Worst experience whilst driving
Discussion
One very hard situation for me was driving 2-3am down the M6 from Manchester to London, hay fever sneezing attack set in, causing me to sneeze every few seconds, with my eyes loosing sight for those few seconds, sending me into panic mode, somehow in-between the sneezing, I managed to pull up on the hard shoulder, waited a few minutes, and then proceeded to the nearest services to wait it out.
That was scary!
That was scary!
I was once faffing about with an e-fag. Parked at a lay-by on the A5 south of the M69. Delivering a car. About five or six years ago. I was very tired and had been up since 4.30am, bringing the last car of the day back to base.
The top of the e-fag pinged off into the passenger footwell as I tried to put it on. I can still remember how tired, hungry and frustrated I was.
I just opened the drivers door without thinking. Right into the path of an oncoming Volvo SUV, which swerved and narrowly, so narrowly missed an oncoming car in the other lane. Somehow the driver held it as it went into a skid. I saw, briefly that the car was laden with kids and holiday luggage. It levelled out and he disappeared. Over in an instant.
Both cars were doing about 60/70 mph. It’s a fast road.
Haunts me.
The top of the e-fag pinged off into the passenger footwell as I tried to put it on. I can still remember how tired, hungry and frustrated I was.
I just opened the drivers door without thinking. Right into the path of an oncoming Volvo SUV, which swerved and narrowly, so narrowly missed an oncoming car in the other lane. Somehow the driver held it as it went into a skid. I saw, briefly that the car was laden with kids and holiday luggage. It levelled out and he disappeared. Over in an instant.
Both cars were doing about 60/70 mph. It’s a fast road.
Haunts me.
Worst experience for me was probably when I was driving a Fiesta in the overtaking lane of the M1 and an HGV just ahead in the slow lane suffered a blowout which separated the carcass of his rear tire from the rim, which arced across the lanes and went straight into the front of my car. Nothing I could do to avoid it as it was literally only maybe 2-3 seconds between blowout and collision and there was a car in the middle lane so I couldn't swerve to avoid it even if I wanted to. Went under the left wheels of the car, which went up onto its right hand side wheels and felt as if it might flip, but thankfully came back down again without hitting the central reservation. Managed to slow down and stop on the hard shoulder without hitting anything and inspect the damage - bumper, grill, headlamp, indicator all mullered, impact had knocked the wheel trims off both passenger side wheels and the steel cords of the tyre carcass had scratched all the way down the lower left hand side of the car.
What made it worse was that the truck driver, who had also stopped seemingly without realising what his tyre had hit, made a half hour song and dance of refusing to provide his insurance details saying that it was an "act of god" and there was no way insurance would pay for what had happened to my vehicle. It was only after I took photos of his vehicle (including the number plate and company details) and phoned the police in front of him, loudly saying that we'd been involved in a collision on the M1 and the driver was refusing to provide his name or insurance details that he suddenly became a lot more cooperative and insisted that *of course* he'd be willing to supply them and *of course* it was a misunderstanding and he wasn't refusing, just stating his opinion on what the insurance would say...
That was far from the worst crash I've had (given that I put my first car on its roof and had a t-bone collision in my second when somebody failed to stop at a crossroads where I had right of way) but due to the motorway speeds and the weaselly truck driver's reaction afterwards, this was probably my worst overall experience!
What made it worse was that the truck driver, who had also stopped seemingly without realising what his tyre had hit, made a half hour song and dance of refusing to provide his insurance details saying that it was an "act of god" and there was no way insurance would pay for what had happened to my vehicle. It was only after I took photos of his vehicle (including the number plate and company details) and phoned the police in front of him, loudly saying that we'd been involved in a collision on the M1 and the driver was refusing to provide his name or insurance details that he suddenly became a lot more cooperative and insisted that *of course* he'd be willing to supply them and *of course* it was a misunderstanding and he wasn't refusing, just stating his opinion on what the insurance would say...
