Hitting the Armco at 60 isn't fun!

[eltax91]

Hi all

Had a bit of a moment on the m1 this morning, heading southbound, motorway fairly empty, cruise on at about 0.8 indicated leptons.

As I drew alongside a lwb sprinter, he decided to move from L2 to L3, immediately, with no sign of an indicator.

Instincts kicked in, I hit the brakes and had to swerve to avoid him, as such I ended up rubbing the entire offside against the Armco for 3 or so seconds.

Upon pulling up on the hard shoulder a very kind citizen stopped to check I was ok and mentioned the sprinter driver obviously heard what had happened and quickly swerved back into L2 and disappeared off down the m1.

My new (to me) daily hack of two weeks now has a dent/ deep scratch on every offside panel, its a real mess. I managed to continue my journey so mechanically its ok.

Anyway, the point if posting is two fold:

Careful out there folks, these things really can take you by surprise

Thanks so much to the driver of the merc behind me who stopped to offer help and advise, it was just what I needed and when I need it

[s_zigmond]

Glad your ok. Is it worth speaking to the police \ highway maintenance to see if there are any cameras around that area that may have recorded the van?

[Escort3500]

s_zigmond said:

Glad your ok. Is it worth speaking to the police \ highway maintenance to see if there are any cameras around that area that may have recorded the van?

+1. Must have been a very scary few seconds. Shame you didn't have a dashcam which might have helped you and the police to identify the idiot.

[Iroquois Plisken]

eltax91 said:

0.8 indicated leptons.

[Kentish]

Glad you're OK fella - it really scares that scat out of you doesn't it!

Had a Merc (saloon though) pull out exactly as you described but on a D/C.

Sadly I was in an e34 BMW with no ESP or gizmo's; I hit the brakes hard too and got very sideways at about 60. Thankfully, I managed to avoid hitting the central reservation or anyone else.

I pursued him and passed, blowing the horn and shaking my fist at him, he just stared dead ahead, expressionless.

[SystemParanoia]

This may sound harsh.. but you should have held you lane.

Possibly even steered into him once contact was made doing a pit manover.

This would have probbably flipped the prick and left you with only minor cosmetic damage instead of a write off.. he also wouldent have got away.

If you held your lane you wouldent have been found at fault.

By taking avoiding action you have had your own accident and saved him from having one

[Silverbullet767]

It's stories like this that make me glad I have a dash cam, a bit late, but maybe you should invest in one.

[exceed]

I googled leptons as this is my forth time reading it on this site

[i]
A lepton is an elementary, spin-1/2 particle that does not undergo strong interactions
[/i]

I'm going to read it at what I think it says, but anyway sorry to hear this. It's a nightmare driving on the road, almost had a woman do this to me yesterday but I managed to break and advise her I was in the lane (read gratuitous shouting and beeping). I wouldn't mind if I was in the Pug 106 but was driving a XJ SuperV8 that's about 15 cars long! Some people...

[Limpet]

SystemParanoia said:

This may sound harsh.. but you should have held you lane.

Possibly even steered into him once contact was made doing a pit manover.

This would have probbably flipped the prick and left you with only minor cosmetic damage instead of a write off.. he also wouldent have got away.

If you held your lane you wouldent have been found at fault.

By taking avoiding action you have had your own accident and saved him from having one

There's some sense to this. A few years ago my mate demolished a lamp post avoiding a bus that was on a collision course. The bus, not being involved in the accident, drove on up the road.

As well as having to pay out for the damage as no third party was officially involved, my mate's insurers also had to pay to replace the lamp post.

He still says the smartest thing to have done would have been to hit the bus.

That said, consciously refraining from taking action to avoid a collision goes against every natural instinct. It's like crashing on purpose.

[y2blade]

I'm glad you are ok...although I switched off when you used the term "Leptons"

[205alive]

y2blade said:

I'm glad you are ok...although I switched off when you used the term "Leptons"

Strange that the word LEPTONS has been a PH mainstay for many years - not like the ridiculous word-of-the-week-clique-fetists current trend, whatever that is this week.

Incidentally, as LEPTONS was used at the end of the first sentence, how did you manage to maintain interest in the OP's condition?

LEPTONS...LEPTONS...

[y2blade]

205alive said:

y2blade said:

I'm glad you are ok...although I switched off when you used the term "Leptons"

Incidentally, as LEPTONS was used at the end of the first sentence, how did you manage to maintain interest in the OP's condition?

LEPTONS...LEPTONS...

I persevered (while containing a Hulklike rage within) as I sympathized with the OP.

[Willy Holloughby]

You were attempting to pass another vehicle with the cruise control on at 60??

[Jonny_]

There are some real fking aholes on the road, aren there?

A cretin in a VW van tried doing this to me on the A63 a couple of weeks ago. Started pulling across just as my car's front end drew level with his wing mirrors, despite having my hand on the horn as soon as I noticed the prick kept coming, ended up with two wheels on the central reservation and braking hard to let the ahole get ahead.

And as I drew level with him afterwards, he had the audacity to start giving me abuse!

I reported him to the police, who called back to say he wasn't local and their patrols hadn't spotted him so it'd be passed to his local force to "have a word with him" but as I had no evidence and hadn't stopped in the middle of a busy dual carriageway to ask other drivers to act as witnesses nothing official would happen.

If I'd let the tosser hit my car, then there would be evidence in the form of at least two damaged vehicles, the traffic would have had to stop thus providing witnesses, and the moron would therefore have been charged with reckless/dangerous driving.

[eltax91]

Thanks chaps

I have only had the car 2 weeks, dash cam was in the list of things to do once I knew it was a good runner.

I spent the remaining drive wondering what I could have done differently, and came to the same conclusion that I should have held my lane. Instincts took over and I just didn't do it.

Looks like the budget for a dash cam is going on paintwork for a month or two.

Car is one hell of a mess sadly. Will try a smart repairer but I think it's too much for that.

[Mr2Mike]

205alive said:

Strange that the word LEPTONS has been a PH mainstay for many years - not like the ridiculous word-of-the-week-clique-fetists current trend, whatever that is this week.

Leptons is now "word-of-the-week-to-hate" for no apparent reason other than people like jumping on whatever bandwagon is currently fashionable in PH world.

[eltax91]

s_zigmond said:

Glad your ok. Is it worth speaking to the police \ highway maintenance to see if there are any cameras around that area that may have recorded the van?

I called the police and they took my details, but sadly I fear nothing will come of it.

Attempt at a pic from iPhone:-

Edited by eltax91 on Thursday 19th September 12:42

[kiethton]

If its over a few years old why not check some scrappeys/eBay for replacement bolt on parts in the right colour?

[deltashad]

Even with a dashcam I wonder where you'd stand in the eyes of the law and insurance co.
I don't know if my reflexes would work this way bit as has been said, best scenario is to let him hit you.
Thinking about it my reflexes would have done the same as you.
Forget about chasing this up, too late now. I would have taken up chafe though.
Predictive text and fed up correcting on my scrappy work phone

[vrooom]

I think you best call insurance. too much for dent repaier.