Thought I'd had it today

[peter thomson]

On the way to work this morning I was just coming off a roundabout doing 40 to join a dual carriageway when the whole car ended up sideways. I had no time to try and correct it and the next thing I know I'm in a spin and the car has jumped the kerb and is heading backwards towards a 10foot drop down a bank. Somehow it straightened up on the grass and came to a stop about 4feet from the bank. I assume it must have been a diesel spill on the roundabout as everything on the car is fine . Still shaking but at least I came out fine. It wasn't the Legnum just the daily drive. For those that know the area it was the Westhill roundabout where it joins the dual carriageway to Aberdeen.

[Physician]

Wow! Lucky Peter .......... it doesn't matter how good a driver you are nor the exceptional capabilities of the VR4 - oil, diesel etc are lethal.

Glad you're OK buddy.

[peter thomson]

Yes good day to buy a lottery ticket I think

[elnevio]

Glad you're ok!

No car damage suffered from mounting the kerb I hope?

[Lillywotsername]

Wow.... lucky man.

Glad you are unhurt Hun.

[peter thomson]

Thanks guys .Car appears Ok but will give it a good check this weekend.

[elnevio]

This happened to me on the dual-carriageway by Chesterfield about three years ago when I was in my wife's Astra estate. Going around the bend on the inside lane at a steady 50mph (50 limit too), when the next thing I know is that the back end is rapidly overtaking the front end. I just stamped as hard as I could on the brakes, in an effort to keep the general direction of the car in as straight a line as possible (I was near the exit of the bend and this gave me the least chance of hitting something), as I thought by not braking, any of the unlocked wheels could grip and send me into the barriers.

In the end, I did a full 720 spin, ending up pointing the right direction in the outside lane, not having hit anything. Fortunately, it was 4.30am so there was almost nobody around. I'd not long set off to go to Devon, so I spent the next 200 miles with completely shot nerves!

Lucky though, could have been a lot worse. It's these sorts of experiences that make you appreciate that nothing is infallible on the road and that sometimes that can be due to circumstances beyond your control or even reasonable expectation. Eternally grateful to be here!

[richy rich]

Glad all is well Pete.

[ianturbo]

lucky man peter ! had a couple of these a month after i bought mine !!
(and in mi capri ........all the time wet or dry !)
glad your ok and car is too !!:happy:
ian

[Scanny]

I just stamped as hard as I could on the brakes,

that is exactly the wrong thing to do. dip the clutch and steer in the direction you want to go in. i had in happen to me above the M4 at swindon. i joined the roundabout at 40 and as i was coming on to the straight side the back end went out meaning i was heading for the barrier at 40MPH. i managed to regain control and got back onto the A419 ok but she wouldnt hold a straight line. i pulled over, couldnt find anything wrong so i carried on and it sorted itself out. must have been oil of some kind on the road
another one was the supra turbo. i was going round a corner and the back end took off. again, dipped the clutch, steered towards the direction i wanted and the tyres gripped and off i went snaking a little bit. it must have looked well cool but i bricked it

[elnevio]

That's the problem - having already attempted to control the skid it was already at 90 degrees with no effect - I might as well had already been on ice. If I'd carried on with the clutch in and foot off the gas, the traction would have bitten and would have taken me off the (approximate) straight line, and into the barriers. It was like lift off oversteer, but without the certain level of control. I just made sure good old friction brought me to a halt. The point is that the way in which the wheels broke traction was indicative of a diesel spill, or similar. I was nowhere near the edge of the car's limits (don't mock the Astra estate mind!). Complete surprise.

[Desperado]

Good job you were on four wheels Pete, imagine if you were on a motorbike!

[peter thomson]

Good job you were on four wheels Pete, imagine if you were on a motorbike!

I'm sure I wouldn't be here if I'd been on 2 wheels.

[Scanny]

i had a slight slide tonight. it was only due to the rain right enough but it still phased me a little bit. i think thats the first time i have one in a truck. the drive axle lost traction on a roundabout which left the unit sliding sideways with the trailer at....who knows what angle but it was heading in the direction it was pointing. apparently skid control on a rigid vehicle (i did skid pan in a landrover and a 18 ton truck) works with a trailer too. im just glad they gave me a manual tonight. i dont know how to control a skid without a clutch pedal which is a big part of why i will not buy an automatic car. if it doesnt have a fully manual gearbox i wont look at it

[pitslayer]

i had very similiar and so did a few others wensday, or thursday cant remember which day now. pulled out of a garage booted it as it was a 60 ayc on 3 bars traction control going nuts etc, and the car kept doing it, everytime i turned or used the throttle it got skittish, when i got to a mini roundabout, stopped for a car, booted it again trying to figure what had broken, lit all 4 tyres up and the back end started to step out caught.... then looked in my rear view to see a car sliding on full lock straight across the round about, followed by a bimma coming around sideways and almost binning it....then i noticed that for the past mile i had been driving on diesel. guess someone ruptured there tank, because the one side of the road was swimming in it, was every, 2 mile long trail of the stuff...made for intresting driving /lol

