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So a week ago today, we were driving back home after a week at Myrtle Beach, SC. Since I had the GPS (installed in the cubby of my G8), I was the lead car. My brother-in-law was asleep in the passenger seat, and my wife and the rest of her family are in the 04 Grand Prix about 6 cars back in traffic. We're communicating with a couple Cobra 2-way walkies.
The traffic was flowing along around 70 in the slow lane. There was a maroon Monte Carlo immediately ahead of me. The other driver's around us were doing a good job of keeping a safe distance; and we're probably about 4.5 car lengths behind the Monte. I was about to make my move into the passing lane, since I was getting too close to the car ahead. The passing lane had a bit more stacked up traffic though; they were trailing behind a semi that was passing the Monte Carlo.
I checked my mirrors and blind spot for the change and as I glance forward again, the Monte Carlo and the Semi touch. I don't know who was at fault.... If the semi driver thought he was clear and cut over, or if the Monte driver was trying to make a move. I don't remember anything being in front of him so who knows. All I know is that the truck and the Monte were both right on the center white dotted line.
At this point I was in around 3.5 car lengths and had my foot resting on the brake. This may have been what helped with the reaction time. Anyways, the two touched and the Monte Carlo went for a ride. First thing that happened was the back end of his car fishtailed into the passing lane. I had the walkie-talkie in hand and was on the brakes hard. I warned the other car traveling with us with something along the lines of "wreck wreck wreck, we've got a wreck". The hard braking and shouting on the walkie startled my bro-in-law awake. He woke up in time to see the rest.
The first thing his eyes saw was the Monte sliding sideways toward the gaurdrail in the passing lane. Then the car somehow managed to go exactly perpindicular to the lane, which kept him off the gaurdrail. At this point, we're grinding the brakes and aimed right at his passenger side. The momentum of his car then caused the front (in our lane) to angle back toward our gaurdrail. Then finally the back end loses all traction and just whips completely back around into our lane.
Now we've got our speed down to like 20mph. His car finally comes to a complete stop facing oncoming traffic (that's me, and the line of cars bearing down on us) in our lane. The whole time all this is happening, I'm still warning them on the walkie (cause all the have seen is brake lights), keeping an eye on the rearview mirror to avoid getting hit, and manage to get into the passing lane just as his car comes to a stop in front of where we would have been.
Dude got lucky, somebody was watchin after him (and us). That whole thing coulda been alot worse. I know I was gettin way to close, but he (and I) were also lucky that I was able to react as quick as I did.
Oh, my bro-in-law needed to change his pants afterward.... lol.
The traffic was flowing along around 70 in the slow lane. There was a maroon Monte Carlo immediately ahead of me. The other driver's around us were doing a good job of keeping a safe distance; and we're probably about 4.5 car lengths behind the Monte. I was about to make my move into the passing lane, since I was getting too close to the car ahead. The passing lane had a bit more stacked up traffic though; they were trailing behind a semi that was passing the Monte Carlo.
I checked my mirrors and blind spot for the change and as I glance forward again, the Monte Carlo and the Semi touch. I don't know who was at fault.... If the semi driver thought he was clear and cut over, or if the Monte driver was trying to make a move. I don't remember anything being in front of him so who knows. All I know is that the truck and the Monte were both right on the center white dotted line.
At this point I was in around 3.5 car lengths and had my foot resting on the brake. This may have been what helped with the reaction time. Anyways, the two touched and the Monte Carlo went for a ride. First thing that happened was the back end of his car fishtailed into the passing lane. I had the walkie-talkie in hand and was on the brakes hard. I warned the other car traveling with us with something along the lines of "wreck wreck wreck, we've got a wreck". The hard braking and shouting on the walkie startled my bro-in-law awake. He woke up in time to see the rest.
The first thing his eyes saw was the Monte sliding sideways toward the gaurdrail in the passing lane. Then the car somehow managed to go exactly perpindicular to the lane, which kept him off the gaurdrail. At this point, we're grinding the brakes and aimed right at his passenger side. The momentum of his car then caused the front (in our lane) to angle back toward our gaurdrail. Then finally the back end loses all traction and just whips completely back around into our lane.
Now we've got our speed down to like 20mph. His car finally comes to a complete stop facing oncoming traffic (that's me, and the line of cars bearing down on us) in our lane. The whole time all this is happening, I'm still warning them on the walkie (cause all the have seen is brake lights), keeping an eye on the rearview mirror to avoid getting hit, and manage to get into the passing lane just as his car comes to a stop in front of where we would have been.
Dude got lucky, somebody was watchin after him (and us). That whole thing coulda been alot worse. I know I was gettin way to close, but he (and I) were also lucky that I was able to react as quick as I did.
Oh, my bro-in-law needed to change his pants afterward.... lol.
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