My Accident
Article by: Ronald Lim aka Ronald in the Forum (personal experience!)
Date: 21/10/2000 (Saturday)
Time: 5:15PM
Vehicle type: Proton Satria GTi
Place: KM6 Ulu Yam -> Sungai Tua Road
OK, this is my favourite turf and I am driving on it again. This time, I had a convoy of GTi to lead.
Everything was fine, I was taking the usual corners but at a much slower speed. Heavy traffic was the main reason for that evening.
When I drove out from a corner on the a down hill straight, with a few more corners before arriving at the meeting point, I observed a convoy of cars were coming from the opposite direction and there were three cars overtaking the convoy at the same time.
Instinct told me to slow down in case those fellas cannot overtake on time. Two cars did manage to cut back into the on-coming convoy. The first car was still trying to overtake but his position was more or less in parallel to the car he is overtaking.
I am approaching at about 80km/h and reaching about 200m away from the oncoming cars. Decided there is no way that first car can overtake, I need to take preventive action.
I hit the brake on the main road where grip is available. Let go the brake, didn’t check my speed, take a left swing on to the shoulder of the road. I was 3 inches from the iron railing. The shoulder is full of grass (translation: no grip.). I straighten my steering wheel when I am on the grass. Experience says, do not brake when you have no grip.
Wow! I MANAGED to avoid that overtaking car!!
However, suspect that when I straighten my steering wheel, the momentum gathered from the left swing moves my tail and scratched on the railing.
On hitting the railing, or should I say, scratching the railing, my car was launched like a pinball across the road!
Loosing total control of the car, and I am seeing only white in front of me. I felt the car slided, one big bang, and at the corner of my eye, I saw bushes rushing through and the right side of car and eventually came to a stop. I was down in the ravine.
The white thingy I saw, that’s the AIRBAG! So guys, for those who are planning to change your steering wheel to Momo and ignore the airbag, please think twice! It has keep me here to make the AW team busy.
I hit, or rather I got hit by two on-coming cars when I slided across the road, before I land in the ravine.
The impressive thing is, I was steadily on my seat during the 2-second incident. The seat belt held me on to the body hugging Recaro seat. The airbag held my head from hitting the steering wheel and minimised my whiplash.
I was fully conscious on every detail when it happened. Nope, I ain’t nervous at all. Funny thing is, when I was sliding out of control, I was actually thinking of how to contact tow truck, which USPD shall I go to, what’s my NEXT car….. heee…..
When the car stops
For that moment, I got panicked!! Why? I saw “smoke” coming out from the air cond ventilation. My brain immediately swing into the “Get-The-Hell-Out-Of-The-Car” procedure.
Unbuckle the seat belt. Ok, done in 2 seconds.
Attempt to open right door. Nope It is stuck by all the bushes out there.
Attempt to open the left door. Nope, it is stuck for whatever reason.
Window, driver side is fully intact, so is the windscreen. The left window is fully shattered but held in one sheet!! Thanks to the window tinting I have done. I push the shattered left window, it was folded into half and fell off.
I jumped off the window and ran away from the car, I got up from the ravine to the main road.
Observed the car for a while, found out the “smoke” was gone, I jumped down to my car again to retrieve my wallet for my documents. I ran up to the main road again. Going on a second round observation.
Yew Meng then reminded me: Hey! You should have switched off your car…. Oh yeah! The engine was still running!!!
I jumped down the ravine again for the 2nd time, switched off the engine. Now I managed to take out more stuff from my car.
The group has returned to the accident scene after noticing I wasn’t at the meeting point. Actually, they passed me while I was down in the ravine.
After about 40 minutes there, exchanging details with the other two cars, with the help of another Fools, we managed to get the AAM tow truck in place.
The rest of the Fools later proceeded to my place for BBQ while another Fools stayed back to help me troughout the scene. (thanks a million to you!! Hope you will enjoy the little thing I pass over to you.)
Despite being recognised by AAM, the tow truck operator was giving me a lot of stories to make me hand my car over to him for repair and insurance claim work. I refused because I would like my car to be back in USPD. The two truck guy even told me the crap like: “Well, all accident cases over here are being referred to high court now….”… yeah right!! I was born yesterday, right?
Just told them to retrieve my car from the ravine and get it to the police station.
I did my police report and finished at around 7:30pm. Got a summon on the spot because no one could tell the number plate of the overtaking Wira…. So I have to bear it loh. So much about law, eh?
My car was towed to the police station at around 8pm. Left it there. Told USPD to call me when they reached the police station.
USPD arrived at 10pm and towed the car back to USPD Batu Caves.
I rejoin the BBQ at 8:30pm.
When everything was over, I was thinking about that “smoke” that came out from the aircond vent. It was brownish in colour and quite…. Powderry!! It was from the explosion of the airbag! For those who don’t know, all airbag is equipped with a small bomb.
Injuries
I am the only one injured during the accident. Bruises mainly:
– Right arm, biceps and above armpit area.
– Lower abdomen. Both due to seat belt.
– Ego.
Had a few minor cuts here and there. Thanks to the window tinting, it actually save me from further cuts from flying glass.
My neck suffers some whiplash. Having slightly stiff neck now.
Side Note
1. Charlie of Matspeed told me don’t have to prove how good is his J5 by driving down the ravine.
2. Someone is interested in buying my engine should I total the car.
3. Inquiries for my J5 kept pouring in.
4. I have “stolen” my own Lotus badge while the GTi and 16V badge was “taken” while the car was sitting in the USPD workshop.
5. Anyone who needs a replacement bee-sting antenae, I have one for sale….
6. My stock 2-din CD-player has been “donated” to the workshop guy under gentle request.
7. I have already made up my mind on the next car….
Originally another GTi but someone managed to convince me to wait for next year for another hot car from Proton….
pssss… .don’t tell my wife, ok??
Pictures
I have some pictures taken by Rainydays with his digital camera. Check it out for yourself.
