Beware the damp roundabouts!

[GIJOE90]

Haven't been on here a while but thought I'd share a little story.

Christmas Day, had dinner etc. my cousin was round and hadn't been out in my car before so I said we'll go for a quick blast around some nearby roads.

Coming off a roundabout I must have given it a bit too much right foot and ended up trying out the land speed record in reverse. Lukily a tree stopped me in my tracks and broke my spine and gave me a nice blood clot on my brain which needed two head operations. I was unaware of all of this until 10 days later when I woke up in hospital.

11 months of MR2 ownership and not really had a scary moment until then. I think it must of gone that quick there was nothing I could do. I can't actually remember waking up on Chrsitmas day.

I'm still having to wear my lovely body brace but miraculously should make a full recovery

Before



After



Just be careful out there guys

Joe
P.S My cousin got out a lot better than me and is just about fine now (Only 3 days in hospital to my 30!)

[Mark Edwards]

xxxx man!!

Glad you're ok in the end and hope everything goes well with your back.

That does look like it was nasty.

[craig]

Damn mate, sorry to hear that!

Glad you are alive to tell the tale and all the best for a speedy recovery! [-o< [-o<

Take it easy.

[blue2]

Holy Cr@p!!!! That looked very nasty! Glad your ok!! I know what you mean about roundabouts, I span mine round a few months back. Its very easy and hapens in a split second. Not a nice pic of your car though!

[Quigonjay]

JESUS
glad your ok mate

[Lauren]

that looks very nasty, you must have hit that at some speed!!

Just goes to show that though most of the time we walk away its not always the case.

Best of luck with your recovery.

[Redrummo]

I dont know how you made it from that one mate

Half the car from the rear is crumpled right up to the cabin!

Glad you made it. Better not to remember me thinks............

[Dave Goodhand]

No offence mate but don't you think it was a bit stupid doing stuff like that with your cousin in the car ffs?!?

I'm glad you're "ok" although you can't say "I was doing 40 and lost it" as that just wont cut it. The damage done to the rear of that 2 looks like an impact from 60+ at least and a road with roundabouts...

Sorry but I know it sounds like I'm being harsh.. but I'm more inquisitive as to why anyone would want to put the life of a family member in danger?

[pnjmcc]

Every time I read one of these I expect to see a pic of a bent front wing or door where people have just slid of the road.

Thats just a mangled wreck I was shocked to see it.

I hope the rest of your recovery goes ok.

Regards
PaulM
92 G-Ltd

[GIJOE90]

Cheers for the comments/good wishes guys, I'm making a good recovery and I know it could have been a lot worse. I've got someone watching over me

No offence mate but don't you think it was a bit stupid doing stuff like that with your cousin in the car ffs?!?

I'm glad you're "ok" although you can't say "I was doing 40 and lost it" as that just wont cut it. The damage done to the rear of that 2 looks like an impact from 60+ at least and a road with roundabouts...

Sorry but I know it sounds like I'm being harsh.. but I'm more inquisitive as to why anyone would want to put the life of a family member in danger?

All I was doing was taking him for a quick ride. Yes I was driving hard to show him what it can do. As I said before, 11 months and I hadn't even had so much as a twitch from the car, I always drove it with respect as I know what they are like. Pair that to 7 years of accident free driving and I do nearly 40k a year. I'm no idiot or boy racer. The road had recently been resurfaced and new tarmac is notorious for being a bit greasy. A friend of mine who salvaged some personal items for me after recovery said there was a hole in the sidewall of one of the rear tyres. Of course this could have been done during or after the accident, I'll never know.

You'd be suprised how much damage you can do to a car at low speeds, remember a tree doesn't have any give in it what so ever. I'd estimate I was doing no more than 40 upon impact. That is fast enough mind, if it was 60 there is no way I'd still be here!! There is no way I could have done 60 around the roundabout anyway in the conditions on that day.

There is no way I'd ever intend to endanger the life of any of my family, it was an accident and I've learnt a lot about life since.

Joe

[tonigmr2]

It looks very nasty mate, glad you are OK.

