Close one on freeway yesterday

Was heading west on the 60 freeway in Tempe, AZ about noon, in the carpool lane (furthest left lane) perhaps 1/2 mile before the merge with I-10, I could see that the lane next to me (fast lane) was coming to a slow down a few hundred yards ahead of me, so I heightened my alert status, but was still doing about 70, and getting ready to apply brakes .

Well, a jeep that was about 50 yards in front of me in the lane to the right of me was going 70 MPH also and probably not fully paying attention, as I saw and heard his tires lock up from sudden brake application, some girl behind him, who my girlfriend told me was texting, rear ended the jeep becuase she wasn't paying attention, which by now was about 20 yards in front of me, still in the lane to the right of me.

This sent the jeep into my lane, in a spin. Quickly judging braking was the wrong thing to do, i snapped the wheel to the left, taking my car just a few inches from the concrete center barrier, in the very narrow median/breakdown lane, the 308 handled flawlessly, and I squeaked by the still moving jeep with about 6" to spare on the jeep side and a couple inches on the barrier side, once past the jeep, I got back into the lane and saw the jeep in my rear view mirror complete its full 360 spin,and end up against the center wall.

Had I been in some other vehicle that wasn't as narrow as the 308, or didn't handle as well, such as my Tacoma truck, or '61 Corvette, I wouldn't have been able to slip through.

I remember thinking during this evasive maneuver, who was I going to get to put my car back together after the jeep hit me?

I king of felt like I was in one of those NASCAR races where you try and steer through the still moving wreck.

Doug

 

Way to pay attention! In the Ferrari, and all my cars, I'm constantly scanning my surroundings for the very situation that you encountered. It reminds me of years ago when I was on I-94 coming into Chicago. I was behind a semi-truck in my M3 who lost a tire on the trailer. The re-tread was kicked up a good 10-15' in the air after it came under the last set of tires on the trailer. Rather than braking, I instinctively accelerated....the tire landed just behind my car.
Its funny that you remember the thoughts as you were making the evasive maneuver. I remember thinking...oh crap, I hope this doesn't come through my windshield......

Glad you and the car were unharmed!

JIM

 

My wife thinks Im nuts for accelerating out of trouble....a healthy V8 has saved me more times than a set of brakes has.

 

Yeh, why is that >90% of people just don't get that? It's just like merging onto the Garden State Parkway which has service plazas where you re-enter the highway in the fast lane. How come people don't get that they need to be doing fast-lane speed in order to merge safely? Some old geezer merged right in front of me a few days ago doing 45mph - and stayed in the fast lane for a couple of miles doing not much more than that.

 

I can't keep track of how many times I've almost been run over by girls who are texting while driving through campus. It pisses the f*ck out of me. It's a huge problem these days.

 

What he said. The best piece of safety gear in any car is between your ears.

 

Happens every day in California. Traffic moves along the freeway at 70-80, and the guy/girl in front of me invariably takes the on-ramp at 20-30 mph as we all queue up in our own mini traffic jam as the lane ends.

 

I hang way back from anyone exiting the plaza, glance over right shoulder, hammer down and I'm at 70 or better well before entering the highway. Only way to do it.

 

"My wife thinks Im nuts for accelerating out of trouble....a healthy V8 has saved me more times than a set of brakes has."

Yep - size and power! IMHO sportbikes can get you out of more trouble than any other vehicle.

 

When I had a bike, ......it saved me many a time.

 

Excellent job! I wonder if the jeep ever saw you go by him?

 

Sometimes it works in reverse too.....many years ago I was driving in my suburban behind a pickup with a roof rack contraption that included a work box. Well, the whole darn thing came off his pickup and landed smack dab in the middle of road right in front of me - no time or room to move, just had to run it over. The suburban flattened it with no trouble. I pulled over to be nice and the guy was actually mad at me for running over his roof rack. Huh? Some people.

If I had been in a 308 or one of my other sports cars the thing would have come through the windshield!

