I have just got back from the hospital with my son who has just had a very lucky escape.

He was driving on the motorway when he was forced into the central reservation by another driver. Furtunately for Matthew there were plenty of witnesses, including an off duty policemen. It seems the driver undertook Matthew, forcing him to brake and steer right to avoid them colliding. Apparently as the car started to snake Matthew held his cool and steered along the central reservation barrier and used that to slow his speed rather than swerving away from it back into the traffic, something he remembered watching on a documentary. Never again will I give him grief for watching documentaries.

What has really enraged me is that the driver of the other car slowed down, then sped away, only to reappear about 5 minutes later on the bridge over the motorway. The witnesses saw him pull up and have a good look, then drive off. The police do think there is a chance they can trace him, as they passed a camera just before the crash, but they say there is not much chance that they will hand themselves in. I can't help but wonder if they had been drinking otherwise why not stop at the scene, and then why leave at the next junction and travel on the A roads to the bridge overlooking the accident.

I wish I could thank the young man who stood in the middle of the motorway waving traffic down as the wreckage was just after a bend. Maybe if it wasn't for his kindness, things would have ended differently.

Both Matthew and his girlfriend have been so lucky, the police have said that the car is a definite write off. The policeman who came to the hospital with us was lovely, and when Matthew told him he wants to join the police, he told him to give him a ring in a few weeks time and he will take him out for a day on the Motorway patrol.

Sorry to ramble on but I don't know if I am mad or upset, I think a bit of both, upset at what might have been and mad about the coward who caused then accident then drove off.

It could be that they'd been drinking, it could be that they have the max number of points allowed before losing their licence..
it could be that they've no insurance, been disqualified from driving etc etc.

However they must have local knowledge of the area to have gone off the motorway and back on the A-road to look
at the accident from a road bridge over the motorway. As most motorway users unless local to that area wouldn't know
what road it is over the motorway to be able to travel back and look at the accident.

Hope Matthew and his girlfriend are ok.
Certainly sounds like Matthew has a cool head when faced with extreme situations.

Hope the Police get the person that caused the accident.

Sorry to hear about Matthews accident Jenny. Thankfully he and his girlfriend are okay. Unfortunately this is the times we are living in that people are so cavalier with others lives. Just have to hope that they get the driver of the other car and at least you will be able to put the anger behind you. Hope they get over the shock of the accident.

They must have been local to know how to get on to the bridge above the motorway. What an awful thing to happen to your son and his girlfriend, I hope they catch the other driver.

How awful!  I'm so glad your son and his girlfriend are ok - try not to dwell on the what-if's. 

I hope they catch the other driver and that he gets what he deserves.

Thank god they are both ok I should think you must be upset and angry.

Hi Jenny
Sorry to hear about the accident hope they are both ok and you are all getting over the shock.
Would it be Mathew who came to Cartmel with you last August ? I remember you had a son ahd his girlfriend with you.
What a rotten thing to happen!

So sorry for you, it gives you a jolt to realise how close things can get to disaster!

karen

thank goodness your son and his girlfriend are ok, and that there are some kind people out there, i hope they trace this driver.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. We went to collect his things from the car today and looking at the wreckage we couldn't believe they had both walked away relatively unhurt, just sore and bruised.

This evening he has gone for a little drive in the courtesy car, as he wanted to get back behind the wheel, but I told him definitely no motorways!! Not that I think he had any intention to. Ten minutes after leaving he sent both his Dad and I a text to say he was fine, and not to worry, as if!!

It was interesting talking to the people at the salvage yard, as they commented on how well Ford's stand up to accidents, and had nothing but praise for them. We have always loved Fords but lately have been disappointed with their approach to problems experienced with one of our new vehicles. Having vowed not to go for another Ford, I am now rethinking after what the salvage guys said, after all safety is the major concern.

I know it wasn't his fault and from sounds of it he did really well controlling the car, but I am going to book him on a Pass Plus course. I just thank heavens that he had seen the documentary on how crash barriers are designed to work, and knew not to steer away and let the barriers slow the car down. I have to confess even after 27 years driving, I wouldn't have known what to do.

Now all I hope is that the coward who drove off is having an awful time waiting for the Police to knock on his door.

On a lighter note, he is now famous for how far he can make a tub of popcorn go. I can see why the Police and Paramedics were laughing, inside the car looked like a popcorn explosion. The salvage truck driver said it was spread for about 30 feet along the motorway. Bearing in mind that it was on the back seat it just shows how things are propelled forward on impact.

Thanks again for your wishes.

Hi Sharon, Yes it was Matthew and Chelsie at Cartmel. This year we are having a rescue stand there so he will probably be roped in to help us. I will bring him to say hello, he won't need any excuse to come and get a shepherd cuddle!! He is adamant that when he gets married he is going to get a GSD and a Golden of his own. He did think he was taking Jade with him, but I soon put him right on that one!!

Hi Alison, maybe we should consider moving to France and buying a beautiful house with acres of land and it's own private fishing lake. Don't suppose you know of such a place do you?

ooo goldie mad can I come too please I already have the gsd sounds like heaven. btw have told my 20 year old son about the awful accident he was most impressed with Matthews coolhead and driving ability.

Oh yes Jenny, I do know of such a place!! Yayyyy!

Furriefriends, I suggest we wait for a certain person to take residence, then we will arrive en mass complete with dogs. After all there is so much space, I bet she won't even notice!!