That was far from the worst crash I've had (given that I put my first car on its roof and had a t-bone collision in my second when somebody failed to stop at a crossroads where I had right of way) but due to the motorway speeds and the weaselly truck driver's reaction afterwards, this was probably my worst overall experience!
Not many from when I'm driving.
One on a motorcycle though.
Last December on a Sunday morning. Taking out my rebuilt CZ175 for a run back to mine from my mums. Pootling out of Henley at 45mph when I push myself back on the seat to get more comfortable. Due to the ludicrous design of the footpegs they're only held on with a single bolt and (as I learned) it means with enough force they can turn. Suddenly it locks up on a main A road with a lot of traffic. Rear end is fishtailing like mad and I can't do anything about it (initially suspected a siezure). Somehow manage to get it to a stop without getting chucked off to see the pedal has rotated round to seize onto the brake lever.
I think the only reason I didn't come off was because it was raining so heavily otherwise It would possibly have been a high side.
I've had a lot of fast, powerful bikes over the years and the only one to give me such a scare was this POS, 13hp two stroke....
One on a motorcycle though.
Last December on a Sunday morning. Taking out my rebuilt CZ175 for a run back to mine from my mums. Pootling out of Henley at 45mph when I push myself back on the seat to get more comfortable. Due to the ludicrous design of the footpegs they're only held on with a single bolt and (as I learned) it means with enough force they can turn. Suddenly it locks up on a main A road with a lot of traffic. Rear end is fishtailing like mad and I can't do anything about it (initially suspected a siezure). Somehow manage to get it to a stop without getting chucked off to see the pedal has rotated round to seize onto the brake lever.
I think the only reason I didn't come off was because it was raining so heavily otherwise It would possibly have been a high side.
I've had a lot of fast, powerful bikes over the years and the only one to give me such a scare was this POS, 13hp two stroke....
A38, 2013. I pulled out to overtake an HGV only to see a pensioner in a 3 wheeler going the wrong direction. He was heading right at the front of the 40t wagon, he panicked and swerved into the lane I was in. WTF I did to avoid him I will never know. Unfortunately for both him and someone else he still didn’t figure out his mistake. It was in the news the next morning and wasn’t good news.
Many years ago collision investigation Astravan heading up the M62 in lane 3 to attend a grade 1 incident. Travelling in convoy with others going to same task. Second vehicle some distance behind though catching up and both with a good wiggle on.
BMW in other carriageway loses it and clobbers the central barrier at a fair pace, gravel and barrier bolts plus nefarious bits of metal sprayed directly into Astra's path, huge clatter results as drive through it.
However the BMW was launched into the air, flew over the barrier, Astra drives underneath it whilst it's in mid air, and then the Beemer lands just behind it in lane 3.
Astra made it a few more miles until expired with no coolant due to knackered radiator from holes punched by debris thrown up. Barrier fastening bolt was buried in the radiator matrix plus other damage.
BMW in other carriageway loses it and clobbers the central barrier at a fair pace, gravel and barrier bolts plus nefarious bits of metal sprayed directly into Astra's path, huge clatter results as drive through it.
However the BMW was launched into the air, flew over the barrier, Astra drives underneath it whilst it's in mid air, and then the Beemer lands just behind it in lane 3.
Astra made it a few more miles until expired with no coolant due to knackered radiator from holes punched by debris thrown up. Barrier fastening bolt was buried in the radiator matrix plus other damage.
FiF said:
Many years ago collision investigation Astravan heading up the M62 in lane 3 to attend a grade 1 incident. Travelling in convoy with others going to same task. Second vehicle some distance behind though catching up and both with a good wiggle on.
BMW in other carriageway loses it and clobbers the central barrier at a fair pace, gravel and barrier bolts plus nefarious bits of metal sprayed directly into Astra's path, huge clatter results as drive through it.
However the BMW was launched into the air, flew over the barrier, Astra drives underneath it whilst it's in mid air, and then the Beemer lands just behind it in lane 3.
Astra made it a few more miles until expired with no coolant due to knackered radiator from holes punched by debris thrown up. Barrier fastening bolt was buried in the radiator matrix plus other damage.
