Had a close call thursday with my half loaded six legger on a B road just north of Grantham with a Vauxhall Corsa … without any prior warning It decided to stop dead in front of me and then indicate right !
I hit the brakes and had to make a split second desicion to avoid a definate impact… there was a gap in the oncoming traffic so I took that option sliding past the offside of the Corsa into the opposite lane and approaching traffic ( which saw what was happening and had time to slow down) then back across to the nearside lane again!! Luckily without any incident apart from a torn seat from where my arse was gripping it so tight … The Corsa then took advantage of the stopped traffic in the opposite lane and turned right and bumbled off into the distance seemingly totally un-phased !
I was following the car at a reasonable speed with a reasonable gap, the car gave no signs that it was going to turn or lost etc, this one caught me totally and shook me up as I am convinced that the impact would have Killed all the occupants in the Corsa… It beggars belief what would have happened if the Corsa had turned as I was going bye or if the gap hadnt have been in the oncoming traffic…
I am just thankful that no one was hurt and no damage was done… If I had been pulling my drag aswell I think I would have had to choose the only other option and gone to the left of the Corsa and ditched it
Any of you guys experienced something similar to this and does it make you feel sick to the stomach when you think about it?? Or am I just a wuss
Every day we have close shaves with people doing silly things but this is my closest so far and believe me I didnt enjoy it…
widget:
Had a close call thursday with my half loaded six legger on a B road just north of Grantham with a Vauxhall Corsa … without any prior warning It decided to stop dead in front of me and then indicate right !
To fast too close … No other answer really
I hit the brakes and had to make a split second desicion to avoid a definate impact… there was a gap in the oncoming traffic so I took that option sliding past the offside of the Corsa into the opposite lane and approaching traffic ( which saw what was happening and had time to slow down) then back across to the nearside lane again!! Luckily without any incident apart from a torn seat from where my arse was gripping it so tight … The Corsa then took advantage of the stopped traffic in the opposite lane and turned right and bumbled off into the distance seemingly totally un-phased !
I was following the car at a reasonable speed with a reasonable gap, the car gave no signs that it was going to turn or lost etc, this one caught me totally and shook me up as I am convinced that the impact would have Killed all the occupants in the Corsa… It beggars belief what would have happened if the Corsa had turned as I was going bye or if the gap hadnt have been in the oncoming traffic…
I am just thankful that no one was hurt and no damage was done… If I had been pulling my drag aswell I think I would have had to choose the only other option and gone to the left of the Corsa and ditched it
Any of you guys experienced something similar to this and does it make you feel sick to the stomach when you think about it?? Or am I just a wuss
Every day we have close shaves with people doing silly things but this is my closest so far and believe me I didnt enjoy it…
I think you are very very lucky the Corsa driver never saw the same gap in the traffic and go for the right turn earlier otherwise the outcome would have been different and not have you posting it on here.
Hiding to nothing posting something like that on here mate. You will just get ripped apart by the ‘‘perfect driver crew’’ even though it wasn’t your fault.
You’ve made a major boo boo posting this on here if your expecting major back slaps and congratulations for saving the occupants of the corsa.
If you had to slam on the brakes and take evasive action then you were too close and too fast.
If your only option was chucking it into the opposite lane then I think its actually you who was the lucky one you didnt kill anyone. The corsa didnt actually do anything wrong. He stopped and indicated. It was actually YOU who caused all the drama by going to fast and being too close.
ajt:
Hiding to nothing posting something like that on here mate. You will just get ripped apart by the ‘‘perfect driver crew’’ even though it wasn’t your fault.
How wasn’t it his fault?
You should drive at a speed at which you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear.
In this case that clear distance was only the gap between the truck and and the Corsa in front. He was by his own admission to close to do that!
It’s totally irrelevant as to why the Corsa stopped, or that he gave no indication that he might do so. You run into the back of somebody and it’s your own fault.
