Ever had a high speed mishap?
Discussion
Looking at the recent and regular 'How fast have you gone in your car' post, and the abundant 150mph+ (most on public roads I would bet) - I reckon there's regularly someone or other out on a quiet stretch of motorway maxxing their car out.
So what is the worst that's happened to someone at high speed? We all hear the comments about 'what if you had a blowout?' etc - well has it ever happened and if so, what happened next? Did you spin out and crash and burn in an explosion seen from miles away and you are posting from heaven/hell/purgatory/nirvana/A&E? Or did you slow down and stop, change the wheel and carry on?
So what is the worst that's happened to someone at high speed? We all hear the comments about 'what if you had a blowout?' etc - well has it ever happened and if so, what happened next? Did you spin out and crash and burn in an explosion seen from miles away and you are posting from heaven/hell/purgatory/nirvana/A&E? Or did you slow down and stop, change the wheel and carry on?
Rear left blowout at 70 in a E38 740. Steering felt like tracking was out at first and over a minute became quite a struggle to maintain a straight line. The rapid change was enough to indicate something was wrong and by the time I was on the hard shoulder it was quite a struggle to control.
Called the RAC for the number for the wombles to come but they sent out one of their vans and changed it for me. I felt like a nana cos it was only a wheel change but traffic was fast and I was glad RAC man did it really.
Brool story co etc.
Called the RAC for the number for the wombles to come but they sent out one of their vans and changed it for me. I felt like a nana cos it was only a wheel change but traffic was fast and I was glad RAC man did it really.
Brool story co etc.
Old Man Pints had a blowout when I was still a twinkle in his eye (early 70s). My mum's told me the story enough times but he just shrugs it off.
Car swerved across the DC a couple of times, brought it to a stop at the side of the road, changed the wheel and went on their merry way.
Bear in mind that this was long before fancy electronics were keeping everything in check, etc.
Closest I've had was hitting standing water at speed on a freeway in SA and aquaplaning across a couple of lanes. Ye ol' sphincter reminds you it's there.
Car swerved across the DC a couple of times, brought it to a stop at the side of the road, changed the wheel and went on their merry way.
Bear in mind that this was long before fancy electronics were keeping everything in check, etc.
Closest I've had was hitting standing water at speed on a freeway in SA and aquaplaning across a couple of lanes. Ye ol' sphincter reminds you it's there.
Pints said:
Closest I've had was hitting standing water at speed on a freeway in SA and aquaplaning across a couple of lanes. Ye ol' sphincter reminds you it's there.
High speed in wet or with standing water is a different matter - never ceases to amaze me the amount of people who don't seem to be aware of the aquaplaning risk....I have a video a 50mph Toyota Yaris pulling out on me on a derestricted autobahn whilst I was doing 150mph. It was on a mild bend, and the car started to oversteer as I swerved to avoid the Yaris, whilst simultaneously trying to avoid the back end of a big f
k off truck. I stopped with about a car length to spare.
Unfortunately I am not man enough to post the video
k off truck. I stopped with about a car length to spare.Unfortunately I am not man enough to post the video
GaryST220 said:
I have a video a 50mph Toyota Yaris pulling out on me on a derestricted autobahn whilst I was doing 150mph. It was on a mild bend, and the car started to oversteer as I swerved to avoid the Yaris, whilst simultaneously trying to avoid the back end of a big fk off truck. I stopped with about a car length to spare.
Unfortunately I am not man enough to post the video
Go on, post it.k off truck. I stopped with about a car length to spare.Unfortunately I am not man enough to post the video
What were you in?
Some cars are better than others at gripping the road at high speed - loads of cars will do 150, but some will deal with such a mishap with ease I would guess, others not...
Gaz. said:
I've seen a Mercedes CL lose it in a big way on the M40 a few years ago, he was doing an amazing speed (I was doing 100 myself) but he pissed past me like I was parked, then in a flash he was spinning like a top with tyre smoke billowing like an out of control dry ice machine, he went from lane 4 to the hard shoulder over a distance of quarter of a mile and ended up next to the bridge support for the foot bridge on the northbound carriageway by J2, facing the wrong way.
I stand corrected.....
sulli said:
High speed in wet or with standing water is a different matter - never ceases to amaze me the amount of people who don't seem to be aware of the aquaplaning risk....
