Milo Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 I came as close as I ever done today since I passed my test to having a high speed crash (or any crash for that matter). I've had my fair share of close shaves in which I have been at fault and not but this was something else. Had it not been for the safety features on a modern car they would have still been picking me out of the side of a Fiesta Travelling along the A1 (single carriageway), 60mph, blue skies, clear roads and generally enjoying my drive. I noticed a car (a Fiesta as it happened) waiting to pull out at a junction further up ahead but thought nothing of it. When I was almost on top of him, he decided to make a move. He was making a right turn so pulled straight over the carriageway. It all happened in a split second but it was one of those everything goes into slow motion sequences There was an old fella driving the Fiesta and I genuinely think he just had not seen me There was nothing coming the other way so he moved out. When he did see me, he just stopped dead, right in the middle of my carriageway. I slammed on the brakes and started to steer to the nearside thinking he was going to put his foot down as there was absolutely no way I could have stopped in time. I could see the whites of his eyes and the absolute look of horror on his face as he watched me hurtling towards him. With the ABS, ESP and brake assist doing what ever they do, I somewhow managed to get around the back of his car and pull back onto the carriageway despite just catching the loose verge just after the junction. Had it not been for the electronic trickery, I would have undoubtedly locked up and T-boned the Fiesta, probably killing he old fella instantly. Even with just ABS, I think I would have hit him as there was no way I could have safely steered around him while braking without the aid of ESP. I slowed right up and pulled in as it really shook me. The only physical evidence of the events is a scrubbed wall on the o/s/f tyre and a brown deposit on my seat No doubt I'll have a rant about the incompetence of some drivers later but for now, thank God for modern cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorburn Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 I've had this happen to me once or twice and bizarrely it never goes through my mind to hit the brakes (as J_C) will attest to when we saw a deer on a run at the Windsor meet months back!), only to avoid. Probably just as well as I don't even have ABS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Glad to hear you're both ok. Apart from the dry cleaning bill, that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 [ QUOTE ] There was an old fella driving the Fiesta and I genuinely think he just had not seen me [/ QUOTE ] I bet it was an automatic too. Glad you're ok mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 That exact same thing happened to me, only I was doing 80mph in a BMW 316 at 7 in the morning. The guy was still drunk from the night before and left the scene. But he pulled out and stopped. I swerved around him, clipped the kerb on the other carrigeway, blew a rear tyre and ended up skidding sideways and backwards through 70ft of fencing and hedgerow. Car was fecked. All i had was a light scratch to my cheek - which was caused by a lump of 2x2" arris rail brushing past my face :eek Someone was looking over me that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Proof if it be needed that these electronic systems work, I had a similar incident with an articulated truck on a roundabout, I did hit the truck and unfortunately i was on a motorbike at the time. I got the slow motion adrenaline thing too. always careful going back over that roundabout now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Glad to hear the Milo family escape the Fiesta of Doom unhurt. However, I almost totalled an Alfa 33 on Saturday, in the 6-series, and it'd have been my fault too. MrsMe in the passenger seat, youngest MissMe in the rear. Pulling out at the end of our road onto a road that isn't too busy, and you usually just pull straight out. It's a quick road though, even with a 30 limit most cars do 40-45 along it I reckon. Anyway, MrsMe had pulled her seat forward as MissMe wanted to sit directly behind her and wanted a bit more legroom because her new carseat has her legs raised horizontally. I looked right, looked left, then pulled out.... MrsMe screamed the fecking roof off. I slammed the brakes on and thankfully the 6 stopped dead on the spot without a single screech of rubber. Just as it did....a black Alfa 33 with an old bloke driving went past the nose of it - about a foot from the nose I'd say. I don't think the guy even saw me, but that wasn't the point. It was my fault. When I looked left, he had been in the blind spot created by MrsMe's head because of moving the seat forward. I simply never saw him. We went out again today, seats in the same positions, and I reckon it creates a blindspot just enough to hide a car that would be 50-60 metres down the road. Had I continued, I would have probably taken him out clean in the side/rear end, putting his car through the fence into the houses on the other side of the road. It would have been a very nasty smash for him indeed. That said, if I'd been out before his side passed, then he'd have hit the 6 dead centre on the side - right where little precious MissMe was sat, or where MrsMe was sat. To say I have relived the moment a few times would be an understatement. I have since double checked the junction for a few seconds before exiting. Interestingly, this is same junction I've pulled out of every day for 3 years. Just goes to show - familiarity and all that (coupled with my admitted carelessness in this case). Very lucky. Very lucky indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Eek. Somewhat worse than my scare as at least it was only me in the car. The old geezer who pulled out on me had no excuses. There was near perfect visibility for him (it was one of the little junctions just a bit further north of the speed camera just after the A1 turns to single carriageway at the junction for Longhirst Hall). The area has loads of those "168 accidents here in 3 years" signposts but the accidents are usually caused by idiots overtaking as they get frustrated the A1 suddenly drops to single carriageway and 60mph having been 70 and a minimum of 2 lanes since the M25 It's made me think about the merits of using the daytime running lights for day to day pootling about or even the xenons on dual carriageways etc. It may have helped in this instance as the dull grey of the A4 probably blended into the old goat's cataract haze a bit too easily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Just proves your human. Law of averages means that even the best drivers will at some time become involved in a 'situation' The trick is to expect the unexpected. Nine years of riding bikes in London taught me loads, but I still nearly died a couple of times a year due to near misses. You can't be taught to predict all accidents and danger situations and well done for saving carnage. Lets hope that's the once in every 10 years 'problem' out the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Glad you're ok mate. I've had a couple of pretty close shaves in the past, I know the slow motion you're talking about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Just proves your human. Law of averages means that even the best drivers will at some time become involved in a 'situation' [/ QUOTE ] I've managed over 18 years now of accident free motoring (quite how I don't know) so I think I'm due one unfortunately. Someone decided today wasn't it though I'm more than human enough to admit that I in no way consider my driving skills to be anything other than average (OK well maybe ever so slightly better than average ) and today's near miss was down to pure luck and electronic black magic rather than good skills. Had I been in one of my cars of yesteryear, my attempts at heavy braking and a deft swerve around the back of the other car would have resulted in me understeering into the side of his car in a cloud of tyresmoke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durrsaku Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Glad you escaped ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hashluck Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Very similar experience to MrMe in an A4 on an angled junction where the rear headrest of the passenger seat, pushed back further than usual, blocked out a car approaching. I did not conciously see the car bit some kind of sixth sense made me stop halfway out the junction as this car whizzed passed at speed. As with MrMe same junction day in day out for years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Milo, you were v lucky mate. Had the same scenario, in a car with no ABS or esp - I hit the side of the other car at 50mph - shortened my Cavalier by a couple of feet, parts of engine sat in passenger footwell, pedal box pushed into drivers footwell, passenger seat broken and where rear seat used to be, didnt really recognise the car when I saw it a few days later. Glad you are OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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