Accidents......what happened in yours ?
Discussion
I'll be honest enough to start this off.
I've ridden too quickly for conditions and fallen off motorcycles, not been observant enough regarding road surfaces and fallen off motorcycles.
I've ridden badly and fallen off.
All in the process of learning as a youngster.
I've driven too close to a vehicle in front and hit it when it needed to stop.
I've accelerated myself into countless problems with fast cars & bikes, only having avoided collisions due to other peoples driving skills.
I did eventually grow up and learn.
I've had two accidents in the last 10 years ( I'm a 40 - 50,000 mile a year chap)
On the first I was hit head on by a young man who was on the wrong side of the road, as I rounded a corner ( I've been over it time & time again, and I'm still unsure, even with the benefit of hindsight, that I could have done anything to prevent it other than not being there)
I had an own fault bump this year ( I did a lot of damage but only hurt myself), due to a medical condition I didn't know I had.
My own conclusion is inexperience, lack of training, and young arrogance (combined with access to vehicles that had performance levels that far outweighed my driving/riding skills) were my downfall.
I'm now an advanced driving convert
I've ridden too quickly for conditions and fallen off motorcycles, not been observant enough regarding road surfaces and fallen off motorcycles.
I've ridden badly and fallen off.
All in the process of learning as a youngster.
I've driven too close to a vehicle in front and hit it when it needed to stop.
I've accelerated myself into countless problems with fast cars & bikes, only having avoided collisions due to other peoples driving skills.
I did eventually grow up and learn.
I've had two accidents in the last 10 years ( I'm a 40 - 50,000 mile a year chap)
On the first I was hit head on by a young man who was on the wrong side of the road, as I rounded a corner ( I've been over it time & time again, and I'm still unsure, even with the benefit of hindsight, that I could have done anything to prevent it other than not being there)
I had an own fault bump this year ( I did a lot of damage but only hurt myself), due to a medical condition I didn't know I had.
My own conclusion is inexperience, lack of training, and young arrogance (combined with access to vehicles that had performance levels that far outweighed my driving/riding skills) were my downfall.
I'm now an advanced driving convert
A challenging thread!
It feels like tempting fate to say I’ve not had an accident since 1984 (freak weather, road going up one side of the hill wet; over the brow became sheet ice and the car drifted down the camber, completely out of control and hit another that had done the same thing a few seconds before) and I’ll discount the numerous bits of bent bodywork from road rallying. However, there was one lucky escape that could have been really serious and that forced me to rethink how I was driving.
A local road, downhill S bend, just about on at 55mph but with limited visibility. I drove it pretty much every day and had become blasé about it, concentrating on speed, not safety. Early one morning, just around the first, left hand part of the S, there was a car parked or broken down at the roadside - hidden from my view until I reached the apex. Of course I lifted and probably braked as well – a completely instinctive reaction. At the speed I was going the back end instantly stepped out and I applied all my hard won car control knowledge to prevent it spinning, i.e. steered right and applied power (front wheel drive). Result: I didn’t spin but I ended up on the wrong side of the road heading into a blind right hand bend at, I would guess, about 65mph. The bend was OK but if anything had been coming the other way the resulting crash doesn’t bear thinking about.
Of course, the moral of the tale is first, always be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear and second, preventing a spin is sometimes not the best course of action. And learn from your mistakes!! I like to think I have.
P.S. This all happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away …
It feels like tempting fate to say I’ve not had an accident since 1984 (freak weather, road going up one side of the hill wet; over the brow became sheet ice and the car drifted down the camber, completely out of control and hit another that had done the same thing a few seconds before) and I’ll discount the numerous bits of bent bodywork from road rallying. However, there was one lucky escape that could have been really serious and that forced me to rethink how I was driving.
