Just read this news report News

Anyone on here? Whoever you are, I hope you are OK.

No idea I'm afraid, but who was it that also drove into a shop front a few years back?

Anyone care to make a wild guess at the colour...?

Seriously though - hope the two occupants are not badly hurt

Brewster irc, just down the road from me!

"FOR FULL STORY SEE TUESDAY'S ECHO" ?!

The Echo. First to bring you yesterday's news.

Looking on Google street view, you'd have to put some real effort in to crash into that shop! It's on a row of shows, a good 10 metres back from the road, and the road is dead straight.

Location

You are right, I know that road well and to manage this would take a high level of "effort", I might head down and take a few photos,


There is a curve ahead and it's a 40 MPH road, but people do go faster as coming from Southend it goes two lanes into one, people tend to toe it to get in front.

Coming the other way, you shouldn't be going that fast as there is a big roundabout approaching.

As the hairdressers is set back (on corner with Cranbrook Avenue), it is a mystery how they managed it, though at that time of night I am guessing they might have been going quite quickly.

That was a hairdressers too wasn't it

Were they Portafinos? Perhaps the homing instinct is strong

Drove past there this morning and saw the damage and the police tape, but I hadn't read this thread so didn't pay much attention. It's only round the corner from me, so might have another look (it's an excuse to drive up Essex Way).

My mate thought it was me Charlie, got a text at 11.30pm.....maybe it was a steely?

I posted in media earlier, but you got in there 1st!

Hiya Tony,

Sorry mate never saw it in the media section.
I am guessing the coupe has been removed? But if it's made building structurally unsound (as per news) then it must have been going some.

Just driven past. There's a set of skid marks coming from the 'bread and cheese' direction. They're very long, 30 - 40 feet minimum. Might be wrong but there may be a second set going the other way. Seems possible that one car, travelling very fast has swerved to avoid another.

Very big smash, hope everyone is ok.

Just read some of the comments beneath the article. Some interesting 'witness' recounts.

if any of the witness statements are true i hope it taught the driver a lesson more like.

to lose control and smash into a shop is pure reckless, people could have been injured or killed, sod the bloody car.

To try and help you understand how much effort would have been involved in this, here are some photos from google street view.


This photo shows the approach to the scene (driver's eye view coming from the same direction that the car did). The hairdressers is situated back from the road, centre of shot (car advert on side of building above rear of jaguar).

This photo shows the hairdressers. called Keokos when street view cars took photos. Notice the concrete bollards

This one shows the view looking back to the scene.


Note the bollards, telephone poles etc...

Ahh ok, Google shows the 'salon' as much further down the row of shops. So it's not as dificult to crash into as i had originally thought (obviously they were stil going at some speed).

Yeah just checked, google shows Hairline as being where Benfield Wines is, right in the middle of the parade. That would take some real 'effort' to hit.

Wild guess - driver took the right-hand bend too fast - lifted off, got into a big slide pointing to the right (away from the shops), the driver winds on some left-hand lock to try to save it, then the car gripped and slung him off the road to the left, all the way to the scene of the accident

Where is Trappy

We need a photo of the car

Wonder why the occupants legged it... Stolen maybe (although that's not very common with Coupes)

EDIT - the story says "ambulance crews treated two men in the car", suggesting that the occupants didn't run off

unless there were 4-5 people in there.

One of the 'witnesses' claims there was three people in the car. I'm awaiting the full story in my local rag now. I might even buy it if the kid from round the corner doesn't bring me a free copy.

I reckon it was Leighton. Its always the quiet ones.

Interestingly enough though, everyone keeps mentioning skids marks? Was the ABS knackered then, as that would be the only way that would happen

Got the paper this morning and I can see why my mates were so concenred. Its a Steel Grey Coupe, as is mine...

Grew up in Benfleet and that is not the road to be racing on at all, residential, 30mph speed limit I think....

One of my best mates is a photographer at the Echo but he's camping at the moment. I may see if he can get some more pic's on the sly from work.

Shocking!!!

Maybe the driver lost control while negotiating the corner and skidded into the shop sideways? That would leave some pretty decent skids..

It's on the corner. According to 192 hairline is 255 Kiln Road. (Check the numbers in the photo, 261 is fire surrounds, 259 Victoria fireplaces, 257 One Takeaway 255 Keokos).

Reading this thread at work Give me some credit!

I've heard a few rumours that I won't repeat without evidence, but I'm reasonably sure it isn't any of the forum's regulars. suffice it to say, alcohol may have been a contributing factor...

There really is no excuse crashing on this road though, the corner looks a lot tighter than it actually is.

Interestingly, this row of shops used to include the 'Futtin' Chippy' I used to frequent while studying at SEEVIC college- £1.50 for battered sausage, chips, buttered roll and a can of drink!

I went to SEEVIC but that was back in 82, happy days,

me to! left 99!