An amazing "near" disaster averted on I-40 today.

[Guest TankerHC]

Was headed up 40 this morning around 8:30. Heavy Traffic but running along smoothly 70-75 MPH.

 

I had gotten in the left lane to pass, traffic was moving a bit fast and there were a lot of tractor-trailers trying to make headway in the middle and right lanes (too many, I wanted to get out of their way). Cruising along then 4 cars in front of me everything stops dead. the two cars behind the car that stopped shoot over into the right (middle) lane, which forces two other cars that were in the middle over into the right lane forcing two tractor-trailers that were behind those to cars to move over into the grass right of the right lane. There was a drop off so I figured they were going over, there was a guy in front of me driving a red Tacoma TRD. If it werent for what he did it definitely would have turned into a major melee, no doubt would have been some injuries and maybe even a death or so. This guy had two choices and a split second to make it. He could have shot off to the right, which would not have given the vehicles to his right anywhere to go because the two front cars had already shot over, there was traffic moving up, two other cars and two tractor trailers went as far as they could go without rolling off the hill. This guy in the red TRD shoots off to the left, down into the center grass next to the left lane. I was sure he was a goner, figured he was going to slam on the brakes and that was it. Instead this guy gets down there and punches it, could see the grass and dirt flying off his back wheels. This guy was off the Interstate a good 1000 feet (Moving forward), gets around this mess and clear out up front. When he did that, shot off the road, that gave me an opening to get out of the way so I shot off to the left but nowhere near as far down as he was. (I try to be an active driver on the Interstate so I try to have 360 degree situational awareness as much as you can in a vehicle, and am always looking 3 or 4 cars ahead, but I didnt see this coming, but when it started I was looking all over for a way out). That guy in the TRD gave me a way out, there was a truck behind me that was not more than ten feet, a lot of traffic, slamming on the brakes wasnt even an option. When I moved over, the cars on my right were able to move over, the tractor-trailers were able to come back on the road. I bet this whole incident didnt last 12 seconds. Seemed like it was going on forever though. If that guy in that TRD would have made the wrong decision instead of exactly the right decision. Would have been a big mess with trucks, cars and tractor-trailers involved. Of course I have no idea who he was, but if I did I would certainly shake his hand and say thanks. When he moved over as mentioned I figured he was a goner, but he never even came close to losing control, even on that bumpy grass and dirt, truck was perfectly stable, and he didnt even hit the brakes at all, instead he punched it and I think he gave it everything because we were rolling at 70+ this whole time, no one could brake because we were all too bunched up, and this guy went from 70+ to literally flying.

 

At first after this mess cleared up I was thinking "Why the hell would someone come to a near dead stop in the left lane of a very busy interstate. once it was cleared up I was still stuck in the left lane because traffic was trying to catch back up, in the left lane I was behind the gray vehicle that caused this near disaster, doing 40 MPH in morning rush. I pulled up alongside. Two old ladies. looked to be in their 80's, tooling along at 40 MPH, left lane, busy interstate like no ones business. I bet they didnt know they had just nearly caused a major pileup. The only reason I could see that they would have came to a near complete stop on the Interstate was that about 1/4 mile up ahead there was a cop with his lights on and had someone pulled over. Other than that I could see no reason at all, there was no construction, nothing blocking anything. We were rolling along and then "dead stop" in front of us.

 

Like I said I do not know who was driving that red TRD but I am sure as hell glad he was there today, because if it were someone else who maybe would not have made that decision to go left, you would have been hearing about it on the news.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Best way to do it. My brother and I have done similar moves a few times 'cause of different crap throwin' a wall up in front of ya. When you gotta play dodgeball at that speed, slowin' down is often the worst thing to do on account of the ass end not wantin' to slow down with the front. Hammer down and chauffer will get it done if ya can see a way out.

[rugerla1]

Wow! Glad to hear he made that decision too! You may not have been able to report this had he done otherwise. Good to hear everything turned out okay.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

^and that

[Mike.357]

 

 

 Two old ladies. looked to be in their 80's,

 

 

I think they drove to knox county and bought three cases of Woodbridge from me.   

ah heck might have been two different old ladies.

 

Baptists tend to go to different counties to get their hootch.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Mike.357

[Sam1]

Man that was a mess! Thank goodness it ended that way cause it had the potential to be very bad

[tnguy]

A stop needs to be made to this whole "pull over and slow down for emergency vehicles" bull####. I have seen several near misses when people think it's a commandment from God and not subject to common sense. Even the signs don't contain the proper text of the law which contains wording along the lines of "if safe to do so".

 

Tanker, glad it worked out for you. Near misses are so much better than the alternative.

 

 

FWIW, often, in a car, you're better off braking straight than swerving and braking. Swerving costs traction and makes your position and course unpredictable (as in Tanker's post).

Edited July 9, 2013 by tnguy