This driver in New Caney, TX failed to look both ways before exiting this housing development.
Presumed Texas resident and Redditor /u/Pisforplumbing posted up dashcam footage from earlier yesterday (Feb 20, 2024) in New Caney showing an inattentive driver exiting Northcrest Ranch failing to check both ways before going, causing /u/Pisforplumbing to drive into an unfinished road and center median.
Check out the “hold on to your butts” dashcam footage below.
[OC] When the idiot doesn’t look both ways
byu/Pisforplumbing inIdiotsInCars
The incident happened on TX-242 at the intersection with Northcrest Blvd in New Caney, TX (exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As the footage shows, OP is travelling on a part of TX-242 with one lane each way.
“The road I was originally on is 1 lane each way with a center lane for being able to make lefts in the neighborhoods that are being built. You can kind of see the yellow markers on my left. I think it will eventually open up to 2-3 lanes each way with a median.”
In the immediate distance, a driver in a white Ram 1500 exits Northcrest Ranch off Northcrest Blvd and looks to turn left into the lane OP is currently travelling in.
Others in the comment contend that the driver was trying to drive onto a closed road.
Regardless, the driver doesn’t look in both directions, fails to yield, and drives into OP’s path.
OP thankfully has the wherewithal to swerve out of the way onto an incomplete center median for a road being built on the other side and avoids getting hit.
“I was just shaken up for a few minutes. Then very thankful he reacted to my horn and that the barricades had a space to sneak into.”
“That was a nice evade! It’s a good thing you were watching,” /u/shrimpster00 commented.
“Solid dip to avoid. Had to clinch a little for ya too,” /u/ShenanigansAllDay added.
“If that dip**** stopped at the stop sign, he would have seen you.Great job OP, s*** happens quick at 55mph.,” /u/HillSprint added.
On the subject of braking or swerving, there isn’t a hard and fast rule.
You should only swerve out of the way if you’re 100 percent sure there isn’t a car or pedestrian in the lane you’re swerving into.
In this instance, OP had a clear view of an open road to drive into so, this worked for him whereas only braking would’ve ended in a T-bone situation.
This blog post from Hogan Injury on crash avoidance maneuvers is worth a read.
Their summary is worth reposting,
“…when you’re taken by surprise, and there’s no time for checking, you should brake hard without turning. With ABS brakes, apply hard pressure on the brake pedal. If you don’t have ABS, brake just short of locking your wheels. If you hear skidding tires, let up on the brakes a bit until it stops. Again, never swerve unless you know the way is clear, except in the case of avoiding a pedestrian that you’re about to hit.”
