Kevin

Yesterday I was in the left lane on the NJ Turnpike driving to work doing about 70 MPH, when all of a sudden out of nowhere this long metal pipe gets kicked up from the tires of an SUV about 5 car lengths in front of me. This thing is headed straight for my windshield and most likely my head. I quickly cut the wheel to the right, heard the tires squeal like hell and it almost felt like I was about to spin out, the back kinda broke loose, but I was able to keep control and stablize the car. The thing that I was very luckiy about was that there wasn't a car next to me on the right. I knew that no one was there cuz I had just passed a car on the right a few minutes before. I kinda worry though that if there was a car next to me how would I have reacted? Would I have done the same thing? If I had to cut left I would have plowed right into the divider. I really have a fear about my instincts and reaction to situations, and there's not really much you can do to test those kinds of things. anyone have any thought about how to react in a sudden situation?

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2001 CL Type S
San Marino Red/Parchment
Spoiler, wind deflector,Wheel locks, Non Nav
No mods yet

gto2050

Sure, we all do. I have done the same thing but you kept your wits about you. Even if there had been someone beside you, it would have been better to hit them than have a pipe take your head off. In your sub-conscious, you knew there was no one there.

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01 CL-S NightHawk Black/Ebony Bowling Ball Interior
Xephyr CAI
Polarg M6
Solaris 9005
Cupholder Ver 2.0 Part#77237-SOK-A02


gto2050 - The voice of absolutely no reason whatsoever!

tel1sps

Ya did the right thing.... Happens to me too often on the NJ TP. On the western spur the shoulder is big enough to evade obstacles, and I have on many occasions.
It always helps to know who is around you and make sure you leave yourself an out. Good luck, drive safe....

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2001 Silver 3.2CLS
Muds, Spoiler, Hardwire 8500, Polarg M-6 lamps, K&N filter #33-2178,
Comptech Headers, Sways, mufflers
Planning: SSR 17X7.5 GT1 Wheels, Brembo Brakes.

Chrisbert

Nice save! It is nice to be able to yank the car around and have that VSA backing you up as well.

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01 CL-S San Marino Red/Black, K&N drop in, no nav, rear wing, otherwise stock thus far, has an appetite for Bavarian cars.

Scooter

first of all, great job in avoiding the pipe. your instincts kicked in, and u responded with no hesitation. a split second hesitation could've meant the difference between avoiding the pipe or not.

second, there have been times where my instincts have kicked in during an emergency situation, and some of the things i do, whether it's stopping short, speeding up, or throwing the wheel to one side, i do them b/c i can "feel" where i am in relation to other traffic. it's like my mind has a mental picture of the immediate area and automatically compels me to do whatever i have to to avoid an accident. for example, during one of our terrible winter storms here on Long Island, i was driving my father's Volvo station wagon. at the last second, a guy tried to make a left turn but got caught up in the snow and just sat in my lane. i immediately threw the wheel to the right and back to left to avoid my back fishin into his front end, and i was successful, with very little room to spare. after a few minutes, i stopped the car and thought about what had just happened. and i concluded that i never really looked to the right to make sure noone was next to me before making the emergency lane change. it was one of those things where i could just sense noone was there.

u know the funny feeling u get when someone is around u, but u don't physically see them?? it's like the hairs on the back of your neck start jumping straight up and u get anxious?? i guess i associate those feelings when i'm driving. it's weird and very hard to explain. but it's something u should trust and act on, b/c like i said, if u think about it for a split second, a split second is all it takes to change your life.

Chris


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Copyright 2001 ScooterKin Enterprises:

'01 CL Type-S: Red on Black

- PIAA 19224 road lamps
- mudguards
- moonroof visor
- fenderwell trim
- spoiler
- wheel locks
- the OLD cup holder
- ...last, but not least, the Xephyr CAI

NOVAwhiteTypeS

One time I was going to work on a 3 lane road in va, in my kool escort GT (don't laught) this was when I just gotten my legend stolen.
Well on my way to work i go down braddock road 6 lane road 3 going each way w/ a median and trees in the middle.
I go down the far left lane as usual and go around 60 in a 45 zone. and as I come over this slight hill I see a fooken SEMI TRUCK in the fast lane. From far it looked like it was just going slow so I tried to move to the middle lane but this BMW 3 series blue * will never forget* was like right next to me the entire time. I then slowed down alot to get behind the 3 series but the thing slowed down w/ me I was like WTF!!! and started panicking. I then saw the semi get real close and notiec it was just STOPPED in the fast lane. in a 45mph zone. I then slamm on my brakes and for some fooken reason the 3 series does the same. Last minute he left off his brakes and took off. I then swerved to the right but was too late. Totalled the POS escort GT. I wasn't wearing a seat belt, which was really dumb so I flew fowared hit got smacked w/ the air bag, went over the airbag broke the windsheild w/ my chin and then got my arm scrapped against steering wheel.

I got out and since my foot was on the brake and cuz of the impact my foot got jerked back and I felt like I spraned it bad.

I get out of the car and these spanish guys all dressed like they just cut grass get out holding there neck. WTF.
I get out of my car even tho the doors all jammed.

Bleeding through my mouth, limping and cut up arm.

and they guy asks. are u okay?

"DO I FUCKEN LOOK OKAY!!!"

well the story goes on for ever but thats my story.

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CL-S
White/Ebony/Navi/Spoiler/Visor/Full Bra/Mud Guards/Acura Car Cover/Tint 20%,35%,5% on Sun Roof, Rockford 250a2 Amp w/JL10w6 / K&N Drop in Filter.Polarg m-6.
Comptech Headers,Springs,Sways, Eurolite Xenon Crystal high beams.Polarg m6


gtech 0-60 6.03 w/ 438 pound load. preheader.

