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Boy do I feel stupid. Fell asleep at the wheel driving home from a night shift at 4.40 in the morning. Knew I was sleepy on a longer journey would have pulled in for a sleep but I was only a few minutes from home so though | would just get down the road. Fell asleep and wrapped my car around a lamppost and it looks like it's a write off. Police reckon I was doing 35-40 mph, which since it was a 40 speed limit is likely.

Well impressed by the car - a toyota aygo. They get four stars in the encap ratings - apart from a bruised knee and arm I walked away from the crash on one piece. Not so long ago an impact like that would have at the very least put me in hospital. The lamp post has a small dent in it. I gather they are developing ones that bend so a car hitting one suffers less damage. In thirty + years of driving I have never done anything quite so stupid, I know the risks of driving when tired.

So folks if you feel sleepy when driving you probably are so stop before you fall asleep and hit something. Could have been worse - it was at a roundabout - imagine if I had hit somebody, if I had gone over the roundabout I would probably be dead.

gmc;1397980 wrote: Boy do I feel stupid. Fell asleep at the wheel driving home from a night shift at 4.40 in the morning. Knew I was sleepy on a longer journey would have pulled in for a sleep but I was only a few minutes from home so though | would just get down the road. Fell asleep and wrapped my car around a lamppost and it looks like it's a write off. Police reckon I was doing 35-40 mph, which since it was a 40 speed limit is likely.

Well impressed by the car - a toyota aygo. They get four stars in the encap ratings - apart from a bruised knee and arm I walked away from the crash on one piece. Not so long ago an impact like that would have at the very least put me in hospital. The lamp post has a small dent in it. I gather they are developing ones that bend so a car hitting one suffers less damage. In thirty + years of driving I have never done anything quite so stupid, I know the risks of driving when tired.

So folks if you feel sleepy when driving you probably are so stop before you fall asleep and hit something. Could have been worse - it was at a roundabout - imagine if I had hit somebody, if I had gone over the roundabout I would probably be dead.


Seriously, I'm just relieved you're not badly hurt. You were lucky.

You Feckin plonker........ Don't do It again.

What did the wife say ? :wah:

How about a photo of the car?

Glad you're okay. Did you get the dreaded seatbelt bruise?

gmc;1397980 wrote: Boy do I feel stupid. Fell asleep at the wheel driving home from a night shift at 4.40 in the morning. Knew I was sleepy on a longer journey would have pulled in for a sleep but I was only a few minutes from home so though | would just get down the road. Fell asleep and wrapped my car around a lamppost and it looks like it's a write off. Police reckon I was doing 35-40 mph, which since it was a 40 speed limit is likely.

Well impressed by the car - a toyota aygo. They get four stars in the encap ratings - apart from a bruised knee and arm I walked away from the crash on one piece. Not so long ago an impact like that would have at the very least put me in hospital. The lamp post has a small dent in it. I gather they are developing ones that bend so a car hitting one suffers less damage. In thirty + years of driving I have never done anything quite so stupid, I know the risks of driving when tired.

So folks if you feel sleepy when driving you probably are so stop before you fall asleep and hit something. Could have been worse - it was at a roundabout - imagine if I had hit somebody, if I had gone over the roundabout I would probably be dead.


Glad you survived it with only minor injury.

Bet his wife kicked him In the Trossacks

Glad you are safe, sorry about the car, though.

I have not fallen asleep like that for a long time. When I did, I was very fortunate to not hurt anyone.

Just rolled off the road onto beach sand, where the car bogged down, and dug a nice hole in the sand.

When I woke, the tide was reaching high point and waves were washing over the car.

It cost me a couple hundred bucks to hire a tow truck to retrieve the car.

Thank goodness you are okay.

Alex Salmond will be relieved his fan Is OK.

I'm glad you're okay.

I am also glad you are okay, gmc. Let your experience be a cautionary tale for all of us.



After I first got my driver's license and my first car, I forgot to turn my headlights on while I was driving in my neighborhood one evening. Another driver blinked his headlights and alerted me. Boy, did I feel dumb.

gmc;1397980 wrote: Boy do I feel stupid. Fell asleep at the wheel driving home from a night shift at 4.40 in the morning. Knew I was sleepy on a longer journey would have pulled in for a sleep but I was only a few minutes from home so though | would just get down the road. Fell asleep and wrapped my car around a lamppost and it looks like it's a write off. Police reckon I was doing 35-40 mph, which since it was a 40 speed limit is likely.

Well impressed by the car - a toyota aygo. They get four stars in the encap ratings - apart from a bruised knee and arm I walked away from the crash on one piece. Not so long ago an impact like that would have at the very least put me in hospital. The lamp post has a small dent in it. I gather they are developing ones that bend so a car hitting one suffers less damage. In thirty + years of driving I have never done anything quite so stupid, I know the risks of driving when tired.

So folks if you feel sleepy when driving you probably are so stop before you fall asleep and hit something. Could have been worse - it was at a roundabout - imagine if I had hit somebody, if I had gone over the roundabout I would probably be dead.