It was many years ago. I was younger and more foolish.
That said, I've not come across the same situation (standing water wise) here in the UK.
The state of roads and run-ff in SA are somewhat different to here.
Couple of incidents but not at interestingly high speeds, which I guess was a good thing!
Rear tyre blow out at 70-ish on the M180 in the outside lane whilst overtaking 2 trucks in the 1st and 2nd lanes. Which was nice. Pulled over on to the hard shoulder, tyre shredded but the (company car) spare wheel was on a trolley thing under the boot and the bolt holding it was rusted on. Had to call the AA to get them to get the damn bolt undone.
About a month ago I aquaplaned on a dual carriageway at 50-odd and went backwards into the barrier in the TVR. Not scared at all, just fecking angry as I knew what would happen when I hit the water so I had lifted off the accelerator to reduce speed but the water still took the car.
Just had news that it is being repaired though.
Trace
Rear tyre blow out at 70-ish on the M180 in the outside lane whilst overtaking 2 trucks in the 1st and 2nd lanes. Which was nice. Pulled over on to the hard shoulder, tyre shredded but the (company car) spare wheel was on a trolley thing under the boot and the bolt holding it was rusted on. Had to call the AA to get them to get the damn bolt undone.
About a month ago I aquaplaned on a dual carriageway at 50-odd and went backwards into the barrier in the TVR. Not scared at all, just fecking angry as I knew what would happen when I hit the water so I had lifted off the accelerator to reduce speed but the water still took the car.
Just had news that it is being repaired though.
Trace
sulli said:
Go on, post it.
What were you in?
Some cars are better than others at gripping the road at high speed - loads of cars will do 150, but some will deal with such a mishap with ease I would guess, others not...
My ST220, which handled it beautifully given the circumstances. What were you in?
Some cars are better than others at gripping the road at high speed - loads of cars will do 150, but some will deal with such a mishap with ease I would guess, others not...
The brake pedal was welded to the bulkhead so subsquently all of the cars weight was on the nose, understandably it was the swerving which trigged the oversteer but I’ve never driven any car that would have responded any better.
ESP may have played a part too, but to tell you the truth I don’t honestly know if it activated.
Hmm.
sulli said:
High speed in wet or with standing water is a different matter - never ceases to amaze me the amount of people who don't seem to be aware of the aquaplaning risk....
Not quite a mishap!Yep my 1st scare as a driver a poor 17 year old student in a £400 Chevette on an A road in cornwall. 60mph long blind chicane and a stream going across half way in the corners my car aquaplaned we me facing 90degree to on coming traffic on opposite side of road heading toward brick wall. Lucky no traffic about and the rear car hit dry tarmac spinning me in the right way with meters to spare! Pulse racing all I was worried about what would happen to a granny I just overtaken mins earlier!
Lots that have happened to both myself, family and friends but my worst high speed moment was this:
Trying to max out a Nissan QX 3.0 on a downhill dual carriageway with 3 friends in the car, all had gone well until we reached the bottom of the hill where there is a sliproad taking you to a motorway. One friend in the back shouted "Go Left!" and like an idiot, travelling at an indicated 140, I wrenched the wheel left and immediately the back started coming round. Steered into it and remarkably got the car straight but we'd managed to cross all 4 lanes and were now in the slip road which was about to end.
We went up the curb and hit a lamppost with the front left, airbags all went off and none of us could really see, car slid round again and we ploughed through another lamppost which hit the right rear passenger door, I still remember watching the glass fly across the car in the rear view mirror. That swung the car back forwards again and we took out another lamppost with the left side of the car. Eventually hit a final lamppost and came to a stop.
All of us had to get out of the car through the windows, a passing car stopped and called the police for us (told them we were joyriders in a stolen car) and we sat and waited for them. The QX was a total wreck, all wheels pointing in different directions, shifted and cracked the engine block, every panel (except the boot) was dented or scraped, front passenger wheel was alongside the passenger door, though there was no intrusion into the passenger footwell and the last thing anyone did was eject the tape that was still playing on the stereo.
Not my proudest moment, but I'm still amazed we were all fine and can replay any moment of that crash 15 years later.
