Status report Page 3,791

Quote: Tuumble @ June 11 2011, 7:12 PM BST

This is our status update for yesterday...

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9079019.Family_injured_in_A34_smash/?ref=mr

We all came out of it with minor cuts and bruises though Charlie has a beaut of a shiner and a broken nose (though it will heal fine).

All home now - will give a more detailed update later.

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Yikes.. Glad you are all OK though. Drastic end to a holiday and a car.

I did that once (i.e wrecked my 'dormobile' type van) on a drive back from a diving holiday Cornwall.

Holy crap on a cracker

I went for a bike ride earlier and found this unopened road. At least, I think it's unopened as it looked unused. I followed it for a bit until it came to a bridge with signs saying "NO ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC". I decided to turn around and cycle off. About 10 seconds later, I heard some dogs barking. I looked back and was sure I saw two black shapes sprinting from the direction of the bridge. Needless to say, I biked off rather sharpish.

Quote: Tuumble @ June 11 2011, 7:12 PM BST

This is our status update for yesterday...

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9079019.Family_injured_in_A34_smash/?ref=mr

We all came out of it with minor cuts and bruises though Charlie has a beaut of a shiner and a broken nose (though it will heal fine).

All home now - will give a more detailed update later.

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Blimey - glad you are all okay, Tuumble.

Local Internet forum reports gypo's have now vacated the park near my house

thank Christ

don't come back now, ya hear?

Quote: zooo @ June 11 2011, 7:36 PM BST

Bloody hell! Glad you're okay.
(Rolled *up* the embankment?)

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Basically we hit the central reservation and bounced across the carriageway and then rolled at least two or three times. The car landed with it's nose on the hard shoulder and the rest on the embankment pointing slightly back towards where we'd just came from. The boot door came open and scattered all our belongings over the verge which was handy as it turned out.

The odd thing was when we rolled I actually felt quite calm as I new we'd soon stop but I wouldn't say I would recommend the experience. I remember the girls saying "Where's mum?! Where's mum?!" and because we were on the side I'd all sense of where we were. For a terrible moment I thought she'd been thrown from the car but I was actually all but standing on her.

By now other cars had stopped and I lifted Charlie out through the smashed passenger window. The girls were able to get out through the back with some help. I tried to help Jo who was obviously upset but she was at least conscious. In an attempt to get her free I undid her seatbelt which ultimately made things more awkward because the angle she was lying at.

A passerby got me to come out while others steaded the car because of its precarious position. Panic set in when someone pointed out the considerable amount of petrol that was leaking. The man blocked it with his finger and the pipe was wrapped - the danger they put themselves in.

Oh, just got a call - I'll add more in a bit.

How friendly you sound, lofthouse.

Quote: Tuumble @ June 11 2011, 9:38 PM BST

Basically we hit the central reservation and bounced across the carriageway and then rolled at least two or three times. The car landed with it's nose on the hard shoulder and the rest on the embankment pointing slightly back towards where we'd just came from. The boot door came open and scattered all our belongings over the verge which was handy as it turned out.

The odd thing was when we rolled I actually felt quite calm as I new we'd soon stop but I wouldn't say I would recommend the experience. I remember the girls saying "Where's mum?! Where's mum?!" and because we were on the side I'd all sense of where we were. For a terrible moment I thought she'd been thrown from the car but I was actually all but standing on her.

By now other cars had stopped and I lifted Charlie out through the smashed passenger window. The girls were able to get out through the back with some help. I tried to help Jo who was obviously upset but she was at least conscious. In an attempt to get her free I undid her seatbelt which ultimately made things more awkward because the angle she was lying at.

A passerby got me to come out while others steaded the car because of its precarious position. Panic set in when someone pointed out the considerable amount of petrol that was leaking. The man blocked it with his finger and the pipe was wrapped - the danger they put themselves in.

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Blimeyyyyyy.
Sounds so dramatic! Did everything go in slow motion while it happened?

It was a bit like slow motion, yes. Thinking about it now I remember 1 second segments, I hear the sounds of the glass, I see the kids' faces and the crunch of metal on tarmac. It's quite vivid but it's not given me nightmares as we've come out relatively unscathed. Obviously if we hadn't, it would be very, very different.

I don't mean to sound overdramatic but we could've all died last night if that petrol had caught light along with up to a half dozen other motorists who stopped to help. They were holding the car upright to make sure it didn't tip. Fortunately that worst case scenario didn't come to pass and we live to fight another day.

By the time we left the scene (Charlie and Jo in helicopters) the car was missing a roof and one complete axle complete with wheels. I remember thinking it was a like something Sir Clive Sinclair would've come up with only it had fewer wheels.

There's far more to this story but it'll have to wait. I'll write it up over the next few days and post a link somewhere as I'm getting to sound like a scratched record.

I don't think you could make this sound overdramatic! You got airlifted out for god's sake.

And don't worry about sounding like a scratched record. I'm sure we're all glad you're here to tell the tale!

F**k me

that's the stuff of nightmares

Glad your okay Tuumble.

Tuumble - only just seen this. Hell's teeth. You seem remarkably chilled about it. Glad to know that all were okay. Take care and rest up.

Is off to a car boot where I'll no doubt be horrified by the people and the junk they're trying to flog.

The board appears to be being spammed by the moslem league of decency.

Tuumble, what a traumatic event, glad you all came through relatively OK. Can you share any wise words of caution to help the rest of us avoid repeating such a drama?