As some of you may be aware, for 20 or so years I was involved in rescue, vertical rescue and land search was my thing but I also did road crash rescue. JohnG is also an ex-rescuer and I'm sure he would echo my wishes that everyone on IIS stays safe on the roads this year (and every year
).
I had a particularly close encounter yesterday. Lyn and the girls set off yesterday to drive up to Qld for Christmas with the rellies. I had to work so didn't go.
They deviated a bit out of the way I would go to visit a friend in Mudgee, then at Merriwa followed a sign to Tamworth which put them on the Merriwa to Murrarundi Rd which has a significant amount of gravel. In the tristy gravel section they encountered some large machinery being moved along the road, and after enountering one on a blind corner, Lyn entered another corner wider than usual to improve visibility round the corner.
This unfortunately put her outside wheels in the marbles.
After a brief struggle to regain control of the car and avoid the deep, steep on one side, the car nosed into the embankment - not very hard at all - and they were all relieved the experience was over.
But it wasn't. The car had just enough momentum to roll slowly onto its side. Again they thought it had stopped, but it decided to play dead properly and rolled onto its roof. Fortunately, that's where it stopped.
All got out uninjured, which is the best bit!
The girls got photos of where 1 skid mark goes off the edge of the road and comes back on. They were very lucky!
The car (Subaru Forrester) unfortunately won't be so lucky I feel. The only straight panels on it were the front grill and tailgate. The driver's side roof crushed down to a straight line from top of B pillar to shoulder of the A. It was a good little car!
I left work early yesterday and drove up to Murrarundi to pick them all up (and all the Chrissie Presents
) and bring them home. We got home about 11:30 last night.
So please take it easy on the roads and stay safe.
Al.
glad to hear that all are OK, yes, it only takes a second and it can be all over.
