Nearly had a head on smash on the A505

[Londonscottish]

Good to hear that you all survived. Why did you give “the full benefit of your bi-Xenons”? Was it sensible to make it harder for the oncoming idiot to judge when best to return to the other side of the road? Did you start braking as soon as you saw the road blocked, or did you initially continue on the assumption that the other driver would back off?

Well, once I'd moved as far left as I could, my only job was to stay standing on the brake pedal.

I saw it as my civic duty to make that idiot sh*t himself in the moments leading up to impact.

 

[Londonscottish]

Glad to hear you're OK, and that the car performed as it should.

Out of curiosity, what tyres do you have?

EDIT: Just saw Will's post.

Fairly new Falkens. For a mod-price tyre they're pretty good - same as the big brands i've used before.

Not long after I ended up in torrential rain on the A11 and they coped pretty well in that too.

 

[Londonscottish]

It would make sense to make the other driver aware that you are there, in case he hasn't seen you for whatever reason.

And yes, it's a form of protest... behavioural sciences

In terms of effectiveness otherwise... if the other driver was high on alcohol, or drugs, or even just Adrenalin, then the 'protest' would have little effect on them.... in some cases the driver would even consider it a 'badge of honour'

You could argue that the sort of person pulling that sort of stunt in a crappy old Astra estate wouldn't be open to reason.

Still, **** 'em. They could have killed my entire family and anyone else in the vicinity.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Front and Rear Dash Cam needed...everyone should have them

Yep as per my post last week on my Daughter in Law's A19 accident. Dash cam has fully exonerated her and police are saying she does not need to do an interview.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Fairly new Falkens. For a mod-price tyre they're pretty good - same as the big brands i've used before.

Not long after I ended up in torrential rain on the A11 and they coped pretty well in that too.

Happy that you are safe & sound.

I've done a MB drivers day where that fully disabled the driver aids and let us loose on a skid pan. Nobody fully realises how much those driver aids are doing for us.
Is "pretty good" & "pretty well" the standard for tyres that you are happy with for a heavy & powerful car....?

 

[Londonscottish]

Sorry to hear but great to know no harm done.

There seems to be something about the flat lands of East Anglia and lots of horrendous driving by the locals. Don’t know why they seem to have such a death wish. I worked in Norfolk at one time and our company had strict rules on which roads we were permitted to use as some were considered too dangerous. I can’t find stats now but the road casualty rates in Cambs, Lincs and Norfolk used to be way above the norm. I still drive in Lincs from time to time and am used to cars overtaking down the middle of the road in the face of oncoming traffic. It’s better than it was though as average speed cameras have been installed on key routes and it seems to have smoothed out the driving.

Oddly enough I saw a new-ish Audi deep down in the bowl of a roundabout on the 505 on the way back near the same spot. I was wondering how on earth he'd managed that. At a guess, I'd say he outbraked himself and was assuming his miracle 4WD would save him but it just did the Audi thing of understeering off the road.

My guy, at a guess, was just impatient and wanted past the hay truck at all costs. At a guess it probably had the 1.7 diesel which offers either 80bhp or a heady 100bhp. That's as much as 80bhp per tonne.....

I mean, it wasn't as much overtaking the truck as going for a drive alongside it.

The **** should have either (a) backed off immediately or (b) waited for the next bit of dual carriageway which is never more than 5 minutes away on that road.

Or (c) not tried to overtake anything with a car that couldn't pull a greased stick out of a dog's ****.

 

[Londonscottish]

Happy that you are safe & sound.

I've done a MB drivers day where that fully disabled the driver aids and let us loose on a skid pan. Nobody fully realises how much those driver aids are doing for us.
Is "pretty good" & "pretty well" the standard for tyres that you are happy with for a heavy & powerful car....?

I've been buying tyres from the same place for 20 years from a guy who runs AMG's himself.

I've have tried Goodyear, Continental, Dunlop and Michelin previously and genuinely can't feel the difference in the Falkens.

