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Original poster

Nearly in a serious car accident - hand hold please

719 replies

Usedandhurt · 24/10/2023 16:09

Im literally shaking. Just had a driver nearly kill me and my dc on the motorway. He/she must have not checked before they pulled onto the motorway from a slip road, I literally had to slam on the breaks to avoid crashing into them and thankfully the driver behind me and the one behind them etc etc were able to stop also. My dc would have been very badly hurt - it was a huge bus and I can only imagine the driver got distracted.

Im a nervous driver at the best of times and Im literally sick with nerves.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
threatmatrix · 25/10/2023 19:03

When approving a slip road always move over if you can, so the other cars can come into the road.

MsRachelDoesItBetter · 25/10/2023 19:04

Ok I know it’d be really scary but where was the bus meant to go? I know you said the middle lane was full but You could indicate to move over and the middle lane people should move to the fast lane for you. You have to let people on from the slip road (even if they’re wrong) because they will literally run out of road and then yeah you will end up crashing.

SirChenjins · 25/10/2023 19:08

Passepartoute · 25/10/2023 15:11

Out of the car and the bus, sadly we know which is most likely to have come off worst if a collision had happened.

If a collision had happened then yes, the OP would have come off worse. The bus driver, otoh, would have been held liable and charged with dangerous driving, possibly injuring his passengers in the process and no doubt losing his livelihood.

The only person who is solely responsible for getting the bus safely onto the motorway is the bus driver.

SirChenjins · 25/10/2023 19:08

MsRachelDoesItBetter · 25/10/2023 19:04

Ok I know it’d be really scary but where was the bus meant to go? I know you said the middle lane was full but You could indicate to move over and the middle lane people should move to the fast lane for you. You have to let people on from the slip road (even if they’re wrong) because they will literally run out of road and then yeah you will end up crashing.

Edited

Head/brick wall. Have you ever read the Highway Code? Do you actually drive?

Tessabelle74 · 25/10/2023 19:16

All you dickheads blaming the OP are the ones causing the accidents! The JOINING traffic is responsible for safely joining the main carriageway and should have stopped if necessary, not bully their way out because they're bigger! How you're ok now OP

GapingWhole · 25/10/2023 19:17

I’m afraid you are wrong - people are not right. There is no onus upon the OP to make adjustments and the vehicle coming down the slip road should not have been going so fast. The Highway Code is quite clear on this matter, a driver should do nothing to make another road user change speed or direction. It is the driver in the slip road who should make adjustments to enable them to join.

GapingWhole · 25/10/2023 19:21

Sorry, that was addressed to @ConfessionsOfAMumDramaQueen
hope you and your child are okay OP

platypuspart · 25/10/2023 19:23

@GapingWhole people don't always follow the Highway Code. Of course the onus was on the coach driver to not pull out, but they did. In order to drive SAFELY you HAVE to have the ability to anticipate potential hazards and act accordingly. Numerous posters have pointed out that there's no point 'being correct' when it lands you up dead! Likewise the way the OP didn't actually notice the coach until it was too late would indicate she wasn't fully paying attention.

NerrSnerr · 25/10/2023 19:35

GapingWhole · 25/10/2023 19:17

I’m afraid you are wrong - people are not right. There is no onus upon the OP to make adjustments and the vehicle coming down the slip road should not have been going so fast. The Highway Code is quite clear on this matter, a driver should do nothing to make another road user change speed or direction. It is the driver in the slip road who should make adjustments to enable them to join.

Edited

But if the OP didn't make an adjustment she'd have ended up dead. Because she didn't see the bus until the last minute she had to do a dangerous adjustment (slam on her brakes). If she'd spotted the bus earlier she would have realised that he needs to join and there isn't much room so could have eased off the accelerator, or indicated to move to the other lane (I know people keep saying there wasn't room but the vast majority of the time someone will safely make room for you to manoeuvre as they'll be watching what's happening on the slip road too)

Katywester · 25/10/2023 19:48

Having lost a close relative in a car accident I think it’s slightly extreme to say that you nearly died…
you didn’t nearly die. You nearly had an accident and you wouldn’t know the verdict of that if it had happened so you can’t say I nearly died IMO.

Persimmon23 · 25/10/2023 19:59

Katywester · 25/10/2023 19:48

Having lost a close relative in a car accident I think it’s slightly extreme to say that you nearly died…
you didn’t nearly die. You nearly had an accident and you wouldn’t know the verdict of that if it had happened so you can’t say I nearly died IMO.

I too have lost a close relative and I can assure you that I’ve nearly died in a car. Stop telling the OP what happened- you weren’t there. I imagine a bus coming onto a motorway at speed when there was no gap to do so is not conducive to good health- it’s shitty of you to use a death in your family to try to shame the OP.

Persimmon23 · 25/10/2023 20:06

platypuspart · 25/10/2023 19:23

@GapingWhole people don't always follow the Highway Code. Of course the onus was on the coach driver to not pull out, but they did. In order to drive SAFELY you HAVE to have the ability to anticipate potential hazards and act accordingly. Numerous posters have pointed out that there's no point 'being correct' when it lands you up dead! Likewise the way the OP didn't actually notice the coach until it was too late would indicate she wasn't fully paying attention.