And they say that being on the van is a good way to get away from the cut and thrust of being on traffic BMW in other carriageway loses it and clobbers the central barrier at a fair pace, gravel and barrier bolts plus nefarious bits of metal sprayed directly into Astra's path, huge clatter results as drive through it.
However the BMW was launched into the air, flew over the barrier, Astra drives underneath it whilst it's in mid air, and then the Beemer lands just behind it in lane 3.
Astra made it a few more miles until expired with no coolant due to knackered radiator from holes punched by debris thrown up. Barrier fastening bolt was buried in the radiator matrix plus other damage.
Mr Tidy said:
Two occasions stick in my memory.
The first was riding my Yamaha RD250LC along the A259 out of Rottingdean towards Saltdean with my girlfriend on the pillion in the mid-80s. I turned to say something to her so I didn't see the pothole that sent me into a massive tank-slapper, but somehow we stayed upright.
The next was in the mid 90s going to Wisbech with a mate to watch some oval racing. We'd just joined the A1 from the M25 so as always I headed for the outside lane. Suddenly I saw a string of brake lights ahead of me but as the inside lanes were empty I just moved over. And immediately saw clouds of smoke and debris flying through the air in my mirrors!
Namechange to Colt Trickle.The first was riding my Yamaha RD250LC along the A259 out of Rottingdean towards Saltdean with my girlfriend on the pillion in the mid-80s. I turned to say something to her so I didn't see the pothole that sent me into a massive tank-slapper, but somehow we stayed upright.
The next was in the mid 90s going to Wisbech with a mate to watch some oval racing. We'd just joined the A1 from the M25 so as always I headed for the outside lane. Suddenly I saw a string of brake lights ahead of me but as the inside lanes were empty I just moved over. And immediately saw clouds of smoke and debris flying through the air in my mirrors!
Driving, Maybe not the worst experience but we were on our way to South Wales in July 2006 on a Friday for a family event in the pouring rain. We chose the A roads rather than M5, M50. We were in a Courtesy car as the wife had an accident and my son was with us who was 8 months old. We were making slow progress, roads were very very wet.
We were probably 10 miles from Tenbury Wells and the road was completely flooded.
It was then I said right we are going home, Sons 8 months old and the car isn’t even ours.
The rest of the family went M5 and spent the night in their cars when they closed the motorway.
Non driving.
About 20 years of age with the GF at the time driving home. A 30 road and i’m the passenger. Coming from the other direction is an XR3i coming towards us way too fast. I watch it go past thinking he’s not going to make the bend. He has a head on with a young woman in a 205 gti 2 cars behind us.
We turn around, luckily for us there’s a car already stopped to tend to the woman in the 205, It wasn’t in a good state at all.
We get to the XR3i. A passenger is out, another one is trying to pull another one out the car. He’s sitting in the back seat but his legs/feet are mangled around the bulkhead or what’s left of them.
Turns out he was the driver not the back seat passenger.
The police visit my house shortly later for a formal statement.
The newspaper reports on the woman in the 205. Shes in a bad way and spends the best part of a year in hospital.
Turns out the xr3i driver had no licence or insurance etc hence why his passengers were trying to pull him out the car.
We were probably 10 miles from Tenbury Wells and the road was completely flooded.
It was then I said right we are going home, Sons 8 months old and the car isn’t even ours.
The rest of the family went M5 and spent the night in their cars when they closed the motorway.
Non driving.
About 20 years of age with the GF at the time driving home. A 30 road and i’m the passenger. Coming from the other direction is an XR3i coming towards us way too fast. I watch it go past thinking he’s not going to make the bend. He has a head on with a young woman in a 205 gti 2 cars behind us.
We turn around, luckily for us there’s a car already stopped to tend to the woman in the 205, It wasn’t in a good state at all.
We get to the XR3i. A passenger is out, another one is trying to pull another one out the car. He’s sitting in the back seat but his legs/feet are mangled around the bulkhead or what’s left of them.
Turns out he was the driver not the back seat passenger.
