The mother of all SMIDSYs

http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/69 ... in-germany

A learner driver in Germany has escaped unharmed after she inadvertently turned into the path of a convoy of British tanks - but her car wasn't so lucky.

Lippe police spokesman Lars Risserbusch said the 18-year-old had apparently not seen the convoy when she made a left turn in front of it.

The lead tank was unable to stop in time and the main battle tank ploughed over the front of her Toyota hatchback.

The tanks, from a British base in nearby Paderborn, were traveling through a military maneuver area that is also open to public traffic on their way to training exercises Monday morning. Police estimate €12,000 (NZ$18,600) damage to the woman's car. The tank was unscathed.

"The soldier had no chance to slow down," a police spokesman said. The soldier was cleared of any wrong doing.

The name of the road could have provided the driver with a clue: Panzerringstrasse translates as "Tank Ring Road", the Telegraph reported.
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Ohhhh - the convoy of tanks, no I didn't notice them at all. They must have been speeding.

I only wish that every driver responsible for a SMIDSY ended up with their car getting a similar treatment.


(edit: changed the post title because I thought it was a bit lame)

A tank is camouflaged, that's why!

Not sure what SMIDSY means, but good lesson for a wrong "U turner", It could be any of us on two wheels!!

LOL I knew the (very sad) phrase, I just didn't read its acronym before!

SMIDSY, learn a new thing every day

He was pretty lucky, if the tank catch it a meter next no more driver

The term is used in the UK as well, so you're not alone

But I think it comes down to the fact that the learner was looking for cars, and not tanks, that their mind didn't register them in their camouflaged state. A similar thing that happens when it's a bike, albeit they ain't camouflaged.

That really is priceless!
I suspect the real reason for the accident is the tanks didn't have their headlights on

Happened to me once on the way back from the pub. Turned right only to find someone had put a house there.
In court I pointed out that it hadn't been there earlier. (the last time I'd been that way was only 23 years earlier) Anyway, they completely disregarded that and can you, believe? Apparently, it was all my fault...