A local road, downhill S bend, just about on at 55mph but with limited visibility. I drove it pretty much every day and had become blasé about it, concentrating on speed, not safety. Early one morning, just around the first, left hand part of the S, there was a car parked or broken down at the roadside - hidden from my view until I reached the apex. Of course I lifted and probably braked as well – a completely instinctive reaction. At the speed I was going the back end instantly stepped out and I applied all my hard won car control knowledge to prevent it spinning, i.e. steered right and applied power (front wheel drive). Result: I didn’t spin but I ended up on the wrong side of the road heading into a blind right hand bend at, I would guess, about 65mph. The bend was OK but if anything had been coming the other way the resulting crash doesn’t bear thinking about.
Of course, the moral of the tale is first, always be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear and second, preventing a spin is sometimes not the best course of action. And learn from your mistakes!! I like to think I have.
P.S. This all happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away …
Mine didn’t actually end in a crash but could have very easily been much worse than it was:
I was driving like a tool one the way to a weekend away surfing with my mates, I was showing off and driving way to fast for the conditions (wet, mud etc on road) on a B road in Devon. As I rounded a right hander it tightened up after what I thought was the apex and I ended up barreling into it much faster than was safe, realizing my mistake I lifted off (too quickly) and promptly lost the back end, I then proceeded to overcorrect the slide back to the left, then the right before finally losing it and spinning onto the wrong side of the road, coming to a halt facing the opposite way to that I’d come. Thankfully nobody was coming the other way otherwise it could have been a seriously nasty crash (think combined impact speed 100mph+). After pulling into the nearest lay by for a breather and a calm down I was on my way fine, but a touch slower and nursing a very bruised ego.
I count myself very lucky nothing was coming the other way as this was 6pm and on a relatively busy road in the middle of summer, miracle really.
I put this little “event” down to stupidity and a lack of driver ability.
I was driving like a tool one the way to a weekend away surfing with my mates, I was showing off and driving way to fast for the conditions (wet, mud etc on road) on a B road in Devon. As I rounded a right hander it tightened up after what I thought was the apex and I ended up barreling into it much faster than was safe, realizing my mistake I lifted off (too quickly) and promptly lost the back end, I then proceeded to overcorrect the slide back to the left, then the right before finally losing it and spinning onto the wrong side of the road, coming to a halt facing the opposite way to that I’d come. Thankfully nobody was coming the other way otherwise it could have been a seriously nasty crash (think combined impact speed 100mph+). After pulling into the nearest lay by for a breather and a calm down I was on my way fine, but a touch slower and nursing a very bruised ego.
I count myself very lucky nothing was coming the other way as this was 6pm and on a relatively busy road in the middle of summer, miracle really.
I put this little “event” down to stupidity and a lack of driver ability.
Only ever had minor bumps, but I shudder to think about how I drove when I first had my own car. Overtaking on dark blind corners, coming down hills at 60mph over single-track blind humped bridges...
The last bump I had, I was reversing on the mirrors, and the lamppost slid neatly betwixt the O/S and interior mirror...
The last bump I had, I was reversing on the mirrors, and the lamppost slid neatly betwixt the O/S and interior mirror...
Luckily only one in my own car...
Many years back, was working at Alton Towers and it was about a 15 minute drive from home to work. Middle of summer, lovely, empty country lanes, and absolutely no rush whatsoever. One evening, I was following an old Escort van back. He was driving at a steady 40mph, which was slower than I'd have driven but I was in no rush and was quite happy to follow at a safe distance.
About a mile from home, he went over the brow of a hill, and the shape of the hill is such that the other side is completely hidden until you are well over the crest. Anyway, I followed him over the hill, and as I started down the other side, I was confronted with this twunt, who had stopped dead in the middle of a country road and left me about 3 car lengths to stop from 40mph.
Needless to say, I hit the brakes, skidded (no ABS) and parked my car right in the back of his van. 100% my fault from a legal and insurance POV, but we both knew it was his stupid parking that was the cause.
And a few at work, both due to pushing on a little too hard with crap road surfaces...
1. In an ambulance (which contrary to popular belief are simply builders vans with blue lights - they have no upgraded parts whatsoever), braked hard from around 60mph for a roundabout, locked up on tarmac that had frosted overnight, and parked it neatly beside the chevrons, up to the axles in mud.