The police visit my house shortly later for a formal statement.
The newspaper reports on the woman in the 205. Shes in a bad way and spends the best part of a year in hospital.
Turns out the xr3i driver had no licence or insurance etc hence why his passengers were trying to pull him out the car.
Edited by Downward on Wednesday 22 May 21:39
About 30 years ago, in a queue behind a truck doing 40mph on the A303. I’m one car back from the truck and the car in front has shown no signs of going for an overtake. When the gap in oncoming traffic looks big enough, I go to take both car and truck, giving a flash of lights and indicating to pull out.
That bit goes well, the car stays behind the truck and I’m passing the truck easily, it looks like a routine overtake such that I’ll be in front of the truck without oncoming cars having to slow down or change their line.
When I get to the front of the truck I see why we’re all bumbling along at 40 - there’s an old bloke driving his Fiesta in front of the truck. Except that bit was totally hidden because the truck is almost bumper-to-bumper with the Fiesta.
I now have nowhere to pull in and not enough time to get past the Fiesta, so I hope the truck driver is awake, indicate and force the truck onto its brakes to create room.
Pulled in with really not very much room from the oncoming car who I can’t remember whether they slowed or moved over at all - was that quick.
Truck driver gave full horn and lights, but a second gap appeared so I went round the Fiesta and disappeared, but was properly shaken by a near head-on with a closing speed of 120+
That bit goes well, the car stays behind the truck and I’m passing the truck easily, it looks like a routine overtake such that I’ll be in front of the truck without oncoming cars having to slow down or change their line.
When I get to the front of the truck I see why we’re all bumbling along at 40 - there’s an old bloke driving his Fiesta in front of the truck. Except that bit was totally hidden because the truck is almost bumper-to-bumper with the Fiesta.
I now have nowhere to pull in and not enough time to get past the Fiesta, so I hope the truck driver is awake, indicate and force the truck onto its brakes to create room.
Pulled in with really not very much room from the oncoming car who I can’t remember whether they slowed or moved over at all - was that quick.
Truck driver gave full horn and lights, but a second gap appeared so I went round the Fiesta and disappeared, but was properly shaken by a near head-on with a closing speed of 120+
I've got three that stand out; two on the same road...heading in different directions though...pretty sure I'm not to blame for either, but if I am I'm sure someone will let me know if I was, this being PH 
I live in Chelmsford and my parents in South Woodham Ferrers, so I use the road in question a lot, so pretty familiar with it. It's NSL but there are plenty of bits where 60 is really not appropriate. First one then; heading to SWF, there is a turning on the left at the bottom of a hill with a sharpish right immediately after it, the top of the hill is a blind crest so I'm always off the gas as I approach it. No change in that on this occasion, and I see a car in the turning indicating right, I see the driver turn and look at me and then look left. By this time I'm about two car lengths from the turning. The car pulls out without looking in my direction again, directly into my path. Somehow I manage to swerve into the turning and around him back onto the road I had been driving on. Crapped myself properly and arrived babbling at my parents shortly afterwards!
Second time on that road, I'm driving up the hill towards the blind crest, off the gas at about 40mph, as I go over the crest I am greeted by an Espace on my side of the road overtaking three cyclists, I stamped on the brakes just giving the ejit time to complete the maneuver without killing the cyclists. This time my wife was on the receiving end of the babbling when I arrive home
Final and scariest incident was driving up Princess Road in Chelmsford at around 2am on a lovely summer Sunday morning. It's a well-lit road with a 40mph limit. I can see a group of peds begin to cross the road in front of me on the right hand side. There is a traffic island in the centre of the road, and the road splits into two lanes in my direction to allow traffic to queue on the left to turn into the local college at busy times. As I reach the traffic island I can see the peds are a group of young girls, probably on their way home from a night out, so I hug the left curb just in case. As I reach the traffic island they all start ro cross, and one of the stumbles towards me. I was driving my S2000 with the roof down, and it felt like she was falling into the car but somehow I missed her. In the mirror I can see her friends helping her up and laughing. Scared the bejesus out of me and the wife.