Always expect the unexpected, and assume everyone else on the road is an idiot.
nowt to do with the perfect driving crew I am sure we all make mistakes and that is what defensive driving is all about reducing risk to yourself and others in this case the op was to close to fast and very lucky
Expecting all kinds of replies, I have thick skin … I work in the real world and not behind a keyboard… i know it is my fault as much as the car drivers and if the worst had happened I would be on a manslaughter charge no doubt!! You cant afford mistakes in our job and i am ashamed of what happened because I let myself down
Give me some examples of safe distances for the weight and speed you are doing and give useful feedback for myself and every other lemming on here
widget:
Expecting all kinds of replies, I have thick skin … I work in the real world and not behind a keyboard… i know it is my fault as much as the car drivers and if the worst had happened I would be on a manslaughter charge no doubt!! You cant afford mistakes in our job and i am ashamed of what happened because I let myself down
Give me some examples of safe distances for the weight and speed you are doing and give useful feedback for myself and every other lemming on here
Keep the comments rolling…
Unfortunately this is a difficult one as a safe distance for a given speed will sound ridiculous. I would suggest start with the stopping distances as quoted in the Highway Code. Most people laugh at those but they are a clear starting point. Of course with a heavy vehicle you would increase even those distances.
We all know that in the real world you work in if you leave enough gap to actually be safe you’ll end up going backwards every time somebody fills it and you have to drop back more. I suppose the answer is keep driving as you do in your real world and take the chances you’ll see it coming and stop in time or swerve as you did. Either way it is a gamble.
I guess that if you estimate how far you travelled past the Corsa before you stopped - that’s at least how much too close you were. Maybe a car length? Maybe 2 or 3 car lengths? Maybe more.
And for those who mention ‘fault’. If somebody has died or been crippled for life does fault matter? Isn’t it best just to avoid it? Yes the Corsa driver was stupid - perhaps the truck driver was also stupid for being too close? It’s goes both ways eh?
widget:
Expecting all kinds of replies, I have thick skin … I work in the real world and not behind a keyboard… i know it is my fault as much as the car drivers and if the worst had happened I would be on a manslaughter charge no doubt!! You cant afford mistakes in our job and i am ashamed of what happened because I let myself down
Give me some examples of safe distances for the weight and speed you are doing and give useful feedback for myself and every other lemming on here
Keep the comments rolling…
You dropped the ball mate, lucky no one was hurt. It’s the job we do, if the planned drops the ball a load gets delayed or something, if the office clown drops the ball a pack of paper for the printer doesn’t get ordered. Consequences are much more severe for us, we all make mistakes…
My mistake that caught me out was on Thursday, overtaking a learner driver on a D/C the front of the car was about the rear wheels of the unit or the legs of the trailer, then the learner sped off. I looked in my nearside mirror and the wide angled mirror and moved in… looked back to the front and the learner had slowed down again, came close to the back of the car and a bit of braking was required. My mistake, might have looked in the mirror for too long I just wanted to be 100% sure nothing was on my inside. And should have waited in the outside lane until a gap had developed before I came back in. It was messy and unprofessional. Lesson learned.
I could list other mistakes I’ve made over the years but I’d be late for work on Monday afternoon
he who has never made a mistake has not been born simples learn from them is the trick and above all stay safe for the sake of your loved ones its harder for those left behind than those that go,stay safe stay calm enjoy the life youve been blessed with
widget:
Expecting all kinds of replies, I have thick skin … I work in the real world and not behind a keyboard… i know it is my fault as much as the car drivers and if the worst had happened I would be on a manslaughter charge no doubt!! You cant afford mistakes in our job and i am ashamed of what happened because I let myself down
Give me some examples of safe distances for the weight and speed you are doing and give useful feedback for myself and every other lemming on here
Keep the comments rolling…
Good man,not many weeks go by without me dropping a bollock,i just keep it quiet
a car stopped in front of me a few years back coming out of Cambridge,i undertook to avoid rearending him and ended up sideswiping a car turning left in front of him,i pushed the car up against a wall and railings,very big lesson was learnt that day as luckily no one was hurt
I almost had a problem today. Driving along minding my own business listening to Buck’s fizz, when all of a sudden a black Mini overtakes me, then an arm comes out of the window signalling me to stop and then the car hits the brakes!!
I was expecting it really. It was the wife with my butties that I’d forgot.
I think they would have had your guts for garters. You have had a lucky escape and you are brave to post it on here but I am you come out of it OK, it will make you a better driver I expect
… The Corsa then took advantage of the stopped traffic in the opposite lane and turned right and bumbled off into the distance seemingly totally un-phased !
