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Viking Chat => Off Topic => Topic started by: Bentley Bullet on October 11, 2014, 12:28:53 am

Title: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 11, 2014, 12:28:53 am
Obviously guessing here, but to my knowledge I reckon it might have been when I was about 18 years old.

A mate of mine had been presented with a brand new  MG BGT by his parents and was planning his first night out in it. He asked me and my (then) girlfriend to go with him, and his girlfriend to the hacienda pub near Sykehouse. We agreed and arranged to meet later. However we never made it, simply because my girlfriend had lost her house keys and couldn't get ready in time, because her parents weren't at home.

Later that night they were killed when their car left the road on a bend near Sykehouse.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on October 11, 2014, 12:42:33 am
Driving on the Snake Pass about 25 years ago. I was working on a building site and on my way to work about 07:30. coming down a steep incline at about 60mph, I saw a truck coming up the hill the other way, and a 2CV (I shit you not) overtaking it. There wasn't room for three vehicles on the road. I suddenly realised that I was about to die. Couldn't break in time. I was bound to hit the 2CV at probably 70-80mph closing speed.

Weirdest experience I've ever had. Everything slowed down. It was like my brain was working at 1000% of its usual rate. I felt like I was floating above the whole scene, dispassionately thinking, "what a f**king way to go. I'm only early 20s. Got a lot more to do yet. Shite!" But at the same time, I was manically looking round for a way out. Suddenly saw that the kerb stones at the side of the road had stopped and there was (just) room to get my nearside wheels onto the grass verge. I hit the verge at 45-50mph and fought with the wheel to keep the car going straight. All the time, the slow part of my brain was watching dispassionately, thinking, "this is.....IIIITTTTTTTT".

The whole thing must have been over in three seconds, but it felt like half and hour. Time slowed down, or rather, my brain was working so fast, looking for ways out, it felt like time had slowed down.

I still to this day don't know how I got past the 2CV. We smashed wing mirrors on the way past, me with two wheels on the verge and him up tight against the wagon.

 There was a lay-by half a mile down the  hill. I pulled in and cried my eyes out for 20 minutes before I carried on to work.

That experience of my brain kicking in at a far fast rate than it does in normal conditions stays with me to this day. I went onto auto-pilot and my brain figured a way through an impossible scenario. Just makes you think what we are capable of doing in extreme situations.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: not on facebook on October 11, 2014, 12:59:46 am
Was working with a tower errecting gang on the plylons years back .
Eve construction .

Bascially the side of the tower or Lines  Your working are dead ,but other side is still live.

I only Been in job a week so was very green behind my ears.

1st job When we got on site was for a linesman to climb up to very top arm while he had a small running out block attached to his safety belt that had some rope fixed to it.

As he climbed up the tower leg my job was to stand at Bottom and feed out the rope as he went up.

This day was very very very Windy and i was warned to watch the D on my rope ,if you can picture it .it was Also raining somewhat.

I Kept on looking at linesman going up and up then Across to me rope
That was going in a massive D.

Linesman Get onto top arm and i see him moving Across it,take my eye off
Him to check the D on the rope,then all Of a sudden i feal all This slack as if linesman had fell off .

Turns out it was the small running out block that had broken off linesmans
Safety belt and wrapped itself round the dampers on the live side.

All me work  mates shouted 'throw the rope away  ' as they all ran into the field .

The rope had got all messed up in my feet and i could not part me sen
From the rope as it went from earth via me straight upto the live side
And the small running out block.

National grid came in and did a report .the safety belt was at fault and i was not Fried due to rope we used was Brand new and straight out Of the bag and dry,non conductive .

