Phillip,
I was in a similar situation several years ago. I was driving to work in
the roadster early one morning when traffic on the freeway came to a sudden
halt due to road construction. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a
semi coming up fast behind me with all wheels locked and smoke pooring from
the tires. I quickly gave the wheel a tug to the right, hit the gas and
dumped the clutch. The semi plowed into the SUV that was in front of me
doing severe damage and sending the driver to the hospital with neck and
back injuries. Simple physics I guess.
John
>Hall, Phillip Writes:
>
>Good point Paul. To move this thread to Roadsters, how about accidents
>avoided in a Roadster because it is small and nibble.
>
>Ran off the road twice by semis. If not for a good braking Roadster, I
>would have hit parked cars both times.
>
>Passing a semi at 60 MPH and I was at the rear wheels of the cab and he
>locked up. All I could see was blue smoke - no idea where things were in
>relation to the Roadster. I kept it straight and braked HARD. Saw a
>glimpse of the cab jack-knifing and pulled the hand brake. The Roadster
>spun and everything stopped with my rear bumper inches from the truck. Was
>doing a 180 the right thing to do - just a panic more. Hey, I was only 15.
>
>It was 3:00 in the morning. In my Roadster with top down. Got stopped at a
>rail road crossing. A semi pulls up behind me. He honks and jumps his
>truck forward a couple of inches. Does it again, again... until his is
>inches from my bumper. I have NO place to go! I look up at the driver and
>he is hanging out the window laughing his butt off. I started laughing
>with
>him - it had been a long day.
>
>Phil
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Paul [mailto:9laser3@bright.net]
>Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2002 1:33 PM
>To: aavery@rica.net; datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
>Subject: Truck Vs. car
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Alex Avery <aavery@rica.net>
> >
> > P.S. Fact: Big vehicles are inherently more safe--it's simple physics.
>Hit
> > a 4" diameter tree on the side of the road with a roadster and you'll
>stop
> > real quick (major forces ripping at your body). Hit same tree in
> > Expedition and you'll go right through it and stop more gently (much
>more
> > survivable forces on your body). Like it or not, but big semi drivers
>walk
> > away from accidents because they drive big vehicles. Drivers of
>motorcycles
> > hardly ever walk away from any kind of accident.
> >
>
> Another FACT! In a roadster or other smaller vehicle, I may be able to
>stop short of hitting that tree. Or maybe actually steer around it instead
>of just plowing through it. YES, if you are bound and determined to hit
>something big and stationary, drive the biggest, heaviest tank you can
>find.
>BUT, if you feel like avoiding an accident or two, drive something a bit
>more nimble. Maybe even save a gallon or two of gas so we can keep driving
>a few more years!
> As for snow, yeah if you're driving through 3 feet of it, the ground
>clearance is nice. But remember 4 wheel drive doesn't matter when you hit
>the brakes and realize you are in 3 tons of steel sliding down the road!
>
>Paul
>OROC
>
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