Trying to max out a Nissan QX 3.0 on a downhill dual carriageway with 3 friends in the car, all had gone well until we reached the bottom of the hill where there is a sliproad taking you to a motorway. One friend in the back shouted "Go Left!" and like an idiot, travelling at an indicated 140, I wrenched the wheel left and immediately the back started coming round. Steered into it and remarkably got the car straight but we'd managed to cross all 4 lanes and were now in the slip road which was about to end.
We went up the curb and hit a lamppost with the front left, airbags all went off and none of us could really see, car slid round again and we ploughed through another lamppost which hit the right rear passenger door, I still remember watching the glass fly across the car in the rear view mirror. That swung the car back forwards again and we took out another lamppost with the left side of the car. Eventually hit a final lamppost and came to a stop.
All of us had to get out of the car through the windows, a passing car stopped and called the police for us (told them we were joyriders in a stolen car) and we sat and waited for them. The QX was a total wreck, all wheels pointing in different directions, shifted and cracked the engine block, every panel (except the boot) was dented or scraped, front passenger wheel was alongside the passenger door, though there was no intrusion into the passenger footwell and the last thing anyone did was eject the tape that was still playing on the stereo.
Not my proudest moment, but I'm still amazed we were all fine and can replay any moment of that crash 15 years later.
Young and stupid, driving a Subaru Impreza WRX along a deserted rural dual carriageway at maxi-chat with a mate in the car. We were shooting around one of the long fast sweepers on the road when two very slow moving trucks one overtaking the other hove into view.
At 2 1/2 miles a minute or so you're carrying a lot of energy and catch things up quite quickly, so I was off the throttle and onto the brakes quite hard. The mass transfer unsettled the car and I got it quite crossed up, with a fair amount of opposite lock dialled in to keep the car travelling in the right direction even if it didn't want to point in the right direction. At least until the road straightened out and I was able to lean on the brakes properly again.
It wasn't scary really - despite the speed and getting the car crossed up I had a driving plan and an escape route. I was reminded however that things happen very quickly at that sort of speed and resolved in future to not push things into 3 figures on the roads again. There's no real fun in doing it and the consequences of getting it wrong are high!
At 2 1/2 miles a minute or so you're carrying a lot of energy and catch things up quite quickly, so I was off the throttle and onto the brakes quite hard. The mass transfer unsettled the car and I got it quite crossed up, with a fair amount of opposite lock dialled in to keep the car travelling in the right direction even if it didn't want to point in the right direction. At least until the road straightened out and I was able to lean on the brakes properly again.
It wasn't scary really - despite the speed and getting the car crossed up I had a driving plan and an escape route. I was reminded however that things happen very quickly at that sort of speed and resolved in future to not push things into 3 figures on the roads again. There's no real fun in doing it and the consequences of getting it wrong are high!
In the winter of 1976, I'm setting off at 4 AM in my 3 litre Capri from my home in North Somerset to drive to Brighton where i was working on the construction of the Brighton marina, and since I had to be there for 08.00, was not planning on hanging around.
It was very cold and concerned about the possibility of ice, I gave it some welly on joining the M5 at Gordano services, but since there was no wheel spin I set off at my usual cruise speed of 90-95 and soon joined the M4 east.
Now at the Bath exit there is a long climb to a higher altitude and I did not take this into account. In those days the M4 at 04.30 was a lonely place and I drove for quite a while before seeing another vehicle, a truck with an enclosed body in the slow lane, which I passed in the centre lane.
As the nose of my car went past the cab it slid out sideways and I start to spin. I'm on black ice and at this point just a passenger, no control whatsoever. I span for ages and finally ended up facing the wrong way in the fast lane. I sat there for a few seconds and then manged to get turned around and parked on the hard shoulder.
After several minutes the truck came by and the driver was staring at me with astonishment on his face. I had got out of the car to calm down in the cold and take a look at the surface.
The whole of the front of the car was covered in ice, and after setting off again I drove slowly to the next service station with the temp gauge almost in the red.
It was very cold and concerned about the possibility of ice, I gave it some welly on joining the M5 at Gordano services, but since there was no wheel spin I set off at my usual cruise speed of 90-95 and soon joined the M4 east.
Now at the Bath exit there is a long climb to a higher altitude and I did not take this into account. In those days the M4 at 04.30 was a lonely place and I drove for quite a while before seeing another vehicle, a truck with an enclosed body in the slow lane, which I passed in the centre lane.