If we had used old rope that could have Been damp or wet ,Well
Lets Thank fcuk it was dry new rope
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: RedRover45 on October 11, 2014, 02:51:39 am
Back in 1994 was driving between Peterhead and Aberdeen whilst on my way to Pittodrie. On dual carriageway coast road doing 70-80, nothing else on road. Suddenly car lurched and back axle broke off. I remember car dropping and horrible metallic screeching sound as car scraped on road. I was struggling to control car and I remember back wheel going past my side window bouncing over central reservation and lucky nothing was coming other way. I spun over about three times and ended up in ditch facing way I had come right way up. Me and the wife got out of car without a scratch. Had also filled petrol up full in Dundee so was at least three quarter full tank. Still shudder to this day thinking how we got away with it.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: nice one rovers on October 11, 2014, 07:09:25 am
For me the closed I came to my heart packing in was on 27th April 2013, on Brook road Griffin Park at about 4:40. Was sure I was about to die.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on October 11, 2014, 08:44:35 am
I've mentioned this on the forum before, for me it was being present in the car park of the lakeland forum in Enniskillen when an IRA car bomb went off killing two British Soldiers in the early 80's
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on October 11, 2014, 08:57:19 am
That back axle story reminded me of another one.

In my mate's battered old mini driving from Conisbrough to Sheffield. Came down the A630 Sheffield Road from Hill Top down towards Hooton Roberts doing about 60. Mate breaks for the sharp left hander on the hill and the driver's side back wheel went sailing merely on past us at 60mph. Wheel nuts had worked loose and the bleeding thing just came off.

He's shouting "shite, shite, shite" and wrestling with the car. I'm sat on the passenger side dashboard trying to keep some weight on the front near side corner and away from the rear offside. Somehow he managed to control the car and bring it to a stop.

That was quite a funny one in hindsight.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Dagenham Rover on October 11, 2014, 09:29:48 am
I've mentioned this on the forum before, for me it was being present in the car park of the lakeland forum in Enniskillen when an IRA car bomb went off killing two British Soldiers in the early 80's

Funnily enough I've a few and all of them involve paddy's and argies trying to blow me up or shoot me.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: RoversDave on October 11, 2014, 09:30:32 am
 ;)
For me the closed I came to my heart packing in was on 27th April 2013, on Brook road Griffin Park at about 4:40. Was sure I was about to die.


You should have had that checked, the penalty was about 10 minutes later.   ;)
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: RoversDave on October 11, 2014, 09:36:18 am
The nearest I ever came was going on 50 years ago. I was sent to the shop for something just as my favourite tv prog was coming on, I was so mad I punched the pantry window in. I didn't cut myself, but I was scared to death going back home.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on October 11, 2014, 09:58:24 am
Had someone die on a construction site where I was a young engineer. That was a sobering experience. The guy was replacing wall cladding on a 4 storey high building. He had to push hard onto a drill to drill new holes for the fixings into the steel frame. He was on a portable scaffold tower. Idea was that when he'd finished one area, he'd come down, push the tower across to the next area, fix the tower securely to the building, then get on with the cladding.

Turns out he was saving time by not securing the tower to the frame. And as he was pushing hard to the drill at the top of the tower, he overturned the tower, fell 40 feet and broke his neck.

Ever since that day, I've had no time for people who moan about Health & Safety and protective equipment. If that bloke had stuck to the method statement that had been given to him, his kids wouldn't have grown up without a dad.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: donnyproletarian on October 11, 2014, 10:06:56 am
I was attacked with a knife by some nuttter for no aparent reaon as I was out waking.I took of my coat and wrapped it around my arm to act as a shield. As I dodged his lunges and his mates cheered him on I remember thinking i am going to die.Then the strangest thing happened, his mam shouted him in for his tea.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: not on facebook on October 12, 2014, 12:17:12 pm
I was attacked with a knife by some nuttter for no aparent reaon as I was out waking.I took of my coat and wrapped it around my arm to act as a shield. As I dodged his lunges and his mates cheered him on I remember thinking i am going to die.Then the strangest thing happened, his mam shouted him in for his tea.