2. In a car this time (similarly, just a bog standard Astra) on a good run out to a job in the countryside. Roads were empty, weather was great, I was really 'in the zone'. About halfway around a very long and deceptively sharp right hand bend I hit a patch of mud/cowpat outside a farm gate, and proceeded in a sideways fashion off the road, across the verge, through a hedge and ripped the sump out on the remains of a tree stump.
3. In another car (newer Astra, half decent to drive, good tyres, good suspension etc) pushed it a bit too hard around a corner in the middle of the night. Well, quite a lot too hard, to be fair. Serious understeer, tyres squealing and I hit the kerb.
Some friendly resident then phoned the police, and 9 months later I was in cpourt being charged with DWDCAA
Not bad, considering...
Many years back, was working at Alton Towers and it was about a 15 minute drive from home to work. Middle of summer, lovely, empty country lanes, and absolutely no rush whatsoever. One evening, I was following an old Escort van back. He was driving at a steady 40mph, which was slower than I'd have driven but I was in no rush and was quite happy to follow at a safe distance.
About a mile from home, he went over the brow of a hill, and the shape of the hill is such that the other side is completely hidden until you are well over the crest. Anyway, I followed him over the hill, and as I started down the other side, I was confronted with this twunt, who had stopped dead in the middle of a country road and left me about 3 car lengths to stop from 40mph.
Needless to say, I hit the brakes, skidded (no ABS) and parked my car right in the back of his van. 100% my fault from a legal and insurance POV, but we both knew it was his stupid parking that was the cause.
And a few at work, both due to pushing on a little too hard with crap road surfaces...
1. In an ambulance (which contrary to popular belief are simply builders vans with blue lights - they have no upgraded parts whatsoever), braked hard from around 60mph for a roundabout, locked up on tarmac that had frosted overnight, and parked it neatly beside the chevrons, up to the axles in mud.
2. In a car this time (similarly, just a bog standard Astra) on a good run out to a job in the countryside. Roads were empty, weather was great, I was really 'in the zone'. About halfway around a very long and deceptively sharp right hand bend I hit a patch of mud/cowpat outside a farm gate, and proceeded in a sideways fashion off the road, across the verge, through a hedge and ripped the sump out on the remains of a tree stump.
3. In another car (newer Astra, half decent to drive, good tyres, good suspension etc) pushed it a bit too hard around a corner in the middle of the night. Well, quite a lot too hard, to be fair. Serious understeer, tyres squealing and I hit the kerb.
Some friendly resident then phoned the police, and 9 months later I was in cpourt being charged with DWDCAA
Not bad, considering...
Just remembered one from a while ago - driving a local NSL, there's an S-bend, but at such an angle that both corners are >90 degrees. Driving in the middle of the night, pressed on far too much, went into the first one far, far too quickly and, like a fool, lifted off. Brought the back end round, only my instinctive counter-steering and going back onto the power kept me on the road.
Luckily nothing was coming the other way, however, since I used the entirety of the oncoming lane in correcting it. Drove home at about 14mph, drowning in my own sweat...
Luckily nothing was coming the other way, however, since I used the entirety of the oncoming lane in correcting it. Drove home at about 14mph, drowning in my own sweat...
One accident and two jolly near misses for me:
The accident: 40 limit roman road. 6pm in winter. Rush hour. My Mk1 MR2. I'm driving along in a queue of cars at about 35mph when suddenly an Audi coming the other way swerves as it passes me and strikes my driver's door. Before I know it I'm sliding down a ditch sideways and come to a very muddy halt about a foot from a tree. The Audi was being driven by a woman not familiar with the car and she was reading a map when it drifted to the left, and she over-corrected on the light steering. She tried to claim afterwards that I'd lost control on a bend, slid sideways and clouted her right hand headlight and bumper with my driver's door, rebounding me into the ditch. My insurance company deemed that I was at fault until I convinced them to speak to the solicitor that was following me at the time and also to check out a road atlas and notice how long and straight the road was...
