First moment......
Discussion
Waking up after a night out in Falmouth only to remember I had a large consignment of pornography being delivered to my parent's house and in my haste to get back before the postman drove too fast on a windy country lane, saw a bus coming the other way and ended up slamming on, hitting some mud and demolishing a farmer's wall. It was a Mk 2 Fiesta and was pretty comprehensively modified after the event. My dad had to come out to get me and brought the box of porn with him.
I spun my Renault Clio 180 degrees when I rounded a bend on a road I knew well only to be confronted by a tractor towing a plough which overhung the center line of the road by two or three feet. The car came to rest neatly backed up to a wooden gate on somebody's driveway. At the time I was furious that the plough didn't have any marker / repeater lights on it as until I was alongside the tractor I didn't see the wide plough it was pulling.
On the A66 roadworks when it was being dualled. Traffic came to a rapid halt at I locked up the brakes of a Vauxhall Vectra hire car. Stopped about 3 feet from the car in front with an impressive set of skid marks.
First time driving a LWB RWD Sprinter. Making progress in the unladen van at a roundabout and ended up facing the same way I was coming from. Thankfully it was 5.30am with no traffic.
And finally. Braking approaching a set of lights in San Franscisco and my friend said to me: "Look at the tits on that!" Being 4pm and on the road since 6am, I looked and drove into the car in front comedy style at around 3-5mph. The lady whose car I drove into asked if I was distracted by Ms Bazookas because she was having a good look too!
First time driving a LWB RWD Sprinter. Making progress in the unladen van at a roundabout and ended up facing the same way I was coming from. Thankfully it was 5.30am with no traffic.
And finally. Braking approaching a set of lights in San Franscisco and my friend said to me: "Look at the tits on that!" Being 4pm and on the road since 6am, I looked and drove into the car in front comedy style at around 3-5mph. The lady whose car I drove into asked if I was distracted by Ms Bazookas because she was having a good look too!
Amazingly I didn't really have any self inflicted near misses when I first started driving... The first proper near miss I had was driving down a country road (not too quick) in my Landy not long after my test; a woman was waiting to pull out from a driveway, looked left and not right then pulled out point blank in front of me, panicked and then stopped across the full width of the road...
Anchored on, epic lock up, lots of howling from the tyres and chuntering from the driveline and it ground to a reluctant halt about a foot from her drivers door. The cloud of tyre smoke overtook me about 3 seconds later.
Amazingly another woman pulled out of another driveway in exactly the same fashion less than a mile further down the road, although it was fractionally less dramatic as I was pretty much waiting for it after the last one!
Anchored on, epic lock up, lots of howling from the tyres and chuntering from the driveline and it ground to a reluctant halt about a foot from her drivers door. The cloud of tyre smoke overtook me about 3 seconds later.
Amazingly another woman pulled out of another driveway in exactly the same fashion less than a mile further down the road, although it was fractionally less dramatic as I was pretty much waiting for it after the last one!
Test riding a GPz900R a lot of years ago. Got it up to 140mph on the clock(fastest I'd ever been at that time). Silly thought came through my head that there might be someone behind me and I turned my head to look back. The force of the wind forced me up from behind the screen and then the front wheel lifted off the ground...Somehow I got it back down and continued on my way a bit slower.
I was 19, had just bought an Impreza, took a mate out for a spin. Took a corner on the A3 far too fast and realised instantly when I missed the apex that I'd cocked things up. I let off the throttle to slow down, but the corner was tightening up on me - as inexperience and panic set in, I jabbed the brakes, which sent the car slightly sideways. I caught the slide (well, I think it was more down to the car) and it spat me out of the corner damage-free. My buddy thought I'd just pulled off a very slick drift, I almost convinced him that that was my plan, except the high-pitched squeak that I took on soon shot that down.
I've since taken that corner in my current car and realised the speed limit is an ample limit to take the corner at.
I've since taken that corner in my current car and realised the speed limit is an ample limit to take the corner at.
