelcome phone call--evidently right after our mechanic went home. Tom looked under the hood, checked the fluids, then noticed the belt.

In other news, the insurance settlement checks came today (indeed, I was on the way to the bank when the belt fell off).

Glad tis just a little embarrassment to recover from.

I'm glad no one got hurt!

Thank Bob for safety belts!

Yes, certainly!

Except we were going less than walking pace when we touched (can't even really say hit) the pole

Were the belts in question fan belts, seat belts or timing belts?
(I'm not going to mention trouser belts .)

It was under the hood, an inch or so wide, and there were lots of round things for it to go around. I'm afraid this is stretching my automotive knowledge

*looks knowledgable* Oh, well that was the fan belt... or something... definately not the seat belt anyhow

I suspected that that's what it was, but there was always a chance it might be one of the other belts I listed.

Some folks carry a spare fan-belt, some DIY'ers carry aged pantyhose which will do in a pinch. And even if they don't do, ... the gathering of them proves interesting.

I'm sure it does.

I'm not even going to ask how you know that.