The near miss #1: Driving down a straight NSL at about 55-60mph on my way home from a Lotus 7 Club meeting in my Caterham. Car behind me a bit close, but at a reasonably safe distance. Car ahead of me on the right waiting to turn right to go the same way as me. They don't see me or the other car coming and pull out when I'm about 20 yards from them! I try braking but it's just too late, so I put the car in the gap on the left between the deep ditch on the left and their bumper on my right. Thankfully, they see me at the last second, stop and I miss the accident by probably less than an inch either side of my car (which could well have been fatal for me in my flimsy 7...). The car behind me takes to the ditch in avoidance and ends up on its side. Car was full of girls off on a night out - they looked rather err.. shocked. Old guy in the car following me was fine thankfully, if a little shaken.
The near miss #2. In my Caterham following three cars going really slow when a long straight appears. I decide to start overtaking, so I check my mirror (nothing), change down, move out, make sure it's safe and start to accelerate past the first car. Then it becomes apparent that there are actually four cars... The car that had so far remained hidden was a Micra (in front of a big off roader), and they're turning right into a farm entrance so far hidden by long grass (turning right without indicating from the left hand side of the road!). So I'm doing quite a reasonable speed on the wrong side of the road with a Micra side on in front of me. I hit the brakes and try and stop as fast as possible, but it's no good, there's no time. I hope that the old people in the Micra don't stop and thankfully they don't see me and continue into the hidden entrance. As soon as they're gone I release the brakes and continue!
The accident: 40 limit roman road. 6pm in winter. Rush hour. My Mk1 MR2. I'm driving along in a queue of cars at about 35mph when suddenly an Audi coming the other way swerves as it passes me and strikes my driver's door. Before I know it I'm sliding down a ditch sideways and come to a very muddy halt about a foot from a tree. The Audi was being driven by a woman not familiar with the car and she was reading a map when it drifted to the left, and she over-corrected on the light steering. She tried to claim afterwards that I'd lost control on a bend, slid sideways and clouted her right hand headlight and bumper with my driver's door, rebounding me into the ditch. My insurance company deemed that I was at fault until I convinced them to speak to the solicitor that was following me at the time and also to check out a road atlas and notice how long and straight the road was...
The near miss #1: Driving down a straight NSL at about 55-60mph on my way home from a Lotus 7 Club meeting in my Caterham. Car behind me a bit close, but at a reasonably safe distance. Car ahead of me on the right waiting to turn right to go the same way as me. They don't see me or the other car coming and pull out when I'm about 20 yards from them! I try braking but it's just too late, so I put the car in the gap on the left between the deep ditch on the left and their bumper on my right. Thankfully, they see me at the last second, stop and I miss the accident by probably less than an inch either side of my car (which could well have been fatal for me in my flimsy 7...). The car behind me takes to the ditch in avoidance and ends up on its side. Car was full of girls off on a night out - they looked rather err.. shocked. Old guy in the car following me was fine thankfully, if a little shaken.
The near miss #2. In my Caterham following three cars going really slow when a long straight appears. I decide to start overtaking, so I check my mirror (nothing), change down, move out, make sure it's safe and start to accelerate past the first car. Then it becomes apparent that there are actually four cars... The car that had so far remained hidden was a Micra (in front of a big off roader), and they're turning right into a farm entrance so far hidden by long grass (turning right without indicating from the left hand side of the road!). So I'm doing quite a reasonable speed on the wrong side of the road with a Micra side on in front of me. I hit the brakes and try and stop as fast as possible, but it's no good, there's no time. I hope that the old people in the Micra don't stop and thankfully they don't see me and continue into the hidden entrance. As soon as they're gone I release the brakes and continue!