They're OEM'd on MB, Porshe, Audi, VW, etc.

https://www.falkentire.com/oe-tires

That fact that they cost £30 less a corner that the regular brands is a good thing as, if anything, I'll change them even more often than I normally do.

 

[zipdip]

I used that road quiet often a few years ago,it is a busy road and you get people who try what happened to you,the only unusual point of interest on that road is if you came back from Norfolk on the same road,after you went past Duxford air museum about a mile or so on that side is a gigantic animal crematorium,it is said they can even take on elephants,yet another useless bit of info.

 

[Londonscottish]

I used that road quiet often a few years ago,it is a busy road and you get people who try what happened to you,the only unusual point of interest on that road is if you came back from Norfolk on the same road,after you went past Duxford air museum about a mile or so on that side is a gigantic animal crematorium,it is said they can even take on elephants,yet another useless bit of info.

Yes I know that crematorium well. We go to Norfolk frequently and always on that road. Elephants - LOL. The kids will love that.

 

[QUTSELL]

Not quite the same but. I had the same, driving a tipper run-up to Oxcroft Colliery (Nottingham) for a load of coal, early morning mist I`m loaded, making my way back to A1, headlights on, two tippers racing to get to the pit see me they are side by side, I swerve to the side onto the grass verge, over I go, coal all over the road, I open the door get out. both lorries stopped way up the road, I can see them drivers standing looking back at me, they both got back in their lorries and off they went, did not care if I was injured.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I've been buying tyres from the same place for 20 years from a guy who runs AMG's himself.

I've have tried Goodyear, Continental, Dunlop and Michelin previously and genuinely can't feel the difference in the Falkens.

They're OEM'd on MB, Porshe, Audi, VW, etc.

https://www.falkentire.com/oe-tires

That fact that they cost £30 less a corner that the regular brands is a good thing as, if anything, I'll change them even more often than I normally do.

I didn't know they were "OEM'd on MB, Porshe (sic), Audi, VW, etc_" & have never owned them (tyres) but have owned, from new, all of those cars except a Porsche (in my dreams) and have never had those tyres on purchase.

If you are changing tyres more often, isn't that a false economy on a (possibly) sub-standard tyre?

Because a guy drives an AMG does not mean that his choice of tyre is sound. Loads of people with money and no brains,

In general, I am always dubious about claims that say something like "cheaper but just as good" hence my question - it is not a judgement. I've never skimped on "safety items" and do to ascribe to the "cheaper but just as good" school of thought.

This is not directed at you. People rush out to buy a MB then, when it is time for a new set of tyres, look for cheap tyres. I don't get it. OK on a crappy little low powered car .............

 

[Martin 1]

Completely agree about dash cams, I've got a good one on the screen, but difficult to fit a rear one in a convertible ---- unless someone knows better ? That really was a miraculous escape, congratulations on your skill, you can be proud of that.

 

[219]

You could argue that the sort of person pulling that sort of stunt in a crappy old Astra estate wouldn't be open to reason.

Still, **** 'em. They could have killed my entire family and anyone else in the vicinity.

They would certainly have come off worst .

If a head on collision was going to be unavoidable, I’d be looking at options like going into a field ... any escape route is preferable.

In my crash I had my near side wheels on the grass verge once I’d braked off as much speed as I could on the tarmac , but still couldn’t completely avoid the car , perhaps going through the hedge and into the field might have been better , but with only seconds to think one largely acts on instinct ; in my case brake hard then swerve left at the last moment , whilst still trying to retain some control .

 

[219]

I used that road quiet often a few years ago,it is a busy road and you get people who try what happened to you,the only unusual point of interest on that road is if you came back from Norfolk on the same road,after you went past Duxford air museum about a mile or so on that side is a gigantic animal crematorium,it is said they can even take on elephants,yet another useless bit of info.

In that case it could probably handle an Astra with a cretin inside it !

 

[219]

Not quite the same but. I had the same, driving a tipper run-up to Oxcroft Colliery (Nottingham) for a load of coal, early morning mist I`m loaded, making my way back to A1, headlights on, two tippers racing to get to the pit see me they are side by side, I swerve to the side onto the grass verge, over I go, coal all over the road, I open the door get out. both lorries stopped way up the road, I can see them drivers standing looking back at me, they both got back in their lorries and off they went, did not care if I was injured.

