So I'm driving home from work in the rain (gotta love Chi-town weather) and avoiding the freeway. I take a shortcut through the meatpacking district and make a left onto Lake Street, underneath the "EL" tracks.
As soon as I hit the middle of the intersection, my car starts sliding SIDEWAYS towards a support pillar and two kids. The dash is lit up with "slip" and I mash the brakes....I keep sliding like I'm on ice towards these two kids in slow motion. I'm only going maybe 10 mph to begin with when the slide started, so the african-american kid jumps to the right, and the white kid jumps to the left. The steel/concrete pole loomed large until I slid to a halt maybe 6 inches from the round concrete part.
*wshew*.
.
I rolled down the passenger window and asked the first kid "Are you O.K?" He just nods yes with suacer eyes. The second kid comes over and I ask him the same thing..he says"yeah..we're O.K....you alright?"
I said yes and apologized for the close call, just then realizing who I almost creamed:
It was Matt Damon.
Call BS or whatever you want, but that's who it was. I asked them both if everyone was cool with the situation, and when they said yes and I was trying to merge back on the street, I saw the camera across the street. They were filming a rainy sunset shot for Ocean's 12.......and the star almost got G35'ed....

Keep your eyes open for the blooper reel.

(embarassed in Chicago)

'04 G35X Graphite/graphite, NAV, wood, premium

 

Sorry about the near-celebrity death experience. Any idea what happened? This and other similar stories have freaked me out.

I live in Wicker Park and Brad Pitt was evidently shooting somewhere around Division Street. Matt Damon seems like a cool guy.

 

wow... you know... that is one of the coolest stories ever

 

Hmm, if you hit him, what would they call the movie? Maybe Ocean's 12 Minus 1.
Cool story!

 

driving under the EL tracks can be scary. some pedestrians liked to dart out from between parked cars. that would be neat if your G made it to the bloopers/outtakes. who was the african american kid? also someone famous?

<font color=purple>.g35girl.</font color=purple>

 

Maybe it was t.v. legend.... Gary Coleman???

 

Cool story...Definitely have to look out for that blooper...Although, I suppose almost running someone down with a car is a bit more than just a "blooper" =)

Damn it, I miss Chicago...I'm going to go sing "Sweet Home Chicago" now...At least I get to go back home in the middle of May

"All the Power in the World resides in the Eyes..."

 

Man, I thought the all wheel drive was supposed to prevent
situations like that?

2003 TwBlue 5AT Sedan, sunroof,
Graphite Leather, splashguards, HKS exhaust,
14 wire Grounding kit, 350Z duct, Stillen CAI
Underbody rear diffusers, Drilled alum pedals

 

It's only a 'blooper' because I missed him.....then it's a STORY!
I have no idea who the african-american kid was, but he was too tall to be Gary Coleman....
As far as the AWD goes, It was too slippery (like ice) and too slow (<10mph) to matter. I'm just glad I didn't scratch the G.

'04 G35X Graphite/graphite, NAV, wood, premium

 

The most likely candidate for the "African-American kid" would be Don Cheadle. Aside from Bernie Mac, who is fairly memorable and most likely would not be mistaken for a "kid", Don Cheadle is the only other black actor in the film.

For those of you who don't know, Don Cheadle played "Basher" (the demolitions expert) in the first film. If you didn't see that, you may remember him as the primary FBI agent in the film Swordfish.

03.5S DP / Prem / Sport / NAV
18" Coupe Rims w/ S-03 245/45/18
Eibach Pro Kit
Injen CAI
Z-Xtreme Grounding Kit
Upgraded sound (Infinity / MTX / Alpine)
Crawford Plenum (next)

 

The bad story here is that you were dangerously SLIDING! There was a recent long thread over on FA about a sedan that hydroplaned very badly on a wet road. The poster was blaming the tires. What tires do you have?

<font color=blue>'04 G35S 5AT, Black Obsidian/Willow, Prem/Nav/Sat</font color=blue>

 

I don't blame anything save myself and maybe an oily patch, because of the slooooow speed during which it occurred. Since it was right under the "EL" tracks, I suppose the culprit was oil.
I have the all-season tires found stock on the G35X.
Hydroplaning wasn't the issue....I was going far too slow for that to occur IMHO.....It was more like ice skating, if that makes sense.
At least I didn't almost cream George Clooney, or the lady fans would have me drawn and quartered.

'04 G35X Graphite/graphite, NAV, wood, premium

 

wow.. whatta story... did you even get out of the car to say hi to the crew?? thats what i wouldve done.. was it in the middl of a scene??? you think they taped it to be in a blooper? i thoguht oceanss 12 was done with already and ready for theatres

Pictures...

 

Production Notes/Status:
Status: Filming
Comments:
Status Updated: 14 April 2004

From IMDB

 

I don't know what to say about all that. I have RWD. I drove all the way home in some heavy rain at times into Chicago between 60 and 70. Of course, normally I'd be driving a little faster. The slip light never came on.

When I worked in Orlando, around Disney World there were very oily exit roads. I actually spun out on one. I think it was oil, expecially considering where he was at.

BTW - how is the AWD normally? My friend has had two Audi Quattros and they've been incredible.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by kysrsoze on 04/30/04 09:15 PM.</EM></FONT></P>