Wow, you had a lucky escape there, glad you're ok :-6

I read somewhere that every 100miles you drive you do something stupid that could potentially lead to an accident. Don't know if it's true or not but it feels right - that car you almost didn't see in your blind spot that time you misjudge speed and distance pulling out before you should or enter a corner too fast and almost lose it or cross the line to keep it on the road. We all do stupid things. I would post a picture but I don't know how.

gmc;1398015 wrote: I read somewhere that every 100miles you drive you do something stupid that could potentially lead to an accident. Don't know if it's true or not but it feels right - that car you almost didn't see in your blind spot that time you misjudge speed and distance pulling out before you should or enter a corner too fast and almost lose it or cross the line to keep it on the road. We all do stupid things. I would post a picture but I don't know how. If you're a man you do something stupid every 100 miles.

If you are a female parent trying to park In the dead end for the school next door to my house then you do something monumentally stupid every 100 yards.

Glad you are ok. Scary when our mortality leaps up from its usual hiding place and confronts us like that.

I imagine you are finding more bruises as the first few days pass. Any chance of a photo of those as well as the car? :sneaky:

Clodhopper;1398075 wrote: Glad you are ok. Scary when our mortality leaps up from its usual hiding place and confronts us like that.

I imagine you are finding more bruises as the first few days pass. Any chance of a photo of those as well as the car? :sneaky:


How do you post photos? of the car that is. You're right about the bruises I am multicoloured where the sweat belt was, it's quite amazing i opened the door and h=got out - not do long ago i would have been on my way to hospital after such a smash.

gmc;1398081 wrote: How do you post photos? of the car that is. You're right about the bruises I am multicoloured where the sweat belt was, it's quite amazing i opened the door and h=got out - not do long ago i would have been on my way to hospital after such a smash.


Seriously.... when you have an accident, even If you're not that badly hurt, It can be a massive shock and you need rest. Your body needs time to relax so put your feet up for a few days. I was In a head on as a back passenger years ago and wasn't hurt badly... bit of whiplash after I'd head butted the driver from behind but the shock kept me off work for a few weeks.

The easiest way to put pics on Is to do a thumbnail care of FG. We can click on the thumbnail and the pic will come up bigger.

Write your post as usual....

then click on 'Go Advanced' to the right.

Scroll down and click on ' Manage Attachments'

On the left will come up a ' choose file'

Click on the first box and that will take you to your photo's on your pc. Choose desktop or other picture files... which one you want.

Find pic you want to post and double click on It.

Then click on ' upload'

Look In the box where It said ' Manage Attachments' and you should see It has loaded by It's file name.

Then submit post.

I've only just seen this and it turned me cold.

I used to work shifts and I know how easy it is to blank out after a change of shifts - I managed it whilst riding home on my motorbike.

So glad to hear that you're OK and that no-one else was hurt.

Hope your insurance comes through OK, how are you fixed for getting to work in the meantime?

Bryn Mawr;1398125 wrote:

how are you fixed for getting to work in the meantime? Bit out your way to go offering a lift Bryn.

gmc;1398081 wrote: How do you post photos? of the car that is. You're right about the bruises I am multicoloured where the sweat belt was, it's quite amazing i opened the door and h=got out - not do long ago i would have been on my way to hospital after such a smash.


chuckle. It's amazing when one looks back at this sort of thing how much sheer luck was involved. In a way, the most unsetling thing is all the alternative endings one keeps thinking of. Either that or your Guardian Outmoded Superstition was working overtime.

When Blucher was unhorsed and trampled a couple of times by French cavalry at the battle of Ligny he recovered by dosing himself with schnapps and rubbing a liniment of brandy and rhubarb on the bruises. It clearly worked since he was at Waterloo two days later. Might I suggest you try the same with whisky?

Clodhopper;1398167 wrote: hen Blucher was unhorsed and trampled a couple of times by French cavalry at the battle of Ligny he recovered by dosing himself with schnapps and rubbing a liniment of brandy and rhubarb on the bruises.Gin and rhubarb, sir. Gin and rhubarb.

I'm delighted our confederate from North Britain suffered as lightly as the Field Marshall. I recall occasions when sleep has been far too close when driving after a long day, I'm surprised in retrospect I never put a car into a ditch in consequence. I bet stopping on a lamp post was noisy.

Clodhopper;1398167 wrote: chuckle. It's amazing when one looks back at this sort of thing how much sheer luck was involved. In a way, the most unsetling thing is all the alternative endings one keeps thinking of. Either that or your Guardian Outmoded Superstition was working overtime.




My brother once fell asleep while driving along Highway 1 in California. He hit a tree which prevented him from going off the cliff for a 1200 foot drop to the Pacific ocean.

It was the only tree within several hundred yards. Only a foot or so either way, and he would have been in for a very scary, and all too short flight.

gmc;1397980 wrote: Boy do I feel stupid......................... Could have been worse ........ I would probably be dead.


And we wouldn't have the benefit of your comments.......

Better to feel stupid than to feel nothing........which was the alternative result.

Bet you don't do that again in a hurry.

Nice to hear you walked away.

Bruv;1398261 wrote: And we wouldn't have the benefit of your comments.......

Better to feel stupid than to feel nothing........which was the alternative result.

Bet you don't do that again in a hurry.

Nice to hear you walked away.


And where have you been exactly young man eh ?

oscar;1398264 wrote: And where have you been exactly young man eh ?
Young man ?

Shucks......blush.

Iv been everywhere, just not here..............did you miss me ?

Bruv;1398276 wrote: Young man ?

Shucks......blush.

Iv been everywhere, just not here..............did you miss me ? Like a cat with no neck misses licking It's arsse.

Of course I missed you !!!..... Plonker