 

Because our cars ar so low, inalert people in these huge SUVs and extremely high trucks (hope I'm not treading on anyone's toes!) cannot see us. After a few close calls, I have learned to assume that I cannot be seen and stay way back.

 

I'd always slow down when the lane next to me comes to a halt. I don't think it was wise driving at 70 when the next lane is doing zero. You know some idiot will just jump right out, it's almost a guarantee. Luckily you made it out, but it was not a smart move. Drive intelligently and defensively.

My dad always says when an accident happens, there's always two people at fault. Maybe 50/50, maybe 99 to 1.

Ace

 

Good to hear you made it pass the Jeep, Ill bet the pucker factor was high!

Just last week I travled down to NC with my Dad to fix some problems with my property down there so I could sell it, On the way I took time to really see what all these dumb ass drivers were doing Its amazing to see people texting with both hands while doing 70-80 on the highway, and then they wonder why they get killed in accidents or kill others...

From texting to reading to cell phones I wonder what was the problems over all the years before cell phones that killed everyone?? the majority of the country stoped smoking so droped cigarettes have been replaced by Cell phones??


Id rather be flying in my old helicopter than driving on the roads!

 

+1.

 

Glad you made it by with no damage!!

I had a kid pull out of a parking lot today. I started breaking, let up and swerved and he KEPT going and ran right into my right rear tire. If he had just stopped I would have missed him completely. Luckily I was driving my truck not my 308!! I had some paint on my tire and he was missing his license plate and had a BIG black streak across the front bumper. He's very lucky it didn't end up a lot worse!!

 

maybe you should read the scenario again before saying slow down. Guy in jeep front of me in the other lane that had the problem was going 70 also. Did I say the lane next to was going zero and I was going by a stopped lane at 70? No? really?

Just a thought.

Some times I don't know why i bother to even post anything, as someone always won't read what was posted and assumes something that wasn't said.



Doug

 

Comment withdrawn.

 

Has anyone else but me noticed the blitz of television commercials related to deaths or permanent disfigurement related to accidents while texting? The idea is they have someone saying 'This is the text I got from _____ just as their car went off the road' and it just shows a few words and a few more letters. I'm glad they're putting it out there. I don't have the ability to text, and unless I have my headset on, I don't take or make phone calls in my Mondial. My other cars are automatic, not that makes it right, but I don't feel comfortable with only 2 hands, one on the wheel and one on or ready to shift, and then trying to use a phone.

Brian

 

While that was a nice escape and certainly the car's handling helped, i'd have to wonder why approaching a traffic pattern that has slowed considerably, you would maintain a 70 MPH speed. You have to anticipate that others aren't paying attention and adjust speed accordingly. You never should have had to be squeezing past a Jeep doing a 360. A slow traffic lane such as that, with an open car pool lane next to it... begs for someone to dart out in front of you.

 

Did you not read the original post or the two or three just above yours where the situation was explained again??

 

Maybe I've misread, but here's how I see it...

Your car was on the far left lane (carpool), with all the cars on the right of you. You see traffic ahead of you, on the right, slowing down (OK not zero), but you did not see a need to slow down. Some accident happened to the right of you causing one of the vehicles to get into your lane. You narrowly missed him.

What I would have done is to instead of "...heightened my alert status....", I would have "...slowed to X mph..." knowing that 3x8 have crappy brakes.

Look, I'm not busting your balls here, but looking back, would you have done anything differently knowing what you know now?

Ace

 

Relax, you had a bad day. Glad you made it out OK.

Ace

 

I was recently stuck behind a Prius trying to merge into 70mph traffic at 30mph. I put my foot into it, while driving the 348, and came around her on the triangle so as not to get in an accident myself. As I went around I just had to look. Something about the full terminator face shield she was wearing said I don't know how to drive. It's everyday here in California. About ten years ago I could not avoid a railroad tie in the road whilst driving the VW Vanagon. Nothing like catching air in a Vanagon at freeway speed hahaha. On many other occasions I have been able to dodge trash, debris, and bad driving by being in a Ferrari.