So, you're going to have a crash..

[JonnyFive]

Whats the correct proceedure, if theoretically you had time to think about it?

Lets pretend you're going to crash at 30mph, and can't brake/turn the wheel, you ARE going to crash.. Do you take your hands off the wheel? Do you leave them on the wheel? Do you hold yourself back in the seat?

What about if you were going faster?

[Snowboy]

I guess I would try and brace myself against the steering wheel, jam my feet on the brake and clutch and do my best not to poo myself.

[Cupramax]

If you are absolutely going to hit something tensing up against pedals/steering wheel is the worst thing to do I would think, hands and feet off the controls and relax

[kambites]

Your best bet is to fall asleep.

[ewenm]

kambites said:

Your best bet is to fall asleep.

Or get drunk very quickly

[sim16v]

kambites said:

Your best bet is to fall asleep.

Or be p*ssed!

If you can hardly stand up, you'll probably not tense up!

[BOBTEE]

I once found myself in this situation! Aquaplaning towards a wall after falling out with a girlfriend. The more I think about it, the more I think had I not been thinking how to crash I might not have actually crashed at all!

I seem to remember taking my hands off the wheel to avoid the airbag...which didn't go off in the end!

[pilchardthecat]

You ARE going to crash? You mean like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqmeHH3sSgE

(jumping out probably not the best idea)

[R300will]

Snowboy said:

I guess I would try and brace myself against the steering wheel, jam my feet on the brake and clutch and do my best not to poo myself.

dear god don't jam your feet on the pedals! if they move during the crash your ligaments can rupture.

[Scrambled]

Snowboy said:

I guess I would try and brace myself against the steering wheel, jam my feet on the brake and clutch and do my best not to poo myself.

....and allow for a few months in plaster as you recover from broken arms and legs. Feet and hands of pedals and steering wheel.

[DanDC5]

I'm trying to recall what I did when I knew I was about to crash and can't remember, so the answer to your question is, I don't know.

[sleep envy]

Jump in the back seat.

[JonnyFive]

I've seen in rallying sometimes when they're going to crash I think it's hands off the wheel across their chest?

[zaphod42]

Snowboy said:

I guess I would try and brace myself against the steering wheel, jam my feet on the brake and clutch and do my best not to poo myself.

Most F1 drivers, etc will take hands off the wheel at the last moment. I'm going with them.
I assume they lift their feet as well....

[RobM77]

ewenm said:

kambites said:

Your best bet is to fall asleep.

Or get drunk very quickly

I'm not sure either would be popular with the police

[Snowboy]

You've all quite rightly pointed out that jamming feet on the pedals is a silly thing to do.
But really, if I'm sliding towards something and looking like a crash it's going to be very hard to override the part of my brain that's telling me to press the bloody brakes.
I might be cadence breaking at first, but as the crash looms closer I think rationale thought will get further and further out.

In fact, I'd guess that anyone in the passenger seat would also be stamping hard on the imaginary brake pedal.

Oh, and I know this, because it's happened to me.
Mk2 cavalier, an unexpected corner, and a 20 foot skid into the Armco.

And, before you ask, I did succeed in the final part of my crash plan.

[Alfanatic]

If wearing glasses and you're sitting behind an airbag, take the glasses off. And don't crash with your arms crossed (EDIT: I mean while holding the wheel, I see someone's mentioned rally drivers crossing their arms on their chest, I don't know about that).

Other than that, I don't know, but I've heard of thumbs broken by steering wheel spokes, and ankles injured between a moving brake pedal and a braced leg, so I'd be tempted to put hands in lap and relax the foot on the brake pedal just before impact.

Alternatively, I probably will most likely do what I have done in 100% of accidents I've had to date (on bicycles) that I've seen coming and felt were unavoidable, and that was to yell "SHI-I-I-I-!" up to the moment of impact.

Edited by Alfanatic on Thursday 10th November 14:27

[BOBTEE]

Probably best to put your pipe out too

[thinfourth2]

RobM77 said:

I'm not sure either would be popular with the police

If you are talking from a legal point of view after watching motorway cops the best course of action is to

Phone up the DVLA cancel your license, SORN the car and transfer the car to someone else so it is registered as stolen, cancel your insurance, phone up your boss to resign so you are unemployed and aquire some drugs.

If you have time do try and get some facial tatoos

Then you will get off with anything

[The Wookie]

Having been in the situation before a few times in a race car, my instinctive reaction every time has been to let go of the wheel, put my clenched hands up to either side of my head (helmet) and jam my feet on the brake and clutch.

This might be incorrect in a road car, but in a race car with a crotch strap personally I'd rather risk a limp than try to decelerate 110kg at significant G with just my bks.