I live in Chelmsford and my parents in South Woodham Ferrers, so I use the road in question a lot, so pretty familiar with it. It's NSL but there are plenty of bits where 60 is really not appropriate. First one then; heading to SWF, there is a turning on the left at the bottom of a hill with a sharpish right immediately after it, the top of the hill is a blind crest so I'm always off the gas as I approach it. No change in that on this occasion, and I see a car in the turning indicating right, I see the driver turn and look at me and then look left. By this time I'm about two car lengths from the turning. The car pulls out without looking in my direction again, directly into my path. Somehow I manage to swerve into the turning and around him back onto the road I had been driving on. Crapped myself properly and arrived babbling at my parents shortly afterwards!
Second time on that road, I'm driving up the hill towards the blind crest, off the gas at about 40mph, as I go over the crest I am greeted by an Espace on my side of the road overtaking three cyclists, I stamped on the brakes just giving the ejit time to complete the maneuver without killing the cyclists. This time my wife was on the receiving end of the babbling when I arrive home
Final and scariest incident was driving up Princess Road in Chelmsford at around 2am on a lovely summer Sunday morning. It's a well-lit road with a 40mph limit. I can see a group of peds begin to cross the road in front of me on the right hand side. There is a traffic island in the centre of the road, and the road splits into two lanes in my direction to allow traffic to queue on the left to turn into the local college at busy times. As I reach the traffic island I can see the peds are a group of young girls, probably on their way home from a night out, so I hug the left curb just in case. As I reach the traffic island they all start ro cross, and one of the stumbles towards me. I was driving my S2000 with the roof down, and it felt like she was falling into the car but somehow I missed her. In the mirror I can see her friends helping her up and laughing. Scared the bejesus out of me and the wife.
On a dark rainy November night in 2019 driving home from work on the M5 I see a flash in the review mirror. Turns out it was the car 2 cars back flashing at the idiot who was now right up my arse for cutting him up. This idiot got so close he actually hit with enough of a thud to send me into a 70mph spin. I hit the central reservation backwards ending up facing sideways straddling the 3rd and 2nd with 2 hgv's hurtling towards me. All I can say is those drivers are bloody skilled missing me my inches way flying past with trailer wheels fully locked. I managed to get my car rolling on the starter motor to get it onto the hardshoulder. The idiot who hit me drove off and the bloke who flashed him after getting cut up pulled over telling me a bit further back he was undertaking people on the hard shoulder before swerving across and hitting me. Police turned up after half the rush hour ran over my rear lights and bumper gave me a crime reference number and left me to wait over an hour for recovery the last time I will ring the police for help!
As a driver I've been fairly lucky not to be directly involved in anything, but I've been one of the first few people to stop at an accident scene before and that's never nice.
As a passenger however my drunk driving friend rolled us on a 40mph corner in his mini coming back from the pub but we were both completely unscathed, or a work colleague giving me a lift in his lowered Rover 214 when the artic in front of us hit a sheep and, being lowered, when we hit the freshly eviscerated sheep and it got stuck under his car so he had to drag it's body out in bits.
As a passenger however my drunk driving friend rolled us on a 40mph corner in his mini coming back from the pub but we were both completely unscathed, or a work colleague giving me a lift in his lowered Rover 214 when the artic in front of us hit a sheep and, being lowered, when we hit the freshly eviscerated sheep and it got stuck under his car so he had to drag it's body out in bits.
Worst experience, I've ever had, i wasn't even in the car. It was in 1992, hearing my mum sobbing on the phone when I was about 8. My dad had been in a nasty crash and barrel rolled down the M40 on his way home from work. He eventually made a full recovery, but I'll never forget the sound my mum made.
Worst crash I have ever been in, again I was little, aged 5 in Renault 5, mum pulled out of a t-junction on the A4 and must have not seen the van coming. It smashed into the car on the drivers side at the rear, where I was sat. I ended up somehow in the front seat next to mum. I had my seat belt on when the crash happened and have no recollection of the actual crash, just someone pulling me out of the passenger side door. Mum had some cuts from smashed glass, but also no major injuries.
