cpbmd

I was driving home from Boston with my 13 year old daughter in my Pcar. It is about 830Pm, raining and windy with leaves blowing all around. I was on a secondary highway with no ambient light. The highway is divided with an over-sized concrete sidewalk separating the on coming lane. It is a 2 lane highway on each side. I am driving about 40mph in the fast lane and there are no other cars around going my way. Ahead I notice a small set of headlights that looks maybe like it was in the on coming lane but close to the median. I think to myself that the car had pulled over in into the median on the curb from the other side of the road. At that time I did not think it was moving. So I take note and keep driving. Then I noticed that the car was way too even with me. Then things became a blur and happened fast. My daughter screamed Dad, I reflexively swerved hard to my right and the on coming car blew by me to my left. I was operating totally on instinct. It would have been about 1-2 seconds before impact.
A number of fortunate things happened. 1).First of all I had 2 hands on the wheel at 3 and 9. This allowed for a quick swerve maneuver. If I was eating a big mac or on my phone or holding a cup of coffee all of which I rarely or never do in my Pcar, I would not have been able to maneuver the car. 2).I wasn't speeding. 3). My daughter yelled a split second before my brain saw the same thing she saw. 4). Also I am very happy that I practiced this maneuver with an instructor in previous DE's. The car handled very well with only a little slippage of the rear. Thankfully no other cars were next to me.

The car that passed me was a small Corolla or Ford Focus or some piece of crap like that. I saw a driver and passenger but that is it. I stopped and watched the car in my rear view mirror. At the set of lights behind me I saw the car get back on the right side of the road. I wonder if they were drunk or just made an honest mistake on a dark, windy, dreary night in Nude Hampster. Whew!! I will live to drive another day.

Gj325

Wow
Thank God you were prepared and had a great little copilot along She may need a little Happy from Dad

Always good to be prepared and to have the proper instruction and equipment.
You had it all tonight.

Edgy01

From my experience in that part of the world there is a very high percentage of drunks on the road--and it only gets worse as the clock centers around midnight. These cars are designed to avoid accidents. Very glad you were on top of things!

cpbmd

Thanks Dan
This experience reinforced to me that driving should not be taken for granted. You always have to be aware of your surrounding and be prepared to act. This really scared the crap out of me and was a sort for wake up call. If I was doing something other than driving, like texting(i never do it anyway), f'n around with the nav, drinking coffee,or on my mobile phone, or even one hand on the wheel, we would have been toast. Thank God I was taking driving seriously a few hours ago.

midcont

To me that would be an experience that would make me sit back and reflect on my life, and think about what could have been had it gone the wrong way....and appreciate all that you have.
Now that its over, thats not necessarily a bad thing.

cpbmd

Believe me I am doing that right now as I sit here typing. I have a lot to be thankful for. I am very lucky tonight. I am also glad that I take driving seriously and that I was in a Porsche not some top heavy SUV. I bet that person was drunk although I was still early about 8pm or so. The damn rain and wind didn't help matters either.

vinnysca

Glad to hear all went well and that you and your daughter got home safe! It's always good to be on the defensive when driving in the rain and at night!

Vinny

p-cardriver

Happens to me every week or so on my drive to work. Gotta do all the things you mention all the time: Concentrate and be very aware, two hands on the wheel, know your escape paths, etc. Way too many people come too far across the lines on two-lane country roads. Of course a lot drop a wheel and never recover from that either.

Glad you're safe.

cpbmd

I got pinged 2 times tonight on Rt 93 with Laser according to my V1. No tickets as i was not speeding. Where the hell are the cops when people are driving the wrong way on the road? I wish the cop saw what I went through tonight. Seems like the cops are more concerned about the guy in the Porsche than the drunk in the Corolla. That guy deserves to get his license pulled.

neuneleven

I know after such an encounter, you rightly wonder where the cops are when really needed. However, I am greatful for you and your daughter (your co-pilot in this circumstance) and that you both made it home safe. You owe her one! Enjoy the gift of life, enjoy each other, enjoy your car!!

ADias

A lot of incompetent drivers on the road. For the most part traffic incidents are not 'accidents'. They are operator errors.

w00tPORSCHE

Wow !! Really close call Constantine. We are all very happy for you/your daughter.

cpbmd

Thanks.
Another twist of fate.... In the past I would never drive my P-cars in the rain. With my latest Porsche I made the decision to drive it in all kinds of weather. Edgy and others in this forum were instrumental in helping me get over my phobia of driving these cars in the rain. If I had decided to leave the car home tonight and take the SUV I may have rolled it.

cpbmd

I would also like to believe that we would have survived a head on collision in an 07 Porsche vs. Corolla at 35-40 mph. Hopefully been able to walk away unscathed.

Alstoy

Glad you and your daughter are safe and sound. Nothing else matters.