[peter thomson]

Well wasn't so lucky today. Went to overtake a couple of small vans and a car when the car pulled out and forced my daughter and myself off the road to try and avoid her hitting us. Lost control on the verge and ended up in a spin and bouncing off the verge before coming to rest .Car is written off but we are both fine but very shaken. The other driver stopped about 300 yards down the road but didn't come to see how we were. I think she thought she may have killed us and was to scared to come and see. Called the police and the driver claims she can't remember anything. Oh well hopefully the insurance company will sort it out .
Just glad we're both alive as the car took a hell of a hit.

[AncientOfMu]

Well wasn't so lucky today. Went to overtake a couple of small vans and a car when the car pulled out and forced my daughter and myself off the road to try and avoid her hitting us. Lost control on the verge and ended up in a spin and bouncing off the verge before coming to rest .Car is written off but we are both fine but very shaken. The other driver stopped about 300 yards down the road but didn't come to see how we were. I think she thought she may have killed us and was to scared to come and see. Called the police and the driver claims she can't remember anything. Oh well hopefully the insurance company will sort it out .
Just glad we're both alive as the car took a hell of a hit.


The VR4:speechles :speechles :speechles ??????

[peter thomson]

No sorry forgot to put that in .It was my old lpg powered 924

[I-S]

Ouch! Glad you're ok... not having a lot of luck there though!

Was it still the daily driver?

When overtaking a group of vehicles like that (or even just one), I always flash my headlamps as I pull out... it means that they know you're there because you just lit up their driver's wing mirror and it's almost impossible to miss that.

[Kieran]

Good grief Peter, Glad you're okay. Perhaps I shouldn't say this but the woman's actions, particularly after the accident and claiming not to remember anything seem odd - She didn't deliberately swerve out did she?

[peter thomson]

Yep it was the daily driver. I'm not sure what she was doing but initially she appeared she was going to overtake first but then changed her mind and I indicated and pulled out. The front wing of my car was up to the drivers door on the other car and I couldn't believe she had not seen us. She then just kept coming across and left me nowhere to go . The police said there is a mark on her car but I don't know if she hit me before I lost control or if she clipped me first.It all happened too fast

[peter thomson]

Good grief Peter, Glad you're okay. Perhaps I shouldn't say this but the woman's actions, particularly after the accident and claiming not to remember anything seem odd - She didn't deliberately swerve out did she?

I thought it a bit strange but my daughter was really upset so I didn't go and confront her. I suppose she is just doing what the insurance companies tell you and not to admit liability. I hope it wasn't deliberate as she must have realised by where we ended up that we could have been dead or injured

[Paul Beazer]

Crickey Peter! You have been unlucky! Glad you and daughter ok.

Just out of interest was this on a dual carriageway or motorway (i.e. NOT a single lane carriageway?)

[peter thomson]

Just a single carriageway A road Paul

[Throbbe]

I hope it wasn't deliberate as she must have realised by where we ended up that we could have been dead or injured

To give her the benefit fo the doubt, I think that realisation would leave me pretty shaken too, so it could well be genuine.

Glad to hear you walked away. Please get checked out properly if you haven't already, as I imagine you must have got thrown around a fair bit.

[peter thomson]

Louise is feeling sore now so will likely have to go for a checkup just in case

[Paul Beazer]

If in doubt get checked out.
I know how that sort of things happen on single roads, that practically all we have here) bar half a mile of DC.
The number of times i've had people pull out without looking or indicating, scary!

[peter thomson]

Yes I know what you mean Paul. 95% of the roads I use are like that.

[Roberto]

Real glad both of you are hopefully all ok, but get her checked just in case.

Its one of those nightmare situations, I have to say that I have been lucky like that before, someone looks to pass but doesn't, I know I have the power and space to easily complete the move and then they change thier minds and all of a sudden all hell can break loose.

[NevGroom]

Cripes Pete!! Good to hear you're ok - Hope your daughter is not too badly shook up. Best wishes mate

[peter thomson]

Cripes Pete!! Good to hear you're ok - Hope your daughter is not too badly shook up. Best wishes mate

It was the first time she had been in an accident and it has given her a bit of a scare. She has just started learning to drive as well so i hope it hasn't put her off.
Thanks for all the replies guys

[phosty]

Crikey - this isn't your month Peter!

Good to hear you're both fine. I don't like overtaking on the roads around here - but there's too many single lanes and lots of slower traffic so it usually means overtaking. Makes you think though.

[peter thomson]

Crikey - this isn't your month Peter!

Good to hear you're both fine. I don't like overtaking on the roads around here - but there's too many single lanes and lots of slower traffic so it usually means overtaking. Makes you think though.

No it hasn't been a good month. Hopefully the worst is now past.