# My Life Didn'T Flash Before My Eyes!



## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Yesterday 710 and I were on our way to pick up our daughter from a brownie camp weekend. We had plenty of time and were in no rush.

There is a level crossing that we have to go over and as we approached the amber light came on so I slowed and stopped, we were the front car. I never get right up to the barrier so pulled up my usual 10 yards back or so.

2 minutes later there's a huge bang, the sound of sirens and a flash of red and the sureal site almost in slow motion of the barrier flying up in front of us. A stolen car being persued by an "unmarked" decided to risk smashing the barrier and dodging the oncoming train! The train passed about 5 seconds later hitting the barriers that were strew on the track! The car driver was estimated to be travelling at 100+ mph and missed our car literally by inches!

Certainly made me draw breath!

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/local/car_thief_cheats_death_in_daring_getaway_bid_1_655893


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

Were you late picking up your daughter? That would have been the last straw for me.

Later,

William


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

yep with the crossing out of order they wouldn't let us cross, after we'd given the police our details and then turned around and went "the long way" we were 45 minutes late! very understanding brown owl looked after her til we got there!


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Wow! Glad your safe and sound though!

I got my car stollen a few months back so I'm still in a mood where I feel those bloody thieves should all be shot! Car was never recovered although it was spotted by a police control on the road. They didn't gave chase because they figured their patrol cars were too slow for it (mine was a bmw 330i, theirs old Peugeots 309 diesels I think). The worst is the thieves tried to run over a police officer and still they let them go... bloody third world country I was born in... :furious:


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## Barreti (Apr 18, 2008)

Oh god.

I've always had an irrational feer of level crossings and sprint over them when I have to cross them.

TJAT story isn't going to help me is it









I'm glad you're safe and sound though, blimey what a close call.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Glad you're safe PG.:wink1:

It's a good thing we have "Brown Owls" in our community too, unlike the "richard the thirds" that knick cars and don't care who gets hurt in the process.


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

Thankfully, there was no 'collateral' damage. It's on such occasions that you realize that adrenaline is brown. Glad you made it unscathed. Too close though....


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Sh*t Paul that was too close, I`m glad you`re ok & no one else was hurt.


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## mattbeef (Jul 17, 2008)

wowzers, glad your ok mate.

Moments like that though make you think dont they


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## Tom Radford (Apr 28, 2009)

Scary stuff.

Could have been a whole different story if the car or train had been a few seconds eitherway.

Hopefully only the assholes in the car would have been killed, but horrific to think what could have happened.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Glad to hear you're OK Paul. That would have shaken me to the core. Scum like that should be shot as soon as they're caught. At least then they wouldn't get a slap on the wrist and promptly go out and do the same thing again.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Your life doesn't flash before your eyes, I just came to at the side of the road, no idea what had happened, with a load of people standing over me. I guess if you were brown bread you wouldn't know much about it :lol: :lol:

Not that I'm advocating they should get away or get off with it but would they have drove in front of a train at a 100mph if the police weren't chasing them ???? Surly card marked, radio ahead from the unmarked and a blocked road away from a hazard like a rail crossing might have been a better approach. Or just steady away ingognito behind them, they would have run out of petrol eventually rather than risking joe publics life and limb.

But I guess that wouldn't make good tv these days.

PS PG,

Glad you are ok


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## Chukas (Aug 7, 2008)

Glad your ok Paul,sounds far too close for comfort!!


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

pg tips said:


> Yesterday 710 and I were on our way to pick up our daughter from a brownie camp weekend. We had plenty of time and were in no rush.
> 
> There is a level crossing that we have to go over and as we approached the amber light came on so I slowed and stopped, we were the front car. I never get right up to the barrier so pulled up my usual 10 yards back or so.
> 
> ...


Bloody Fen Folk....... I bet the fastest thing he had driven was a tractor before that 

Glad you and the 710 are ok


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## spankone (Sep 17, 2008)

mental... sounds very dukes of hazord. I can only imagine a boss hog type guy slamming his breaks to avoid the train


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## sparrow (Feb 7, 2009)

...but what watch were you wearing?

:tongue_ss:

seriously though, glad you're all OK - hope the police caught up with the stolen car!


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## Flows (May 7, 2010)

I had my new bike stolen last year within 4 days of owning it, Uninsured,

Bring back Hanging!

I'm not to sure the thief planned this stunt though ^.^


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

What amazes me is when the local news run it copper came on saying how dangerous it was and the train could have been derailed and the police drivers could have been seriously injured and not once did he mention the other road users who this idiot nearly wiped out!


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

OK everybody hates big brother but if all cars had this fitted then a quick call from plod and the car is remotely disabled and no more crims or plods charging around our roads like maniacs. I looked at a similar set up to retro fit to our works cars and vans a while back.

http://www.onstar.com/web/portal/sva


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## sparrow (Feb 7, 2009)

BondandBigM said:


> OK everybody hates big brother but if all cars had this fitted then a quick call from plod and the car is remotely disabled and no more crims or plods charging around our roads like maniacs. I looked at a similar set up to retro fit to our works cars and vans a while back.
> 
> http://www.onstar.com/web/portal/sva


but just think if they turned this on and it was delayed - the car could have slowed down and stopped in front of the train, derailing the whole lot...

