what are your "near misses"?
what are your "near misses"?
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Discussion

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

271 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
Snow. Car almost went sideways at about 45MPH on a country NSL.

Snow. beautiful ballet of slow motion on a roundabout and gently nudged the kerb a couple of times.

Country lane NSL, nice and winding road to be greated by stopped traffic round a bend. Screeched to a halt.
Very shaken, and very stirred. - no harm, just a cautionery lesson.

an 'Amber light slammer'. Those that slam on when the lights go to amber. I slammed on even harder to avoid hitting them. The woman behind slammed on even harder than that, but the prat behind her didn't touch the brakes at all. ........BANG....bang. Woman now in the back of me.

Once went through a red light intentionally. Stopped on Leeds inner ring for a red light, but woman behind wasn't taking any notice, then.......screech of tyres. I drove through the red light to avoid her hitting me. (not right through, just enough to get in the right lane and allow her to screech through on the inside)

Numerous drunks, children, cyclists jumping out in front.

Can't think of any more off hand!

ca092003

797 posts

267 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
bryan35 said:
Snow. Car almost went sideways at about 45MPH on a country NSL.

Snow. beautiful ballet of slow motion on a roundabout and gently nudged the kerb a couple of times.

Country lane NSL, nice and winding road to be greated by stopped traffic round a bend. Screeched to a halt.
Very shaken, and very stirred. - no harm, just a cautionery lesson.

an 'Amber light slammer'. Those that slam on when the lights go to amber. I slammed on even harder to avoid hitting them. The woman behind slammed on even harder than that, but the prat behind her didn't touch the brakes at all. ........BANG....bang. Woman now in the back of me.

Once went through a red light intentionally. Stopped on Leeds inner ring for a red light, but woman behind wasn't taking any notice, then.......screech of tyres. I drove through the red light to avoid her hitting me. (not right through, just enough to get in the right lane and allow her to screech through on the inside)

Numerous drunks, children, cyclists jumping out in front.

Can't think of any more off hand!


To be honest, they sound more like occasions where you failed to observe adequately and perhaps even drove at a speed inappropriate to the conditions.

Not having a go at you but to suggest they are near-misses is a little wide of the mark.

Every thought about IAM, RoSPA or other additional driver training?

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

271 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
Snow. Car almost went sideways at about 45MPH on a country NSL.

Was on the 2 clear bits with my wheels and JUST straddled the snowy bit, which had frozen. Drove into the skid, but was drifting sideways. Car finally corrected. What would you have done?

Snow. beautiful ballet of slow motion on a roundabout and gently nudged the kerb a couple of times.

Was difficult to go slower without using a lower gear or slipping the clutch

Country lane NSL, nice and winding road to be greated by stopped traffic round a bend. Screeched to a halt.
Very shaken, and very stirred. - no harm, just a cautionery lesson.

Not speeding.

an 'Amber light slammer'. Those that slam on when the lights go to amber. I slammed on even harder to avoid hitting them. The woman behind slammed on even harder than that, but the prat behind her didn't touch the brakes at all. ........BANG....bang. Woman now in the back of me.

Braked in time, not my fault.

Once went through a red light intentionally. Stopped on Leeds inner ring for a red light, but woman behind wasn't taking any notice, then.......screech of tyres. I drove through the red light to avoid her hitting me. (not right through, just enough to get in the right lane and allow her to screech through on the inside)

Action stopped an accident occuring

Numerous drunks, children, cyclists jumping out in front.

Put them all on leads?

Can't think of any more off hand!



What driver training would you suggest CA982938234?

ca092003

797 posts

267 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
IAM or RoSPA would be a good place to start (see above).

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

271 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
I refer the honorable gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago!

parrot of doom

23,075 posts

264 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
bryan35 said:
Country lane NSL, nice and winding road to be greated by stopped traffic round a bend. Screeched to a halt.
Very shaken, and very stirred. - no harm, just a cautionery lesson.

Not speeding.


Yes you were.

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

271 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
OH no I wasn't!

(he's behind you!!!!!)

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
I haven't had an avoidable near miss in years.

Although I've done plenty of minor things in a way I'd have liked to have done better.

Last one was during my ROSPA ADA test. Chap came the other way around a blind bend on the wrong side of the road overtaking a car. I stopped. He squeezed over. The examiner and I had a little recovery moment - and then we got on.

I got a Gold too. I think it must have been gratitude to still be alive...

gh0st

4,693 posts

288 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
Wisest words I ever heard were from my motorcycle instructor.

"On a bike, every accident is your fault, regardless of circurmstance. There is always a way you coudl have avoided it"

I try to apply this to all vehicles in my daily life

HarryW

16,028 posts

299 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
gh0st said:
Wisest words I ever heard were from my motorcycle instructor.

