techieboy Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Well, all the investment in quattro, ESP 8 and advanced driver training with Don Palmer, John Cave and Andy Walsh just paid off. Just had the closest brush with disaster I’ve ever had. Making progress (approx 80 leptons), along the almost deserted Bedford bypass. Start closing on a truck ahead of me and indicate and pull over to the “fast lane”. Draw alongside the truck and start going past just as we’re about to go underneath a bridge. Then out of nowhere, a deer (and not a tiny little Muntjack thing) jumps over the central barrier and freezes in the middle of my lane, maybe 30-40 metres in front of me. Jesus! I’ve got nowhere to go! The truck is just behind and to the left of me in my blindspot and the central reservation is 5’ to the right of me. I jumped on the brakes as hard as I could and steered for the gap between the deer and the barriers. Somehow managed to squeeze through with the right hand wheels riding up the (thankfully) sloping kerbs at the edge of the carriageway and missed the deer by millimetres. Came off the kerb and car is seriously unbalanced, heading for the inside lane and I’ve no real idea where the truck is, so back on the throttle and the car, with a shimmy or two, sorts itself out and straightens itself out without crossing back into the inside lane. Phew! Once the car was going where it was meant to be going, checked the rear view mirror and the truck seemed to be unscathed. Slowed down and waited for the truck to catch up to make sure he was okay and got a flash and a thumbs up from the driver. No idea what happened to the deer though. Pulled off the bypass a mile later and grabbed myself a coffee and a cigarette at the BP garage. Was surprisingly calm and can only put that down to all of the advanced training and on-the-limits sessions I’ve done over the last year. Now seeing images of the car going through the central reservation, leaving the elevated bypass and launching itself through Ian_C’s office window! Again, thank feck for Quattro, ABS, ESP and advanced training. Worth every penny of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Deary me! That sounds like an absolutely mighty save (as Martin Brundle might say)... top work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Close call. Those wide open concrete drainage kerbs undoubtedly saved your bacon. Top marks for getting back on the power to pull the car straight. Just like when you lock the brakes in a non-abs car and should get off the brake pedal, it goes against your instincts! Oh and yes I'm glad you didn't try and 'drop' into the office! See you Saturday - I shall bring my crash helmet. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Jesus mate, sounds like a close one. I hit a deer once and it wasn't pleasant, but I can't imagine coming up against a situation like yours See you on Saturday, when you might have just about calmed down!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techieboy Posted October 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Thanks Gents! Like I said, feeling remarkably calm all things considered. Adrenaline rush for sure, but, not shaking like a leaf. I'm pretty sure that's down to the amount of time I've spent going sideways and backwards over the last 6 months. It was all quite automatic and just gentle steering inputs. It's only since getting back home that I've really been able to analyse what happened, what I did and what the car did. I just thank God I wasn't in the VX. The deer would have looked like an elephant and brushing the kerb, let alone riding it would most likely have had an entirely different outcome. Luckily still got something to bring to the party on Saturday. Looking forward to it now, for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 I suppose if the deer stayed exactly where it was you might've been able to go under it in the VX. I think the training you've had is a big, big factor - I've done some advanced stuff, but nowhere near enough on/over the limit handling... and I'm really not sure the outcome would've been quite so good had that been me driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattchaps Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Cor, reading that just woke me up good and proper! Glad you and the car are ok. The modern day driving aids and the fact that you've had driver training both saved you there mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kite Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Good to hear you and the car made it though the scary moment. Man and machine in perfect harmony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Yep, quite a close shave. And well remembered about getting the power down. Most important in a 4wd car. I have done the same on wet leaves and it certainly works. I have also played about in loads of snow to 'practice' and that really helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Phew! Glad to hear both you and car okay, techieboy . See you Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorburn Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 My car seems to be like candy to deers so I know how scary that can be! Glad you and the car are both ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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