Was out on a final photo safari to perhaps capture something nice for the calendar*. Went up the Klausen Pass to get the sunset, then set out for home. It was, obviously, dark by now and I certainly wasn't intending to drive in a too spirited fashion. On track I go at 9/10ths or even 10/10ths; alpine passes are quite a different matter – going up, I am usually at about 8/10ths, going down –where gravity is working against you in an emergency – it is more like 7/10ths. Didn't have top with me, but wound up the side windows and put the heater on full to enjoy the brisk mountain air of this year's final pass drive
Anyway, I was making nice, steady progress until I came to a left-hander. Being in Switz., that meant I was on the right-hand side of the road, i.e. on the outside. This left-hander didn't seem any different to the previous corners but, when I turned in, the car hardly reacted. I very quickly realised that there was no way I was going to make the corner and – worse still – I was going to go off into the gloom before the start of the safety barrier
I had no idea how big the drop was and certainly did not like the idea of going off head first. I tried to get the car as parallel as possible to the road in the hope of wedging it in any rocks that might lay in the darkness. The car went across and down and it was clear it was going over. I was fairly confident that the roll bar would withstand a first roll, if it didn't fall too far. The questions that were occupying me where i. how far will it drop, and ii. how many times will it roll? I waited for a crunch and remember hearing a reassuringly solid response from the car's structure. I don't have full recall and am not sure if it rolled more. The problem I had not had time consider was that, even with a rollbar, if you land upside down on rocks, the roolhoop may go between rocks so that they can still intrude into the cabin space. I didn't even realise at the time that this had happened to me. I may have been out for a while, but I remember trying to crawl out through the driver's side window (glass was no longer there) and finding that rocks were obstructing me. I then turned to the passenger side but that was hopelessly blocked. At this time, I became aware of a strong smell of petrol. I know that experts say that cars generally don't explode except in the films, but I really, really didn't want to put that to the test from inside the car!
I forced my way past the rocks taking no heed of clothes or body. As I emerged, a couple who had seen the still switched-on lights of the Speedster from the road, came to my assistance and organised the emergency services.
Just how I got these big cuts in my right hand I don't know. Being LHD, my right hand was to the cabin middle. I can only assume I did it getting out from under ther car. Can't work for at least three weeks now – as a self-employed person that means no income either (I have insurance to cover me after 4 weeks, the premiums on less are too prohibitive).
The surgeon drew me a diagram explaining how there was a star-shaped tear in the skin of my head just behind the hairline. From here another tear goers back across my head and had peeled back over a large area to the bone. They operated under local anaestheti c- the worst part was the sound of them scraping the bone of my skull to remove particles of stone and a couple of bits of glass. The skin was so damaged at the centre of the star-shaped wound that they had top cut it away, leaving a defect about the size of a penny.
Because both wounds were contaminated with all sorts of stuff, they gave me a tetanus jab and antibiotics – they are really not so sure at the moment that it wil go OK. Seeing mx GMP tomorrow, who is also a qualified surgeon, and will see what he thinks.
As for the car, last night I thought it must be a write-off. Today, in hospital, I checked my blood-stained digital camera and found to my surprise that I had taken two pics of it belly up. I have absolutely no recollection of doing that, but I remember sitting in the back of this couples' Audi with a wollen blanket over my knees and 6hinking to myself that this is my first personal experience of clinical shock. The cops breathalised me – hadn't touched a drop. They took my statement this evening and a judge will decide based on my statement and the police report (with photos of road and car) what to do. If there is no clear explanation, I will get done for "Nicht beherrschen des Fahrzeuges", literally:" not keeping the car under control" I'm sure there was no defect on the car and I didn't see anything about the road surface – it was cold, but don't think it was freezing. Diesel is highly unlikely. If anything, it could have been that gravel had been dragged onto the road by the tyres of a car parked at the side – felt like that, but if the police report states it was clear, then I'm sure they'll do me, though I really wasn't pushing it.
This evening, the cops gave me the name of the (Opel) garage that recovered the car today. Will find out tomorrow what they think: dead or repairable. 'spose I have to be happy that at least I am repairable. If I was a couple of inches taller, I might not be here to type this...
*Yet to look at them – may plead mitigating circumstances for late entry to calendar if any turn out well. Sympathy vote
Here's a pic – market value here in intact condition about £8,000 – can't see it being on to repair it with Swiss labour costs being what they are.
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Jesus
So glad your ok 
) recovery.
You da' man!!