First scary moment was three days after I passed my test last year. It lashed with rain the night before and was raining moderately on a dual carriageway that takes me to college. I'm driving in the left hand lane behind a lorry doing sixtyish, unable to overtake because there's a car in the right hand lane coming at a reasonable rate. I plan to overtake after he passes, and by that time we're about 400 yards from a roundabout I need to turn right at. As I begin to indicate and move out the guy in the Avensis behind me decides he can't wait and overtakes me before I could get into the RH lane. So I pull out behind him and move alongside the lorry, but suddenly for no apparent reason the Avensis pulls in front of the lorry. At this point I'm travelling about 80mph, and quickly I realise there's a MASSIVE puddle in front of me. I accelerate to try and get in front of the lorry who sees what's about to happen and kindly begins to brake but it's too late and I hit the puddle still doing 80. I'm not sure what to do so I just hold on and try steer right round the curve of the road. Water comes all over the car and I can't see anything and it feels like we're leaning. Happily we did reach the other side of the puddle, although the rest of the journey was fairly silent. Mysteriously that puddle has never reappeared.
My last accident happened when some stupid old woman was driving too fast towards a corner I was about to pull out on, drove straight over it, onto the path, then onto the wrong side of the road and hit my car.
Then she got out and said "I was dazzled by the sun". Oh well that's okay then. And then she said "Which car did I hit?". !!! Unbelievable! Shouldn't be on the road.
My last accident happened when some stupid old woman was driving too fast towards a corner I was about to pull out on, drove straight over it, onto the path, then onto the wrong side of the road and hit my car.
Then she got out and said "I was dazzled by the sun". Oh well that's okay then. And then she said "Which car did I hit?". !!! Unbelievable! Shouldn't be on the road.
Live It said:
!!! Unbelievable! Shouldn't be on the road.
Thankyou for your post, very honest, largely inexperience.....we've all been there !I'd like tempt you to reconsider your above comment.
The old lady may indeed have been dazzled by the sun, she may also have been in a little bit of shock, you'd probably be very surprised at how you can turn little old ladies driving around, with a bit of tuition & encouragement, I've had a few as candidates
The lorry driver you mention (in your close shave) may indeed have seen what was going to happen/was happening to you, and may have been uttering the same comment about young drivers !
A long time ago I managed to not have an an accident despite coming around a quick blind corner at around 80mph. On rounding the corner in my mk1 Fiesta, I found a JCB on the other side of the road with a 7.5 tonne truck on my side overtaking the JCB, I learnt two important lessons that day.
There really was a very very good reason why you were only supposed to go round corners at a speed that would allow you to stop, in the distance that you could actually see to be clear.
Under pressure I did use cadence braking, passing the truck via the grass verge to avoid what would otherwise have resulted in a pile of flowers at the side of the road.
There really was a very very good reason why you were only supposed to go round corners at a speed that would allow you to stop, in the distance that you could actually see to be clear.
Under pressure I did use cadence braking, passing the truck via the grass verge to avoid what would otherwise have resulted in a pile of flowers at the side of the road.
waremark said:
Mr LiveIt, what advice if any do you give friends who have just passed their test as a result of your scary moment?
Don't drive too fast, make sure you know the road well before you start driving fast on it.One of my best friends died in September in a car crash. Everyone said he was going to have a big crash because, basically, he drove like an idiot. When he did actually crash though the circumstances were a bit odd - he went for an overtake on a single carriageway, overtook the car, then for some reason we'll never know he didn't move back to his lane and hit a Volvo V70 head on.
Nigel Worc's said:
Live It said:
!!! Unbelievable! Shouldn't be on the road.
Thankyou for your post, very honest, largely inexperience.....we've all been there !I'd like tempt you to reconsider your above comment.
The old lady may indeed have been dazzled by the sun, she may also have been in a little bit of shock, you'd probably be very surprised at how you can turn little old ladies driving around, with a bit of tuition & encouragement, I've had a few as candidates
The lorry driver you mention (in your close shave) may indeed have seen what was going to happen/was happening to you, and may have been uttering the same comment about young drivers !
