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secular · 15-05-2004, 18:56

I had a spectaculer RTA involving a parked tractor.

2 Months after taking my test and driving my mums Nova with no incidents my Dad buys me a second-hand 2.0 Litre Injection Astra GTE. Now this motor has about four times the HP of the Nova.
I'm just 18 and I've spent a bit of money on the car - new air filter - head ported and the injector upgraded and I put it on a rolling road. At 5,500rpm the car produces 182 BHP. This works out at around 130mph+ in top.

Imagine the situation; an 18 y/o in a powerful car living in the middle of the countryside, unrestricted roads for miles. These are roads I literally know like the back of my hand.

To the accident in question, the day was a tuesday and I was driving back from a friends at about 5 pm so the sun was really low in the sky. There was a 90 degree corner with no warning signs but it was fine I knew the road.

What I didn't know is that a farmer (who my parents knew as a friend) has parked his tractor ACROSS the road - now this is a 9 Ton seddon I'm talking about - I come up to corner and slow down - as I enter the corner the sun blinds me completely - I let off but I know the road so I keep it in 4th. I never see the tractor.

According to the crash investigator he estimates I was travelling at around 70 - 80 mph when I hit the tractor. The impact flips my car over and to the right of the tractor, according to the farmer I completed 3 barrels and came to a stop upside down in the field.

Some distances -

The impact of my car rotated the Seddon 90degrees and destroyed the rear axle and wheels of the tractor.

The marks on the ground indicate that I travelled 10m+ after hitting the tractor IN THE AIR. The car came to a stop 25m from the site of the impact. I have no recollection of the events after the crash.

My Injuries - (yes, I was wearing a seatbelt - but the GTE had no airbag)

Compressed disk and 3 partially compressed disks - My back gets stiff when it gets cold.

Broken ankle, broken leg, 6 broken ribs, fractured skull, an amusing Vauxhall badge bruise over the fracture as my head hit the steering wheel, punctured lung, broken fingers and wrist - the same one as I just broke again, cheekbone smashed.

My face hit the windscreen so hard it split my eyebrow, nose and smashed my cheek. When I rub my face I still get shards of glass coming out - this is 5 years since the accident.

I wake up in the hospital 3 days later in traction. I was in hospital for 2 months. It sucked, and I've not driven since.

Countless moments of getting run over as a bike rider, the only interesting one is where a car knocked me off my bike - just drove through me and the car behind it ran over my arm - breaking it in 4 places. Suprising how hard you can hit with one arm.

15-05-2004, 18:56	#22
secular Inactive Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Reading, Berks. Posts: 43	*CF RTA Survey* I had a spectaculer RTA involving a parked tractor. 2 Months after taking my test and driving my mums Nova with no incidents my Dad buys me a second-hand 2.0 Litre Injection Astra GTE. Now this motor has about four times the HP of the Nova. I'm just 18 and I've spent a bit of money on the car - new air filter - head ported and the injector upgraded and I put it on a rolling road. At 5,500rpm the car produces 182 BHP. This works out at around 130mph+ in top. Imagine the situation; an 18 y/o in a powerful car living in the middle of the countryside, unrestricted roads for miles. These are roads I literally know like the back of my hand. To the accident in question, the day was a tuesday and I was driving back from a friends at about 5 pm so the sun was really low in the sky. There was a 90 degree corner with no warning signs but it was fine I knew the road. What I didn't know is that a farmer (who my parents knew as a friend) has parked his tractor ACROSS the road - now this is a 9 Ton seddon I'm talking about - I come up to corner and slow down - as I enter the corner the sun blinds me completely - I let off but I know the road so I keep it in 4th. I never see the tractor. According to the crash investigator he estimates I was travelling at around 70 - 80 mph when I hit the tractor. The impact flips my car over and to the right of the tractor, according to the farmer I completed 3 barrels and came to a stop upside down in the field. Some distances - The impact of my car rotated the Seddon 90degrees and destroyed the rear axle and wheels of the tractor. The marks on the ground indicate that I travelled 10m+ after hitting the tractor IN THE AIR. The car came to a stop 25m from the site of the impact. I have no recollection of the events after the crash. My Injuries - (yes, I was wearing a seatbelt - but the GTE had no airbag) Compressed disk and 3 partially compressed disks - My back gets stiff when it gets cold. Broken ankle, broken leg, 6 broken ribs, fractured skull, an amusing Vauxhall badge bruise over the fracture as my head hit the steering wheel, punctured lung, broken fingers and wrist - the same one as I just broke again, cheekbone smashed. My face hit the windscreen so hard it split my eyebrow, nose and smashed my cheek. When I rub my face I still get shards of glass coming out - this is 5 years since the accident. I wake up in the hospital 3 days later in traction. I was in hospital for 2 months. It sucked, and I've not driven since. Countless moments of getting run over as a bike rider, the only interesting one is where a car knocked me off my bike - just drove through me and the car behind it ran over my arm - breaking it in 4 places. Suprising how hard you can hit with one arm.