"On a bike, every accident is your fault, regardless of circurmstance. There is always a way you coudl have avoided it"

I try to apply this to all vehicles in my daily life

Tend to agree with this, haven't driven a bike for decades but apply it to all vehicles .

Except, there is always an exception or a but , if you happened to get T-boned at a T junction by a sucidal idiot. No wasn't me, but have observed that one and concluded I wouldn't have avoided it either .

Harry

Mad Dave

7,158 posts

293 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
2 spring to mind - the first was in an MR2, it just slid completely unexpectedly whilst I was pootling to work. The car went completely sideways and ended up on the wrong side of the road. When I realised I wasnt going to recover it, I hit the brakes - I knew I would lock up but thought it best to slide in a straight line, rather than round in a circle. Once Id slowed down enough, I snicked into second and got it back onto the right side of the road.

A few years previously, I had a 205GTI. I came around a pretty blind right hand bend to find a car overtaking a lorry. I knew there was no way either of us would stop so I swerved into the layby on the left - it was about a car length wide, and about 2 car lengths long. The car span full circle, missing the kerbs at either end by inches and came to rest against the kerb at the far end of the layby. Nobody even stopped - including the guy that caused me to have to swerve.

MilnerR

8,273 posts

288 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
One pant filling close call early in a driving career can be a very valuable experience.
Not long after passing my test I crested a hill on a good straight NSL A road and found my self not more than a few yards away from several hundred cows being herded across the road. I locked up all four wheels (cadence braking? what's that?) and slid to within about 18 inches of very unconcerned looking cow. I was close enough that the cow started licking the bonnet of my car! Now everytime i approach a blind sumit i ease back expecting something to be in the road purely on reflex!


p.s. Me and my then GF drove back from a close encouter of the bovine kind in complete silence....

Richard C

1,685 posts

287 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
mad dave said:
....... MR2, it just slid completely unexpectedly whilst I was pootling to work. The car went completely sideways and ended up on the wrong side of the road.


Before various folk jump in saying you must have been driving at an inappropriate speed, I had an experience 54 yrs ago in a loaned MR2 on a roundabout when the back stepped out at a speed I considered almost 'pootling' and had to wind on a fair amount of opposite lock. Checking the rear tyres ( original seemed to have denatured due to absorbtion of some sort of hydrocarbon solvent possibly diesel or gas oil. The lack of grip in the wet was frighteningly low. My friend changed them very soon after.

5ltr-chim

635 posts

287 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all

Surely a near miss means you didn't!
as in you nearly missed..

And I too would recommend IAM or Rospa as they teach you to better position you're car and expect & prepare for the unexpected.

Trommel

20,631 posts

289 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
ca092003 said:
To be honest, they sound more like occasions where you failed to observe adequately and perhaps even drove at a speed inappropriate to the conditions


How sanctimonious is that? It must be nice never to have made a mistake/been young/got carried away etc.

>> Edited by Trommel on Monday 7th February 18:18

ca092003

797 posts

267 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
bryan35 said:
I refer the honorable gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago!


What *are* you on about? You asked for driver training and I suggested them. What part of IAM or RoSPA do you not understand?

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
Trommel said:

ca092003 said:
To be honest, they sound more like occasions where you failed to observe adequately and perhaps even drove at a speed inappropriate to the conditions



How sanctimonious is that? It must be nice never to have made a mistake/been young/got carried away etc.


Christ. This is a forum about driving. If you've had a near miss the logical thing to do is view it as a learning opportunity. Learning is assisted by training. I don't view ca...'s response as sanctimonious or unreasonable - it was helpful.

ca092003

797 posts

267 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
Trommel said:

ca092003 said:
To be honest, they sound more like occasions where you failed to observe adequately and perhaps even drove at a speed inappropriate to the conditions



How sanctimonious is that? It must be nice never to have made a mistake/been young/got carried away etc.

>> Edited by Trommel on Monday 7th February 18:18


Where did I say that I'd never made a mistake/been young/got carried away?

His driving behaviour has led to him having a number of 'incidents'. If he continues driving in the same manner, then the 'incidents' will continue.

Something needs to happen in order to break the cycle. He asked about driver education and I told him.

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

271 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
didn't ask for driver training CA23849283.

just asking what peoples experiences were.

All were more or less unavoidable and/or someone elses fault, except the country lane bit, which taught me more about driving on that type of road than any text book would.

And yes, I've driven to the coast and come across a full herd of cows in the road, and thanks to the experience earlier was completely in control.

Sanctimonious?.........Yes. I think you are.

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

271 months

Monday 7th February 2005
quotequote all
actually just read your last post.

What a bloody cheeky sod you are!

This, Mr september 2003 (day you passed your test?) is the complete resume of incidents I've had in approx 400,000 miles of motoring.

SO don't make presumtions about me needing driver training.

..........1...2.....3........4.