21, only just passed my test (didn't see the point in passing my test until I could afford my own car), Volvo 340 1.7 (G795NNS!) and I was coming off a wet roundabout into a decent straight piece of road. The exit has a little bit of adverse camber and as I didn't know at the time, a surface change with a significant bump after roadworks. Sure the Volvo couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding but wet+leaf springs+adverse camber+surface change = sideways moment at about 40MPH. Looking at an artic truck out of my drivers window, less than 100 yards away with the driver's face in a state of shock certainly isn't recommended. I'm quite convinced my childhood 'wasted' on Sega Rally and Daytona saved me that day as I managed to gather it all up with what felt like inches to spare but was most likely more like yards. Needless to say I was thoroughly chastised and proceeded to drive like a nun for several days afterwards.
A day after I bought my Alfa 147. My mum wanted a lift to see one of her friends about a 2 hour drive away (I live on the edge of the highlands so said 2 hour drive was twisty B-roads). I jump at it.
Was cruising along a B-road at 60-80mph fairly smoothly, hit a corner that was tightening overcrest, I hit the crest thinking it was a sweeper. As I crested i saw the corner tighten AAAAAND... a T-Junction about 100meters down the road. So yeah slammed on the panic pedal. This was my first ever car with ABS so that added to the experience. Back end stepped a little out as I adjusted for the tightening corner under heavy braking but I caught it, came to a halt with my front wheel over the line of the T-junction in the middle of my road with a cloud of smoke drifting past me. I was shouting "f
k fk fk fk" all the way down the hill so couldnt help laughing when my mum (who doesnt drive) turns to me and asks me what was up.
Moral of the story, dont drive quickly on roads you dont know lol.
Was cruising along a B-road at 60-80mph fairly smoothly, hit a corner that was tightening overcrest, I hit the crest thinking it was a sweeper. As I crested i saw the corner tighten AAAAAND... a T-Junction about 100meters down the road. So yeah slammed on the panic pedal. This was my first ever car with ABS so that added to the experience. Back end stepped a little out as I adjusted for the tightening corner under heavy braking but I caught it, came to a halt with my front wheel over the line of the T-junction in the middle of my road with a cloud of smoke drifting past me. I was shouting "f
k fk fk fk" all the way down the hill so couldnt help laughing when my mum (who doesnt drive) turns to me and asks me what was up.Moral of the story, dont drive quickly on roads you dont know lol.
I had a few near misses before a not so near miss in my 205 GTI. One of the most memorable ones was driving along a lovely, undulating road near me with a young lady I was friends with and I thought this road carried on but as I got closer I noticed that actually there was a blind left bend as it was a farm track straight on so I had the choice of attempting the bend (I'm in a 205 GTI - the best handling car of all time especially on 4 different tyres inc one remould, I can do this.) or the farm track or possibly the pond.
As I went round the bend it got tighter and tighter and the tyres screechier and screechier and whilst we got round, I could see the white lines of the middle of the road clearly on my left hand side. We stopped soon after and my companion was white as a sheet and meekly asked me to take her home. Slowly.
Coincidentally I have driven down that road a couple of times recently and I always think what a lucky escape I had.
Didn't teach me a bl00dy thing though as a few weeks later i went off the road about 60mph into a ditch!
As I went round the bend it got tighter and tighter and the tyres screechier and screechier and whilst we got round, I could see the white lines of the middle of the road clearly on my left hand side. We stopped soon after and my companion was white as a sheet and meekly asked me to take her home. Slowly.
Coincidentally I have driven down that road a couple of times recently and I always think what a lucky escape I had.
Didn't teach me a bl00dy thing though as a few weeks later i went off the road about 60mph into a ditch!
More than I care to mention.
One was travelling at a stupid speed in thick fog up the A1 towards Edinburgh in my 2.0 Consul (which mysteriously had transformed into a 3.0)
Suddenly a JCB loomed out the fog in front of me, going the same direction but much much slower. I jammed the brakes on which immediately locked on the damp road and I was heading straight for a large yellow object.