Should have gone round and put every house Window in
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: The Red Baron on October 12, 2014, 01:11:11 pm
June 2013. Severe case of pneumonia. If I hadn't gone to hospital when I did it might have been too late for me to be treated. As it was I was in hospital for over a fortnight and it took me over 6 months to get over it completely.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: not on facebook on October 12, 2014, 01:36:05 pm
What are the symptons Of that mate
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on October 12, 2014, 01:55:46 pm
Amazing what we take for granted health wise these days. A decade back I had a severe case if cellulitis in my arm. An infection in my elbow suddenly went mad. Within 2 days the arm from my shoulder to my wrist was twice its normal size and bright red. Oral antibiotics didn't touch it. Ended up having one night in hospital on an IV drip with very strong antibiotics. Sorted it out in 24 hours.

Struck me that 70 years ago, I'd have had my arm amputated as a best case scenario, and there was a decent chance that the infection would have killed me
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 12, 2014, 03:06:38 pm
Not being morbid but it wasn't long since they used to bury people in coma's, because they assumed they were dead.....Hence scratches found on the inside of coffin lids when the 'deceased' awoke!
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Glyn_Wigley on October 12, 2014, 03:33:15 pm
Not being morbid but it wasn't long since they used to bury people in coma's, because they assumed they were dead.....Hence scratches found on the inside of coffin lids when the 'deceased' awoke!

How many have they dug up to look at the inside of the coffin lids of..?
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: The Red Baron on October 12, 2014, 03:38:32 pm
What are the symptons Of that mate

I had a high tempearature, was short of breath and had an intense pain in my back (at the bottom of my lung). I started to feel ill on a Friday, coped (not very well) through the weekend and saw my doctor first thing on Monday. He sent me straight to hospital.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 12, 2014, 03:52:25 pm
Not being morbid but it wasn't long since they used to bury people in coma's, because they assumed they were dead.....Hence scratches found on the inside of coffin lids when the 'deceased' awoke!

How many have they dug up to look at the inside of the coffin lids of..?

I doubt anyone has ever counted, but maybe some evidence was discovered when fresh coffins were placed in family graves, or when graves were exhumed for some reason.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Dutch Uncle on October 12, 2014, 05:08:51 pm
Like many above mine was a traffic incident, about 20 years ago, which still frightens and angers me in equal measure.

It was a couple of days before Xmas in The Hague, leaving work early, about 1500, having closed for the holiday, and it was brilliant clear sunny weather. We had short private road to a traffic light on a large major road, which had a bend at that point. There was no traffic anywhere as I waited at the red light. As it changed to green I hesitated thinking did I close everything down properly in the office and that two second hesitation saved my life. I was about to turn left across a traffic lane as my dedicated greenlight allowed when from nowhere around a bend came a policeman doing about 100k/h in a 50 zone, he shot the red light and would have completely taken me out had I not hesitated.     

It was not a vehicle on its way to an emergency with a flashing light - it was a police dog-handling van (they had a police dog training school next to our office, the only other building in the private road) just returning routinely to his base. He swerved slightly when seeing me, and very nearly rolled his van, but he didn't - and then he just kept on driving.

Ten minutes later when I got home the shakes started. I did report it to the security people in our building, mainly as a warning to my colleagues, because it was totally obvious to all of us that any official complaint would be counter productive and we would be subsequently targeted.

   
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: dn6red on October 12, 2014, 06:47:31 pm
I can't think of any near death experiences for myself although I once got stuck up a cliff in Cornwall and my Mam would have killed me if she had found out but my cousin and her husband were on the Lockerbie flight. They had travelled from Germany to Heathrow where they got off and then the flight carried on to America...
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Wild Rover on October 13, 2014, 08:45:04 am
Obviously guessing here, but to my knowledge I reckon it might have been when I was about 18 years old.

A mate of mine had been presented with a brand new  MG BGT by his parents and was planning his first night out in it. He asked me and my (then) girlfriend to go with him, and his girlfriend to the hacienda pub near Sykehouse. We agreed and arranged to meet later. However we never made it, simply because my girlfriend had lost her house keys and couldn't get ready in time, because her parents weren't at home.

