The Commute Was Like Saturday at Daytona

Spurshot · February 26, 2015

This morning's commute gave me the "Daytona" experience. Smoke, spinning, sliding cars and the sound of crumpling metal.

The good part was that I came out with nothing but an adrenaline rush.

I was tooling down the freeway and merging right a couple miles from my exit, when I noticed a car that did something hinky. Nothing too weird, but something caught my eye. I gave the car some room and noted that a young lady was driving it. She went around me on the left, in the 3rd lane from the right.

As I neared my exit, I was in the 2nd lane from the right, which had the option to continue straight on the freeway or exit in one of two lanes. I noticed the car from earlier was ahead 50-75 yards as I took the exit. Then it started braking abruptly. It was in the second lane from the right. It then made an abrupt right turn from that lane, crossing a lane and then crossed the gore (triangle painted split median) of the exit and cut off a line of cars going highway speed on the exit ramp. Smoke was pouring out of tires and cars were swerving and sliding all over. I veered left to avoid the car in front of me and went by that car as it tagged the one in front of it.

I saw that the car that had caused it kept going. I stepped on it down the ramp after it. I caught up to it at the stop light on the surface street and snapped a few pix of it. I had to drive several miles round trip to get back to the scene, where I found two drivers exchanging info. I told them I had witnessed the accident and the actions of the driver that caused it and had a few pix of the car and plate. I gave them the pix and was on my way. Later, CHP called me for a statement. He said that the responsibility would likely shift from the driver that ran into the rear of the other, to the driver that made the illegal maneuver. That gal should not have left the scene. But more importantly, she needs to take ownership of her actions. That means paying for the damages she caused.

I was thinking about a dashcam. Now, I'm in the market for one.

seansharley · February 26, 2015

People do that shit all day, everyday here in Florida, and I drives me insane. Imagine how the poor semi truck drivers must feel when it happens to them. I've considered a dash cam, and a machine gun mount in the grill

Spurshot · February 26, 2015

People do that shit all day, everyday here in Florida, and I drives me insane. Imagine how the poor semi truck drivers must feel when it happens to them. I've considered a dash cam, and a machine gun mount in the grill

A friend of mine is a semi driver that hauls cars. 15 or so years ago, some gal did something stupid and ended up in her car, upside down, under the front of his tractor. The 405 freeway (major Socal freeway artery) was stopped and a helicopter landed on the road to haul her away.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · February 26, 2015

The worst place I drove was when I was trying out trucking and I was up around NYC on a Saturday night at around 1 AM. I remember when I was waiting to be let over at a toll and my trainer at the time said that up here you got to just go because they won't just let you in. There's reasons most truckers won't go in NYC. I was just in the general vicinity so I don't want to think how it would have been right in the city.

I don't mind the traffic unless it's a traffic jam but I still tend to act calm, just I get antsy since I have 0 patients.

sourdough44 · February 26, 2015

A friend put a dash cam in his car in FL. It wasn't long afterwards it helped him with an accident caused by someone turning left in front of him.

sahls01gmc · February 26, 2015

Great work being there! The wrong person would have been stuck with the bill had it not been for you. I would definitely get a dash cam now!

jimlem · February 27, 2015

Nice heads up, Spurshot! Most people would have kept going to work thinking "Glad that wasn't me." Good job with the plate pic too.

LaserBlueZ71 · February 27, 2015

This morning's commute gave me the "Daytona" experience. Smoke, spinning, sliding cars and the sound of crumpling metal.

The good part was that I came out with nothing but an adrenaline rush.

I was tooling down the freeway and merging right a couple miles from my exit, when I noticed a car that did something hinky. Nothing too weird, but something caught my eye. I gave the car some room and noted that a young lady was driving it. She went around me on the left, in the 3rd lane from the right.

As I neared my exit, I was in the 2nd lane from the right, which had the option to continue straight on the freeway or exit in one of two lanes. I noticed the car from earlier was ahead 50-75 yards as I took the exit. Then it started braking abruptly. It was in the second lane from the right. It then made an abrupt right turn from that lane, crossing a lane and then crossed the gore (triangle painted split median) of the exit and cut off a line of cars going highway speed on the exit ramp. Smoke was pouring out of tires and cars were swerving and sliding all over. I veered left to avoid the car in front of me and went by that car as it tagged the one in front of it.

I saw that the car that had caused it kept going. I stepped on it down the ramp after it. I caught up to it at the stop light on the surface street and snapped a few pix of it. I had to drive several miles round trip to get back to the scene, where I found two drivers exchanging info. I told them I had witnessed the accident and the actions of the driver that caused it and had a few pix of the car and plate. I gave them the pix and was on my way. Later, CHP called me for a statement. He said that the responsibility would likely shift from the driver that ran into the rear of the other, to the driver that made the illegal maneuver. That gal should not have left the scene. But more importantly, she needs to take ownership of her actions. That means paying for the damages she caused.

I was thinking about a dashcam. Now, I'm in the market for one.

Just yesterday someone damn near wrote off my 2011. I have been putting off purchasing a dash cam for months due to lack of funds. However, I would rather spend a few hundred now, and possibly save myself from being blamed for something that isn't my fault.

Ordering my dash cam tomorrow.

Spurshot · February 27, 2015

Just yesterday someone damn near wrote off my 2011. I have been putting off purchasing a dash cam for months due to lack of funds. However, I would rather spend a few hundred now, and possibly save myself from being blamed for something that isn't my fault.

Ordering my dash cam tomorrow.

LB,

I ordered one last night. http://www.licenseplatebracketcentral.com/car-cameras-top-new-black-box-dashboard-video-cams/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OQSXWUM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Chris · February 27, 2015

The 405 is a crazy place sometimes

dirtfan21 · February 27, 2015

Nice to know there are still good people out there willing to make things right for others. Good work Sir!

Mossyoakglock · February 27, 2015

LB,

I ordered one last night. http://www.licenseplatebracketcentral.com/car-cameras-top-new-black-box-dashboard-video-cams/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OQSXWUM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Can you post a picture of it installed once you get it mounted? Or maybe do an write-up on the install? You have me considering one now too.

Spurshot · February 27, 2015

Can you post a picture of it installed once you get it mounted? Or maybe do an write-up on the install? You have me considering one now too.

No problem. I actually think I'll buy a different dashcam later. The Mini 0806 has my attention. But the reviews indicat they are having some quality issues on the new model at this time. So, I'm thinking I'll use the one above for a while, then move to the 0806 later. There are a number of predecessors; Mini 0801, 0803, and 0805. All have the same form factor.

desrtrat · February 27, 2015

The 405 is a crazy place sometimes

i hear yea..have to go to Long beach 2-3 times a week for work..they all suck down there..the 10, 210, 605, 710, 91, 5, the 15 on Fri afternoon going to Vegas, and Sun afternoon-night going to LA. just i would rather drive thru NYC any day...

SnakeEyeSS · February 27, 2015

I got stuck in a drift from a plow back in my e30 days. We had nothing to do at work because of the weather so I convinced the boss to let us gobdig my car out. So then we load up in a 2500 Sierra, with shovels in bed and there are 5 guys in uniform (universally known place I won't mention) from my place of work, obviously during working hours, all shoveling a car out on the side of the highway. We had to stop shoveling a few times beuase we were laughing from the looks we were getting.