At the last minute I released the brakes and of course as well as breaking I'd also turned the steering hard right and the car immediately shot off to the right. Which necessitated a lot of steering to the left to avoid the traffic now coming straight towards me.
A few quick breaths and off again, slightly slower (but not much). The invulnerability of being young.
Was running late one rainy Sunday morning. Thanks to the weather and time of day the roads were empty, so I could really get a move on...forgetting completely to take into account the road conditions.
I'm doing about 50 round a tight-ish downhill right-hander (very well sighted so I apex it). About halfway round the bend the road flattens out, and as I flatten out and the suspension compresses and rises back up...I come across an especially wet patch. Like an idiot I brake for it, so the rear of the car is now almost completely unloaded and it lets go before I even knew what had happened. FULL 360.
Thankfully as I'm on the apex of a right-hander and not going all that fast, I spin back onto my side of the road without hitting a single thing. So the only damage was to my pride.
I'm doing about 50 round a tight-ish downhill right-hander (very well sighted so I apex it). About halfway round the bend the road flattens out, and as I flatten out and the suspension compresses and rises back up...I come across an especially wet patch. Like an idiot I brake for it, so the rear of the car is now almost completely unloaded and it lets go before I even knew what had happened. FULL 360.
Thankfully as I'm on the apex of a right-hander and not going all that fast, I spin back onto my side of the road without hitting a single thing. So the only damage was to my pride.
First car, Classic Mini 850, three mates in the car, driving down some country lanes between Croxley Green and Chorleywood, came up to a nice little set of bends - 'Guys, look how this baby corners...' stuffed it through a hedge.
Nothing more than a few scratches, a wounded ego and three blokes pissing themselves.
Nothing more than a few scratches, a wounded ego and three blokes pissing themselves.
Actually - I've just remember the 'real' first one in the same car.
The only mod I made to the Mini was to add a smaller diametre steering wheel. Coming over the flyover in the centre of Watford there was stationary traffic, I hit the brakes and the car pulled heavily left and span. I frantically try to correct it and because of the smaller wheel, the indicator and wiper stalks were now much further proud of the wheel - so I snapped both those off at the column with my flailing hands but managed to turn the wipers on to full speed and the right indicator on.
Didn't hit anything as I wasn't really going that fast and drove around with the wipers and indicator on for a few days until I could get them repaired.
The only mod I made to the Mini was to add a smaller diametre steering wheel. Coming over the flyover in the centre of Watford there was stationary traffic, I hit the brakes and the car pulled heavily left and span. I frantically try to correct it and because of the smaller wheel, the indicator and wiper stalks were now much further proud of the wheel - so I snapped both those off at the column with my flailing hands but managed to turn the wipers on to full speed and the right indicator on.
Didn't hit anything as I wasn't really going that fast and drove around with the wipers and indicator on for a few days until I could get them repaired.
My old Mk1 Escort 1.3, the first winter, going down a slightly downhill empty road after some snow had been laying overnight. Due to some cars parking overnight there were just two ruts for the tyres, so I was driving in those. Eventually the road widened and I went to move over to the left. The fronts did exactly that but the rears stayed in the ruts.
Since this was a complete shock I braked, and the car did a neat 180 degree spin, ending up going down the road slowly with all the wheels back in the ruts. But backwards.
No contact was made with any scenery or parked cars but that was pure luck.
Since this was a complete shock I braked, and the car did a neat 180 degree spin, ending up going down the road slowly with all the wheels back in the ruts. But backwards.
No contact was made with any scenery or parked cars but that was pure luck.
17 years old. Driving my mothers mini in the snow in a cul-de-sac with garages at the end of the road, I decided to try a hand brake turn. Bad call. Ended up going backwards trough a closed metal garage door - luckily the garage was empty, and I somehow parked it perfectly. No damage to car but door wasn't happy. I could have tried it 100 more times and would have trashed the car on the concrete either side of the door every time.
