Almost died in car accident today

[Gza]

Hey all, just thought I would share my harrowing near-experience with death I went through just a few hours ago. I was driving my vette from LA back to my house in San Jose today on 101 (driving insanely fast of course, stupid of me) when I came up on a two lane stretch that seemed pretty empty for the most part. The road was very hilly and on one particularly large hill I was flying up on at 80 mph, I encountered a large truck and a smaller car driving nearly parallel to each other on the other side. I had almost no time to react since I was going almost 90 at the time, but had enough time to look at the truck and realize I was about to die. The truck and the car had a gap just small enough between the back of the truck and the front of the car for me to squeeze through rather than colliding with either one, or driving off the hill(I honestly didn't think I would make it throught the gap, but did it as a last ditch attempt). I made it through and after the initial gasps of my passenger and I quieted down, we remained in pretty much stunned silence for around 10 minutes. My hands were shaking, and my heart felt like it had moved up in my chest. It's incidents like this that over-ride my skeptical side and make me seek some higher power to explain why I am still alive right now. Thanks for listening.

 

[Moonbear]

I hope you learned your lesson. You probably should be thankful to the driver of the car who probably slowed down to let you past to avoid the accident! Glad you're still safe and hope you slow down in the future.

 

[Evo]

You are so LUCKY!

I'm glad that you made it ok. Be more careful, ok? You don't get too many chances like that.

I'll bet that truck and car driver probably had quite a scare.

 

[Kerrie]

it's funny how we take for granted the fact that many of us drive a car everyday and how high our chances of being in an accident are compared to a plane crash, a terminal disease or just a random accident...

i have been known to be a fast driver myself (driving alone of course) because i got "competitive" on the road...a few near accidents changed my perspective on that and now i always do the speed limit :)

 

[BoulderHead]

Glad nobody was killed. Reminds me a police officer I knew who lived for high speed pursuit. He broadsided, while in pursuit, another car at an intersection driven by an unsuspecting woman. He was knocked unconscious and couldn’t recall what had happened. You see, pursuing adrenaline rush thrills can cost you, or someone else, and it just might happen in the wink of an eye; one minute you’re here, the next you’re gone. Think about it.

 

[check]

Curious, if you did die...how would we on PF know about it?
what if I died? How would you people know?? Oh man...

PS, what kinda car you driving?

 

[Imparcticle]

Really glad you're OK.

Interesting fact:
The only highway in the world with NO speed limit is in Germany. It is known as the Auto Bahn. Normal, everyday people can be seen driving at 130 miles per hour! Surprisingly, there are fewer fatal accidents on that highway than in those in the US. This can be attributed to several factors, one of which includes the fact that German cars are especially designed for high speed crashes.
Very cool. I just heard about it on the History Channel.

 

[Kalimaa23]

In Belgium, there is a theoretical speed limit of 120 km/h, but very few people take it seriously (as we do with most laws here, including tax law ).

When I was taking driving lessons, the instructor would not allow me to go faster that that, even though I was dangerously obstructing traffic; which was going at an average of maybe 150 km/h.

Speed of 190-200 km/h or more are not very uncommon.

Bottom line, when we're driving, we like to pretend we're German :tongue2:

EDIT : Concerning the fewer car-crashes, one of the reasons I can think of is that in most Western-European countries it's quite tricky to get your drivers licence. Usually, you can not get it before you're 18. This makes sense to me, as I really don't thinking letting self-destructive 16 year-olds (god knows I was) drive around with large internal combustion engines is a good idea.
Also, the tests are quite hard, so when you actually get to drive by yourself you already have quite some experience.

 

[check]

Oh the Auto Bahn scarred me the first time I went on it. I was in a rental car with my parents and we couldn’t go any slower than 150 km/h otherwise we’d have big trucks lined up behind us. I remember we stopped at a rest station and I was just watching the cars whizzing by, some at like 220 km/h. That was something.

They also have flags and those wind cone things spaced every few km on the side of the highway for people to judge windspeed and direction and drive accordingly. lol

 

[Monique]

In Belgium, there is a theoretical speed limit of 120 km/h, but very few people take it seriously (as we do with most laws here, including tax law ).

