Closest you've come to certain death whilst driving?

Closest you've come to certain death whilst driving?

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EazyDuz

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

109 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
We are all mortal. We take driving for granted at times so wondering what you've witnessed/avoided in your driving career which would likely end in certain death.

I've had a few near collision instances but the one time that sticks in my memory is this:

Left a friends house in a small village and began driving.
I'm on a single land countryside road, NSL. Up ahead is a crossroads where I have right of way, i'm about 5 seconds from crossing the road when a white van flies past from right to left at what must have been 50-60mph.
I just sort of drove past in shock, I looked left as i passed the crossroads and noticed he pulled over to a halt (must have realised what he did), I just carried on and comprehended what had just happened.
If I had left 5 seconds earlier that van would have ploughed into the side of my car, with a van engine on my lap.
Just reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOf3dJ0vmMg

Anything could happen no matter how much effort put in to avoid it

EazyDuz

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

109 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
About 10mm

Multiple compound fracture of the femur after a bike smash. The bone missed the femoral artery by about 10mm on its way out.
Did you ride again after that?

EazyDuz

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

109 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
yes

You can't let such a minor thing as death stop you enjoying yourself smile
Well did you buy a bike of similar power? Lol.
I've only had one uneventful off on my bike, diesel on a roundabout made me skid lowside at 20mph with a grazed knee and broken indicator on the bike.
Something as mental as your accident would probably make me tone it down to a 250 or even 125 until i got my confidence back

EazyDuz

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

109 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
E36Ross said:
Intrigued by this, Do go on. smile
That will open up a whole can of worms.

EazyDuz

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

109 months

Thursday 1st September 2016
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ChasW said:
Years ago I worked in the medical industry supplying products that put badly injured people, lots of them bikers, back together again after serious trauma. One biker had a bad femur break which was treated by inserting a metal rod down the shaft of his femur. No sooner had he been discharged, and against doctor's advice, he was back on his bike. Before long he had another smash, took the impact on his knee forcing the metal rod back out through his buttock. A real mess but he survived. Cost to the NHS would have been huge. Good business for us though. Interestingly business was better in the summer than winter. Bikers and drivers appear to take more risks when the weather is good.
As a rider myself and many others, we all accept the dangers as part of it. If motorcycles had a big plastic bubble with total guarantee of survival no matter what kind of crash, no one would ride them.
A family friend was riding to his mothers birthday dinner, on the way skidded on some wet leaves. Slid right into a tree, brown bread.