). The bit that annoyed me was that even when she'd got out of the car she didn't know which car she'd hit, when the other car was about 5 metres behind me and my car also had a massive dent on the nearside wing. If she can't see that then surely she can't see what's happening on the road?about 2 weeks after passing my test i was driving my mint condition freshly restored mini and came over a brow of a hill around a bend at about 70mph hit a damp muddy patch and spun landed on the glass, luckily it was a road across an open fell and the grass was very smooth and bare etc. so i managed to regain control then stoped. s**t myself clamed down then caryed on with my journy. i was very very lucky. and now am alot more careful and have since have the rear tyers replaced as they only had about 2mm tread on.
also hit a bridge in the snow on my scooter on the same road
also hit a bridge in the snow on my scooter on the same road
Live It said:
waremark said:
Mr LiveIt, what advice if any do you give friends who have just passed their test as a result of your scary moment?
Don't drive too fast, make sure you know the road well before you start driving fast on it.1st incident- shortly after passing test, driving a 'country road' near where I lived, I was exceeding speed limit by a little (70 in a 60 NSL). Late afternoon with a low sun and I misread the severity of a downhill bend. Too much speed in and I panicked hit the brakes. Tyres locked and car slid, first understeering before gripping a little more and swinging into Lift-off oversteer.
Large armfully of opposite lock stopped me spinning but I hit the inside grass verge. The front drivers side tyre dug into the soft grass and the car flipped, first onto its roof, then back onto its wheels. It struck the fence and bushes then slid to a halt.
Car was totally ruined, whole of the roof towards the back of the car caved in heavily, rear subframe damaged etc. No-one else was with me and I was driving on my own, which was a relief as the rear seats had the car wheelbrace stabbed through them. I got out the car fine and apart from shock and small glass cuts from the shattering drivers window, no problems.
Causes- Major factors: inappropriate speed, poor driving technique (far too harsh steering and braking), Minor factors: poor weather conditions (low dazzling sun), poor road layout (bend reduces to 40 limit midway round and camber changes, reducing grip).
Police & ambulance were called by a passer-by, paramedics found me all fine, police spoke with me regarding the incident, put it down predominantly to inexperience & foolishness, gave me a producer to show my documents and nothing else. Didn't claim on the insurance as the car wasn't worth that much (less than £800, probably).
2nd incident- around 12 months after the first, driving a 205 GTI 1.9, tried taking a roundabout too fast for the conditions in heavy rain at night. Had just had new rear tyres (Yokohamas) fitted. Car snapped sideways at fairly low speed (~25mph), so I pressed down the accelerator and wound on opposite lock. The car snapped back quickly and swung the opposite direction. I couldn't get the steering back quick enough and slid off the outside of the roundabout. The car struck an old overgrown concrete bench and damaged the front of the car.
Contacted the council the next morning, who thanked me for telling them and agreed that they didn't have any need to claim (they later had the remainder of the bench removed). Contacted police who said they were happy that as it involved just me and the council they had no need to be involved, provided there was no dispute.
Major factor was excessive speed for the conditions, minor factor could have been tyres still being mismatched front to rear.
3rd incident- 6 months after 2nd, driving at night through a series of roundabouts connected with dual carriageway, slowed and pulled into right hand lane with another car a little in front of me (both intending to take the 3rd exit 270 degrees round). One car was approaching the roundabout from our desired exit direction, in the left of their two lanes. I saw the driver looking towards the first exit and as he began to indicate I looked ahead, only to find the driver in front had chosen to stop. I locked the brakes and swerved slightly, striking the rear corner of their car.
They had to claim on my insurance as while my car only had a broken indicator, headlight and damaged front bumper & bumper mount, the corner of their car had smashed light cluster, damaged tailgate, broken bumper, and damage to the rear section above the rear arch, which was directly fixed to the roof. Their car was written off despite the low impact speed. No-one was injured.
The main fault was with me as I failed to prioritise the hazards, not recognising that my primary focus should have been on the car ahead rather than anything else. I took too long a look at the exit rather than a higher quantity of brief looks.
Since then (early April '07) I've been accident-free, although I won't deny having had a few minor near misses where others have been at fault. I drive with more maturity than I did have, but I still have much more to learn.
Large armfully of opposite lock stopped me spinning but I hit the inside grass verge. The front drivers side tyre dug into the soft grass and the car flipped, first onto its roof, then back onto its wheels. It struck the fence and bushes then slid to a halt.