I am a bit of a technophobe when it comes to these types of things







- IMO once you take out human judgement you introduce far too many risks. I could just see this onstar thing breaking when a family is driving down a motorway and getting smashed to crap :thumbsdown:


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

He got 3 1/2 years, video footage below from the pursuing unmarked.

When you get to the end we're the car at the front of the queue on the other side of the train track!






http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/local/video_dramatic_cctv_level_crossing_crash_driver_was_seconds_from_death_1_2595843


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Paul, you were very lucky it appears.....that nutter had some of the closest shaves with the puplic I have seen during that chase, 3 1/2 years is not enough as he'll be out nicking them again in 18 months no doubt!


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## bsa (Dec 23, 2010)

Your not front row seat to see that every day.

These jerks have got no idea how much devastation they may do. This guy is lucky with 3.5 years. Mind you here in Oz he would only get a couple of months.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

That was on Meridian Tonight, today!


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

A few stills from that are in today's Telegraph. Would I be uncharitable to suggest he'd have done us all a favour if he'd qualified for a Darwin award? I don't doubt he'll be out in a couple of years TWOCing once again but then innocent bystanders may not be so lucky, the carnage this incident could have caused doesn't bear thinking about.

PG, I can't imagine what that did to your (and your 710's) heart rate and dry cleaning bill but the only saving grace was you were driving to collect your daughter and not driving back having just collected her. A frightening experience and so utterly unnecessary.


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## martinzx (Aug 29, 2010)

Wow, what a nutter!!

Glad your OK..........................


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Pity he didnt go through the barrier 10 seconds later :furious:

He deserved more than 3 1/2 years IMO


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

PG, what an escape for you! :fear:

But why do the Guvmint folks call it "Taking without the Owners Consent" - it's theft, plain, stupid theft! And should be prosecuted as such!, these prats have no intention of bringing the car back and saying "Thanks Squire, enjoyed the trip to Blackpool, here'ss yer car back, and I've washed and polished it, and put a full tank in for you" :yes:

Must remember that next time I decide to stuff a Rolex in my pocket at an AD - Not stealing it Guv, honest, just taking it without your consent.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Quite surprised ITN ran it in their main bulletin all day yesterday, my daughter told me I'm an internet sensation :lol: All I can remember is how close he was to us, although it doesn't look like it in the video.

He was out on licence at the time and was arrested for assault 2 months later in Dorset and matched to this using DNA from the blood on the inside of the car windscreen.

He was was sentenced to serve 16-months concurrently in a young offenders institute for the aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and obstructing an engine. ONLY 16 months for driving like that!!!

he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years for the criminal damage, also to run concurrently.

He was disqualified from driving for three years, had his licence endorsed and will have to sit an extended driving test.

Not nearly harsh enough iyam, He'll be out in less than 2 years and no doubt will be on the roads again soon after.

Nearly 30K of repairs to the crossing plus 8 hours of delays plus the damage to other cars he hit in the chase, how he never killed anyone I'll never know.

Apparently it was a friends car that he took without permission (stole the keys) the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system in the police car alerted them it had been reported stolen, his friend insists he didn't know who had took it! Yeah right!


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I'm quite glad he didn't hit the train, the trauma of that would have been unthinkable esp if it caused a derailment


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

What a message to send out... :thumbsdown:

He will love having that video , ultimate bragging rights down the pub/ prison etc......

We will carry on seeing this kind of carnage until there are some proper punishment style deterrent sentences to the chav bastids that think this is all a bit of a laugh, go down for a couple of years to a yoof offenders institution to earn their estate stripes then come out to a slap on the back from their mates and do it all again .....


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## Mechanical Alarm (Oct 18, 2010)

I am glad that you are both okay and that everything worked out well!

If it were me, I would take this as an omen and run out and purchase a much more substantial automobile. You have to be thanking your lucky stars (or someone else) that the car or any debris didn't touch you in the car you were in.


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

The difference between 'twoc'ing (or better known as 'a 178' up here) and theft is to do with the definition/essentials of the crime; to commit theft, there has to be an intention to permanently deprive the owner of their property (that must be proven beyond all reasonable doubt).

'Twoc'ing (or S178 RTA '88) generally pertains to when the thief has some kind association with the owner, as in this case his friend. If it was brought to court as theft it would fail based on the defence probably arguing he would have brought it back since it was his friend. The police have to be very careful they charge the accused with the correct offence or it will all fall apart!

Right, the matter of fact stuff aside....what an ****! Been in a couple of those and they are very frightening. The sentence (and the actual time served) never seems enough, but that's for the politicians to change.

I remember a bok by Ben Elton called Gridlocked, where he makes the analogy that if you go to a scrappy and pick up a bumper, go out into the street and batter someone to death with it, you will get a life sentence.

However, if you simply leave it on the car and run that same person over, you'll be lucky to even get a jail sentence......


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