Today was a typical day driving home from the shop at around 5m. I take the beach rout to avoid the gridlock of everyone trying to cram onto the fwy. I'm cruisin' along talking to the wife on the phone and checking out all the freaks.
I have always done 30% of my driving with my rear view mirror. I notice a truck three cars ahead of me slowing to parallel park. Traffic is at 45 mph and this is a four lane Blvd. I'm in the right hand lane and there are cars to my left: baisicaly I have no place to go. I'm OK I anticipated the slowing and was on the brakes before both of the cars ahead of me. I'm just about stopped and I instictually look in the rear view mirror. There he is...a lifted Toyota pickup comming in at 40+ mph.
For some reason I have played this cinario out in my mind for years. What do I do in this situation? I stay back from the car ahead of me and hopfully I will be able to move forward just enough to avoid an impact.
The stage was set....I had a good 20 ft between me and the car in front of me and I was just about stopped. Watching the Toyota, the front end drops, the tires are howlin' and starting to smoke. five car lenghts, four, three, ....I cram it into first gear, revit and drop the clutch...two...give a little chirp...one....blast forward, and all I can see is his Shitty Built Bummper like a foot from the back of my Bimmer!! As I'm accelerating forward he's still right there but now veering off to the right. I watch him take out the whole side of a newer Volvo wagon...OUCH!
My wife hears all the comotion.....Whats going on, she says. Oh My God....This F!@*!#$%g Guy! I tell her I gotta Go. And I stop to make sure everyone is OK. This guy almost took out a mom and her kid!! They had to pull a pannic manuver to escape. I'm soooo glad they didn't get hurt.
I guess the moral of this story is antisipate traffic, keep your distance and USE YOUR MIRROR/S it saved my @$$ today.
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damn dude that is one crazy drive home from work, glad nothing happened and that you knew how you handle in that situation, i don't know what i would have done if i were you
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Originally posted by Speedy-325is@Oct 7 2004, 12:14 AM good job! many people freeze up in situations like that.
hope every one was ok, btw, where was this exactly?
hey did you hear about the train that hit the truck pulling $300,000 worth of rare PORSCHE's on California street a few weeks ago?
sad, so so sad.
Mark
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Cabrillo St. in Santa Barbara right at East Beach.
Did not hear about the train collision.....that makes me wanna cry
__________________ Member: "Ran from a cop and got away" Club
Member: "Old Guys Rule" Club
I'm so glad your Bimmer is ok and you pay attention like that! I do to! When a weird situation like that I use the flashers so the brake lights are not alone to warn people. Another reason I love the separate turn signal/brake lights array! And another reason I love the burn out brake light warning on the roof console - Just changed my center brake light a few weeks ago
i found that in my Z4 when the top is up, obviously i dont have to mention that i have a huge ass blind spot, basically all i have are mirrors and the little square rear window. I was driving the other day with my top up since its now to cold in Michigan to ride convertible, unless your one of those deuche bags who drive with the top down when its like 50 out, but anyways i was thinking to myself "damn BMW did a great engineering job on these mirrors" if you position them just right, it pretty much eliminates the blind spots on the car. I found that when mergind onto the highway i still have to look over my shoulder for a few seconds or even look out the window. Personally in the z4 , it takes so much time to turn around and look through that little glass rearview window that it makes it almost not worth it, as far as safety is concerned. Wish i lived in cali man, that way i wouldn't have to put my BMER up for the winter.
Originally posted by bitcore+Oct 13 2004, 03:58 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bitcore @ Oct 13 2004, 03:58 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-brien4787@Oct 11 2004, 09:22 PM mirrors dont cover your blind spot. look over your shoulder
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Yes, Look over your sholder when coming to a stop kids. That saves lives.
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that was drilled into my brain during driver's ed, so i always look over my shoulder
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m. I take the beach rout to avoid the gridlock of everyone trying to cram onto the fwy. I'm cruisin' along talking to the wife on the phone and checking out all the freaks. 
More reason for me to leave two car lengths between me and guy ahead. 
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