Have You Ever Had A Fortunate Near Miss?

[naomi24]

Driving today my husband narrowly missed hitting a toddler who, out with his family and riding his little bike, suddenly veered off the pavement straight into the path of the car - a big 4x4.  My husband slammed the brakes on and said the child was inches away when he stopped. 

 

Sitting here pondering, it occurred to me how easily an ordinary day can turn into a tragic, life-changing nightmare.  My heart is still racing - and I wasn't even in the car!   I just thank heavens my husband had his wits about him.

 

I'll open the wine early tonight - and I hope those poor parents do the same.  I reckon they'll think twice about letting their baby ride his bike  along a busy road again.   What a fright!

[nicebloke1]

You assume wrong naomi.

[naomi24]

Oh he knew the family were walking on the pavement - it only takes a split second ... and it did.

[gingejbee]

naomi...not worth arguing with someone who is always right...(and doesn't know when to stop digging!).

[naomi24]

Sad innit.  

[andy-hughes]

nicebloke - // In over 50 years of driving I've never had to slam my brakes on, only on my driving test. Pay attention to the far distance not just whats happening immediately ahead of you. See the bigger picture / hazard that might be developing. Its always worked well for me, but then again I have done advanced driving a few years back and never forgotten the above. //

As evidenced in my post, a 'hazzard that might be developing', can have actually 'developed' in a matter of two seconds, and at high speed, there is little chance to react.

Similarly, naomi's husband could not have anticipated the speed with which a child on a bike can suddenly veer into the road.

Your rather patronising attitude suggests that you are a 'Sunday afternoon' driver - if you had driven the ammount that I have in over fifty years, I assure you, you would have braked sharply more than once.

Anticipaton is the avoidance of a lot of situations, but by no means all of them - that's why cars have bumpers on them.

[retrocop]

Niceone

I also am a trained advanced class 1 ex police driver, advanced class 1 motorcyclist,HGV 2, PCV 1 and member of the Institute of Advanced motorists. I know 'the system' and Roadcraft (Drivers Bible both with cars and motorcyles) inside out.I was taught high speed driving, emergency braking and to read the road ahead. Identify potential hazards etc etc etc.

Only god can anticipate what a toddler would do in a millisecond. Cover the brake on the approach to a potential hazard is about all a mere va mortal can do unless you brake and slow down approaching all potential hazards i.e. pedestrian bridge over a motoway. Naomi's husband was lucky and also displayed good reactions. The toddler was even luckier.

[douglas9401]

While I'm more or less on your side, it's been a while since cars had bumpers.

It's all deforming crumple zones these days.

[nicebloke1]

Since my view on the situation put forward in the OP appears to be either seen to be sad or patronising, I'll leave it at that. Happy??

[Omg21]

I was driving home in the dark and a deer suddenly shot out in front of me.  I was able to stop but it was something that I couldn't have anticipated as the area wasn't known for having deer around.

[retrocop]

Nicebloke1

As an advanced driver you should know and have practised 'Cadence braking' on the skid pan.

The ability to stop a vehicle as quickly as possible on a slippery surface when a hazard suddenly presents itself. You slam the brakes on and off in very quick succession in hope that the vehicle comes to rest.

That is old hat now and a better method has evolved but you knew that didn't you?

[andy-hughes]

Nicebloke, I am neither sad or happy, if you post, or not, but you have been on here long enough to know that sweeping statements get challenged as a matter of course.

[Old_Geezer]

Had a near miss only recently. Country road, right on a curve, as I go around the smaller radius side there's a pedestrian (never seen one before on that road as it's clearly taking your life in your hands, so no sane person would try it on either side of the road) just yards ahead,the and at the same time an oncoming car is about to pass him on the other side. Nowhere to go, I braked and he was damned lucky he hadn't appeared in front of someone else as not everyone goes as cautiously as I do down there.

 

My mind went back over that thinking about what could have occurred many times over the following few days.

[andy-hughes]

Old Geezer - Can't you anticipate round blind bends?

You need nicebloke to educate you!!

[ichkeria]

"Never. Your husband should not have had to slam his brakes on. Anticipation equals a good driver."

Wha-at? 
And yes I have read your subsequent posts too. 

[tomus42]

I've had a near miss similar to the one you describe. Kid on a bike riding along the pavement lost control and went into the road right in front of me. For some reason I could sort of see it happening before it did, so my foot was hovering over the brake.

Also had a near miss the other way around. Stupidly walked into the road on a bend when my mind was distracted. I still don't know how the car that came around the bend managed to stop in time, but I'm forever thankful to that driver.

[juliecarlstan]

yeah...take a good real deep breath Naomi, you are loved and protected.       I have been on both sides of this outcome...(am I allowed to say?) God Loves Us All! it can be overwealming to see how much!