The Green Man got me!

[protege]

What's the Green Man, you ask? Well, around Pittsburgh, he supposedly haunts an old rail tunnel out in the 'burbs. The story goes that he was a line worker for the power company, and somehow got electrocuted. The current didn't kill him, but it did turn his skin green, and gave him some interesting powers. One being, that if he touches your car, your electrical system is pretty much fubared. He's said to haunt the nearby rail tunnel, as well as the area around the adjacent road tunnel. Bad enough that's supposedly haunted as well--years ago, some kids were drag-racing down there...and one of the cars couldn't make the curve at the end. Story goes that if you drive in there, flip your engine off...you'll see lights and sounds of the doomed car.

OK, enough of the back-story. How does this crap concern me? Well, I took the MG out during the week, and usually go through that area. Not to see ghosts, but because the roads are usually deserted, and rather twisty. Just the thing for a sports car :p

Anyway, as I'm about to pass through the road tunnel (aka "Corvette Tunnel") I had to stop at the stop sign. But, before going through the tunnel, I gave a few blasts on the horn...and a few more inside the tunnel. Imagine my surprise when one of the horns...suddenly quit working! Apparently, the noise had awakened the Green Man, and he decided to retaliate :eek:

With Halloween coming, does anyone else have similar stories?

[HYHYBT]

No, but belated congratulations on getting the MG running! Just remember, twisty roads + sports cars are a pretty good recipe for *making* ghosts as well :)

[protege]

Just remember, twisty roads + sports cars are a pretty good recipe for *making* ghosts as well :)

If I hit anything...I'm gonna get messed up. That's why I'm always careful with it. Besides, as good as that car's suspension is, I don't push it anywhere near its limits. Too many knackered components currently fitted ;)

[Jester]

While I am all for ghost stories, I am going to have to be the logical one here. Concerning the horn going belly up, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't MGs notorious for having screwy electrical systems? Wouldn't that be a more reasonable scapegoat than this Green Man? Just a thought.

[MilitantLibrarian]

If you're driving around in dark tunnels with ghosts, don't drive too fast or you may hit a big dog, a hippy, a librarian, a dippy blonde or a jock.

Likely the "ghost" is a man in a mask who thinks he's struck oil or gold in the tunnel and is trying to scare everyone away.

Drive safely.

[protege]

Concerning the horn going belly up, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't MGs notorious for having screwy electrical systems? Wouldn't that be a more reasonable scapegoat than this Green Man? Just a thought.

LOL Some of the "unreliable" electrical stories are simply because of "improvements" that people tried to do over the years. It's not unheard of for the wiring in MGs (and Triumphs, Jaguars, etc.) being butchered to fit stereos and other "modern" appliances. When I put the car back on the road, I literally ripped out the bird's nest of wiring, and got rid of those problems. As for the horn, it was literally out of the box. Interesting coincidence that it happened to fail in that particular tunnel. Even more interesting, when you consider that it happened in my '07 Toyota as well. Mid-way through the tunnel, the horn went silent...until I'd come out :eek:

There are all sorts of stories about that area. Doesn't help that the tunnel is a bit isolated...and that it's a bit spooky there at night. It's very dark, and the mist coming off the nearby stream...give it a somewhat surreal appearance. As such, many people avoid the area at night, or if they do go through there...they tend to run the stop signs :eek:

[Jester]

Ah, you never said that the horn started working again after you left the tunnel. That does give the story a spookier feel to it.

As for coincidence of place, well, that can and does happen. Perfect example: when I lived in Phoenix, I ran out of gas three times. Oddly, in the same exact place, on the same street, going in the same direction, every...single...time. But I don't attribute that to hauntings or the supernatural so much as my being an idiot. Not saying you are an idiot, just that there may be other factors at play here.

[Spiffy McMoron]

If you're driving around in dark tunnels with ghosts, don't drive too fast or you may hit a big dog, a hippy, a librarian, a dippy blonde or a jock.

He would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling kids...

[Hyena Dandy]

He would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling kids...

And their do-

Wait, no, the car handled that one.