I am unsure if a thread like this exists or not. I figure if anyone has had any close accident calls we can share?

I just had my first one in my S today.

Coming home from lunch I was going to merge to the center lane from the parking lot. I checked to make sure the cars traveling were not going to merge into it, as I start turning an SUV merges right into the lane, I was lucky enough to hit the brake and not the car. Man, that scared me!

 

Kind of, but not exactly the same.

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/106...-spin-stories/

 

Seems like a good idea for a thread. I haven't had any close calls with the s2000. I think I drive this car more carefully than others that I have owned. I almost hit a dog once that was pretty scary. I was driving 70 on a country road. The black dog was casually walking across the street at night.

 

I missed an elk darting across the freeway by feet, which would have been my closest call, had I not hit the next one crossing



I've since had the car fixed, but I am lucky it didn't come up to the windshield or I might not be posting this.

 

Most of my close calls involve road rage. People purposely putting my life in danger because I'm in a small car. One time a Ford Edge passed me over the double yellows around a blind corner/crest because I misjudged his (high) speed and pulled out on him. The other time a Dodge pickup charging me in grid lock traffic. I laid on the horn and he put a hairs width between his truck and my rear, then front bumpers to get around me then proceeded to weave through traffic ahead of me. No justice found.

 

I had a couple.

My car was parallel parked next to my office with a no parking zone in the space in front of my car (it doesnt even look like a parking spot because it leads to an alley way) I went to pay my parking meter, and by luck i come out to see an stuck on my car. Basically, the guy was backing up in such an angle, that my whole left front bumper and fender was within the rear wheel well of his suv. No matter what he did, he couldnt get the suv out. Fortunately I was able to maneuver the S out of the wheel well, but it still ended up scratching my bumper and fender (hes getting a big insurance bill for such a small scratch. they have to respray the bumper and fender). Pretty lucky he didnt back up any more and dent the fender or door. he was literally millimeters off. Also lucky i came out at the right time

Another time I was driving back on HWY 80 East where 580 and 80 E meet under some overpasses in Emeryville. Drivers from oakland and from SF converge across 4 lanes (they dont intersect) but people still try to get to the furthest left lane. A dick in a SRT Jeep makes a beeline for the far left lane without checking mirrors, and i had to swerve onto the shoulder and he takes off looking at me in the side mirrors before nearly hitting another person.

 

I don't parallel park much, but in the city I will often image the car(s) on either side in the event I return to find damage. I have a record of who was there. Have not had to use it yet.

I had a guy I was following in the Sierras pull off to the right side off the road to a parking lot and without warning turned sharply left across the road to the other side. I whipped the wheel and mashed the brakes. We both ended up off the road to left just inches apart. He was stunned; never saw me. I was amazed the S did what it did and avoided contact. Whew! (Wife screamed!)

 

My only really close call came on a drive out in the countryside some years ago. I was behind the group leader. We had a stop sign at a highway. He proceeded through. I looked left but apparently not right, or not right enough. I pulled out and a great big truck pulling a horse trailer blared his horn. I floored it and made it across just in time. Scared my +1 some. I credit my reaction, but mostly the car's response, for saving us from what probably would have been an end of life crash.

 

Ive had many close calls but the one that really sticks out to me:

It was a dark and stormy night (). I was driving to a friends house along one of the main roads through my town.
It had been raining, but not long. I was in the left lane, not a ton of traffic, but not empty by any means.
Coming up to an intersection, the light was green and traffic was moving through at normal speed (45mph speed limit).
As I approached the light I saw an odd flash to my right so I looked over to see what it was, only for a second.
Looked forward and the entire line of cars was on their brakes because someone was slowing down IN THE LANE to get into the center lane to turn into a shopping center up ahead.
I slammed on my brakes but it was right when I was crossing the intersection, so I had 1) wet roads and 2) rough pavement with ruts and chopped up potholes and such.

It literally went into slow motion as I realized I wasnt going to stop in time and was going to slam into the car in front of me, glanced over my shoulder to see no traffic in the other lane, yanked the wheel over and gave it gas to wing over to the right lane and cruise by unscathed, and a hell of a lot of adrenaline.
The people in the line probably thought I was some kind of asshole street racer, but oh well. I escaped that one by inches.

 

Had a couple close calls in the short time that I have owned my car. None of them would have been my fault, and were only avoided because I was paying attention while driving.

One I was sitting in the turning lane at a light. Light turned green, and for whatever reason I sat there for 1-2 seconds before starting to take off. As I go to take off a red Saab comes barreling in front of me. He was coming from my right making a left turn in front of me and ran the red light. So glad I hesitating for no reason whatsoever.

Second, I was going down the road cruising at 45mph in the left lane slowly passing other traffic when an older lady in a Buick pulls out in front of me. Glad the brakes were working, and that I was paying attention.

Most of the other close calls were just between me and the road, as a result of poor throttle control and getting used to the tail happy AP1. I would hardly call any of these "close calls" though as they were just slight loss of traction in the rear. Just need to get some autocross under my belt