Sort of near miss

[supermono]

Well could have been nasty if I didn't have my eyes peeled.

Following a cement lorry up a hill at about 50mph in traffic on an unfamiliar A road, observing various signs talking about road works and traffic lights and left lane being closed.

Next thing, he swerves to the wrong side of the road revealing a lone car stopped at the red traffic light only a few tens of yards ahead at the roadworks.

Reacted reasonably quickly, already expecting the unexpected on account of the hazard warnings and braked smartly, stopping a few feet behind the other car, worried about a concertina happening behind me which didn't.

Cememt lorry had seen the car stop ahead reasonably enough at the red light and took it upon himself to swerve across the road, pass the stopped car, jump the red light and barrel through the roadworks at 50 + mph. Not a signal or anything for the benefit of the following drivers. Looked highly dangerous.

Luckily all involved seemed to have their wits about them and no accident ensued.

Not sure of the relevance, but I guess I feel the incident has added to my little store of data, and thought you all might find it interesting

I think perhaps one thing I've learned is that I have a natural anxiety in these situations to get through the light while it's green and may bunch up a touch too much. Although I had no trouble stopping it did surprise me how close the stationary car was when the nutjob moved his lorry out of my view.

Cheers
SM

[TripleS]

supermono said:

Well could have been nasty if I didn't have my eyes peeled.

Following a cement lorry up a hill at about 50mph in traffic on an unfamiliar A road, observing various signs talking about road works and traffic lights and left lane being closed.

Next thing, he swerves to the wrong side of the road revealing a lone car stopped at the red traffic light only a few tens of yards ahead at the roadworks.

Reacted reasonably quickly, already expecting the unexpected on account of the hazard warnings and braked smartly, stopping a few feet behind the other car, worried about a concertina happening behind me which didn't.

Cememt lorry had seen the car stop ahead reasonably enough at the red light and took it upon himself to swerve across the road, pass the stopped car, jump the red light and barrel through the roadworks at 50 + mph. Not a signal or anything for the benefit of the following drivers. Looked highly dangerous.

Luckily all involved seemed to have their wits about them and no accident ensued.

Not sure of the relevance, but I guess I feel the incident has added to my little store of data, and thought you all might find it interesting

I think perhaps one thing I've learned is that I have a natural anxiety in these situations to get through the light while it's green and may bunch up a touch too much. Although I had no trouble stopping it did surprise me how close the stationary car was when the nutjob moved his lorry out of my view.

Cheers
SM

Yes, interesting. That's a problem that could easily be overlooked and one could get trapped into a shunt.

Incidentally, in reply to another topic of yours a few days ago, I asked where you keep finding all the homicidal maniacs that get mentioned here. Well I have to admit I had a slight problem with another driver yesterday.

I was following a queue of about eight vehicles at 40-45 mph on a single carriageway road, and I was looking to do some overtaking. An opportunity arose (I reckoned) so I went with the aim of passing three and then tucking in. The road ahead was straight(ish) for 300 yards or so, followed by a very high speed LH curve and a high speed brow. This is 90 mph terrain coming the other way, if you're so minded, and I sometimes am, so I didn't want to get anywhere near the bend before getting back in line. After all, there could have been somebody like me coming the other way!

Anyhow, pillock driving Transit sized van and towing small trailer (highways maintenance outfit of some sort) tried to shut me out and I had to push in somewhat. He took offence at this, so there was a good deal of horn blowing and headlight flashing and then tailgating by him. Anyhow, half a mile further on a good overtaking opportunity appeared so I passed the remaing four vehicles in one go, and left them all. As it happened there were no oncomers so I didn't need to get into the return gap, but I felt it right to settle for passing three and getting back in.

Now to begin with I reckon I slipped up badly there in going for what Von would rightly say was probably not a sociable gap, so I'll own up to that one. Even so, in total I reckon there were three errors:

1. Mr Transit didn't leave a gap to allow for anybody overtaking.
2. I went for a gap that wasn't really 'on' without some risk of causing offence.
3. Mr Transit turned bloody minded, rather than making a small adjustment to accommodate me.

I still feel a bit embarrassed all the same.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Yung Man]

[quote=supermono
lorry

I feel the incident has added to my little store of data,
[/quote]



You are not having much luck with truckers are you?.

[supermono]

Now you mention it I guess so!

This wasn't actually an anti-lorry rant, but perhaps it should have been.

SM

[WhoseGeneration]

Perhaps said lorry driver had to abort, having been otherwise engaged and then seen, at the last minute, or second, the stationary car at the traffic lights?

[Yung Man]

The chances are the cement truck is local and knows the lights are set for about 15 mph and gets sick of waiting for the other traffic to come through, knowing this and perhaps seeing the red car slam on at amber he thought "you cannot be serious" and drove round him.
Who can honestly say they haven't felt like doing that at one time,? I know I have.

[supermono]

Yung Man said:

The chances are the cement truck is local and knows the lights are set for about 15 mph and gets sick of waiting for the other traffic to come through, knowing this and perhaps seeing the red car slam on at amber he thought "you cannot be serious" and drove round him.
Who can honestly say they haven't felt like doing that at one time,? I know I have.

Indeed, I imagine there are reasons why he did it and he appeared to reach the other end right behind the last car so nobody would have pulled away at green into him. The danger here was the way he swerved across the road without doing anyone behind the courtesy of letting them know what he was about to do. To suddenly reveal a stationary vehicle at the very last instant could easily have caused a pile up if the following cars didn't have their wits about them.

SM

[Major Bloodnok]

Slightly OT, but this is similar to the example I've often given to counter those who claim that tailgating is OK, because "the car in front can't stop immediately, so I've got time". Yes, but if the car in front swerves to avoid a stationary obstruction and you're too close, that no longer applies.

(Not suggesting that the OP was driving too close or whatever, just that it's gratifying to see that a hypothetical situation does actually occur in real life.)

[supermono]

Major Bloodnok said:

Slightly OT, but this is similar to the example I've often given to counter those who claim that tailgating is OK, because "the car in front can't stop immediately, so I've got time". Yes, but if the car in front swerves to avoid a stationary obstruction and you're too close, that no longer applies.

(Not suggesting that the OP was driving too close or whatever, just that it's gratifying to see that a hypothetical situation does actually occur in real life.)

I was a bit too close actually for comfort but I did manage to stop without drama so I guess not dangerously so. Does show how these things can happen though.

SM

[oggs]

Maybe I should post up every time I see near misses involving knobs driving cars....
My post count would go up by 1000's

[Yung Man]

supermono said:

Yung Man said:

Who can honestly say they haven't felt like doing that at one time,? I know I have.

The danger here was the way he swerved across the road without doing anyone behind the courtesy of letting them know what he was about to do.

Why is it nobody bothers to indicate when they drive round a cyclist, I hate it when vans and trucks do this at least if a car does it you have a chances to see the object.