Close Calls and Near Death Experiences - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

2001ragtop · 11-13-2012, 11:25 AM

I have 80,000 miles on the car I drive to work. I drive 40 miles each way and I sit in traffic very often.

I have never pressed the gas pedal more than like 2 millimeters. Highway is a place to use caution every millisecond.

Glad you are okay. You sound humbled and do not worry we have ALL BEEN THERE.

Don't become one of those viral videos where a guy in a sports car totals it.

Please be careful and relax on the highway and remember that only HALF of cars riding along side of you have car insurance.

rickyrocket · 11-13-2012, 11:36 AM

I really think it's the car,I get challenged almost every time I drive my camaro or challenger,usually by someone in a micro car or a pu truck,I usually laugh it off but Ive come across some aggressive s-heads that needed to be embarassed by my 6 banger.

Normagene · 11-13-2012, 12:16 PM

Time to Reminisce; a few decades back, in my crazy motorcycle days, I only new one tach position, in the RED, on a Japanese rocket. So here I am on the highway, two lanes and cars in front of me in the passing lane and the righthand lane. It's a divided highway so they have a additional lane for exiting off/crossing over on the left side. I see this exit/lane coming so I figure its a thousand feet or so, plenty of time for me to down shift and punch it, pass the three cars in front of me, and swing back into the passing lane. So that's exactly what I do. Only problem is its a much shorter distance when passing three cars and doing well over 100 mph. The scary part, at the end of the lane, which is intended for vehicles slowing down that are going to make a left not some nut case that's going to try to use it as a passing lane, the end of the lane is a concrete six inch curb! Doing well over a buck, passing one, two and now side by side with the third car and only feet left of my lane, that concrete curb definitely has death written all over it.

Threading the needle is what I call it. As I swung, with all my might, to the right, I missed the curb by no more than a half inch on the left, now at over 120 mph, the third car was in line with the curb as well and my right foot peg and foot clipped the front bumper of car number three. I forced the bike over so hard and at such a speed I shot across both lanes and had to now correct the overshoot which again took all of my strength. Letting off the throttle, still hadn't touched the brakes, I was able to pull her back into the lane and now the back end was seriously fish tailing. Speed was just about a buck even, moved all my weight up onto the gas tank because I knew if I started to lose the front end it was over. The rear end settled down and with no throttle I slowed her down to the speed limit.

Twenty plus years later I still sometimes wake up reliving that day. I've had numerous dirt and street bike crashes, but this close call is the one that just keeps haunting me. Still bothers me today and I honestly cannot explain how or why I survived. My recklessness could of ended up in a serious pile up. Bet you those who witnessed it still tell that story today.

Did I learn my lesson, sort of, I'm still a little crazy, but glad to be alive!

The_Raging_Bull · 11-13-2012, 12:38 PM

We've all had experiences where prudence in retrospect is the best choice. The difference isn't in making the mistake initially, but rather how you apply the lesson in the years to come.

rickyrocket · 11-13-2012, 12:44 PM

Anyone who's ridden a bike regularly (especially in the North East)has had at least one of those moments,I dont think Ive rode w/o being cut off daily w/cell phone epedemic

DangerZL1 · 11-13-2012, 12:53 PM

My first wreck happened on the way to my first semester of college in the rain, in a S turn. I was in a '79 Black SE T/A that I purchased used a couple weeks prior with worn Badyear tires. I was going through the turn at the same speed as the Caddy in front of me, but upon exit of the turn my car began to slide and head towards oncoming traffic. I turned it hard to avoid the oncoming lane, but it was like I was on ice. My car did a 180 and headed sideways towards the curb. I crossed two lanes and ended up on the curb with a broken axle, rim and damage to the front spoiler. It was by the grace of God that no other cars were coming in my lane, or I would have had a head on collision. 30+ years later I'm still terrified to drive in rain in a curve fearing a loss of traction. I try to avoid the rain in my ZL1 partially for this reason.

Sven59 · 11-13-2012, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Normagene

My question is; how long did it take before your heart beat went back to normal? Pretty scary stuff, all in a flash, did it go into slow-mo? Close call, glad you had the skill to pull it back into a straight line. The power of the ZL1 is crazy. I'm still in the break-in process, but I just had to give it a little extra and did a really nice tire chirp going from 2nd to 3rd, at 70 plus mph. Serious powerhouse. What mode were you in? Touring, sport, or a PTM? I also commend you on your writing skill. You're a heck of a good writer. I felt like I was in the drivers seat reading your story, really enjoyed it, you really conveyed how serious this was for yourself and everyone else around you. Good to hear no one was hurt. Love a story with a happy ending!

2nd gear at 70 MPH and you are honoring the break-in proceedures! LOL

trewyn15 · 11-13-2012, 01:13 PM

Wow glad to hear you and the car are okay.

Car's can be replaced, you cannot, could have been dangerous at the high speeds.

Stay safe!

OldScoolCamaro · 11-13-2012, 07:57 PM

....I got a headache trying to read that post,....FWIW I live in Jersey where I get cut off or squeezed out about 2X every mile....no joking. Any day of the week, sometimes worse depending on the weather, time of day, time of the year, or Lunar/Solar activity. I guess I can feel for you, but for me, it's an every day thing bro.....just sayin...

silverds · 11-13-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldScoolCamaro

....I got a headache trying to read that post,....FWIW I live in Jersey where I get cut off or squeezed out about 2X every mile....no joking. Any day of the week, sometimes worse depending on the weather, time of day, time of the year, or Lunar/Solar activity. I guess I can feel for you, but for me, it's an every day thing bro.....just sayin...

You sound like my wife. She's from New Jersey and has little paitience for long strings of words. When I get into telling her a story she says "ok Webster, make it short I got things I gotta do".

72MachOne99GT · 11-13-2012, 09:12 PM

I hear you on the 'light throttle turned out to be more' part.

I'd had my '99 for about 4 months and was leaving college classes with my cousin in a truck behind me.

Turned left, while attempting to accelerate but not kick out the rear.

Needless to say the rear kicked out, nose pointed to the 3-4" center divider, pointed back into the right lane, back towards the barrier, and finally straightened out.

Had there been a car to my right, or had I not been so lucky, I would've been in deep shit.

5 minutes *and two sweat soaked shirts later* my cousin pulls up and laughs saying all he saw was my head whipping back and forth and my arms flailing about wildly as I corrected, overcorrected, recorrected, and reovercorrected my car.

SlugWound · 11-13-2012, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven59

2nd gear at 70 MPH and you are honoring the break-in proceedures! LOL

+1

Smittty · 11-13-2012, 11:27 PM

Glad you came out of it ok. Lesson learned Iam sure.

rzrbck_zl1 · 11-14-2012, 12:15 AM

As others have posted, I'm glad it turned out OK. Been there myself a few times in my four decades of driving - sometimes as a result of others' actions, sometimes entirely my own fault. Fortunately only one of those experiences left any permanent scars, and that was on my last motorcycle ride about 15 years ago. I still have the trashed speedometer from that bike on my desk as a daily reminder of what can happen in an instant of poor judgement...

11-13-2012, 11:36 AM	#16
rickyrocket Drives: 2015 blk 1 SS Join Date: May 2012 Location: Coventry RI Posts: 1,309	I really think it's the car,I get challenged almost every time I drive my camaro or challenger,usually by someone in a micro car or a pu truck,I usually laugh it off but Ive come across some aggressive s-heads that needed to be embarassed by my 6 banger. __________________ 15 1 SS

11-13-2012, 12:44 PM	#19
rickyrocket Drives: 2015 blk 1 SS Join Date: May 2012 Location: Coventry RI Posts: 1,309	Anyone who's ridden a bike regularly (especially in the North East)has had at least one of those moments,I dont think Ive rode w/o being cut off daily w/cell phone epedemic __________________ 15 1 SS

11-13-2012, 01:13 PM	#22
trewyn15 Drives: 2004 Monte Carlo LS Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Janesville, WI Posts: 2,414	Wow glad to hear you and the car are okay. Car's can be replaced, you cannot, could have been dangerous at the high speeds. Stay safe! __________________ 2004 Monte Carlo LS - 1966 AMC Rambler Rebel Classic - 2000 Trans Am WS6

11-13-2012, 07:57 PM	#23
OldScoolCamaro Drives: Camaro's, always have, always will. Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Home of the brave Posts: 4,851	....I got a headache trying to read that post,....FWIW I live in Jersey where I get cut off or squeezed out about 2X every mile....no joking. Any day of the week, sometimes worse depending on the weather, time of day, time of the year, or Lunar/Solar activity. I guess I can feel for you, but for me, it's an every day thing bro.....just sayin... __________________ In Scott We Trust...all others must show proof.

