Have you ever been out for a drive and had one of those moments where you have to pull over afterwards to compose yourself, well I had one
yesterday.
I was driving and came up behind a skip lorry. Just as I was about to overtake a large lump of concrete or similar fell off the back. The first
thing that went through my head was "if this hits me its going to hurt !!"
Luckily enough there was nothing behind me and nothing coming the other way. I hit the brakes and immediatley moved to the other lane to avoid said
lump of concrete. I think if I had done this in my normal car it would have probably rolled or span out but the MNR was nicely composed. I had to
pull over and rest after that as I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest it was pounding so hard.
No idea what it would have done to the front of the car had it hit it !!
Took the guys number and reported him to his company today for unsafe load.
[Edited on 11/2/08 by neilj37]
scary moment indeed - glad you had time/space/ability to react. Like you say a tin top may not have fared so well.
We call it SLS!
Shakey Leg Syndrome!
You know you've had a 'moment' when you pull upto a stop and try to keep the clutch depressed and your leg is all jittery! 
You did well!
Hopefully a lesson for all of us in there when following said type of lorry. The thing that pisses me off the most though - is the police won't
stop dangerous loads like that - but push 85mph and they try to do you for speeding!!! 
Also when you follow a skip lorry, take a look at the rear twin wheels.
I have often seen bricks wedged between them, just ready to fly out at the "right" speed! 
My brother had a brick fly out of the rear wheels of a lorry - bounced off the bonnet of his MGB and went straight through his windscreen. Luckily for him it went through the middle (by the mirror); if it had been a foot or two over it would have got him square between the eyes.
WOW!! how close was that!?!?!? pretty sure that wold ahgve been end of brother.
End of... back to orginal post - report it to police.
erm you did pick up the concrete right?
That's a good argument for fibreglass seats Glad you managed to get out of its way.
A lorry shed a pipe on the A1 last Tuesday morning as I was going through which was a bit exciting with all the cars getting out of its way. Mind it
was about 2ft diameter and made from 20mm of so steel luck it was a 6ft long 90degree elbow rather than one of the long sections still on the wagon.
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
erm you did pick up the concrete right?
There was a driver killed about 18 months ago on the M1 when a bolt flew through his windscreen
quote:
Originally posted by muzchap
We call it SLS!
Shakey Leg Syndrome!
You know you've had a 'moment' when you pull upto a stop and try to keep the clutch depressed and your leg is all jittery!
You did well!
Hopefully a lesson for all of us in there when following said type of lorry. The thing that pisses me off the most though - is the police won't stop dangerous loads like that - but push 85mph and they try to do you for speeding!!!
Had that last summer riding my ZX6 following a tractor with hay bails, one missed me by about a foot. I reckon that would have hurt!