A few years ago, I was a passenger in the front of a Rover 75 Tourer being driven by Rover54 - Ed, late one night along the A40 at Polish War Memorial heading into London approaching a multiple RTA at the national speed limit when cruise control failed to disengage and the brakes failed to stop the car.
I shouted out to Ed……
Slow down!
As we approached the multiple smash up, he couldn’t slow down, the brakes had completely packed up.
There was a gap between a post office truck and a mangled car in the road ahead, which Ed managed to skilfully steer the car through.
In the gap was a police motorcycle with a police rider stationary which Ed did not touch. Ed avoided hitting him by a whisker.
Ed turned the engine off but it took one to one and half miles for the car to stop. Finally he managed to pull the car over onto a grass verge before the car gave out.
It was a scary experience and after Ed’s car stopped, he went into shock!
By then the police had caught up with us. Ed was in physical shock and he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
I was not hurt.
The police interviewed me and asked if I would provide a witness statement as they wanted to prosecute Ed for dangerous driving and take his licence away for good.
I refused to cooperate, they had no case. His 75 was left at Polish War Memorial until it was recovered.
A corroded brake and vacuum pipe was the culprit and not Ed!
Scary all round, full marks to Ed, he did not freeze or panic and steered us out of danger, a hero!
I reported this on here at the time with photos from the scene…. A true account.
Peter Harrison - HarrisOp48 who lived nearby attended and a great friend, gave me a lift to my home in North London. Peter is still missed RIP
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