When I was taking driving lessons, the instructor would not allow me to go faster that that, even though I was dangerously obstructing traffic; which was going at an average of maybe 150 km/h.

Speed of 190-200 km/h or more are not very uncommon.

Bottom line, when we're driving, we like to pretend we're German :tongue2:

Yeah, in Germany or the Netherlands it's easy to drive 200 kmh or 125 mph.. but in Belgium I think the roads are better here than in the US, stricter driving rules and way stricter driving examinations, better car maintance, and flat country.

You had a close call Gza, the other drivers too, always be responsible for others on the road. A friend of mine was sitting in the back of the car without a seatbelt: I don't like that, so asked him to put the belt on. I trust your driving he said, I asked him: do you trust the other people driving on the road? He put the seatbelt on.

 

[Gza]

I think the roads are better here than in the US

I wouldn't be surprised. The stretch of 101 I was on is actually infamous for the abnormally large number of people killed on it (hmmm, would make you wonder what the hell the civil engineers are up to), I had actually lost a close friend of mine four years ago on the same strip of road, including an acquaintance from high school who perished there as well(that should have motivated me to drive more carefully). Thanks for the advice, and caring words Evo and everyone else(I'm finally starting to calm down :uhh: ).

 

[Gza]

PS, what kinda car you driving?

A 385 HP 2001 Corvette LS6 (shweet )

 

[Leong]

i like this kind of things. they scare people and remind them about a lot of things. like do not take granted for things. everybody knows that, it is just humans seem so easily to forget those things.

i hope gza will never forget this for if you do, i won't be sure if you will get a third chance or not if you are repeating this.

anyway, glad you are ok now.

 

[Marijn]

Gza, at what distance were you when you saw the car and the truck?
I know 2001 vette ain't a porsche when it come to breaking, but it still can slowdown pretty quick.

Besides how on Earth do you get a car like that??!
You're about my age and driving a vette while I'm stuck with a '98 Citroën Saxo 1.4i

 

[The Bob]

Everyone is fine, lesson has been learned. Nothing to think about.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[aychamo]

Wow, you were really driving like an idiot. It's not that you were putting your own life at risk, you also nearly killed the people in the other cars. You didn't just "almost die in an accident", you almost killed many other people while driving stupidily.

I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't see a need to sugarcoat the fact you were acting immaturely. I'm sure since you drive a Vette that you thing you are some pro race car driver. Trust me, you aren't. Nearly everyone thinks they're some amazing driver when in reality they can't control their car worth a damn.

Next time you are speeding down the interstate try to remember that you are putting innocent people's lives at risk. There are people who just want to get home to their family (do you have a family?) and don't want to die on the interstate because some jackass is speeding when they shouldn't be.

 

[Marijn]

Hmm, ok i agree with you.
However not in all cases driving 90mph is dangerous.
90 is pretty much my normal cruising speed.
And trust me, Dutch highways are a bit more crowded than the interstates in the US.
Thing is, we're used to it.
If i'd be used to driving 60 or something, yeah then 90 is insanely fast.
I'd be the same when i was driving 120mph.
Especialy with a sports car, you drive faster but (provided you keep your mind at the road) you can generally stop a lot quicker as well.
Low speed ain't the key to save driving, looking ahead and anticipating is the key.
Ergo, when your driving through hills, you don't floor it, you can't see ahead.

Btw, my car can't do 120mph.
105/110 is the max and it sounds like its going to explode if i keep it up to long.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I have a brush with death it seems everyday because of stupid drivers. I walk almost everywhere and I've had to step back in the last second 100 times because of people running through red lights.

 

[BobG]

I have a brush with death it seems everyday because of stupid drivers. I walk almost everywhere and I've had to step back in the last second 100 times because of people running through red lights.

I know what you mean. Getting stuck at a traffic light must be worse than death for most drivers. Nothing like seeing an ambulance sitting at a stop light with its sirens going because the cross traffic doesn't want to lose their left turn arrow.

 

[Entropy]

OUCH! Hey don't worry though! I'm 17 and totaled my first two cars in the same year! Both where pretty bad wrecks. Now I can't get a car until college because my insurence is too high...

My most resent one was soooo cool! I wrecked it after having it for only 4 days!

