A quick post about last nights trip home...
After we left my sister in laws the roads were starting to get slushy - the temperature had raised to about 0 and it had started to rain a little. This meant that the snow (which actually provides an amount of grip if you treat it right) had turned to slush (which slips a lot more). My mother in law was not happy that I said I would be fine driving home (they had offered us a bed for the night, but I am shattered after the week I had and just wanted to sleep in my own bed) and called us to say that the roads were very slippery when they left (15 mins before we did).
So I was driving slowly, making sure not to use the brakes when I didn't need to and everything was fine. It started to slip a little in a couple of places, but nothing major or truely unpredictable. We reached the motorway and it was better - not as good as on the way there but more than manageable, albiet at slower speeds. Until someone decided it had got too slippery in front of us and half an emergency stop (90kmph down to 40ish for no reason). Thankfully there was enough space between us, but it did rather put my heart in my mouth...
We got back to our exit of the motorway and I was slowing down for the exit when a transit van started to get closer and closer. On the slip road itself all I could see was one headlight and a ford badge filling the rear view mirror - which started to get me annoyed. He must have started to slip at some point as suddenly there was lots of space between us. Appraching the junction traffic lights I tried to make sure that I could be in the lane he wasn't in should they change to red - which thankfully the didn't.
At the next set of lights he was along side of me and I could see it was a minibus full of people - I assumed it was a taxi and commented to Mrs Stace that I would not be happy if I had hired that mini bus to get us around. Whilst the lights were on red I heard him revving the engine lots and rocking back and forward on the clutch - but gues he must have slipped when the lights changed to green as he was a long way behind me suddenly (and I was only doing 60% of the speed limit).
Then a couple of KM's along there was a red light, I started to slow down early - working my way down the gears and saw this van move into the lane next to me. Then speed past me. I remember thinking 'if you don't slow down soon you are not going to stop'. Then thinking 'really, you need to stop'. At the last moment I actually thought he was going to do it. But no. He slammed into a stationary Merc at the lights with such force that the merc was propelled into the BMW in front of him which was in turn moved about three car lengths into the junction.
I pulled behind the van to offer my details to those hit as a witness, and make sure everyone was OK - putting the hazzards on the car to warn those coming down the road still.
And what did the driver of the Minibus say (it wasn't a taxi BTW I was wrong in my assumption). "I tried to stop, but it's just to slippy you can't do anything can you'. Except that the BMW did, as did the Merc, as did I. Those types of drivers are what I truely hate about this weather - that accident was not waiting to happen. Someone who had no idea how to drive caused that accident. Idiot. I spoke to the driver of the BMW today, turns out that 15 people got out of the minibus designed for 9 when the police got there...
Glad you were ok
ReplyDeleteThere are some real idiots on the road today.
On Thursday, with all the snow and hazardous road conditions we've had, a car overtook me in the inside lane at some traffic lights. I thought to myself "they are going to cut in front of me" but they didn't. I then assumed that as that lane is only for turning left a short distance up the carriageway that was what they would do. Nope, they sailed straight across the junction and carried on up to the roundabout a quarter mile away then turned left.
People tend to come out of the junction that they went across as the markings and lane control mean that you can pull out onto the carriageway fairly safely. Thank goodness nobody was doing that at that point otherwise the resulting crash would have ground the whole town center to a halt.
When I lived in the very snowy part of the country, where snow was nearly an every other day thing in the winter, I learned right away that you always need to watch out for the other guy. On days when there was a snow storm, I would always leave work very late, allowing time for all of the idiots on the road to get home ahead of me and also allowing time for the plows to do their thing. Never can be too careful, Stace.
ReplyDeleteCalie xxx
Of late, I've noticed that people aren't stopping at stop signs! They sort of roll into the junction, and if someone is coming, they roll a little slower. If they think it's clear, off they go. That makes it quite interesting - there's virtually no time to take a proper look, and there's little reaction time left, either!
ReplyDeleteDriving in snow can be fun. (Motorcycling on snow bound roads in June? That was an "interesting" experience!) The problem, as you found out, are the idiots out there. There's a small stretch of road about 10 miles from here that is prone to black ice; people know it is, but they still barrel through at 50MPH (the limit). Even when they see all the other cars carelessly "parked", they still don't think anything will happen to them! And then they end up in the woods, in the ditch or across the field.
So many drivers just don't think.
I like the idiots to be in front of me!
ReplyDeleteMy first driving lessons were on snow and ice, comes from winter birthdays, It would be great fun but for the idiots who have been given licences to kill without any understanding of the weapons they handle!
Caroline xxx
They are all out on the roads today, aren't they! This morning on my way to my parents place our local trunk road was closed because of an accident on the ice.
ReplyDeleteSo glad my commute is a walk these days.
Jenny: We were fine thanks - but I do feel for those in the cars that were hit.
ReplyDeleteI just can't believe that people don't think when driving on those conditions. Sure you can be caught out - but the accident on Saturday night was not one of those!
Calie: Yup - the main problem in the snow is the other guy... I normally leave earlier than most - but when the snow hit last week I was only just away on time - everybody leaves earlier than normal and my early suddenly became the start of rush hour...
Carolyn Ann: People don't stop at Stop signs? Fun...
I love driving in the snow, never ridden a bike in the snow though! But I generally treat the car like a boat on the road, and save the playing for big, empty car parks :)
Caroline: There is something to be said for that (as long as they are not doing emergency stops for no reason of course :p)
I never drove in the snow when learning. I did have my first test cancelled because of snow though... My first lesson (also on my 17th Birthday) was in the middle of the summer. It was a beautiful sunny day :)
Jenny A: I've been commuting with the train all week and it's been a nightmare on the ice (and I can't even wear my new boots that do so well in the snow - well not without giving the game away somewhat ;p)
Stay safe on the roads all,
Stace