A catastrophic chain of events!

[Dobloseven]

Thinking about all the simple things I'd never done, amongst them were write a car off,and spend a night in hospital.Well Saturday evening I ticked both those off.Youngest son had taken the Jaguar X Type back to his house in Derby on temporary insurance,but taxed, leaving the E46 325 ci auto at ours.Mot expires shortly and said I'd have a look at it and put it in for the test,as he's gone back to Germany to work.Think he wanted it gone as he likes the Jaguar and doesn't want to run two cars,as he's away a lot with work.Took it for a spin, I'm a named driver on the insurance,seemed ok.Just parking it,backed it up a bit, suddenly shot into the car behind, bounced off,and hit the lampost on the other side of the road, demolishing it.Not too serious so far.Doorbell camera footage shows the brake lights on,so not pressed the wrong pedal,used to autos anyway.Apparently passenger airbag deployed as well.But then car shoots forward,clipping MrsDs Korando and tears down the road,We live on quite a steep hill,so can remember thinking whats going to happen at the bottom where there's a parade of shops facing and you've got to turn right as it's a one way.There's cars parked both sides and not room for two cars to pass and a car coming up the hill.Hit that and a parked car, pushing it through a garden wall.Not sure what happened next.Car ends up on roof and I end up in the road, worried in case anyone is hurt,which thankfully nobody seemed to be.Also seemed to be another damaged car further down the hill.My glasses didn't even come off!Police and Fire Brigade arrive rapidly.Strong smell of petrol as well.Neighbours all out by now and all very concerned about me.Oldest son was with me anyway looking at the car and saw everything.Just can't quite work out what happened.Can remember it being like one of those computer games where the car crashes into things but keeps going with the score building up,but that's about it.The whole thing must only have taken a few seconds.They insist I sit down on the kerb with coats round me as the pain sets in.Police are lovely along with the fire guys.They seemed concerned about the Hyundai hybrid I hit in front,and forced the bonnet open.Apologetic that they had to breathalyse me,and advised me to get taken to A&E as an ambulance could take six hours.By the time the oldest and no.2 sons have got me there, I'm shaking like a defecating dog and can hardly walk.Hospital was 100% , couldn't fault them.Got put in one of those scanner things where they pump some dye into you and you feel like you've pissed yourself.Nothing broken,no head damage apart from a graze on my chin.Grazes on right hand and arm and buttock/thigh.Found I'd got a slight temperature and a mild infection.Blood pressure and pulse a bit iffy as well,so eventually moved me to a ward, where I was given intravenous antibiotics.Kept in till late Sunday evening,sent home with antibiotics, Paracetamol and something for the Hiatus Hernia they found with the scan.Son was quite worried about me, though.Policewoman asked him if I normally talked bollocks.Remember asking to be arrested so I could get away from the carnage I'd caused the neighbours.Also someone saying "don't worry mate, it's only metal",and me asking if he was a Steve Harley out of Cockney Rebel fan.Sons insurance seem remarkably easy to deal with.Be some interesting insurance claims though.One neighbour has got an ancient Vivaro van that the lampost fell on.Apparently.The first car to be hit,seems to have been given a good valeting,in anticipation no doubt of an enhanced insurance payout, despite not having turned a wheel in ages and been slowly gathering dirt.Very achy today,but just happy only me hurt and not too badly.On the bright side ,on street parking is a bit easier now,the chap over the road hasn't got the streetlight shining in his bedroom window and it's saved having to sell the BMW!

[Wibble]

Holy fuck! Thank God you and everyone else is ok. What a fucking nightmare and really shocking!

[fatharris]

Christ! At least you're okay mate, like you said, metal can be replaced.

Hope you recover quickly and get back on your feet!

[somewhatfoolish]

Yikes. Do E46 have a rep for un-commanded throttle shenanigans? Sounds like a regular demolition derby.

[Dobloseven]

Son is 26 and been driving since he was about 18,with no accidents.They tell young people to put someone older on the insurance to bring the premium down..............!

[brownnova]

Holy Shitballs!!! 
That sounds scary as! 
 

Hope you’re ok, and that you recover both physically and mentally as quickly as possible! 

[hairnet]

rofl at the talking bollox

thatll be the shock kicking in - if that kinda thing doesnt happen youre a robot

long as you and the people in the other car are ok

fckuing beemers - throttle stick or summat? bit odd it pottered then all of a sudden fast and furious

props to the 999 lot 

[RoverFolkUs]

Bloody hell, sounds like you've done well to escape with minimal injury despite the carnage involved, if it's only metal and mortar that's suffered the worst damage it's all replaceable! Shit happens

[Dobloseven]

Surprised that I can't wait to get driving again,though we're a bit down on cars at the moment,with MrsDs Korando out of action anyway.Reckoned BMW travelled about 500 feet between the lamppost and ending up on its roof.Been trying to work out how long that would take from a standing start,going downhill as well.Think 0 to 60 time is, or was,about 9 seconds.

[Westbay]

Glad your ok ... just think of the hours of gossip fun you've given your neighbours !

