Most embarrassing/Scary Driving moments?
Discussion
My most embarrassing and most scary driving incident is one and the same!
Last december, I was driving the other half home during the snow as she was too scared.
"Quattro is awesome! Snow problem!"
"What the hell...where did this round about come from!"
3 seconds later I've lost control and im heading into the round about backwards and into the hedge in the middle with another car crawling around the round about, which stopped just millimeters from me.
To this day, I'm still puzzled how both my car and I survived without a scratch! I was only doing about 25 in a 40!
Last december, I was driving the other half home during the snow as she was too scared.
"Quattro is awesome! Snow problem!"
"What the hell...where did this round about come from!"
3 seconds later I've lost control and im heading into the round about backwards and into the hedge in the middle with another car crawling around the round about, which stopped just millimeters from me.
To this day, I'm still puzzled how both my car and I survived without a scratch! I was only doing about 25 in a 40!
Far too many of both,but I remember a similar four wheel drive -snow-lesson in physics scenario. It was a hired Range Rover and I was about 23,we( my wife and 3month old daughter) ended up through some low shrubs down a bank and onto a footpath. I had to drive through pedestrian underpass and up another bank to regain the road,with not a scratch on the Rangie but a lot of screaming and cursing from SWMBO. Twenty five years on I use this as a lesson for the kids whenever it snows and they drive the ancient family Disco, 4wd helps you go not stop!
Accelerating down a sliproad after the snow fall onto what I thought was a gritted motorway, only to find the gritters decided to only grit half of the sliproad.
Cue my nearside tires going straight through an frozen snow patch as I was about to shift up causing me to begin traveling 75mph at 70-80 degree angle down the m25 at midnight.
after I shat my pants and had a legitimate crazy fast flashback about 'this was it' etc Somehow I saved it by quickly putting it in 6th and giving it a slight over correction and then a second one which left me perfectly straight cruising down the middle of the motorway. A flash of my hazards and I slowly cruised over to lane 1.
Don't think I will ever forget that experience.
Cue my nearside tires going straight through an frozen snow patch as I was about to shift up causing me to begin traveling 75mph at 70-80 degree angle down the m25 at midnight.
after I shat my pants and had a legitimate crazy fast flashback about 'this was it' etc Somehow I saved it by quickly putting it in 6th and giving it a slight over correction and then a second one which left me perfectly straight cruising down the middle of the motorway. A flash of my hazards and I slowly cruised over to lane 1.
Don't think I will ever forget that experience.
By far my worst piece of driving...
Ticking along a quiet country road around 70mph, came over a crest and got the sun in my eyes, back off slightly and as my eyes adjust I realise I'm almost on top of a give way intersection with a car coming the other way.
No hope at all of stopping so I floored it and shot across the intersection in front of the other car, close enough that I saw the oncoming car in my peripheral vision and took a curved line through the intersection like so:
I carry on down the road slowly gathering my thoughts (as you do), and see the car coming after me for chat... bloke gave me a well-deserved bollocking too.
Checked later and there was a warning sign of the intersection which I'd somehow missed completely, combination of sun and being distracted I think. Lesson learnt, and thankful I'd got away with it - consequences could have been much worse.
Not my finest moment!
Ticking along a quiet country road around 70mph, came over a crest and got the sun in my eyes, back off slightly and as my eyes adjust I realise I'm almost on top of a give way intersection with a car coming the other way.
No hope at all of stopping so I floored it and shot across the intersection in front of the other car, close enough that I saw the oncoming car in my peripheral vision and took a curved line through the intersection like so:
I carry on down the road slowly gathering my thoughts (as you do), and see the car coming after me for chat... bloke gave me a well-deserved bollocking too.
Checked later and there was a warning sign of the intersection which I'd somehow missed completely, combination of sun and being distracted I think. Lesson learnt, and thankful I'd got away with it - consequences could have been much worse.
Not my finest moment!
Edited by GravelBen on Friday 22 April 00:35
Scary moment - on holiday in Canada visiting a friend who had married a Canadian and moved there. Me and my mate were in the back of his car when he went straight through stop signs for a crossroads at approx 70 mph - after buttocks had declenched we pointed this out - he had no idea he'd just done it, total brain fade.
The consequences (to us, and to anyone going at right angles) could have been horrific - I know he realised that as I've never seen anyone go so white before...
The consequences (to us, and to anyone going at right angles) could have been horrific - I know he realised that as I've never seen anyone go so white before...
