Friday, January 30, 2009

We Could Have...

It was a drizzling afternoon when we finished packing our things into the car and started our journey from Sarikei to Kuching.

We heard news that there is a probability that Serian road to Kuching might be flooded. We referred the calendar, king tide occurs at 1915. Therefore, we need to reach Kuching before that hour.

My younger brother drove first. The road was wet, it was drizzling, then it was raining dogs and cat, then it was drizzling again. We drove at an average of 100km/hour.

We rested at Sri Aman, then my big brother drove. The weather was still wet.

My brother speeded up at the Sri Aman hill. When he nearly reached the top, we saw (too late), from the opposite direction, a white car was overtaking a huge lorry. The white car did not have the time to return to his own lane, nor enough time to fully overtake the lorry. The car was heading straight to our car. Both of us were driving at over 100km/hour.

* Continue from my brother's point of view...

Near Accident Recall
Time: ~4pm, 29 Jan 20009
Weather: Rainy
Location: Before Lanchau

Details:
1. Our car climbed up the hill
2. Two lanes become one lane.
3. Reached the top of the hill
4. Started to descend but suddenly saw a stupid white MPV overtook a lorry
5. First instinct, brake
6. After brake, car started to loose control, due to no ABS
7. Our car started to slide
8. Stupid white MPV noticed it, so it swayed to the left side.
9. I also noticed, so no choice, I steered to the right side to avoid the collision.
10. As our car already in sliding motion, I had difficulty in steering the wheels.
11. Luckily, still manage to steer to the right side and avoid the stupid white MPV.
12. However, our car slowly slided towards the lorry, which was at the right side.
13. Quickly steered back to the left side and hold the steering tightly, not to let it spin crazily.
14. Manage to avoid the lorry...within a few inches distance (actually, I felt this moment is the scariest one)
15. Once our car passed the lorry, I tried to steer back tot the road, but not possible as our car totally lost control
16. Our car eventually skidded to the side of the road filled with grass and mud and stop after a few meters....And mum pulled the hand brake...without much help though

Yes, we could have injured badly in this incident.

We could have injured badly if my brother froze and hit the incoming white car.

We could have injured badly if the car skidded and hit the lorry.

We could have injured badly if the car could not be stop in time and hit the drain.

But all the above do not happened. We are all alive and well.

Lessons learned...
  • Stupid white, imported car! Drive good car but obviously a very stupid driver. How can you overtake the lorry, when you can't even see the oncoming vehicle? And on a hill somemore, when most vehicles tend to speed up!! Stupid, stupid car. You didn't even return to see what happened to us! You might have killed FIVE people in the car, stupid!
  • Buy cars that are equipped with ABS system. We used Wira, an eight-year old car that is not equipped with the latest safety system. With ABS system, the car won't skid and the driver can still has full control of a car. Therefore, for cars without ABS, try not to jam brake, instead brake and release 3x. (My brother knows it, but when it comes to real situation, he tends to forget of what he should do. Who won't? He therefore claimed that he needs more practical lesson.
  • Never drive fast at Sri Aman hill. It is the second near-missed accident I have at the exact spot.
  • Always remember to drive safely, especially in the rain as the road is wet and slippery.
  • Life is short and fragile, must appreciate and grateful.
  • Damn stupid white car!
Oh well, the most important is..we are all still alive and well. :-)



 
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