[Dobloseven]

10 minutes ago, Westbay said:

Glad your ok ... just think of the hours of gossip fun you've given your neighbours !

I want to thank those who helped,but not very good at walking at the moment.

[Dobloseven]

11 minutes ago, CGSB said:

Brake and throttle rather than clutch and brake, I expect?

It's automatic.Difficult to press both pedals at the same time with right foot,as accelerator is set lower,so brakes would be well on before accelerator travel started.

[Tickman]

That sounds like a tremendous amount of chaos from so little input.
You seem to be taking it very well as just one of those things.

Hopefully a speedy recovery on all counts.

 

[sdkrc]

Could it be an errant floor mat catching the accelerator pedal? I've had that before in an Aygo 

[Westbay]

32 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

I want to thank those who helped,but not very good at walking at the moment.

Take it easy ... lot of bruising to work through yet !

[tooSavvy]

2 minutes ago, sdkrc said:

Could it be an errant floor mat catching the accelerator pedal? I've had that before in an Aygo 

...... Yupp, ToMM© = 7.5k for 3 seconds ... Sounded Awesome 😮

Glad yrr OK 👍

🚙💨

[rml2345]

Bloody hell man, that's one way to write a car off! Is it likely there will be some investigation as to why the BMW fucked off of its own accord or are the insurance just paying and moving on? 

Sounds like the neighbours and the 999 services were mega about it all and I hope you have a speedy recovery. Things like this usually produce aches after a few days so if anything feels amiss pop back to the docs and get checked again. Cars are only metal but back problems are for life. 

 

[Jim Bell]

I don't know anything about anything but I'm gonna wildly speculate that it's eaten a swirl flap then run away somehow. Then when it went upside down, the blockage cleared and it turned off. 

That's probably it sir. I won't trouble you any further. 

 

[Dobloseven]

7 minutes ago, Jim Bell said:

I don't know anything about anything but I'm gonna wildly speculate that it's eaten a swirl flap then run away somehow. Then when it went upside down, the blockage cleared and it turned off. 

That's probably it sir. I won't trouble you any further. 

 

I'm surprised it didn't turn off when it went up the lampost and the airbag(s) went off.Thought modernish cars had some sort of cut out device.

[Jim Bell]

13 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

I'm surprised it didn't turn off when it went up the lampost and the airbag(s) went off.Thought modernish cars had some sort of cut out device.

I think technology is really only installed in cars if it can operate effectively as a hindrance. Not as a helpful aid. 

[Jim Bell]

It might also be that your BMW subscriptions were not up to date. 

They hide a lot in the small print. Please see last paragraph here. 

 

 

All silliness aside, I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt and hope you heal up fast man. 

[chaseracer]

1 hour ago, Jim Bell said:

I don't know anything about anything but I'm gonna wildly speculate that it's eaten a swirl flap then run away somehow. Then when it went upside down, the blockage cleared and it turned off. 

That's probably it sir. I won't trouble you any further. 

 

Just one more question, sir... 😉

[chaseracer]

Mend soon, @Dobloseven

[High Jetter]

That's a memorable start to the year! Hope you're back to normal swiftly, and driving again. Hope you get to the bottom of the mystery too.

[barefoot]

I always wonder exactly what happens in cases like this and would be fascinated to see the results of an autopsy on your car.

[LightBulbFun]

bloody hell! I have had a sticky/stuck throttle a couple times (and unrelated to that, have put my car on its side through a bush once), so I can concur its no fun at all! I am very pleased to hear your relatively speaking alright after the ordeal! and wishing you a speedy and quick recovery

14 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Doorbell camera footage shows the brake lights on

are you able to save this somewhere safe? I feel like it might be import evidence to hold onto incase anyone tried to put all the blame on you etc hopefully this might be enough to prompt a proper investigation into what happened, rather then have someone try and write it off as "person just mistakes accelerator for brake pedal"

[Dobloseven]

3 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

bloody hell! I have had a sticky/stuck throttle a couple times (and unrelated to that, have put my car on its side through a bush once), so I can concur its no fun at all! I am very pleased to hear your relatively speaking alright after the ordeal! and wishing you a speedy and quick recovery

are you able to save this somewhere safe? I feel like it might be import evidence to hold onto incase anyone tried to put all the blame on you etc hopefully this might be enough to prompt a proper investigation into what happened, rather then have someone try and write it off as "person just mistakes accelerator for brake pedal)

Yes,it's all saved.Sons partner got it from neighbours.

[Dobloseven]

The damage I know of is the 06 Picanto, obviously beyond repair,say 1000,the BMW, perhaps 500,the lamppost,unknown,a 12 reg Corsa,2000ish,the 18 reg Hyundai,son reckons about 14k,then a Clio unknown age etc.Plus the garden wall.so not a massive amount in absolute terms.Plus hire cars etc.though,I suppose,so will mount up.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Glad you and no one else is seriously hurt @Dobloseven .

[Split_Pin]

I nearly crashed my E46 auto before the box was replaced. You'd press the throttle and nothing would happen and then it would lurch and accelerate sharply. Nearly hit the head basketball coach's beloved Saab 😳

Glad you're OK though.