I had my first close call in the Jeep this weekend

scoobysnax · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:47 am

I was driving home from a wedding and thank god I didn’t drink that night knowing I had a long drive. It happened on 95 just over the George Washington Bridge coming off the upper level beneath the buildings on the NY side. I was in the right lane about to exit to get onto the Harlem River Drive/FDR. I was driving around 60 as I approached it and was doing around 55 before I hit the brakes. The right lane exit for the FDR has a second lane that is used by the lower level portion of the bridge and for them it’s a Left exit. Then there is another lane that might come from the street, I’m not sure. There is a divider wall that is along the entire right side of the road than ends a little before the exit.

As I approached the exit I saw a small car that seemed stopped but inching forward as if he was at a stop light. For some reason I knew this idiot was going to try to cut across 2 lanes of this exit to get onto the road I was exiting (95/Cross Bronx.) As I slammed on the brakes my wife let out a blood curtailing scream that I’ve never heard her do before. Now the rest all took place in my head in maybe less than a second.

In my head I figured if I tried to get out of the way to the left I knew I would slam into the beginning of the concrete barrier at the exit that had no give. Turn behind the idiot and I would slam into another front of a divider on the right. Continue straight and I will nail him or more likely only the passenger side of the Jeep will nail him – while bad this option so far was looking better than a solid object. But I knew if I hit him I was going to hit him on my wife’s side and honestly in the same moment I was thinking about how horrible it would be if she was hurt and I was fine.

So now maybe a second has passed, and I didn’t check but if I was going 60 when this all started I was doing around 50 or 45 since I only slammed on the brakes and then let off them. I took a gamble and thought I’d have enough time to pass between him and the wall if I got back on the gas. So I did a quick heel toe action and by the grace of god I made it but not by much.

The last close call I was in I saw the entire thing develop in front of me and had enough time to fish tail from the left lane, to the right lane and back to the left again. The three cars in front of me all got crashed up and I actually had to assist one driver who was trapped in her car before the EMS got there. That was about 10 years ago, before I was married and when I still thought I was invincible. This one was entirely different. I’ve heard people say seconds can last a life time but this was unreal. It was almost as if I saw all four options play themselves out before I decided what to do and the entire time I was completely calm and utterly focused on making it. When I thought of the option of just staying on the slammed brakes (ABS) I actually saw us hitting this guy and thinking how lucky I was to hit such a small car. I figured his 2,000 lb car would get crushed by my 4,000 lb Jeep and that surely I would kill the driver on impact and that we would crush the front passenger side of our jeep. The thought of my wife trapped in a crumpled up car scared the hell out me.

I guess I can’t really explain the whole thing and maybe some people know what I’m talking about maybe you don’t but I am taking something out of this. I didn’t think I was speeding when I took the exit at all however, I could have been going slower. Had I had a few drinks at the wedding I’m sure I wouldn’t have reacted as fast and who knows what would have happened.

Going forward I’m going to take any exit or merge situation with more caution. Sure you can’t always prepare for the one idiot trying to cut across two lanes from close to a dead stop but...just more caution in general. Hopefully he got 4 flat tires on his way home, then ran out of gas and stubbed his toe while looking for help. Sorry for the long post but I needed to get that off my chest.

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:16 am

I know exactly what you're talking about ... seeing everything in slow motion, thinking/reacting super-fast and not even really thinking about it... until after it's all over. Been there a few times and imo, that's exactly the type of thing that others are talking about in the "ABS" thread. Driver experience is vastly more important than any electronic helper gizmo. Glad to hear that everyone is ok but, you might want to slow down in that megalopolis.

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:23 am

Been there and done that also. Afterwords the adrenalin kicks in. Time to stop and shake out the pant legs! We have the "Florida drift" down here. That is when an idiot is in the far left lane and cuts across 2 or 3 lanes to an exit at the last second. Lots of brake lights!

Terry

wildrussian · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:01 am

Wow Im glad you didn't hit anything and got out of it. I hate stupid drivers with passion.

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:59 am

Yea man That FDR section by the cross bronx is so freaking bad at times. There were many many times I had that same thing happen to me in that same spot.

dirtykj · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:01 pm

Ain't it amazing how much CRAP goes through your brain at a moment like this? Everything becomes crystal clear and afterwards you have no idea you can go through so many different lines of thought and still come out alive.

Landy · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:32 pm

Had a guy on a two lane bridge come into my lane. -Passed him in his lane.

I always just figured the good Lord took the wheel that night.

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:13 pm

Landy wrote:

Had a guy on a two lane bridge come into my lane. -Passed him in his lane.

I always just figured the good Lord took the wheel that night.

I had a similar incident, on a 2-lane road with minimal gravel shoulders and a big ditch, at night in rain. Probably doing about 45-50 mph. Gradually realized the oncoming vehicle was in my lane. When I didn't see him moving I moved to the opposite side, thinking I would pass him in his lane. At the last moment he realized he was in the wrong lane and swung back. I came back to my lane hard, skidded the back end and I don't know how we didn't hit each other but we didn't.

I had to pull over for a few minutes and shake that one off.

scoobysnax · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 4:39 pm

I've had people come at me in my lane before but never that close, yea, I would have crapped my pants and then pulled over to clean them up and shake it off. The few times it has happened I flashed my lights quickly and thankfully that got there attention.

Albert · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:47 pm

The GW is bad ....not the bridge, but the entrances/exits before it. I used to cringe every time I had to go that way. The feeders are coming in at the same spots and traffic is bad. I don't get down there much anymore.

Glad you avoided an accident and no one was hurt.

I had my first close call in the Jeep this weekend

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