That is the surprising second a motorist drove the flawed means up a busy twin carriageway on Boxing Day – as drivers desperately swerved to keep away from a head-on collision.
The near-miss occurred at round 6.48pm alongside the A303 close to Andover, Hampshire yesterday.
Drivers had been left shaken up after narrowly avoiding the motorist who had managed to journey a number of miles within the flawed lane.
Nick Hodges was driving from Heathrow to Devon when he seen headlights coming in direction of him.
That is the surprising second a motorist drove the flawed means up a busy twin carriageway on Boxing Day at round 8.48pm
Nick Hodges was driving from Heathrow to Devon when he seen headlights coming in direction of him
‘We had been previous the final Andover junction when there was this terrifying second as my spouse and I each realised that the lights forward weren’t coming from the alternative carriageway,’ he mentioned.
‘I slammed on the brakes and veered to the left which despatched the automotive right into a skid however happily stability management kicked in and I managed to appropriate it.
‘I am so glad it wasn’t raining and that the lane subsequent to me was empty – we might solely simply handed a couple of automobiles so it may simply have been a catastrophe,’ Mr Hodges added.
Dan Greg was additionally compelled to abruptly swerve out of the motorist’s path. He mentioned: ‘[The car was] driving casually within the inside lane, final minute the automotive in entrance of me modified lanes fast then we noticed oncoming headlights and swerved on the final second. It was very scary and surprising. The very fact they had been driving so quick in direction of us was the scary bit.
He mentioned: ‘I had a automotive full of youngsters and was simply making an attempt to remain calm and picked up. I can not think about what everybody else driving previous should have thought. A scarcity of focus may have been lethal.’
The incident prompted a lot of calls to 999 with some being positioned on maintain. Retired police officer Tom French struggled to get by means of to report the incident. His spouse Jane was driving on the time.
‘We had been previous the final Andover junction when there was this terrifying second as my spouse and I each realised that the lights forward weren’t coming from the alternative carriageway,’ mentioned Mr Hodges
The automotive narrowly prevented lacking Mr Hodges’s automotive and visitors app Waze has indicated the automotive going the flawed means later acquired into an accident
He mentioned: ‘We had been driving down the A303 westbound and we had a automotive coming in direction of us within the flawed path. I attempted to name 999 and was put in a queue.’
Others who narrowly prevented the driving force shared their experiences on social media.
One man wrote: ‘I’ve simply spent a beautiful day with my daughter and granddaughter however I almost did not make it residence. Passing Andover on the A303 I encountered a automotive driving the flawed means down my carriageway. Fortunately I used to be in gentle visitors on the time.’
One other girl added: ‘We witnessed this. I used to be driving. [The motorist] handed us travelling within the quick lane – the flawed means – my abdomen turned inside out and I felt sick. If anybody had been overtaking us it could have been a horrible accident.’
Hampshire Police has been contacted for remark. It isn’t identified whether or not the motorist was arrested.
In accordance with visitors app Waze, the motorist later acquired into an accident and experiences on social media counsel they had been later pulled over right into a lay-by.
