On the road: losing an axle
Yesterday evening I was on the way to Hilversum and just cruising along at 100kph. I was behind a family car (the size of an Opel Zafira) and on the phone with my stepbrother. Don't worry, I was using my bluetooth handsfree earpiece.
Thank the Gods for that.
Suddenly, I saw a shower of sparks of nearly a meter high rise up from behind the silhouette of the family car in front of me. The family car jammed on the brakes, and so did I. Everything happened really fast. Something bounced onto the shoulder of the road: two wheels, connected by an axle. *gasp*
The canoo trailer in front of the family car had lost its axle, and it was dragging over the asphalt. The car and trailer steered onto the shoulder and while still jamming the brakes I signed with my warning lights to the traffic behind me. The car with the trailer turned onto the shoulder and the family car stopped behind it. Another car that had been overtaking the trailer pulled up in front of them.
Lucky for all of us, nobody was hurt. The three cars stopped on the shoulder and the rest of traffic passed them by.
After retrieving my heart from my throat, I continued my journey and conversation on the phone. But jeez, what a trip!
It makes the guy glued to the left lane on an empty four lane highway look like nothing...
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