Havent got a GSD but sounds a great place for holidays!!

sounds good to me !

Wow - so glad he and his girlfriend are both OK. I'd never heard that about crash barriers either.

I hope they catch the moron responsible and throw the book at them - I suppose there is still the chance that someone noticed the numberplate of the driver who caused this? If they had been drunk I wouldn't have thought they'd have been able to think clearly enough to come off at the next junction and go over on the bridge to look. They need locking up, that's for sure!!

Bet you'll be in shock yourself still - but at least you know your son is safe and has a good sensible head on his shoulders. Well done Matthew!

Thanks for all the positives. We have been having a look at a few little cars, but it has surprised me how picky I am being. Any signs whatsoever that the car might have had a bump and I won't entertain it. I'm working on his Dad that we should buy a new one, then at least we will know it has no history, but his Dad thinks we should be OK getting one that is a couple of years old. It's scary really when you go to reputable garages, and see signs of doors/panels slightly misaligned. My Dad was in the motor trade and used to point things out on vehicles, but I am sure that nowadays it is more of a minefield finding a car that has not been involved in an accident.

I think if it was a car for me, I wouldn't be as cautious, but I guess it is the "Mother Hen" syndrome where we want to keep our children safe. Anyway we are going to have a look around this weekend and hopefully we might find something that I am comfortable with.

To make matters worse, Matthew started a new part time job at Asda 6 weeks ago, and he is still on a probationery contract. He really wasn't up to work last night, so we rang Asda up in the morning and explained about the accident. They said that unless Matthew has a sick note it will be classed as an unauthorised absence and will go against him when they look at making him permanent. I spoke to his GP's surgery, and was told that unless he is off for more than a week, he should be able to self certificate, but Asda are not happy with this, they want a Dr's sicknote. So, we have obtained a copy of the letter that the hospital doctor has sent to Matthew's GP and have to hope that that will be sufficient. Matthew was adamant he was going in to work tonight, so I have told him to attach a photo of his car to the letter and hand that in, hopefully that will be sufficient to keep them happy. It just seems such a shame if he loses the Asda job now.

so please your son and his girlfriend are ok .

Had a similar shock a few years back but not on the motorway ..my son got out shaken but ok, his car was also a right off but the next day when I saw it I cried out loud as I couldnt believe he survived it. Again the other driver drove off but handed himself in the following day he had insurance but his mother owned the car . He also owned up to it being his fault.

I was just relieved I still had my son ...as I know you do too ....you dread them going out the door  but they have to carry on and brave it ..just take a deep breath . I understand how you are feeling ...take care

My sons car was a Renault Laguna definitely saved his life if it had been his old car a ford Ka i dont think it would have withstood the accident.

Roni

Oh well, we have had a busy weekend and have managed to find a lovely Peugeot 207. I don't know if there is such a thing as fate, but one of the things Matthew was upset about was losing his "personalised" MK number plate. Whilst looking we came across the Peugeot and it had a plate starting MK. Next was the colour, Matthew's favourite holiday location is a hotel called the Aegean and the colour of this car is Aegean. As if that wasn't coincidence enough, when we rang the mobile number, it turned out the car was in a compound on a small country lane and when they gave us directions, it was just near where our last GSD was bred. This is a real agricultural area, and definitely not where you would expect to find a garage.

I was so impressed with the sales service, nothing was too much trouble. We narrowed it down to a Peugeot 207, Vauuxhall Corsa and Fiesta. They let him test drive a diesel and petrol of each make, and nothing seemed too much trouble for them. It is a family business and you got the impression they really do care about their customers, whereas some of the other garages we had visited had salesmen who just seemed to want to rush you and sell you a car whether it suited or not.

So if there is such a thing as fate, here's hoping this car was just meant to be. It is only 18 months old and apparently they have a really good safety rating, so we know we have done our best to keep him safe.

It definately sounds like it was meant to be :)

Blimey that is too much fate to ignore!! Peugeots are lovely little cars and also tend to hold their value quite well. I had a little 206 for a while and it was one of my favourite cars I've had and years ago my first 'decent' car was a 205.....how I loved that car!!!:-)

So sorry to hear about your son's accident and pleased he and his girlfriend are ok, it's amazing that he managed to keep a cool head and remember what to do in that situation, I think I would have gone into panic mode.

On another note do I hear that another Goldie person could be coming to live in France, what department??

Jan

Hi Jan
Yes I think you might be getting another Goldie person joining you, but I will leave it up to her to make the announcement. I think it may only be in a few years time though, so don't roll out the red carpet just yet.

sorry for the late reply only just read this - thank god they are both ok

I work for Ford - well a Ford dealer and have recently been in an accident - admittedly it was my fault as it was a roundabout and he was coming from the right but he was speeding and i am 99% sure on the phone, he came flying into my car and i dont think the insurance company have heard a word from him - there are some VERY stupid people out there like the other person in your sons accident.

Full credit to him for getting in the courtesy car straight away too i know i was quite nervous after mine

Glad they are both ok and i hope they never have to experience another idiot like that again  - good luck with the new car too

Yes Jan, me. We have just bought a property near Parthenay. However, we will not be fully moving over yet.

Congratulations AlisonGold, I,m a bit further south, near Brive, but sometimes travel north for shows!  Am going to a show at Poitiers later this year.

Good luck

Jan