When I was a bit younger I took a friend of mine for a spin in my Impreza. Driving along the local back roads, there's a certain road with a decent 180 degree bend in it that has to be taken at around 40mph in anything sporty to get round safely. Me being an idiot and trying to show off, took it at 60. Got round the first 90 degrees without a problem and was rather happy - unfortunately the second half tightened up and I instictively hit the brakes (stupid idea, I now know). The car fishtailed, and God must have been with me that day as I inadvertently exited the corner sideways. Of course, I played it all down to my friend, who was almost wetting himself with excitement, but I still remember how close I came to pasting it that day.
Most scary? Driving down a country road, overtaking a small queue of traffic on a very open left-hand bend. I'd seen the road from before the turn and nothing was coming - pulled out to overtake and was making a good job out of overtaking 4 cars behind the truck. Just as I approached the lead car behind the truck, the dozy bint pulled out on me. She was matching the truck's speed at 30mph, I was doing 55mph. I slammed on the brakes and took evasive, nearly piling into the hedge. Exercised the horn, completely oblivious woman in front. I know the VX's brakes are good but I didn't want to test them in such a way!
Silver lining - after my impromptu brake check, the road got a bit twisty/busy so I remained behind the idiot driver. The cars behind us steadily overtook the truck. Imagine my surprise/disdain at the next set of lights when I saw a car behind us light up with blues and twos. I pulled over expecting to get a b
king, but was immenseley surprised when the plod car tore past me and pulled over the bint in the Yaris who'd blocked my overtake. By the time someone let me back out (I'd stopped in a pub car park) I saw the plod looking rather cross with the woman, pointing at my car as I drove past.
If you're anybody on here, I'll buy you a pint.
Most scary? Driving down a country road, overtaking a small queue of traffic on a very open left-hand bend. I'd seen the road from before the turn and nothing was coming - pulled out to overtake and was making a good job out of overtaking 4 cars behind the truck. Just as I approached the lead car behind the truck, the dozy bint pulled out on me. She was matching the truck's speed at 30mph, I was doing 55mph. I slammed on the brakes and took evasive, nearly piling into the hedge. Exercised the horn, completely oblivious woman in front. I know the VX's brakes are good but I didn't want to test them in such a way!
Silver lining - after my impromptu brake check, the road got a bit twisty/busy so I remained behind the idiot driver. The cars behind us steadily overtook the truck. Imagine my surprise/disdain at the next set of lights when I saw a car behind us light up with blues and twos. I pulled over expecting to get a b
king, but was immenseley surprised when the plod car tore past me and pulled over the bint in the Yaris who'd blocked my overtake. By the time someone let me back out (I'd stopped in a pub car park) I saw the plod looking rather cross with the woman, pointing at my car as I drove past.If you're anybody on here, I'll buy you a pint.
My worst bit of driving would have been about 3 weeks after passing my test. I managed to drive straight over a crossroad at 60 without even noticing! Turned out that some idiot had turned the sign around, and because it was a country road the white markings had faded to nothing. I should have known the road better, but that was still a very scary moment once I had realised what I had done!
Most terrifying would have been on a single track road near my house. I was driving along it at a very normal speed, around 40 mph and I could see ahead. As I came to the top of a small crest in the road, the next thing I see is an Astra hurtling towards me! I remember stamping on the brakes and every wheel on my car locked up, and the thing just slid with nothing I could do! Just by luck we somehow managed to get past each other (bear in mind this is a single track road) but she was so close that she folded in the drivers mirror!
We both came to a halt, I got out my car to give her a bking, and then discovered that she had 2 young children in the back! She was very apologetic, and said that "maybe 70 was a bit much for this road". All I could do was look at her in disbelief, and drive off.
The marks on the road from my car are still here today, more than a year on!
Most terrifying would have been on a single track road near my house. I was driving along it at a very normal speed, around 40 mph and I could see ahead. As I came to the top of a small crest in the road, the next thing I see is an Astra hurtling towards me! I remember stamping on the brakes and every wheel on my car locked up, and the thing just slid with nothing I could do! Just by luck we somehow managed to get past each other (bear in mind this is a single track road) but she was so close that she folded in the drivers mirror!
We both came to a halt, I got out my car to give her a b
king, and then discovered that she had 2 young children in the back! She was very apologetic, and said that "maybe 70 was a bit much for this road". All I could do was look at her in disbelief, and drive off. The marks on the road from my car are still here today, more than a year on!