Later that night they were killed when their car left the road on a bend near Sykehouse.

What year would that be BB.

PS Hacienda was at Kirkhouse Green, THATS closer to Stainforth than Sykehouse. Just saying like.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on October 13, 2014, 09:39:21 am
Obviously guessing here, but to my knowledge I reckon it might have been when I was about 18 years old.

A mate of mine had been presented with a brand new  MG BGT by his parents and was planning his first night out in it. He asked me and my (then) girlfriend to go with him, and his girlfriend to the hacienda pub near Sykehouse. We agreed and arranged to meet later. However we never made it, simply because my girlfriend had lost her house keys and couldn't get ready in time, because her parents weren't at home.

Later that night they were killed when their car left the road on a bend near Sykehouse.

What year would that be BB.

PS Hacienda was at Kirkhouse Green, THATS closer to Stainforth than Sykehouse. Just saying like.

The Hacienda was the nightclub of choice after the pubs shut in Stainy, I knew a few people that lost their lives on that road back to Stainy after a night in there. There used to be some good old battles with the Askern or Thorne lot in there as well
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 13, 2014, 10:31:40 am
WR
Strangely enough I wrote Stainforth first and then changed it to Sykehouse!

It happened about 1973, although I could be a year or two out.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on October 13, 2014, 10:33:05 am
WR
Strangely enough I wrote Stainforth first and then changed it to Sykehouse!

It happened about 1973, although I could be a year or two out.

The Hacienda was called The Royal Oak in 1973
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Highland Rover on October 13, 2014, 10:39:14 am
 A local 'nutter arsonist ' set a fire in the cellar of our block of flats in Moenchengladbach and the smoke spiralled up the main external  stair case which was our only means of escape . Fortunately the local fire brigade were quickly on the scene and dealt with the fire and no-one was injured .We never did get an emergency fire escape !!
In fact the guy had already tried once before but had been unsuccesful
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 13, 2014, 10:41:48 am
WR
Strangely enough I wrote Stainforth first and then changed it to Sykehouse!

It happened about 1973, although I could be a year or two out.

The Hacienda was called The Royal Oak in 1973

Maybe 1975 then, I'm struggling to put an exact year on it.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on October 13, 2014, 10:42:35 am
A local 'nutter arsonist ' set a fire in the cellar of our block of flats in Moenchengladbach and the smoke spiralled up the main external  stair case which was our only means of escape . Fortunately the local fire brigade were quickly on the scene and dealt with the fire and no-one was injured .We never did get an emergency fire escape !!
In fact the guy had already tried once before but had been unsuccesful


Did he leave his mobile phone at the scene of the crime? :)
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Wild Rover on October 13, 2014, 11:05:46 am
Obviously guessing here, but to my knowledge I reckon it might have been when I was about 18 years old.

A mate of mine had been presented with a brand new  MG BGT by his parents and was planning his first night out in it. He asked me and my (then) girlfriend to go with him, and his girlfriend to the hacienda pub near Sykehouse. We agreed and arranged to meet later. However we never made it, simply because my girlfriend had lost her house keys and couldn't get ready in time, because her parents weren't at home.

Later that night they were killed when their car left the road on a bend near Sykehouse.

What year would that be BB.

PS Hacienda was at Kirkhouse Green, THATS closer to Stainforth than Sykehouse. Just saying like.

The Hacienda was the nightclub of choice after the pubs shut in Stainy, I knew a few people that lost their lives on that road back to Stainy after a night in there. There used to be some good old battles with the Askern or Thorne lot in there as well

Very True Filo. Derek made a lot of money from that place, then lost the lot . Not many of the "Family" left now. Derek, Joan, Anton , John all gone to the great beyond. Vic, Stefan and Kieron remain, I think.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on October 13, 2014, 12:47:42 pm
Obviously guessing here, but to my knowledge I reckon it might have been when I was about 18 years old.