When I've been driving myself, it was coming up the M3, new years eve 2016. 4 month old daughter in the back, filled the car seat. If you know, you know! Just passed the services and so had to just sit there in the baby stench. Worst of all was cleaning it when we got home. Grim.
Worst crash I have ever been in, again I was little, aged 5 in Renault 5, mum pulled out of a t-junction on the A4 and must have not seen the van coming. It smashed into the car on the drivers side at the rear, where I was sat. I ended up somehow in the front seat next to mum. I had my seat belt on when the crash happened and have no recollection of the actual crash, just someone pulling me out of the passenger side door. Mum had some cuts from smashed glass, but also no major injuries.
When I've been driving myself, it was coming up the M3, new years eve 2016. 4 month old daughter in the back, filled the car seat. If you know, you know! Just passed the services and so had to just sit there in the baby stench. Worst of all was cleaning it when we got home. Grim.
In an old Mini Clubman coming back from Oxford towards London on the M40 down the long slope before getting to High Wycombe, car had a modified 1380cc.
So hoofing it down towards London, speedo showing 90 leptons and friend driving starts saying it is pulling to the left, bit odd as nothing of note has happened so we slow down and pull over. Looking at the wheel, we can see it is flat with a big hole in the sidewall and wondering a) why we aren't a smear on the tarmac and b) thinking how we are going to get home.
Thank you Dunlop Denovos..
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objec...
To confirm, TyreWeld that was available in the 80's was crap and you could just about drive on a shredded run-flat for a further 70 miles or so, doing this will completely destroy the tyre and turn the rubber into the stickiest useless substance known to man.
So hoofing it down towards London, speedo showing 90 leptons and friend driving starts saying it is pulling to the left, bit odd as nothing of note has happened so we slow down and pull over. Looking at the wheel, we can see it is flat with a big hole in the sidewall and wondering a) why we aren't a smear on the tarmac and b) thinking how we are going to get home.
Thank you Dunlop Denovos..
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objec...
To confirm, TyreWeld that was available in the 80's was crap and you could just about drive on a shredded run-flat for a further 70 miles or so, doing this will completely destroy the tyre and turn the rubber into the stickiest useless substance known to man.
On the A5 near Towcester, Northants, in a Fiat Brava. The road is a nice one to drive in places, a few gentle bends, a few dips etc...and I was - I'm going to be quick to add - well within the 60 speed limit. As I came around one of the nice gentle bends on a bit of a downward slope, there was a van stopped across the road in front of me. The guy had stopped across the live lane of traffic for his mate to jump out and open a gate to let him in. I mean, he could've stopped to take the right turn in his lane, hold up the traffic for a few moments in his lane while his mate opened the gate, and then moved across the oncoming traffic, but on no...not this guy.
Somehow and I'm really not sure how, I managed to get through a gap around the back of him and in again, without hitting the traffic that had been queuing behind him and without driving straight through his van / slamming into the side of it.
I stopped as soon as and let rip at him, given my near death experience and being a new parent at the time. He seemed utterly oblivious to what he'd just done - and frankly I only made my excuses and left when his mate came back, not particularly up for a physical 2 v 1 confrontation. Stayed with me for a while... or 20+ years so far!
Somehow and I'm really not sure how, I managed to get through a gap around the back of him and in again, without hitting the traffic that had been queuing behind him and without driving straight through his van / slamming into the side of it.
I stopped as soon as and let rip at him, given my near death experience and being a new parent at the time. He seemed utterly oblivious to what he'd just done - and frankly I only made my excuses and left when his mate came back, not particularly up for a physical 2 v 1 confrontation. Stayed with me for a while... or 20+ years so far!
On the German Autobahn I was in the overtaking lane at a reasonable but not ridiculous speed (100-110Mph) and a fifth-gen Ford Mustang (so presumably an American military member stationed in Germany, who don't need to pass a European driving test) pulled out in front of me and I had to brake to avoid a collision.
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