Drunk drivers

teyhan1

Well-Known Member
My Jimny sourced from this site is dead.
Me and my (3days in UK) au-pair were nearly dead.
Poor old Jimny did its last good turn for me.

What happened. We were hit head on in a 40+50 mph head on collision with a drunk driver who crossed on to our side of the road having understeered a bend. She was 3.5 times over the limit.
Poor au pair must be thinking what the hell is going on, having been in the country 3x days. I was giving him the heads up on UK driving.

I am sitting here in a lot of muscular discomfort, but nothing broken.
Not being able to breath for the first 25 seconds was the worst feeling ever and it took every part of my being to get my diaphragm working again. There was literally 30 seconds of nothing, no movement, just me opening my mouth and nothing happening.

It is hard to describe how much loathing I have now for drunk drivers.
I can only thank whoever was looking out for me as it is a rarity that I wear a seatbelt.
If I had not then it is likely that today I may not be writing here today.

Please wear a seat belt and if you ever drink drive (and I find out) I will kick your ass so bad you'd wish you'd in an accident.
 
I was in a very similar RTA involving a stone cold sober driver aged 19 and who had passed his test only 3 months previously, apparently he was giving his mate a race! I too was saved by my seatbelt.

I hope that you recover soon, it took me about 3 weeks to get back to normal.

atb Tim
 
Scary times, glad you are both OK, shame about the Jimny

I know it is not popular and certain folk like to present some sort of stupid macho face to the world but wearing seatbelts, obeying the speed limits, not drinking and keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front would go a long way to improving road safety. Less accidents would save a huge amount of money and resources for the emergency services, plus there would be a huge saving on insurance costs for everyone that drives.

The acquisition of a driving licence does not mean you are a good driver, driving a long time accident free does not mean you a good driver, fortunate maybe. Driving is I am afraid an example of "familiarity breeding contempt" is extremely dangerous.

A pet peeve you may have noticed :)

John
 
Scary times, glad you are both OK, shame about the Jimny

I know it is not popular and certain folk like to present some sort of stupid macho face to the world but wearing seatbelts, obeying the speed limits, not drinking and keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front would go a long way to improving road safety. Less accidents would save a huge amount of money and resources for the emergency services, plus there would be a huge saving on insurance costs for everyone that drives.

The acquisition of a driving licence does not mean you are a good driver, driving a long time accident free does not mean you a good driver, fortunate maybe. Driving is I am afraid an example of "familiarity breeding contempt" is extremely dangerous.

A pet peeve you may have noticed :)

John

Nothing to disagree with there
 
Your post is a very serious reminder of the importance of wearing seat belts Teyhan 1, as you have said without it you might not have been here to give us that reminder. Hope you're back on your feet and discomfort free soon! I always wear mine and insist that any passengers I have wear theirs too!
As for drunk drivers, I have no time for them. Unfortunately not enough of them are caught but those that do get caught deserve everything they get and have no right to complain about it!
I will not drive after drinking no matter what the circumstances - Don't get me wrong, I like a large dram or three or a pint or two now and then (Sometimes a little more than is good for me) just as much as many other men, but I am perfectly happy to wait till I get home and have a drink after I have hung the car keys up and I'm sat in front of the telly!
 
Sorry to hear about this incident ......................... not an accident I might add.

Hope you recover soon. Sadly I am all to aware that injuries received in incidents like this rarely really go away after suffering double whip lash and concussion kindly donated by the nice white van man who rammed into my car from behind among other things shooting prone is now very hard as the neck does not like to be bent that way.
 
I know the feeling following my very serious head on collision Xmas eve 7 years ago. In my case we were all saved by seat belts and air bags, only by a miracle that myself and no 1 son are still alive.

I hope you get it sorted and get yourself a decent solicitor, whatever you do don't let your insurance company appoint a solicitor, they are only intrested in making money out of you, your welfare and subsequent health is low on their priorities. There are several very knowledgable site members who can help. They provided invaluable help to me.

D
 
Glad your ok.

No idea why drink/drug driving doesn't get you a lifetime driving ban, harsh yes but if it saved the life of one person it would be worth it. I know people will say 'why should a mistake in your late teens effect the rest of your life' but tough, the actions you take in life have consequences, its not a video game, if you kill someones wife, brother, child that's forever, you can't push a reset button and have another go. If society still accepted this then we would all be better off.

I was hit by a drunk driver who had just come out of the racecourse at Bath, there we Police Officers directing traffic half a mile up the road yet when I rang 999 no-one would attend. The bloke openly admitted that he had been drinking and was pleading with me not to call the Police. The road wasn't blocked, no-one was injured and both cars were driveable so we had to exchange details and go our separate ways. Looking back, I should have taken his keys just to stop him having another accident. I later made a complaint to the Police but they weren't interested.
 
Glad to hear you are both ok and escaped serious injury. Drink and drugs and driving don't mix, neither does answering a mobile or texting whilst driving. BUT I am still amazed at how many people still do it.

The jeep is a shame, but at least you are both alive and not badly hurt and that's the main thing.
 
Excellent news that you survived without serious injury - both of you.
Sadly many involved in accidents with drunk drivers are not.

Drink driving is, thankfully, comparatively rare but still to me equates to attempted murder. Of more concern is drivers who take drugs and drive, there are significantly more in number than drivers who drink. It has been estimated that in about 33% of accidents, one driver and one passenger, will be affected by drugs, for which there is no breathalyser.


I would put them in prison for a very long time, they have a choice and because of a selfish expectation to do what they want, they kill, maim and leave the families desolate, without hope and their lives changed forever.
Their lives need to change more than those they damage.
 
glad you are both ok,

and as mentioned this serves as a reminder that we can all meet with something lke this no matter how good a driver you are, its the others that mess it up.

bob.
 