 

[aychamo]

Hmm, ok i agree with you.
However not in all cases driving 90mph is dangerous.
90 is pretty much my normal cruising speed.
And trust me, Dutch highways are a bit more crowded than the interstates in the US.
Thing is, we're used to it.
If i'd be used to driving 60 or something, yeah then 90 is insanely fast.
I'd be the same when i was driving 120mph.
Especialy with a sports car, you drive faster but (provided you keep your mind at the road) you can generally stop a lot quicker as well.
Low speed ain't the key to save driving, looking ahead and anticipating is the key.
Ergo, when your driving through hills, you don't floor it, you can't see ahead.

Btw, my car can't do 120mph.
105/110 is the max and it sounds like its going to explode if i keep it up to long.

Driving a capable car doesn't make one a capable driver.

Sure, a great sports car is fine on the road at 90mph. That doesn't mean that whomever is driving it is therefore fine as well.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It's incidents like this that over-ride my skeptical side and make me seek some higher power to explain why I am still alive right now.

I know what you mean.

I had an almost identical experience many years ago. You don't quickly forget the "inches from death" experience. I'm really glad that you're okay.

 

[Moonbear]

Marijn is right, there are plenty of idiots who drive quite slowly on the roads, but who are equally oblivious to their surroundings, which makes them very unsafe. There are a lot of people in the US with drivers' licenses who really shouldn't be permitted to drive! Not to mention the rust-buckets some of them drive that can't even keep up with traffic, are missing headlights or brake lights, etc. Different states have very different rules. The cars I see on the roads here in OH would never be allowed on the roads in NJ, they'd have failed inspection without a doubt!

 

[Monique]

And trust me, Dutch highways are a bit more crowded than the interstates in the US.

Compare 101 near LA with A7 near A'dam

 

[Monique]

Why are people in a rush anyway? How much time does it save them? Like, a few minutes?

 

[Kerrie]

Why are people in a rush anyway? How much time does it save them? Like, a few minutes?

that depends on the car involved and how much of an adrenaline rush that person wants to achieve...

 

[aychamo]

I know what you mean.

I had an almost identical experience many years ago. You don't quickly forget the "inches from death" experience. I'm really glad that you're okay.

I don't understand why people, when something happens to them, seek to explai it by declaring that some higher order must have kept them alive. Had you died, you would not be thinking this.

It begs the question why do people die in car wrecks? Does the higher power only care about some people? If a Satanist avoids a car wreck buy a minister dies, what givess?

 

[aychamo]

Why are people in a rush anyway? How much time does it save them? Like, a few minutes?

Hey did you get my PM?

 

[Gza]

Wow, you were really driving like an idiot. It's not that you were putting your own life at risk, you also nearly killed the people in the other cars. You didn't just "almost die in an accident", you almost killed many other people while driving stupidily.

I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't see a need to sugarcoat the fact you were acting immaturely. I'm sure since you drive a Vette that you thing you are some pro race car driver. Trust me, you aren't. Nearly everyone thinks they're some amazing driver when in reality they can't control their car worth a damn.

Next time you are speeding down the interstate try to remember that you are putting innocent people's lives at risk. There are people who just want to get home to their family (do you have a family?) and don't want to die on the interstate because some jackass is speeding when they shouldn't be.

If you found a way to write this without the negativity, I think I would agree even more, but yes, the message underlying it is true: I did endanger peoples lives, and this event was extreme enough for me to change my ways. Calling me a jackass/idiot and implying that I ??don't have a family/don't care about other peoples families?? didn't really help though.

I don't understand why people, when something happens to them, seek to explai it by declaring that some higher order must have kept them alive. Had you died, you would not be thinking this.

It begs the question why do people die in car wrecks? Does the higher power only care about some people? If a Satanist avoids a car wreck buy a minister dies, what givess?

If you had read my original post, you would see that I never "declared" there to be a higher power that saved me. That just seemed to be the first thought that flew throught my head after it happened. I'm probably one of the most skeptical people you will ever meet, but it's just something about the cocktail of adrenaline and fear that will lead someone to think those thoughts.

 

[aychamo]

I apologize for calling you an idiot, and I blame your kidney's for your temporary belief in a higher power ;)