Car was totally ruined, whole of the roof towards the back of the car caved in heavily, rear subframe damaged etc. No-one else was with me and I was driving on my own, which was a relief as the rear seats had the car wheelbrace stabbed through them. I got out the car fine and apart from shock and small glass cuts from the shattering drivers window, no problems.
Causes- Major factors: inappropriate speed, poor driving technique (far too harsh steering and braking), Minor factors: poor weather conditions (low dazzling sun), poor road layout (bend reduces to 40 limit midway round and camber changes, reducing grip).
Police & ambulance were called by a passer-by, paramedics found me all fine, police spoke with me regarding the incident, put it down predominantly to inexperience & foolishness, gave me a producer to show my documents and nothing else. Didn't claim on the insurance as the car wasn't worth that much (less than £800, probably).
2nd incident- around 12 months after the first, driving a 205 GTI 1.9, tried taking a roundabout too fast for the conditions in heavy rain at night. Had just had new rear tyres (Yokohamas) fitted. Car snapped sideways at fairly low speed (~25mph), so I pressed down the accelerator and wound on opposite lock. The car snapped back quickly and swung the opposite direction. I couldn't get the steering back quick enough and slid off the outside of the roundabout. The car struck an old overgrown concrete bench and damaged the front of the car.
Contacted the council the next morning, who thanked me for telling them and agreed that they didn't have any need to claim (they later had the remainder of the bench removed). Contacted police who said they were happy that as it involved just me and the council they had no need to be involved, provided there was no dispute.
Major factor was excessive speed for the conditions, minor factor could have been tyres still being mismatched front to rear.
3rd incident- 6 months after 2nd, driving at night through a series of roundabouts connected with dual carriageway, slowed and pulled into right hand lane with another car a little in front of me (both intending to take the 3rd exit 270 degrees round). One car was approaching the roundabout from our desired exit direction, in the left of their two lanes. I saw the driver looking towards the first exit and as he began to indicate I looked ahead, only to find the driver in front had chosen to stop. I locked the brakes and swerved slightly, striking the rear corner of their car.
They had to claim on my insurance as while my car only had a broken indicator, headlight and damaged front bumper & bumper mount, the corner of their car had smashed light cluster, damaged tailgate, broken bumper, and damage to the rear section above the rear arch, which was directly fixed to the roof. Their car was written off despite the low impact speed. No-one was injured.
The main fault was with me as I failed to prioritise the hazards, not recognising that my primary focus should have been on the car ahead rather than anything else. I took too long a look at the exit rather than a higher quantity of brief looks.
Since then (early April '07) I've been accident-free, although I won't deny having had a few minor near misses where others have been at fault. I drive with more maturity than I did have, but I still have much more to learn.
leon t, well done on your honesty and on understanding the issues. My record was not too different in my early driving years, more than three decades ago.
Have you had advanced or high performance training? You sound like the sort of enthusiast who could be helped to get more fun more safely out of your driving.
Have you had advanced or high performance training? You sound like the sort of enthusiast who could be helped to get more fun more safely out of your driving.
I've been browsing these forums for a long time but this is my first post here!
If you want to read about a big smash don't read this epic post!
I'm a new driver (only past in August) so naturally I have had a couple of scares but nothing major!
2 weeks after passing my test I got a job driving a van full time (grateful the employer allowed me to even have the job), at first I took things quite easy due to the fact I was a new driver and had to re-teach myself my observations without a rear view mirror (sounds easy.....it's not when you have about 10 miles of experience). As expected within a few weeks the overconfidence took over, I was definitely taking risks I can see now are unnecessary/dangerous. Throwing this old escort van far too fast round blind corners, down narrow lanes etc.
Now I can honestly say I don't think the driving test goes far enough at the moment because the only thing that stopped me having some nasty accidents was taking the time (before I even passed) to understand how a car will react to different situations. In my first couple of weeks I had a few tail out moments (braking heavily under cornering etc.) recently however I really started to apply more advanced driving.
Unfortunately I was only applying the very small part of advanced driving .... recovery. I was not yet using appropriate speed, looking far enough ahead, doing any forward planning so I still got into trouble.