Glad you have come out of it OK and I assume that your au-pair is OK too?
Hope that you start feeling better soon.
 
Scary times, glad you are both OK, shame about the Jimny

I know it is not popular and certain folk like to present some sort of stupid macho face to the world but wearing seatbelts, obeying the speed limits, not drinking and keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front would go a long way to improving road safety. Less accidents would save a huge amount of money and resources for the emergency services, plus there would be a huge saving on insurance costs for everyone that drives.

The acquisition of a driving licence does not mean you are a good driver, driving a long time accident free does not mean you a good driver, fortunate maybe. Driving is I am afraid an example of "familiarity breeding contempt" is extremely dangerous.

A pet peeve you may have noticed :)

John

Totally agree. Probably the most dangerous thing you'll ever do in your life is drive a car on a busy road - just the width of a white line between you and sudden death every time a vehicle passes you.

And just to add my own "pet peeve" - why on earth are cars made / sold that are so powerful and go so fast? If I'm doing 70 on the motorway I'm made to feel like I'm holding people up! At that speed it shouldn't be possible for anyone to overtake me, but they do. How can this be? The law says 70, and that should be that.

Glad to hear you're ok Teyhan. Your experience makes my bump on the M6 a couple of months ago seem like a stroll in the park.
 
Last edited:
My Jimny sourced from this site is dead.
Me and my (3days in UK) au-pair were nearly dead.
Poor old Jimny did its last good turn for me.

What happened. We were hit head on in a 40+50 mph head on collision with a drunk driver who crossed on to our side of the road having understeered a bend. She was 3.5 times over the limit.
Poor au pair must be thinking what the hell is going on, having been in the country 3x days. I was giving him the heads up on UK driving.

I am sitting here in a lot of muscular discomfort, but nothing broken.
Not being able to breath for the first 25 seconds was the worst feeling ever and it took every part of my being to get my diaphragm working again. There was literally 30 seconds of nothing, no movement, just me opening my mouth and nothing happening.

It is hard to describe how much loathing I have now for drunk drivers.
I can only thank whoever was looking out for me as it is a rarity that I wear a seatbelt.
If I had not then it is likely that today I may not be writing here today.

Please wear a seat belt and if you ever drink drive (and I find out) I will kick your ass so bad you'd wish you'd in an accident.

Lucky escape m8,don't know how strong a jimny is as it's only small but it must have done it's job,don't think I told you but at work we lost one of our friends to a drunk driver on new years eve.He was early 30s and it's was a head on.
Glad to hear you are ok but I bet you aint been that "stiff" since your first girlfriend:coat:
Get well soon.
dave
 
Glad you are alive and recovering. I was in a similar situation years ago as a teen. We had a car load of drunks (in court they testified they weren't drunk, they just had a little wine with dinner - 4 bottles worth) run a red light in front of us. We T-boned them, neither I nor my friend (the driver) were belted in. He cracked ribs on the steering wheel, and I still have a nifty scar on my forward where I tried unsuccessfully to stick my head through the windscreen. From that blessed day forward, the seatbelt has always been my friend.
 
I am also glad that you weren't seriously hurt. Living on an indian reservation I often deal with the sad consequences of too much drink. Unfortunately it is usually the sober half of the accident that dies.

In our State we have what is called a Felony DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charge that can land you in the State Penitentiary doing hard time. Usually it's a repeat offense, or almost certainly if you kill another motorist while under the influence. A coworker's son just received a 25 year sentence for ramming a family while drunk, killing a mother and her baby, as well as another passenger. I feel for my coworker's grief, but I hope her boy rots.

Alcohol is involved in an amazingly high number of traffic fatalities. In the US alcohol related deaths make firearm deaths look insignificant yet despite overwhelming statistics, no one ever suggests banning the sale of alcohol. Alcohol producers and importers contribute to political campaigns, and alcohol is taxed... They won't kill the Golden Goose.~Muir
 
As a passenger, my brother and his friend were on their way to a party when they were hit by a drunk driver who failed to stop at a crossroads (a mere 1.5 miles from our family home). My brother died two weeks later and the drunk driver died at the scene. The ambulance that attended the scene contained my uncle (who was one of the ambulance men responding) - once aware by all accounts he was inconsolable and had to return to the station.

My brother died on the morning of 11th June 1974 - I was born later that afternoon.

For the last (nearly) 42 years I have watched the pain destroy both my mother and father and the guilt haunt my sister as it was to the party she'd encouraged him to go to.

Horrible, selfish and hateful way to take a life that is worse than murder to me - I have no time for people who drink and drive.

Im glad you're both still here, albeit battered, bruised and shook up
 
Christ, the car is a state. Now could you post pictures of the au pair so we can make sure she's ok?

joking aside, I have a half brother and half sister courtesy of a drunk driver killing their dad when my brother was only three weeks old, scum of the earth in my book.
 
I know the feeling following my very serious head on collision Xmas eve 7 years ago. In my case we were all saved by seat belts and air bags, only by a miracle that myself and no 1 son are still alive.

I hope you get it sorted and get yourself a decent solicitor, whatever you do don't let your insurance company appoint a solicitor, they are only intrested in making money out of you, your welfare and subsequent health is low on their priorities. There are several very knowledgable site members who can help. They provided invaluable help to me.

D
This, they want it nice and easy and will accept a shitty outcome for you as long as they get their fee with as little work as possible, also seems they work hand in glove with the solicitors working for the other party.
 
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