X3.2CLSX

Glad to hear you're ok. You instincts did great. Avoided the pipe, even if you hit the car, it's better than taking a pipe in your face or windshield.

I had a similar experience but on the streets. I was just driving down to go to my best friend's house around 12 am, this guy flies by me, doing maybe 80 so I said damn at this time of the night. As, Im driving I noticed that a cop caught the guy on radar and she suddenly turns on the siren and revs the car to make a right hand turn (onto my lane) and Im doing 60. I didnt notice till I saw the lights (I'm deaf I dont hear the siren) and the cop didnt give 3 fucks about me and Im glad my car has good brakes my car squealed about 10 yards, I stopped within 5 feet from her car. I flipped her the bird, HAHA. But damn, had me shitting in my pants.

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NightHawk Black CL-S
Black Interior
Clear Headlights
Nokyo Halogen Bulb Artic White
AEM Cold Air Induction
Now Working to Get Springs

Kevin

ITs good to hear your guys expereinces, now that I look at even if there is was a car next to me, it would have been better then a pipe to the windshield or head.

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2001 CL Type S
San Marino Red/Parchment
Spoiler, wind deflector,Wheel locks, Non Nav
No mods yet

saabman4ever

When under stress, your "spidey" senses kick in.

I had a similar experience a few years ago on I-280 in NJ. I had been working 60-70 hours weeks and had just gotten back from a two city business trip and was on the road again. Sitting in moderate traffic on 280 with the right lane closed because of construction. Because I was so tired (I should not have been driving) I kept dozing off at the wheel. When my eyes opened up my eyes after the 3rd or 4th doze, I see the rear end of the car in front of me rapidly approaching (I was doing about 30-35mph). The spidey senses kick in, and without even thinking about it, I yank the wheel to the right, into the closed right lane and pull over on to the shoulder. Not more than 2 sec later, a construction truck (a loader) drives past doing at 30mph if not more. I was in a Geo Prizm at the time and I know I would have been toast. They would've had to scoop my brains up with a soup ladle. I just sat on the shoulder for about 10 minutes shaking.

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2001 SAAB 9-3SE HOT

The UNBIASED voice of reason & innocent poster of BS but thank god for Tom2; he'll stamp it right out and the world will once again be safe!

lilfeat

Good save my man...
I had a boss who had his 80 Caddy Fleetwood destroyed by a hunk of pipe that hit his roof pillar in front of the driver. The pipe fell off of a truck going the other way on a divided expressway. He was in the hospital for a couple of weeks, scarred up, lost vision in one eye. A citizen in the other direction (same as the truck) called the cops (with a cell phone in 1983! talk about luck!) when he saw this truck tossing its load all over the xway. The cops pulled him over about ten miles up from the crash, and the load was filled with the same 4" black pipe that whacked the Caddy. Lawsuit, and he retired to a lake in Wisconsin.

Possible lesson from Kevins post....
Don't drive in someones blind spot. They may need that space for an escape like the quick move that Kevin did.

That is my biggest pet peeve on the road.
Somebody riding right next to you or just at your rear quarter. To me anybody who does that is showing the world that they are unaware of the world around them, and drives with head planted deeply in ones own anus.
The worst is the "fly by" asshol*s that you see moving up on you from way back, maybe 10mph faster than you, then when they get right next to you, they slow up (without thinking, I'm sure) and then pass you at +3mph. In that case, when they get to the most dangerous position, they hold it for as long as possible.

Everybody should drive a bike for a while, because you quickly learn on a bike how important escape routes are, in all directions.

Also, on a bike you really become aware how many dickhe*ds are out there, who have no concept of what their car will do in an unexpected situation.




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lilfeat
01 CLS Red No Spoiler, No
Nav, No Payments

jhouse

lucky for you that you acted quickly.

a friend of mine is a teacher/soccer coach. on of his students/players was on I95 in Fort Lauderdale, in the passenger seat of her parents car.

a pipe got kicked up and went through the windshield and through her body. Luckily missing all vital organs.

you're a lucky guy!!!

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2001 CL-S Satin Silver/Ebony
Factory Spoiler/18% Tint/BEL Vector LR Radar(Hardwired)
No MODS...It's fast enough!

debaser

lilfeat, that's my number one pet peeve too. I don't understand why some drivers have a need to be *with* a bunch of other cars on the road. it's like they're afraid to drive all by themselves. when i drive, i want to be totally ALONE with no other cars within collision distance (almost impossible in NJ). i can't tell you how many times i've been cruising along in the left lane, only to have someone in the middle or right lane to speed up to travel with me. especially in my blind spot!

i also bicycle alot, and there's always the unpleasant and continual analysis of the shoulder/side of the road with regards to how badly it would hurt if you had to crash there

EricL

I think the phemonima your talking about is called clumping.

Look at it this way, most people act like sheep and follow the heard, why not drive like they think and act (the rest of the time).

Driving in an a clump is the number ONE no-no for save and defensive driving. If you have an "out", you can do more than mash the brakes and wait for the sickening smack to the rear of your car.

It is always better to be out in a clear spot, when possible.




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Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines w/Brembos?
• Comptech headers & sways
• Silver AEM CAI
• 10 coats of Zaino magic

tel1sps

In the city here it's called rubber-necking...

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2001 Silver 3.2CLS
Muds, Spoiler, Hardwire 8500, Polarg M-6 lamps, K&N filter #33-2178,
Comptech Headers, Sways, mufflers
Planning: SSR 17X7.5 GT1 Wheels, Brembo Brakes.