Near (Death?) Experience

Originally Posted by Dan37TZ

Driver reaction and instinct + 370Z handling FTW in this situation.

Glad you're safe man.

Originally Posted by Hugoneus

Now that I have calmed down, I would like to share with you my experience today:

I was driving to NY from NJ. On the highway, while I was cursing at the potholes and trying to dodge them, I came to a bend in the highway. My view was fully blocked by construction on either side of the road and a wall separating two highways. The highway had two lanes, I was in the left lane. On my right was a big 18-wheel trailer and it was going fairly slowly (40MPH), I was traveling at about 70MPH, the speed limit was 65MPH. As I pass the trailer, I enter the bend and as soon as I complete the bend, I see a line of cars, all stopped due to an accident further ahead. I hear that the 18-wheeler who had a better view ahead hit the breaks as hard as he can. I also hit the break. I have developed a habit that I look at my rear view mirror to see how close the car behind me is if I hit the breaks hard. I see an SUV who is too close to me to be able to stop. I immediately change lanes to the right lane in front of the big truck and hit the break. I barely stop just behind the car ahead of me. I look at my driver side mirror and the SUV that used to be behind me crashes in to the car that used to be in front of me at about 60MPH.

Both cars are destroyed. The crash causes a domino effect of three other cars. In all this mess, nothing hits me.

My hand were shaking. As the traffic moves forward, I see that a crash ahead was the cause of the traffic. Another 3 cars were hit, but not nearly as bad as what happened near me.

Had I stayed in my own lane, there would have been nothing left of my car.

So please, please, never tailgate, no matter what you drive.