Dave what Joe says is right. If you are ever going to crash whatever you do try not to hit a tree. They don't move, not one cm, so all of the energy is transferred to the car and you will smash it good.

It looked a very nice example.
T

[Alex O]

That does look horrible - really lucky that you will be ok if you broke yor spine!!!

What else did the paper say other than the caption below the pic?

[Dave Goodhand]

All I was doing was taking him for a quick ride. Yes I was driving hard to show him what it can do. As I said before, 11 months and I hadn't even had so much as a twitch from the car, I always drove it with respect as I know what they are like. Pair that to 7 years of accident free driving and I do nearly 40k a year. I'm no idiot or boy racer. The road had recently been resurfaced and new tarmac is notorious for being a bit greasy. A friend of mine who salvaged some personal items for me after recovery said there was a hole in the sidewall of one of the rear tyres. Of course this could have been done during or after the accident, I'll never know.

7yrs of driving experience equates to 0 in a MR car I'd imagine. So you're saying you had 11 months driving experience. I'm not saying you are a boy racer etc, but the "be careful of wet roundabouts" etc. just is a bit stupid really. It looks like your car was fairly heavily modified, which is more of an excuse to take it easy. It was xmas day and the pic looks like it was taken in the dark. So you were caining it around on a wet/cold night no doubt and you crashed badly.

I've crashed race cars at 130mph and walked away with minor concussion! You damaged a road car to well.. nothing.. and you estimate the speed at 40. To be honest I would estimate the speed of the 130mph accident to about 80ish although we know thats not true looking at telementary.. so pretty much your brain slows things down.

I don't buy it and its good that you are well.. but I hoped you learnt your lesson. To drive quickly you should be on the track. End of. I'm sorry that I'm not one to "sympathise" with you.. but you had your cousin in the car and personally I feel that as very selfish and stupid. I always look after my passengers safety first and would never drive at anything over a pace I knew I was still only driving at 6/10ths.

Had you just cracked the bumper etc.. then I would've said harsh etc. but this photo... you were damn lucky to walk away (another 90/180 degrees and you, your passenger or both of you would be 6ft under)

[Ian Geary]

Very nasty. All the best for your recovery Joe.

Dave, the photo was taken at night, but it's only an assumption that the accident happened at night, and not beyond doubt.

[quote]So you were caining it around on a wet/cold night no doubt and you crashed badly.[/qoute]

That's an assumption, not fact IMO because:

It gets dark around 4pm in winter, and by the time the emergency services have been called, arrived, removed the occupants and let a newspaper photographer in (piccie looks to be from a paper), it could have slipped from daylight to dark quite easily.

Not that being light / dark has any affect on the rest of your points - I think they're extremely valid.

I think there are enough conclusions in this post already - no need to jump to any more.

Ian

[dawolf]

Such a shame, looked like a lovely '2'. At least you were okay. I hate driving on damp roads with a mid-engined car.

[Redrummo]

it was an accident and I've learnt a lot about life since.

sometimes the only true way to learn the consequences of speed/fast driving is a big accident and taste the "pain". what can be hard to finally get is that it can often be completly out of your control (black ice, blown tyre, animal crosing).

It will change your outlook on life and you'll almost certainly be driving more sensibly!?! (I learnt my lesson, and didnt lose my memory, so i remember the pain, ouch!)

[Goto10]

7yrs of driving experience equates to 0 in a MR car I'd imagine. So you're saying you had 11 months driving experience. I'm not saying you are a boy racer etc, but the "be careful of wet roundabouts" etc. just is a bit stupid really. It looks like your car was fairly heavily modified, which is more of an excuse to take it easy. It was xmas day and the pic looks like it was taken in the dark. So you were caining it around on a wet/cold night no doubt and you crashed badly.

I've crashed race cars at 130mph and walked away with minor concussion! You damaged a road car to well.. nothing.. and you estimate the speed at 40. To be honest I would estimate the speed of the 130mph accident to about 80ish although we know thats not true looking at telementary.. so pretty much your brain slows things down.