A mate of mine had been presented with a brand new  MG BGT by his parents and was planning his first night out in it. He asked me and my (then) girlfriend to go with him, and his girlfriend to the hacienda pub near Sykehouse. We agreed and arranged to meet later. However we never made it, simply because my girlfriend had lost her house keys and couldn't get ready in time, because her parents weren't at home.

Later that night they were killed when their car left the road on a bend near Sykehouse.

What year would that be BB.

PS Hacienda was at Kirkhouse Green, THATS closer to Stainforth than Sykehouse. Just saying like.

The Hacienda was the nightclub of choice after the pubs shut in Stainy, I knew a few people that lost their lives on that road back to Stainy after a night in there. There used to be some good old battles with the Askern or Thorne lot in there as well

Very True Filo. Derek made a lot of money from that place, then lost the lot . Not many of the "Family" left now. Derek, Joan, Anton , John all gone to the great beyond. Vic, Stefan and Kieron remain, I think.


They had a couple of big cats, Panthers, I think, I wonder what happened to them?


It was a wierd place the Hacienda, Free and Easy with the organist until 10.30pm and then a nightclub after that time, it was strange getting there early and the place being full of pensioners and then an hour later not a pensioner in sight and full of young uns. Johnny Shields, Terry Papworth and Spud Shaw were three of the bouncers in them days
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Wild Rover on October 13, 2014, 01:12:58 pm
It was a Puma ( Called Weasel ) Its mate was a huge Rottweiler ( Dieter). Yes, 3 likely lads there.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 13, 2014, 01:20:08 pm
Does anyone remember the picture on the wall that changed from daytime to night time? Quite fascinating in those days!
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Wild Rover on October 13, 2014, 01:25:02 pm
The one in the "Owners Box"?
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 13, 2014, 01:28:34 pm
The one in the "Owners Box"?

Not sure about that mate. It was on the wall to the right hand side of the bar, if my memory serves me right.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: RedRover45 on October 13, 2014, 01:29:55 pm
Is that the place that Johnny Wardle the ex Yorkshire cricketer owned ? I spent my 18th birthday in there in 1980.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Wild Rover on October 13, 2014, 01:47:08 pm
No. That was  the PONDEROSA . Derek Palmer was Hacienda owner, start to finish.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on October 13, 2014, 01:59:20 pm
Is that the place that Johnny Wardle the ex Yorkshire cricketer owned ? I spent my 18th birthday in there in 1980.

The Ponderosa, just behind what used to be Hatfield Brick Ponds and next to where the Kingswood Golf Course is now located, there was lots of Yorkshire CCC memorabillia in the Ponderosa, in it's latter years it was a Lap Dancing Club
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Jenny on October 13, 2014, 02:02:02 pm
I slammed my car into a concrete wall at about 50mph coming off a bend on the Leeds inner ring road a few years ago. I was very lucky to walk away from it (well, walk away after about 8 hours on a spinal board in A&E) relatively unscathed. I was lucky that the curb just before the wall had slowed me down slightly and turned the car so I hit it side on rather than head on.

I once thought I was going to die on a flight home from NYC on an overnight flight on 10th September a few years ago but that is a whole different story!
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Wild Rover on October 13, 2014, 02:11:14 pm
Anyway, back to the question. I was once thrown into River Don, as a non swimmer at the time, that was fairly hairy.
Had an occurrence at work that came about as close as I want to death causing . Too long a story for here.
Involved concrete batch plant, Sticking sand in hoppers and a clever t**t who should have known better ( me ).
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Iberian Red on October 18, 2014, 11:33:10 pm
Taking a couple of dodgy e's in The Room in Hull, turned out they were ket.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Sheepskin Stu on October 19, 2014, 04:22:39 am
Stop horsing around ;)
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Iberian Red on October 19, 2014, 07:01:08 pm
Neigh
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on October 19, 2014, 07:22:16 pm
I was riding a horse once when it tossed me off going round a corner. Next thing I was lying on the floor and it started urinating on me. I wasn't badly injured although I did end up in Horse piddle.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Iberian Red on October 19, 2014, 07:53:47 pm
I was riding a horse once when it tossed me off going round a corner. Next thing I was lying on the floor and it started urinating on me. I wasn't badly injured although I did end up in Horse piddle.
I've seen tHat film. I had to switch it off when you didn't close your mouth!
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: LincsRover on October 19, 2014, 08:07:23 pm
I was learning to ride horses as I had a burning ambition to ride over the grand national fences in the fox hunters chase at aintree - the 'amateurs grand national'. I bought a horse capable of running in it, I lost 4 stone to get down to 12st 7lb and I entered some point to points to get qualified for the race - you have to have finished in the first 4 of a suitable race to qualify.

