Close one. VERY close one.
Discussion
Driving down to Cornwall on business today. On the A30, just east of Innes Town roundabout there was an almighty smash between two Luton vans - one came through the central reservation onto the westbound carriageway.
By the time I got there, there were queues both ways for half a mile or so.
I was waiting in lane 2 of the dual carriageway at the back of the queue. Lane 1 was full of traffic, bar a gap to my left next to a layby and the usual gap I always leave in front of me in a queue.
A 7.5 ton van approaches in lane 2, pretty quickly. After a second or so I realise he's not seen me. Then I can see he's just spotted me - the way he suddenly starts skidding crabwise, lurching from one side to the other tells me he's braking w-a-y too late and is completely out of control.
I use the gap in front of me and the gap to my left to get out of the way - and the Luton finally ends up about 10 meters ahead of the spot where I'd been stopped a few seconds earlier, partly stuffed into the armco and missing the truck that was in front of me by a meter or so... God alone knows how he missed the traffic in lane 1.
I was too dazed to do very much but sit in the layby for the next five minutes and, literally, shake.
If it hadn't been for all the BiBs who bothered training an arrogant twenty year-old who thought he knew everything how to drive - including drilling into me "watch the bloody mirror and leave a gap ahead" - I wouldn't be writing this now.
"Thanks" seems a bit inadequate somehow.
By the time I got there, there were queues both ways for half a mile or so.
I was waiting in lane 2 of the dual carriageway at the back of the queue. Lane 1 was full of traffic, bar a gap to my left next to a layby and the usual gap I always leave in front of me in a queue.
A 7.5 ton van approaches in lane 2, pretty quickly. After a second or so I realise he's not seen me. Then I can see he's just spotted me - the way he suddenly starts skidding crabwise, lurching from one side to the other tells me he's braking w-a-y too late and is completely out of control.
I use the gap in front of me and the gap to my left to get out of the way - and the Luton finally ends up about 10 meters ahead of the spot where I'd been stopped a few seconds earlier, partly stuffed into the armco and missing the truck that was in front of me by a meter or so... God alone knows how he missed the traffic in lane 1.
I was too dazed to do very much but sit in the layby for the next five minutes and, literally, shake.
If it hadn't been for all the BiBs who bothered training an arrogant twenty year-old who thought he knew everything how to drive - including drilling into me "watch the bloody mirror and leave a gap ahead" - I wouldn't be writing this now.
"Thanks" seems a bit inadequate somehow.
Similar thing nearly happened to me the other week at a well known major accident blackspot....no scameras fitted either..
Guy behind didnt see the guy 1 car in front of me about to do a right turn as he was closer to the kerb than me, i saw the guy directly in front of me brake as the one in front of him started to do the manouvre, the guy behind saw nothing and cam piling up behind; me? split decision to pull out into the oncoming clear lane and make room for him to whack the guy in front of me.
(generous or what? :hehe)
Que much flashing of lights from brains behind, as he obviously thought i was going to overtake 2 cars on a junction. Muppet.
Little did he realise that i just saved him, me and the guy in front from his own poor observation....... No gratitude some people..
>> Edited by deltaf on Tuesday 24th August 19:10
Guy behind didnt see the guy 1 car in front of me about to do a right turn as he was closer to the kerb than me, i saw the guy directly in front of me brake as the one in front of him started to do the manouvre, the guy behind saw nothing and cam piling up behind; me? split decision to pull out into the oncoming clear lane and make room for him to whack the guy in front of me.
(generous or what? :hehe) Que much flashing of lights from brains behind, as he obviously thought i was going to overtake 2 cars on a junction. Muppet.
Little did he realise that i just saved him, me and the guy in front from his own poor observation....... No gratitude some people..
>> Edited by deltaf on Tuesday 24th August 19:10
Proves why we should leave space and room for manoeuvre.
We always leave reasonable space - just in case. Fave position in queue for both Wildy and self is L1 - so we can escape into hard shoulder.
However - most know what happened to Wildy a bit back - last car in queue, text book space - but hard shoulder was coned off... wrong place, wrong time ...bad luck...
We always leave reasonable space - just in case. Fave position in queue for both Wildy and self is L1 - so we can escape into hard shoulder.
However - most know what happened to Wildy a bit back - last car in queue, text book space - but hard shoulder was coned off... wrong place, wrong time ...bad luck...
victormeldrew said:
Just as well the guy on the left had been BiB trained as well eh? Or maybe he was just using good old fashioned common sense (as dispensed by aforementioned BiB, but actually free with every brain). 
Oooh, I am cynical today. Time for some beer!
It was lucky - extremely. She was driving a Volvo too...
Common sense? What's that? Do we still have that in the UK? Thought they'd banned it in favour of tick-boxes, risk-assessments and procedures manuals.
Just remember guys - ticking the box does not change reality, no matter what the bureaucrats tell you.
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