As the nose of my car went past the cab it slid out sideways and I start to spin. I'm on black ice and at this point just a passenger, no control whatsoever. I span for ages and finally ended up facing the wrong way in the fast lane. I sat there for a few seconds and then manged to get turned around and parked on the hard shoulder.
After several minutes the truck came by and the driver was staring at me with astonishment on his face. I had got out of the car to calm down in the cold and take a look at the surface.
The whole of the front of the car was covered in ice, and after setting off again I drove slowly to the next service station with the temp gauge almost in the red.
Mike Biddle said:
In the winter of 1976, I'm setting off at 4 AM in my 3 litre Capri from my home in North Somerset to drive to Brighton where i was working on the construction of the Brighton marina, and since I had to be there for 08.00, was not planning on hanging around.
It was very cold and concerned about the possibility of ice, I gave it some welly on joining the M5 at Gordano services, but since there was no wheel spin I set off at my usual cruise speed of 90-95 and soon joined the M4 east.
Now at the Bath exit there is a long climb to a higher altitude and I did not take this into account. In those days the M4 at 04.30 was a lonely place and I drove for quite a while before seeing another vehicle, a truck with an enclosed body in the slow lane, which I passed in the centre lane.
As the nose of my car went past the cab it slid out sideways and I start to spin. I'm on black ice and at this point just a passenger, no control whatsoever. I span for ages and finally ended up facing the wrong way in the fast lane. I sat there for a few seconds and then manged to get turned around and parked on the hard shoulder.
After several minutes the truck came by and the driver was staring at me with astonishment on his face. I had got out of the car to calm down in the cold and take a look at the surface.
The whole of the front of the car was covered in ice, and after setting off again I drove slowly to the next service station with the temp gauge almost in the red.
Nice story, nice choice of carIt was very cold and concerned about the possibility of ice, I gave it some welly on joining the M5 at Gordano services, but since there was no wheel spin I set off at my usual cruise speed of 90-95 and soon joined the M4 east.
Now at the Bath exit there is a long climb to a higher altitude and I did not take this into account. In those days the M4 at 04.30 was a lonely place and I drove for quite a while before seeing another vehicle, a truck with an enclosed body in the slow lane, which I passed in the centre lane.
As the nose of my car went past the cab it slid out sideways and I start to spin. I'm on black ice and at this point just a passenger, no control whatsoever. I span for ages and finally ended up facing the wrong way in the fast lane. I sat there for a few seconds and then manged to get turned around and parked on the hard shoulder.
After several minutes the truck came by and the driver was staring at me with astonishment on his face. I had got out of the car to calm down in the cold and take a look at the surface.
The whole of the front of the car was covered in ice, and after setting off again I drove slowly to the next service station with the temp gauge almost in the red.
Not a misshap as such, after midnight i was returning from my bezza's house, about 20 miles away,there is a newish section of bypass, now this is a good bit of road that you can easily cruise down at illegal speeds (allegedly). So im driving down it no one else about, in the middle of countryside when i decide to do a high speed run, i hit 140 when that gentle curve near the end suddenly seemed very sharp, reduced speed and got around it but in a floaty twitchy im not in control kind of way, friggin absolutley st myself, still doing dumb things after 25 years of driving.
ALLEGEDLY.
t myself, still doing dumb things after 25 years of driving.ALLEGEDLY.
sulli said:
High speed in wet or with standing water is a different matter - never ceases to amaze me the amount of people who don't seem to be aware of the aquaplaning risk....
I was aware of the aquaplaning risk ........ which was why I was doing only 50mph along the 'hogs back' many, many moons ago (OK, so not strictly high speed). It had been raining but had stopped, was late at night with no vehicles visible in front or behind. I hit the standing water and became instantly afloat. The 'braking effect' of hitting the standing water was amazing - I was thrown hard into the seat belt which took away any abiltiy to control the vehicle - not that I could have done anything with all four wheels not in contact with the road surface. The car slewed sideways but luckily did not spin - it kept pointing forwards and just 'crabbed' from the inside lane to the outside lane of the DC and I exited the standing water travelling forward at a much slower speed but in a different lane. White knuckles do not come close to describing the after effects of this!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff