Driving to London yesterday morning, just past J13 East on M4, about 8.50am.

The car in front of me (fast lane, circa 80mph) starts drifting towards the central reservation.

WTF??

Smash! The car hits the barrier, bounces in the air and then leaps back across the carriageway in front of me.

Cool, I think, they are pulling off to give themselves a good talking to.

But the car just continues off the road up onto the embankment, and bouncing around like a Toy.

As I pass, I look back over my shoulder to see the male driver utterly limp in the driver's seat being thrown around like a rag doll.

I don't think it would have affected me, but I looked him right in the face, and it was just horrible seeing him being thrown around like that.

No idea what had happened, certainly wasn't asleep, so either had just lost consciousness, or heart attack, or who knows what.

Poor guy and his family, he must have only been 40, driving to work as normal.

As we drove on, his car had slowed a lot, but was gradually making its way back onto the M4

We called the police and ambulance and pulled in at Reading services, but the traffic on the M4 continued at the same weight, so presumably it didn't cause a huge pile up.

Can find anything about it on the news or online, just wanted to know if he was ok so I can get the image out of my head

Anybody else see this?

 

Holy crap

 

I know

 

Had almost the same experience on the M6 once. Guy in the middle lane, I pull out to overtake, he swerves. Whoa I think, watch him and ease off and wait. Hmmm must be momentary loss of concentration, start to gently increase speed and get a bit closer thinking it's OK, he's seen me now. Nope just as i put my foot down to get past car shoots straight across and into the central resevation. Had time to swerve inside of him and only suffered a broken foglight. Pull up about 50 yds in front of him and call 999. Run back (by now couple of workmen pulled up and putting cones out - one of them checking on guy and reckoned he'd had a fit or something.


Know how you feel mate, very very scary business and as you say not nice seeing what is happening (could see the guy bouncing around as he ground in to the central barrier.

Just goes to show no matter how careful you are, no accounting for something like this - you can predict nutters and general bad drivers but not this.

 

Yeah not good. Its odd it didn't faze me the 'near miss' scenario it was more seeing this guy and just thinking how things can just happen and affect people...butterfly effect and all that.

 

Yes it scares you silly when something like that happens - hope the person concerned and his family are OK.

I once witnessed a Land Rover Discovery on the M6 just south of Southwaite start to weave (presumably as driver fell asleep) just in front of me at around 3am. The Discovery never the best handling machine available then went into a spin at around 70mph.

The gobsmacking part was that it did two 360 degree turns and then the driver recovered it and continued in a straight line. Before slowing to around 30 and continuing in the inside lane.

I don't know what had most effect on me the fact that I too was very tired having driven from the Scottish Hebrides and it could have been me or the fact that the guy recovered the spin (awesome)!!

I pulled in at the next services and had a nap and gallons of coffee!!! Kinda hoped I'd see the Discovery and have a chat with him as it was an awesome piece of car control but I didn't see him.

I have never driven again in as tired a state as I was that night!! I think most of us would never drive after drinking but what I saw that night made sure I ensure I am not too tired when I'm driving.

 

I think it was TopGear or 5th Gear that did a "study" recently comparing the effects of alcohol and tiredness on drivers. We all know the hazards of driving whilst under the influence but at least drunk drivers tend to brake (if late). Drivers who are asleep do not brake at all and tend to hit whatever they hit at full speed. Their "accidents" can be as bad if not worse due to the speed of impact.