Crashing Off The Side Of A Mountain Doesn't Look Like My Idea Of Fun

'One year ago, today, I almost died' - this is the opening line of the description to the video where a driver of a Subaru Forester oversteers off the side of a mountain. Below is a full statement from one of the luckiest men alive!

The statement reads:

What happened? To put it simply, I was distracted at the one moment that required 110% focus on an unfamiliar road.

As an auto enthusiast, when you have a nice relatively fast car with a loud exhaust you tend to like tunnels. They make your exhaust sound that much better, sort of like singing in the shower… Well, I found myself accelerating through this nice long and dark pair of tunnels; I had done this many times before in other tunnels. At the exit, I could barely see because it was so bright, a person standing and holding something while motioning. Wondering what they were doing, I stared, and stared, reaching the top of 4th gear, all while trying to comprehend what they were trying to tell me. Then I figured it out. They were telling me to slow down and watch the curve ahead, but it was too late. When I think about it now, I don’t ever remember seeing the road ahead until I was nearly out of the tunnel. In my mind I had assumed that it just went straight. At that point I was exiting the tunnel straight as the road curved to the left. I had no time to slam on my brakes beforehand. Realizing I was going way too fast for that section, I applied the brakes softly in an effort to keep the back end from sliding out, but, combined with a bump and rough switch in surface texture from concrete to asphalt, I lost traction. I began sliding to the left, the car oversteering, rotating counter-clockwise, over the center marker. I counter-steered, turning the steering wheel all the way to the right, but kept sliding to the left into the turnout. It was at this moment I knew, I had f*cked up.

I slammed into a berm and expected to come to a complete stop, but the terrifying journey wasn’t over. I went over the edge. It happened so fast all I can remember is everything crashing and spinning. I thought I was rolling over down the side of the mountain. I was confident I was going to land upside down and get crushed. I was on the world’s worst roller coaster that could only end with death, or so I thought. I came to a stop, still yelling, not fully comprehending what just happened, or how far down the mountain I was and that I actually just crashed my car. Luckily for me, I landed on a rock wall that was part of a drainage pipe that went through the mountain. It was the only horizontally level piece on an extremely steep sloped hill. Had I spun off a few feet before or after, I’d be dead.

I never thought that I would be one of the guys that wrecks his car in the canyons. I’m not even close to being a pro driver, but I take a little pride in my situational awareness while driving, my somewhat decent understanding of vehicle dynamics and how various driver inputs affect a vehicle in motion, my autocross and canyon experience, and the fact that I haven’t gotten any tickets or into any accidents since I got my license. I guess I got too comfortable at the wrong moment and it got the best of me. It shows that things like this can happen to mostly anyone. The whole cruise up there was relaxed, leisurely, until that moment. I definitely wasn’t purposely trying to take that corner fast, I was caught up in the moment flying through those long tunnels, got distracted, and didn’t see the road ahead of me. I panicked last minute and that ultimately lead to this entire situation. I’m disappointed in myself, and I know some others may be disappointed in me as well. And I know it could have been worse in so many ways, and I’m kicking myself for that. But ultimately I’m glad to be alive and well.

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Comments

TurboManual

That experience must’ve been horrifying! If you are reading this, TurboFoz, those people in the YouTube comments were kicking you and insulting you a bit too much, I hope you’re not giving them much attention. Sure, you’ve made a fatal mistake but you’ve been given a second chance at life almost, and I’m sure you’ve learned a lot from this.

01/05/2016 - 23:43 |
11 | 0
The AE86 of Mt. Akina (86 Squad)

In reply to by TurboManual

Nope. What he did was stupid. I was kinda sad he wasn’t severely injured. He could’ve killed someone’s family ffs.

01/06/2016 - 04:10 |
0 | 40
Duke RocketBunny Nuggets

How foolish to go fast there , you can clearly see the turn before entering the tunnels -.-

01/05/2016 - 23:43 |
2 | 12
Anonymous

In the politest way possible - f*ck that

01/05/2016 - 23:55 |
1 | 1
Formula_D96

Ignore the people telling you that you’re a sh*t driver i bet they don’t even own a license yet. Thank you for sharing this I got my license 2 years ago and never had an accident or got fined but i’ll be more careful from now on thanks to you.

01/06/2016 - 00:03 |
39 | 1

Thank you. The point of me posting was to try to help others even though many people don’t think that was so.

01/06/2016 - 17:19 |
9 | 0

Everyone on youtube commenting on this is a grade-A Geoff. “power out of it” “counter-steer earlier” etc the words of people who have never had to make an instinctive action in their lives, only on playstation! :’) Hindsight ey! Glad you’re okay bud!

01/06/2016 - 20:23 |
1 | 0

If in doubt, flat out. :)

01/07/2016 - 08:56 |
0 | 0
Anonymous
01/06/2016 - 00:21 |
26 | 0
Nick danca

Walked away just goes to show how safe those cars are

01/06/2016 - 00:21 |
5 | 1
Henry Phillips

Is it me, or is everyone overreacting in the YouTube comments? They’re acting like this guy was doing 200 mph whilst drifting with his baby strapped to the roof…

01/06/2016 - 00:45 |
61 | 0

What gets me is the people talking about how he was trying to “show off” or is an “idiot for driving like that on public roads” acting like they would NEVER in their lives do a little speeding or have fun with their cars. It irks me quite a bit.

01/06/2016 - 03:40 |
22 | 0

Seems like no one in the comment section has ever driven 1mph above the speedlimit or even driven on a mountain road to have fun. Though they all seem to know how to do a perfect AWD drift :/

01/06/2016 - 14:42 |
6 | 0

“”have fun in a car” wow“ These people hurt my god damned brain. Like they’re so much better than us?

01/07/2016 - 00:07 |
1 | 0

It’s youtube man, what did you expect.

01/07/2016 - 09:31 |
3 | 0
White Comet

sent a chill down my spine. Gotta be more careful and slow down from now on
Good thing you’re still alive

01/06/2016 - 00:51 |
4 | 1
Wilberto Agosto

Glad you made it out okay. Did the Subaru survive as well?

01/06/2016 - 02:34 |
0 | 0

Totalled and parted out.

01/06/2016 - 17:25 |
0 | 0
Ilyas Ibrahimi

Did V-TEC kick in yo?

01/06/2016 - 02:53 |
1 | 5