In my 3rd race I thought I was AP McCoy and led the field over 3 fences going what felt like 90mph when Murphy, my mount, decided he couldn't get over the 4th and refused, planted his feet and stopped like a train hitting buffers! I went into orbit, hit the ground and rolled into a ball to avoid the 20 sets of iron clad hooves, fixed to half ton beasts coming at me at 30mph. All I could hear was shouts from other jockeys, thundering hooves hitting the ground all around me and complete confusion. As I looked up I saw a huge hunter chaser coming straight at me and it hit me full square on my forehead with one of its front legs. My head went back and hit the turf so hard I swear I saw stars. It was all slow motion and seemed to last minutes but probably all passed in less than 2 or 3 seconds!

Next thing I knew a St. John's ambulance chap was holding 3 (I think) fingers up, asking how many and if I was ok. I was shaking like a chivers jelly and my protective hat was about 6 feet away but, miraculously I was totally unhurt, just a bit dazed. How I wasn't killed, or at least paralysed, I will never know! Needless to say I have the greatest respect and regard for the complete nutters heroic individuals who make a living riding steeplechasers. AP McCoy - you are superhuman and make these namby pamby footballers look stupid!

And, for anyone who is interested, I gave up my ambition of riding over national fences, and concentrated on backing national winners instead. I still ride occasionally but only for fun and only over small obstacles or on very flat beaches. I know my limitations!

  :unsure:
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: IDM on October 20, 2014, 12:57:52 pm
I transited through Kings Cross underground station in exactly the same place and time of day as the fire there in the late 80's - but 24 hours earlier. 
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: not on facebook on October 23, 2014, 11:31:02 am
I was riding a horse once when it tossed me off going round a corner. Next thing I was lying on the floor and it started urinating on me. I wasn't badly injured although I did end up in Horse piddle.

Aka the golden  shower
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 14, 2014, 10:47:27 pm
Just had my closest one yet, yesterday morning.

Away with work. On a country lane in Wiltshire. Big f**king construction wagon came round a bend too fast, wheels a foot over the double white lines. Nowhere for me to go and only a split second to react anyway. The f**ker's wheel scraped down the driver's side of my car from front to back. How the f**k he didn't wipe me out I'll never know, but if he'd been 3 inches further over, you wouldn't have had the joy of my calm, balanced and erudite posts ever again.

And the bas**rd didn't stop either. By the time I found somewhere to pull over and calm down, it was too late to chase him.

Just shows you. Doesn't matter how good a driver you are if there's a Kitson coming towards you.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: eastender on November 15, 2014, 09:53:39 am
Obviously guessing here, but to my knowledge I reckon it might have been when I was about 18 years old.

A mate of mine had been presented with a brand new  MG BGT by his parents and was planning his first night out in it. He asked me and my (then) girlfriend to go with him, and his girlfriend to the hacienda pub near Sykehouse. We agreed and arranged to meet later. However we never made it, simply because my girlfriend had lost her house keys and couldn't get ready in time, because her parents weren't at home.

Later that night they were killed when their car left the road on a bend near Sykehouse.

Guardian angel mate not girl friend. :) 
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: River Don on November 15, 2014, 11:25:35 am
I suppose the closest I've come to it must've been the morning of 7th July 2005.