I don't buy it and its good that you are well.. but I hoped you learnt your lesson. To drive quickly you should be on the track. End of. I'm sorry that I'm not one to "sympathise" with you.. but you had your cousin in the car and personally I feel that as very selfish and stupid. I always look after my passengers safety first and would never drive at anything over a pace I knew I was still only driving at 6/10ths.

Had you just cracked the bumper etc.. then I would've said harsh etc. but this photo... you were damn lucky to walk away (another 90/180 degrees and you, your passenger or both of you would be 6ft under)

If you say you have never gone a bit too fast on a public highway before, then I will say you're very likely to be telling porky pies.
We all know 'the race track' is where you should be if you want to drive fast, but most red blooded sports car owners are guilty of some spirited driving on the road.
The guy has openly admitted he was at fault, he didn't say it was his proudest moment in life or try to blame it on the legendary "black ice" or "diesel on road".
40mph + tree is easily capable of causing that damage, a crumple zone striking an immovable object at that speed will cause substantial damage, or more to the point, crumple.

Anyway, glad to hear you're on the mend and a shame to hear about the crash :/

[GIJOE90]

All I was doing was taking him for a quick ride. Yes I was driving hard to show him what it can do. As I said before, 11 months and I hadn't even had so much as a twitch from the car, I always drove it with respect as I know what they are like. Pair that to 7 years of accident free driving and I do nearly 40k a year. I'm no idiot or boy racer. The road had recently been resurfaced and new tarmac is notorious for being a bit greasy. A friend of mine who salvaged some personal items for me after recovery said there was a hole in the sidewall of one of the rear tyres. Of course this could have been done during or after the accident, I'll never know.

7yrs of driving experience equates to 0 in a MR car I'd imagine. So you're saying you had 11 months driving experience. I'm not saying you are a boy racer etc, but the "be careful of wet roundabouts" etc. just is a bit stupid really. It looks like your car was fairly heavily modified, which is more of an excuse to take it easy. It was xmas day and the pic looks like it was taken in the dark. So you were caining it around on a wet/cold night no doubt and you crashed badly.

I've crashed race cars at 130mph and walked away with minor concussion! You damaged a road car to well.. nothing.. and you estimate the speed at 40. To be honest I would estimate the speed of the 130mph accident to about 80ish although we know thats not true looking at telementary.. so pretty much your brain slows things down.

I don't buy it and its good that you are well.. but I hoped you learnt your lesson. To drive quickly you should be on the track. End of. I'm sorry that I'm not one to "sympathise" with you.. but you had your cousin in the car and personally I feel that as very selfish and stupid. I always look after my passengers safety first and would never drive at anything over a pace I knew I was still only driving at 6/10ths.

Had you just cracked the bumper etc.. then I would've said harsh etc. but this photo... you were damn lucky to walk away (another 90/180 degrees and you, your passenger or both of you would be 6ft under)

Ok it's a bit of a miss-quoted title, the roads were no more than damp.

I know how fast I can drive but thanks for telling me. The road was a 60 limit and there is no way I was up to that speed when I lost it. As I said I was showing my cousin what the car is capable of, I'm hardly going to be changing at 3000rpm am I!? But at the same time I wasn't under the impression I was endangering life. And also as I said, I always drove the car with respect but it obviousley caught me out this time.

I have done track days in a MR cars (Not this 2) so I know how they handle when pushed. I was planning on going to the Ring this year or next year in it and also do some track days so I could really push it and see where the limits were. Yes the car was quite modified but I didn't drive like an idiot with all that power.

The accident occured at 4pm so I'd just put the headlights on I guess. That picture was taken after I was taken to hospital and the car had been dragged to the side of the road for recovery so it would have been a lot later.

I can appreciate what you are saying Dave but you don't know me or the circumstances in which it happened so I'd appreciate you not dishing out the lectures.

Joe

[Quigonjay]

jeez guys, the kid nearly died ffs, lets cut him a bit of slack, i think its safe to say he will have learnt his leason

[ioa1980]

Wow!

A really nice car too!

Glad you're ok!

All the best!!!