17, day after I passed my test, showing off with my wee brother in the car.
Understeered my mums fiesta into a ditch on a country road near my grandparents farm, got stuck, phoned my uncle (rather than my dad!) to bring his tractor to tow the car out.
Bumper and headlight mounts cracked/broken but fortunately that was all. Had to come clean to my dad after about a week of masterfully hiding the front end of the car from him and my mum - turns out my uncle called him on the way to tow us out and he'd been waiting for me to tell him!
Touch wood, that is my only bump to date.
Understeered my mums fiesta into a ditch on a country road near my grandparents farm, got stuck, phoned my uncle (rather than my dad!) to bring his tractor to tow the car out.
Bumper and headlight mounts cracked/broken but fortunately that was all. Had to come clean to my dad after about a week of masterfully hiding the front end of the car from him and my mum - turns out my uncle called him on the way to tow us out and he'd been waiting for me to tell him!
Touch wood, that is my only bump to date.
16plates said:
17, day after I passed my test, showing off with my wee brother in the car.
Understeered my mums fiesta into a ditch on a country road near my grandparents farm, got stuck, phoned my uncle (rather than my dad!) to bring his tractor to tow the car out.
Bumper and headlight mounts cracked/broken but fortunately that was all. Had to come clean to my dad after about a week of masterfully hiding the front end of the car from him and my mum - turns out my uncle called him on the way to tow us out and he'd been waiting for me to tell him!
Touch wood, that is my only bump to date.
The swine!! lolUndersteered my mums fiesta into a ditch on a country road near my grandparents farm, got stuck, phoned my uncle (rather than my dad!) to bring his tractor to tow the car out.
Bumper and headlight mounts cracked/broken but fortunately that was all. Had to come clean to my dad after about a week of masterfully hiding the front end of the car from him and my mum - turns out my uncle called him on the way to tow us out and he'd been waiting for me to tell him!
Touch wood, that is my only bump to date.
I can't think of any in a car that have been "moments", I did once see someone brake to a near stop on the A1, I did a quick mirror and blindspot check and moved over to get around them without losing any speed, but as I passed I did have a real "wtf" moment looking at them and the clear road ahead of them. I was maintaining the proper separation distance and paying attention, so no issues for me, but if I'd been closer or not paying attention they'd have had me in their boot at 70mph.
First "moment" on the bike was riding though Edinburgh in heavy rain on the way to the Scottish motorcycle show (never again!), my mate was leading the way and he went through some traffic lights onto a large roundabout. The lights went amber and I knew I'd have to run a red light if I didn't stop, so I put the brakes on. As I slowed down further, I applied a little rear brake, as I had been taught to do in my lessons, which instantly locked the back wheel and caused the back end to slew from side to side. Luckily I was able to let off the rear brake and stabilise the bike and stop it with the front brake. It wouldn't have been a major off, but even at 20mph, dropping a bike will do plenty of damage. Looking around once I'd stopped, the road was covered in standing water, and had so much diesel or oil floating on the surface I was not surprised the back wheel locked, there was fk all grip.
First "moment" on the bike was riding though Edinburgh in heavy rain on the way to the Scottish motorcycle show (never again!), my mate was leading the way and he went through some traffic lights onto a large roundabout. The lights went amber and I knew I'd have to run a red light if I didn't stop, so I put the brakes on. As I slowed down further, I applied a little rear brake, as I had been taught to do in my lessons, which instantly locked the back wheel and caused the back end to slew from side to side. Luckily I was able to let off the rear brake and stabilise the bike and stop it with the front brake. It wouldn't have been a major off, but even at 20mph, dropping a bike will do plenty of damage. Looking around once I'd stopped, the road was covered in standing water, and had so much diesel or oil floating on the surface I was not surprised the back wheel locked, there was f
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