A very bad moment

The recent case of Gary Hart, who was involved in the accident involving two trains when his Land Rover and trailer left the M62, reminded me of my worst-ever driving experience.

I had left London in the dark to drive in the Rover back to Wales. I was sober and awake and going at a reasonable pace on the M4 when I felt a slight thump and the car spun through 180 deg and stopped, facing in the opposite direction.

Fortunately, other traffic was some way back, but headlamps began to flash as their drivers saw my lights facing them, as if coming towards them on the wrong side of the motorway. I rammed in bottom gear, used full throttle, and the Rover fortunately turned round and I drove on before anyone came up. I can only think a crushed can of some slippery fluid had caused the spin. But if a fatal accident had resulted, would I have gone to prison for criminally losing control?

In the present crash into a train, am I foolish in wondering if the road bridge needed more adequate Armco?