My first major moment was coming round a bend where the road widens out in to almost 2.5 lanes width, I came round with far too much speed, hit the brakes mid turn, lost the back end. Now this is basically the point of this essay post. Because of sites like this and helpful people like yourselves i knew to get off the brakes, apply some power, get some opposite lock on and then of course get it back off again. I got the van just about straight (albeit in the oncoming lane), pulled over, shat myself a bit then drove off.
Not long after that I had some nice understeer gently into a hedge and more recently just managed to save a big understeer moment on some ice by easing back on the stop pedal!
Without sites like this and the help they provide I would not have my job right now due to a few occasions like this and I may not even be here.
There have been many other inexperienced errors in the past few months (especially on recent ice) however thankfully none of them have proved serious. You will be glad to hear I am growing out of the stupid, drive fast into everything attitude and aspire to soon be a respectable advanced driver.
Basically.........
Thank you PH!
(sorry for the essay and only vaguely related topic but I hope you accept my thanks)
If you want to read about a big smash don't read this epic post!
I'm a new driver (only past in August) so naturally I have had a couple of scares but nothing major!
2 weeks after passing my test I got a job driving a van full time (grateful the employer allowed me to even have the job), at first I took things quite easy due to the fact I was a new driver and had to re-teach myself my observations without a rear view mirror (sounds easy.....it's not when you have about 10 miles of experience). As expected within a few weeks the overconfidence took over, I was definitely taking risks I can see now are unnecessary/dangerous. Throwing this old escort van far too fast round blind corners, down narrow lanes etc.
Now I can honestly say I don't think the driving test goes far enough at the moment because the only thing that stopped me having some nasty accidents was taking the time (before I even passed) to understand how a car will react to different situations. In my first couple of weeks I had a few tail out moments (braking heavily under cornering etc.) recently however I really started to apply more advanced driving.
Unfortunately I was only applying the very small part of advanced driving .... recovery. I was not yet using appropriate speed, looking far enough ahead, doing any forward planning so I still got into trouble.
My first major moment was coming round a bend where the road widens out in to almost 2.5 lanes width, I came round with far too much speed, hit the brakes mid turn, lost the back end. Now this is basically the point of this essay post. Because of sites like this and helpful people like yourselves i knew to get off the brakes, apply some power, get some opposite lock on and then of course get it back off again. I got the van just about straight (albeit in the oncoming lane), pulled over, shat myself a bit then drove off.
Not long after that I had some nice understeer gently into a hedge and more recently just managed to save a big understeer moment on some ice by easing back on the stop pedal!
Without sites like this and the help they provide I would not have my job right now due to a few occasions like this and I may not even be here.
There have been many other inexperienced errors in the past few months (especially on recent ice) however thankfully none of them have proved serious. You will be glad to hear I am growing out of the stupid, drive fast into everything attitude and aspire to soon be a respectable advanced driver.
Basically.........
Thank you PH!
(sorry for the essay and only vaguely related topic but I hope you accept my thanks)
waremark said:
leon t, well done on your honesty and on understanding the issues. My record was not too different in my early driving years, more than three decades ago.
Have you had advanced or high performance training? You sound like the sort of enthusiast who could be helped to get more fun more safely out of your driving.
Several times I've looked into advanced driving courses, but I've not yet found one I would say suits my needs. I've looked at IAM but while I respect some of the individuals that are IAM members I don't think the training would match what I want. Living in the S.W. corner of Wales puts me further away from most places and finding the time out of work has also held me up from committing to a course or training.Have you had advanced or high performance training? You sound like the sort of enthusiast who could be helped to get more fun more safely out of your driving.
Any suggestions of tuition that would give me benefit, preferably by someone who doesn't object to breaching speed limits in safe and appropriate circumstances would be much appreciated.
Edited to add: somehow I've never spotted the stickied thread at the top of the forum ( poor observation, clearly
) so I'll have a nosey through the links there.Edited by leon_t on Tuesday 6th January 10:26
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