Puts me in mind of this ; it was always a running joke in our family as my dad was a haulage contractor.

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The full movie

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And an interesting documentary

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[219]

I didn't know they were "OEM'd on MB, Porshe (sic), Audi, VW, etc_" & have never owned them (tyres) but have owned, from new, all of those cars except a Porsche (in my dreams) and have never had those tyres on purchase.

If you are changing tyres more often, isn't that a false economy on a (possibly) sub-standard tyre?

Because a guy drives an AMG does not mean that his choice of tyre is sound. Loads of people with money and no brains,

In general, I am always dubious about claims that say something like "cheaper but just as good" hence my question - it is not a judgement. I've never skimped on "safety items" and do to ascribe to the "cheaper but just as good" school of thought.

This is not directed at you. People rush out to buy a MB then, when it is time for a new set of tyres, look for cheap tyres. I don't get it. OK on a crappy little low powered car .............

I’ve had Falkens on a couple of VWs and they performed well for a mid range tyre .

Ive also been in the Uniroyal factory in Edinburgh and watched Uniroyals , Continentals ( sister brands ) and Barums ( their budget brand ) being produced side by side .

 

[219]

I didn't know they were "OEM'd on MB, Porshe (sic), Audi, VW, etc_" & have never owned them (tyres) but have owned, from new, all of those cars except a Porsche (in my dreams) and have never had those tyres on purchase.

If you are changing tyres more often, isn't that a false economy on a (possibly) sub-standard tyre?

Because a guy drives an AMG does not mean that his choice of tyre is sound. Loads of people with money and no brains,

In general, I am always dubious about claims that say something like "cheaper but just as good" hence my question - it is not a judgement. I've never skimped on "safety items" and do to ascribe to the "cheaper but just as good" school of thought.

This is not directed at you. People rush out to buy a MB then, when it is time for a new set of tyres, look for cheap tyres. I don't get it. OK on a crappy little low powered car .............

I tend to shop around for the best deal on the tyres I want ; the one concession I will make to economy is I will put a budget tyre on the spare , and drive accordingly if I have to use it .

 

[flying haggis]

Thanks

We went on to have a fabulous holiday. North Norfolk is great.

I know, it is where we live

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

They would certainly have come off worst .

If a head on collision was going to be unavoidable, I’d be looking at options like going into a field ... any escape route is preferable.

In my crash I had my near side wheels on the grass verge once I’d braked off as much speed as I could on the tarmac , but still couldn’t completely avoid the car , perhaps going through the hedge and into the field might have been better , but with only seconds to think one largely acts on instinct ; in my case brake hard then swerve left at the last moment , whilst still trying to retain some control .

If the Astra was unscathed and continued driving, so that the OP’s insurer was the only one to claim from, then would it become an at-fault accident for the OP?

 

[Londonscottish]

I didn't know they were "OEM'd on MB, Porshe (sic), Audi, VW, etc_" & have never owned them (tyres) but have owned, from new, all of those cars except a Porsche (in my dreams) and have never had those tyres on purchase.

If you are changing tyres more often, isn't that a false economy on a (possibly) sub-standard tyre?

Because a guy drives an AMG does not mean that his choice of tyre is sound. Loads of people with money and no brains,

In general, I am always dubious about claims that say something like "cheaper but just as good" hence my question - it is not a judgement. I've never skimped on "safety items" and do to ascribe to the "cheaper but just as good" school of thought.

This is not directed at you. People rush out to buy a MB then, when it is time for a new set of tyres, look for cheap tyres. I don't get it. OK on a crappy little low powered car .............

I get that and often marvel at people fitting cheapo Chinese rubbish on £50k cars.

But Falkens aren't in that category. They do well in tests against the better known brands - I took a long hard look as I was not initially convinced myself.

They are good tyres. I've driven them hard for long distances in all sorts of conditions.