I was running a bit late for work, at the time I was living in North London and commuted in to town everyday. When my train pulled into Finsbury Park it was stopped from going into Kings Cross. There was chaos on the platforms but I made my way down to the underground which was also closed. Very odd, I asked a member of staff what was up, he told me there had been a power surge and it had shut the entire network down! A powersurge? Says I, how does that close the overland as well? Can't help you mate. It became clear something very odd was happening because the busses weren't running either. Then we started hearing rumours of a bomb and they evacuated the station.

If I had been on my usual train, there is ever chance I could have been on the Victoria line when that bomb was detonated.

So quite close to death but not that close.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: jonrover on November 15, 2014, 07:56:11 pm
What are the symptons Of that mate

I had a high tempearature, was short of breath and had an intense pain in my back (at the bottom of my lung). I started to feel ill on a Friday, coped (not very well) through the weekend and saw my doctor first thing on Monday. He sent me straight to hospital.

I had Pneumonia back in 2011. Very bizarre; I woke up Sunday morning basically feeling like I couldn't get my head off my pillow and just felt like I had a really bad dose of flu without the runny nose, fever, headache ect. Didn't want to eat either. I went back to bed in the afternoon and that's when the pain started, right at the base of my left ribcage, shocking it was.
Got through Sunday and went to the quacks Monday and the only reason I got sent to DRI was because I told the Dr I hadn't taken a piss since the previous morning and she was afraid my kidneys were packing up.
Luckily our lass was off work because if she hadn't been there to take me, being a tight get I'd have got the bus and not a taxi. Half hour later in the waiting room at the assessment centre at DRI I started shaking like a dog shitting razorblades, sweat was leaking out of me and I went a nice shade of grey. The Dr at the hospital took one look at me and wheeled me straight to a bed, got me on oxygen and a drip. I was daft really and argued like mad to get out of hospital and I was reluctantly discharged after 3 nights. Unfortunately I was back in inside a week with pleurisy for another few days. It took me a good 18 months to feel properly OK again. Horrible illness, wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on November 16, 2014, 12:22:10 am
Have I mentioned my knee injury? I know that it seems trivial compared to some of the stories above but when my footy career was over I thought my life was too.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: Filo on November 17, 2014, 12:46:18 pm
OK, in view of the tragic event on Saturday, I think it's appropriate to lock this thread for the time being.

RIP to the 5 teenagers whose lives were tragically cut short and condolences to all their families and to all who knew them.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: RobTheRover on November 17, 2014, 12:56:11 pm
I suppose the closest I've come to it must've been the morning of 7th July 2005.

I was running a bit late for work, at the time I was living in North London and commuted in to town everyday. When my train pulled into Finsbury Park it was stopped from going into Kings Cross. There was chaos on the platforms but I made my way down to the underground which was also closed. Very odd, I asked a member of staff what was up, he told me there had been a power surge and it had shut the entire network down! A powersurge? Says I, how does that close the overland as well? Can't help you mate. It became clear something very odd was happening because the busses weren't running either. Then we started hearing rumours of a bomb and they evacuated the station.

If I had been on my usual train, there is ever chance I could have been on the Victoria line when that bomb was detonated.

So quite close to death but not that close.

I was in a meeting in York on the 22nd July when news came through of the shooting of one of the suspects from the previous day's failed bombings (which subsequently turned out to be innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes).  I'd travelled in on the train from Donny, and never gave it a moment's thought.  Left the meeting at 5pm and headed back to the station, only to be met with great swathes of police armed to the teeth and looking at everyone with grim suspicion in their eyes.  It was incredibly intimidating, and you could see everyone else eyeing each other up with suspicion, especially anyone with a middle-eastern complexion or those wearing backpacks.  I remember thinking all it would take would be someone to shout "Its him! Him there, with the backpack" and the bullets would have been flying.
Title: Re: What's the closest you've ever come to death?
Post by: RobTheRover on November 17, 2014, 07:58:47 pm
Given the recent events in Conisbrough this thread is now locked.