I've lost a brake pad before when it seperated from the backing plate. not much fun when it happens as you're coming to a stop sign from 55mph. I had just driven 45 miles, so I just finished my business there and drove back home downshifting and using the emergency brakes to stop. much better when you KNOW you have no brakes, you have time to plan ahead

Once in a far ago time in my 912 ..I was on the transition ramp going from the 5 South in LA onto the San Berdo 10 east...Since it was early in the morning I was cutting straight across 3 lanes to get in the fast lane. As I was doing so a tire comes flying over the center divider. If I had been doing the normal lane transitioning it would have crashed through the windshield and landed right in my lap. It was one of the oddest things to sit and watch that tire come over the top of my car and bounce off the road.