One particular incident I remember a year or so ago; giving it some beans on an empty dual carriageway late at night, approach a roundabout where it then continues as a dual carriageway after. Approach with a fair bit of speed, only 1 car around is going straight over like I am, however the idiot clearly assumed the road was empty and cut straight across the inside lane of the roundabout, forcing half my car up onto the roundabout.
Luckily no damage was done, shook me up though and certainly learnt a lesson!
Luckily no damage was done, shook me up though and certainly learnt a lesson!
I was following bus down a country road and it indicated left. Me, being in london driving mode, instantly overtook it. The problem was he may have been turning left, but he was swinging the bus out to the right. Me halfway down the side of the bus and noticing the road narrowing, i took the only escape route which was half on the verge and half on the road.
Another was hitting a lake of standing water on the road that was about 200 yards long and a 10 inches deep. Because i hit it totally unsighted on a slight bend, i span down the road and performed a tank slapper, eventually doing a 180. First thing i knew about it was when i hit the water. Amazingly, nobody else was on the road at the time. Obviously not my time.
Another was hitting a lake of standing water on the road that was about 200 yards long and a 10 inches deep. Because i hit it totally unsighted on a slight bend, i span down the road and performed a tank slapper, eventually doing a 180. First thing i knew about it was when i hit the water. Amazingly, nobody else was on the road at the time. Obviously not my time.
Queued traffic, filter to front on my bike. Another leather clad ninja does same, but gap is tight, so I shuffle over to make room. He comes alongside and acknowledges, we size each other (and bikes) up.
Lights go green and he pops a wheelie, naturally it would be rude “not to”. So onto back wheel and through the gears, as I pass him (and feel sooo goood), I notice the speed camera. Wheelie to stoppie in 20 yards – by sheer luck, I stayed on the bike and avoided binning it.
Lights go green and he pops a wheelie, naturally it would be rude “not to”. So onto back wheel and through the gears, as I pass him (and feel sooo goood), I notice the speed camera. Wheelie to stoppie in 20 yards – by sheer luck, I stayed on the bike and avoided binning it.
A long long time ago I was in a company Datsun Thingummy. It had been snowing and there was around 4" of nice snow with a frosty ice covering all over the whole width of the road. I decided it would be a great opportunity to practice my skid techniques so I accelerated up to about 45mph and then stamped on the brakes. What happened next wasn't entirely according to plan: all four wheels locked up and the car rocketed down the road fishtailing all over the place with me relegated to being merely a panic struck observer with absolutely no control of the car whatsoever. Finally I relaxed enough to get my foot off the brake and suddenly I was back in control and managed to get the car to stop. I'd hit both grassy banks on the sides of the road, there was mud and crap up to the window lines and grass, debris etc stuck in the front grille. Luckily though, after a wash there wasn't a mark on the car and I got away with it. Still don't know how I managed to miss anything hard or heavy though. It taught me a lesson about snow driving though.
More years ago than I care to remember I was driving down the single carriagway slip road to join the eastbound M8 near Bellshill. Those that know it will understand, but it's a little difficult to explain the layout of the road(s). The section I was on ran parallel with the motorway which then turns quite sharply to the right then sharp left to join the motorway and the other lane is for egress from the motorway.
I wasn't driving fast and the road was damp at worst, but when Igot to the right hander the steering on my company Montego went really vague. Realising the extreme loss of traction I overcompensated and through inexperience backed off the throttle which initiated an episode of extreme lift off oversteer.
Remembering what I'd been taught I steered into the slide and realised that being a FWD I should floor the throttle to pull the front of the car back round so I did.
It worked, but not before a car exiting the motorway came round the bend whilst executing the recovery and the front of my car could only have missed it my millimetres.
The car straightened out and I entered the motorway as if the drama never happened.
It was only seconds but felt like ten minutes and the sad thing was that noone was onboard to witness my Godlike car control.
I wasn't driving fast and the road was damp at worst, but when Igot to the right hander the steering on my company Montego went really vague. Realising the extreme loss of traction I overcompensated and through inexperience backed off the throttle which initiated an episode of extreme lift off oversteer.
Remembering what I'd been taught I steered into the slide and realised that being a FWD I should floor the throttle to pull the front of the car back round so I did.
It worked, but not before a car exiting the motorway came round the bend whilst executing the recovery and the front of my car could only have missed it my millimetres.
The car straightened out and I entered the motorway as if the drama never happened.
It was only seconds but felt like ten minutes and the sad thing was that noone was onboard to witness my Godlike car control.
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