You can have all the perception in the world but you can’t control someone forcing their way into your lane . The OP has stated that the bus was coming in at speed, not trundling along but driving at speed, her perception was sharp enough to know she couldn’t move into the right lane and also to slam on breaks to avoid a collision. I’m shocked she’s being criticised tbh. It doesnt matter how big something - if it’s speeding and bullying it’s way into a lane there’s nothing you can do but try to avoid

celticprincess · 25/10/2023 20:07

I struggle with slip roads like this. I never move over and often slow right down and almost stop if no one is letting me in as I know they on the road already have priority. I’ve nearly been taken out a few times by people who just pull right off the slip road and o can’t move over for them because someone is on the middle lane preventing me. It’s like being sandwiched between them. I frequently have to slow down for these people coming off slip roads despite having priority. Why do drivers on the road even have priority if they’re going to be blamed when they have priority. Maybe one of the reasons why o stick to the middle lane on some busy dual carriageways and motorways. When there’s lots of slip roads one after each other o find it safer to jog the middle lane. My motorway instructor always told me to read the road ahead and when overtaking into the middle lane to stay there until the road ahead was clear and it if was likely I’d be in and out on and out then it’s safer to stay in the middle til passed it all.

Persimmon23 · 25/10/2023 20:08

Tessabelle74 · 25/10/2023 19:16

All you dickheads blaming the OP are the ones causing the accidents! The JOINING traffic is responsible for safely joining the main carriageway and should have stopped if necessary, not bully their way out because they're bigger! How you're ok now OP

This made me laugh. It’s so perfectly put! .

Isinglass20 · 25/10/2023 20:12

When you’ve calmed down OP run through the scenario in your head and think what you could have done to be safe. Always consider that other drivers are fools and anticipate what foolish things they might do.
oh and take a couple of paracetamol now and watch the tv .

Persimmon23 · 25/10/2023 20:16

Isinglass20 · 25/10/2023 20:12

When you’ve calmed down OP run through the scenario in your head and think what you could have done to be safe. Always consider that other drivers are fools and anticipate what foolish things they might do.
oh and take a couple of paracetamol now and watch the tv .

It happened yesterday so hopefully she’s calmer now. Poor woman - that must have been awful. I was chatting to my sister about mad drivers and she had a few stories of her own. It’s amazing how many bad drivers there are out there.

Doris86 · 25/10/2023 20:32

platypuspart · 25/10/2023 19:23

@GapingWhole people don't always follow the Highway Code. Of course the onus was on the coach driver to not pull out, but they did. In order to drive SAFELY you HAVE to have the ability to anticipate potential hazards and act accordingly. Numerous posters have pointed out that there's no point 'being correct' when it lands you up dead! Likewise the way the OP didn't actually notice the coach until it was too late would indicate she wasn't fully paying attention.

Have you actually read the OPs posts? She saw the coach, anticipated the hazard, but was unable to move into the second lane. Therefore all she could do was hope the coach driver would have some common sense and not join the motorway until it was safe to do so. When he proceeded
to barge out anyway she was sufficiently aware of the situation to brake and avoid a collision.

ReturnOfTheRainMac · 25/10/2023 20:40

@Doris86 ffs. How many times does it need to be said. That's not all she could do at all. She could also adjust her speed to avoid impact.

Tessabelle74 · 25/10/2023 20:54

ReturnOfTheRainMac · 25/10/2023 20:40

@Doris86 ffs. How many times does it need to be said. That's not all she could do at all. She could also adjust her speed to avoid impact.

Which she clearly did or she'd have hit the bus

Naillig222 · 25/10/2023 20:54

I'm surprised the police are investigating this.

Frayalight · 25/10/2023 21:02

I totally understand how you must feel. This has happened to me and it shakes you up. It's the responsibility of the driver joining the motorway to give priority to the traffic already on the motorway. I hope you're feeling better today.

Persimmon23 · 25/10/2023 21:08

Naillig222 · 25/10/2023 20:54

I'm surprised the police are investigating this.

Why? It’s dangerous driving. The police where I live take a very dim view of driving offences. I know this as I’ve reported something myself- not of the magnitude the OP has but serious enough, road rage incident where someone tail gated me for quite a distance then pulled in front and slowed down.

Doris86 · 25/10/2023 21:20

ReturnOfTheRainMac · 25/10/2023 20:40

@Doris86 ffs. How many times does it need to be said. That's not all she could do at all. She could also adjust her speed to avoid impact.

That’s exactly what she did, adjusted her speed by braking to avoid impact.

SirChenjins · 25/10/2023 21:50

platypuspart · 25/10/2023 19:23

@GapingWhole people don't always follow the Highway Code. Of course the onus was on the coach driver to not pull out, but they did. In order to drive SAFELY you HAVE to have the ability to anticipate potential hazards and act accordingly. Numerous posters have pointed out that there's no point 'being correct' when it lands you up dead! Likewise the way the OP didn't actually notice the coach until it was too late would indicate she wasn't fully paying attention.

Yes, you’re absolutely right - in order to drive safely the bus driver should have had the ability to anticipate hazards and acted accordingly.

The responsibility for merging onto the motorway is the responsibility of the bus driver and no-one else. It was the OP’s evasive actions which prevented a motorway pile-up - I’m sure the bus driver’s camera will prove useful to the police.

FrankieStein403 · 25/10/2023 22:32

A final go:
All you armchair drivers who've googled the highway code clearly do not drive on busy motorways.

This happens frequently - possibly every time I drive on a busy motorway and on some trips several times.

Anyone used to driving on busy motorways anticipates this.

OP should treat this as a learning experience and be prepared.