My E34: RIP
On May 28th, whilst travelling south along the Scottish coast on the A77, on a sweeping curve near the village of Ballantrae, a grey Mazda minivan coming in the opposite direction lost control and skidded sideways into my lane. For a brief moment I heard his locked-up tyres scratching the tarmac; as I jammed the brakes I only had enough time to think "The End" before his left front wing slammed, with brutal force, into the driver's side front of my car. The impact stopped my vehicle instantly -- 50mph to zero in a fraction of a second -- and spun his vehicle like a top, causing his left rear to crash into my driver's side rear door and imploding the window in a blizzard of glass.
Silence. The check display showed "Dip Beam". Amazingly, the engine was still running, though oddly quiet; the serpentine belt was probably broken. I turned it off with the key.
After verifying that my passengers were alive and not bleeding, I shoulder-slammed my door open (it was jammed) and got out. My camera, which was on the back seat behind me, had been flung around the interior and was lying on the rear floor. I retrieved it and took some pictures:
I have more, but, alas, the images of my poor car being hauled onto the flatbed lorry for its final journey to the knackers is too sad for words.
Goodbye, poor bimmer, and thanks for the good times.
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"The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"
