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Distracted while driving
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2733		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Spreadie [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:39 am ]
Post subject:  Distracted while driving
I witnessed an accident on the M1 yesterday.

Young lady, sitting in the middle lane, concentrating on anything but driving.

I was directly behind her, and she frequently wandered across the lane and almost into the lanes either side. Her braking/accelleration and following distance left a lot to be desired too.

I obviously couldn't see what she was doing but, from my perspective, she appeared to be distracted by something, and I decided that being directly behind her may not be the smartest place to stay. I dropped back a little, moved into the inside lane, which was moving a little more freely. I rejoined the middle lane a couple of cars in front of her but, in no time at all, the drivers behind me decided they would rather be somehwere else too. So, soon she was directly behind me and I decided to keep a weather eye on her.

Her irratic driving continued until I saw her, in my rearview, veer sharply into the inside lane, attempt to correct and then spin the car out into the middle lane again... collecting the rear end of another car in the process, and causing that car to spin through 180 degrees into oncoming traffic! I didn't stop. I couldn't stop without the risk of causing another accident, as a number of other drivers were somewhat transfixed by the view in their mirrors.

I contacted emergency services and continued my journey, but I can't help wondering just how bad it was and if anyone was injured. This was at around 6pm on a pretty busy stretch of motorway.
Author:  Nick [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
Oh dear. Silly girl.

It doesn't sound like a serious crash from your description though, just a couple of spins no crunches???

*edit to correct typo
Author:  tombolt [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
Crikey, hope everyone's okay.

The bit before the accident must have been bad as well, I hate it when you can see something in your rearview mirror that concerns you and you feel you have to watch, but also you know it's taking your mind off your own driving.

I'm assuming the emergency services took your details, you are a witness after all.
Author:  Spreadie [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
Nick wrote:
Oh dear. Silly girl.

It doesn't sound like a serious crash from your description though, just a couple of spins no crunches???

I don't know, there was a great deal of tyre smoke as the cars behind the accident locked up. I couldn't see too clearly, obviously, and I was wary of the drivers in front being distracted; so I didn't linger too much on my rearview.

tombolt wrote:
The bit before the accident must have been bad as well, I hate it when you can see something in your rearview mirror that concerns you and you feel you have to watch, but also you know it's taking your mind off your own driving.

Yeah, I was immediately checking all around me for signs of others being distracted, and looking for manoeuvring options.

tombolt wrote:
I'm assuming the emergency services took your details, you are a witness after all.

They read my mobile number back to me when I placed the call.
Author:  Geiseric [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
A saw a car implode into the central reservation on the M1 right in front of me on the opposite carriage way. The whole front end of the car just exploded over the barrier and across our carriageway spraying all three lanes. It just happened so quickly -

Then we we’re out of sight as quickly as that, I was just left thinking – what do I do? Thank [LIFTED] the central reservation barrier was up to the job. Made me feel very sick in the stomach for a good couple of hours, all I could think about was the driver and what if I had got hit……
Author:  oceanicitl [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
A couple of years ago I was merrily driving up the A12 to see my boyfriend. Suddenly this bike came flying towards me, I managed to swerve safely and it missed me but the car behind me drove right in to it and it got stuck under their car. We all pulled over and everyone was OK. I left them trying to get the bike out. It was lucky no one was badly hurt. I was cursing the people that had the bikes on the back of their car though.

If you do have one of those bike racks make sure they're properly strapped in as I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.

Glad you're OK Spreadie.

C
Author:  Nick [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
oceanicitl wrote:
A couple of years ago I was merrily driving up the A12 to see my boyfriend. Suddenly this bike came flying towards me, I managed to swerve safely and it missed me but the car behind me drove right in to it and it got stuck under their car. We all pulled over and everyone was OK. I left them trying to get the bike out. It was lucky no one was badly hurt. I was cursing the people that had the bikes on the back of their car though.

If you do have one of those bike racks make sure they're properly strapped in as I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.

Glad you're OK Spreadie.

C


I was driving from Bournemouth to Portsmouth yesterday evening and I was behind a seven seater with three bikes on the top in lane one. They were probably secured properly, but my god were they swaying!! The road was quiet, so I moved into lane three and got past him sharpish!
Author:  big_D [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
I was driving to work a few months back and I passed an Opel Agila, about a kilometer later, I looked in my mirror, just in time to see it go from lane 3 to 2, not sure if he clipped anything, but it suddenly swerved, went to the hard shoulder, back out to lane 3, over corrected, back to hard shoulder, over corrected and drove head-on into the central reservation, although not heavily, it had almost stopped at this point...

The 2 HGVs behind him somehow managed to avoid him, but there was a bit of a pile-up behind him!
Author:  Linux_User [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
tombolt wrote:
Crikey, hope everyone's okay.


+1

We were driving down the M1 once (I'm spotting a theme here) from the north and we were passing a marked-off lane (cones etc). Anyway, a car a few cars ahead clipped some of the bollard things, which started rolling out into the road. The car in front of us clipped one of these rolling bollards which flew up into the air, my mum accelerated and it flew over our car, but unfortunately it smashed through the windscreen of the car behind. I dialled 999 but never did find out what happened afterwards.
Author:  l3v1ck [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
I've have pulled over after the crash, waited for the police, and grassed her up for dangerous driving.
Author:  Fogmeister [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
l3v1ck wrote:
I've have pulled over after the crash, waited for the police, and grassed her up for dangerous driving.

"

as long as it wasn't dangerous :D

Or I'd have stayed on the police and explained what happened.
Author:  paulzolo [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
I remember one evening coming home from St Albans on the M25. Got on at the junction at London Colney and headed off. A couple of miles on, the traffic had slowed down, and there was this random scattering of cars across the hard shoulder and two of the lanes, and people staggering around zombie like. There were enough people helping and the emergency services were definitely on the way. I kind of feel lucky that I didn’t decide to set off earlier.

Close shaves, eh?
Author:  paulzolo [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
oceanicitl wrote:
A couple of years ago I was merrily driving up the A12 to see my boyfriend. Suddenly this bike came flying towards me, I managed to swerve safely and it missed me but the car behind me drove right in to it and it got stuck under their car. We all pulled over and everyone was OK. I left them trying to get the bike out. It was lucky no one was badly hurt. I was cursing the people that had the bikes on the back of their car though.


The A12 is a grim accident spot anyway, especially after Hatfield Peverel. I always take that stretch very cautiously.
Author:  HeatherKay [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
I once had a caravan explode in front of me. I was driving around the M25 Surrey section, in lane one as usual, minding my own business. Up ahead a car towing this caravan began to snake... Then the whole ensemble did a 180 spin, side swiping the central crash barrier with the caravan. Bits of plywood and sheet aluminium all over the place. Luckily, I don't recall anyone else being involved (it was quiet for a change) or injured.

Another time, coming home from the London direction along the M20, we were coming Maidstone-bound down Wrotham Hill. Cloud of smoke ahead, and a car literally pirouetting and bouncing off the crash barrier. Again, no-one seriously hurt.

Now, for some reason I have no memory of stopping to assist in either case. :?
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Distracted while driving
If you're towing a caravan you deserve all that the universe throws at you.

Mark
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