11-13-2012, 11:25 AM	#15
2001ragtop Drives: V8 american car Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 1,417	I have 80,000 miles on the car I drive to work. I drive 40 miles each way and I sit in traffic very often. I have never pressed the gas pedal more than like 2 millimeters. Highway is a place to use caution every millisecond. Glad you are okay. You sound humbled and do not worry we have ALL BEEN THERE. Don't become one of those viral videos where a guy in a sports car totals it. Please be careful and relax on the highway and remember that only HALF of cars riding along side of you have car insurance.

11-13-2012, 12:16 PM	#17
Normagene Drives: 2013 Ashen Gray M6 ZL1 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: South Eastern, Mass Posts: 2,615 View My Garage	Time to Reminisce; a few decades back, in my crazy motorcycle days, I only new one tach position, in the RED, on a Japanese rocket. So here I am on the highway, two lanes and cars in front of me in the passing lane and the righthand lane. It's a divided highway so they have a additional lane for exiting off/crossing over on the left side. I see this exit/lane coming so I figure its a thousand feet or so, plenty of time for me to down shift and punch it, pass the three cars in front of me, and swing back into the passing lane. So that's exactly what I do. Only problem is its a much shorter distance when passing three cars and doing well over 100 mph. The scary part, at the end of the lane, which is intended for vehicles slowing down that are going to make a left not some nut case that's going to try to use it as a passing lane, the end of the lane is a concrete six inch curb! Doing well over a buck, passing one, two and now side by side with the third car and only feet left of my lane, that concrete curb definitely has death written all over it. Threading the needle is what I call it. As I swung, with all my might, to the right, I missed the curb by no more than a half inch on the left, now at over 120 mph, the third car was in line with the curb as well and my right foot peg and foot clipped the front bumper of car number three. I forced the bike over so hard and at such a speed I shot across both lanes and had to now correct the overshoot which again took all of my strength. Letting off the throttle, still hadn't touched the brakes, I was able to pull her back into the lane and now the back end was seriously fish tailing. Speed was just about a buck even, moved all my weight up onto the gas tank because I knew if I started to lose the front end it was over. The rear end settled down and with no throttle I slowed her down to the speed limit. Twenty plus years later I still sometimes wake up reliving that day. I've had numerous dirt and street bike crashes, but this close call is the one that just keeps haunting me. Still bothers me today and I honestly cannot explain how or why I survived. My recklessness could of ended up in a serious pile up. Bet you those who witnessed it still tell that story today. Did I learn my lesson, sort of, I'm still a little crazy, but glad to be alive!

11-13-2012, 12:38 PM	#18
The_Raging_Bull Raging Bull Reborn Drives: '09 CGM Z063LZ '15 RH Z/28 #0631 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Broken Arrow OK Posts: 765 View My Garage	We've all had experiences where prudence in retrospect is the best choice. The difference isn't in making the mistake initially, but rather how you apply the lesson in the years to come.

11-13-2012, 12:53 PM	#20
DangerZL1 Drives: 2023 Black ZL1 Auto Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: FEMA Region 4 Posts: 2,935	My first wreck happened on the way to my first semester of college in the rain, in a S turn. I was in a '79 Black SE T/A that I purchased used a couple weeks prior with worn Badyear tires. I was going through the turn at the same speed as the Caddy in front of me, but upon exit of the turn my car began to slide and head towards oncoming traffic. I turned it hard to avoid the oncoming lane, but it was like I was on ice. My car did a 180 and headed sideways towards the curb. I crossed two lanes and ended up on the curb with a broken axle, rim and damage to the front spoiler. It was by the grace of God that no other cars were coming in my lane, or I would have had a head on collision. 30+ years later I'm still terrified to drive in rain in a curve fearing a loss of traction. I try to avoid the rain in my ZL1 partially for this reason.

11-13-2012, 11:27 PM	#27
Smittty Drives: 2013 ZL1 Camaro 2000 SLP Camaro Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ruther Glen, VA Posts: 357	Glad you came out of it ok. Lesson learned Iam sure.

11-14-2012, 12:15 AM	#28
rzrbck_zl1 Drives: '13 ZL1 CRT #702; '05 Hemi Ram Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Posts: 320 View My Garage	As others have posted, I'm glad it turned out OK. Been there myself a few times in my four decades of driving - sometimes as a result of others' actions, sometimes entirely my own fault. Fortunately only one of those experiences left any permanent scars, and that was on my last motorcycle ride about 15 years ago. I still have the trashed speedometer from that bike on my desk as a daily reminder of what can happen in an instant of poor judgement...