Just to share the excitement of my bank holiday. I was driving up the A12 (dual carriageway) on Saturday and noticed a caravan on the other side suddenly slump over to one side. Then I noticed a wheel bouncing down the road. Then I slowed down a bit. Then I saw the wheel bounce over the central reservation. Then I slowed down a bit more and said a bad word. Then I hit the wheel, when I was still doing about 50.
Once I was safely over in a layby, I took a look. I'm proud to say that, if you're going to hit a bouncing steel wheel at 50mph, I think I did it pretty much perfectly. Having dealt with the police and insurance details, I carried on for another 250 miles to North Yorkshire with not a problem.
It occurred to me though that in a normal car, I would probably be dead and, if not that, someone else probably would be. I was able to drive over it but, in most other vehicles, would either have got it in the face or thrown it up in the air to get someone else. As it was, I emerged with a missing number plate and bit of front bumper, a crack in the plastic trim on the underside and not a mark anywhere else. Not sure what happened behind, but the traffic kept moving.
One thing though. If you own a caravan, please make sure the wheels are properly attached.......
Once I was safely over in a layby, I took a look. I'm proud to say that, if you're going to hit a bouncing steel wheel at 50mph, I think I did it pretty much perfectly. Having dealt with the police and insurance details, I carried on for another 250 miles to North Yorkshire with not a problem.
It occurred to me though that in a normal car, I would probably be dead and, if not that, someone else probably would be. I was able to drive over it but, in most other vehicles, would either have got it in the face or thrown it up in the air to get someone else. As it was, I emerged with a missing number plate and bit of front bumper, a crack in the plastic trim on the underside and not a mark anywhere else. Not sure what happened behind, but the traffic kept moving.
One thing though. If you own a caravan, please make sure the wheels are properly attached.......
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