Wow, did I have a close call this morning.

It's a busy commute across the San Mateo Bridge, westbound over the bay to the peninsula. Once there, there are a couple of exit lanes to handle traffic north on 101. I time my drive to beat most of the early jams, but occasionally we'll get sudden stop-n-go lanes adjacent to traffic moving at pace.

Had one of those lane change nightmare scenarios: the truck ahead of me is big enough that I can't see traffic directly ahead of him as he slows. Mirrors tell me I've got open lane to my right, so I signal and check the blindspot. And it's EXACTLY at that moment that the truck ahead goes into full-on panic stop... as my eyes come back forward, there he is, and I'm closing at about 35 mph.

There was only time for the instinctive input, sharp input to the new lane and a quick recovery to land there in a straight line. And the car did it perfectly. I've practiced those maneuvers on both wet and dry skidpads before, with and without ABS braking, but there is nothing like seeing the space ahead contract abruptly to jar the adrenal glands.

So: kudos to the car. And I reckon I'll leave a bit more space ahead of me the next time I'm changing lanes in traffic at speed


Rich

 

I almost pee'd myself just reading your story! Good job. I've heard those XKR-S Jags don't look quite as sexy when they're all accordioned!

 

Dang. I just hope my reflexes are that good when that happens to me!

 

Quick thinking and action--priceless. You saved a cats life. Now you have 8 left.

 

Well done!! The car (cat) is only as good as the driver.

 

That's an excellent point. But now I'm left wondering: how many did the previous owner use up in their 6000 miles of use??? Is there a diagnostic code for "9LYVES" parameter?


Rich

 

Well done indeed!

This is another reason I love my adaptive cruse control (it includes collision warning)! Collision avoidance alarms have saved me a couple times now!

 

Well done Rich, give yourself a slap on the back and rest a little easier for now...lol

I always remember vividly many years ago seeing some standing traffic, the guy in the Ford Fiesta drove up to the last car but left perhaps at least a cars length, ok I thought.

Good thinking as seconds later, the next driver NOT paying attention skidded in a cloud of screeching / smoking brakes ( almost in slow mo )

The previous driver simply ate up the distance he had left and the skidding car came to a halt inches from his back bumper....close call.

Take it easy my friend

 

Wow...sounds like a close one! Glad it worked out for you. Driving in heavier traffic requires skill and a lot of luck sometimes.

 

Rich,

I lived in the East Bay for many years (back before they widened the SM bridge). I can attest to the mad scramble occurring there in Foster City as everyone jockeyed for the 101 North on ramp. Terrifying at times!

My '12 XKR is new to me and I will add that learning what this car can do is impressive. Just wish my "classroom" for testing the limits were on a track and not in the real world!

I'll need to do a scan for "9LYVES" as well. I know I've already used up one!

 

Good to read, you and your car are too important to lose!

My girlfriend was saved in our VDP, a deer jumped out into the highway at night and she did a sudden maneuver and car remained planted where she said if she was in her Neon, that would've been it.