This week, Ove Torstein Mellingen (55) experienced the nightmare of all HGV drivers.
On national highway 3 near Opphus in Innlandet, he had to throw the lorry into a ditch, when he almost collided with a car that was making a dangerous overtake.
DRIVER: Ove Torstein Mellingen has driven heavy transport for over 25 years. Photo: Private
Due to heavy snow, a car with a trailer tried to pass a plow – just before the bend Mellingen came driving into.
The overtaking took place on a road with a speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour.
See the video further down in the case!
– There are a million thoughts swirling around in your head. You have to make a decision very quickly, and then it was an easy choice to drive into the ditch instead of running someone to death, Mellingen tells TV 2.
Plow truck drivers feel unsafe
Asbjørn Stensrud in the National Roads Administration is responsible for operation and maintenance of the roads in parts of Eastern Norway.
He says that the trend is clear: Norwegians drive increasingly carelessly on Norwegian winter roads.
– There is no doubt that we are experiencing more aggressive driving than we have done in the past. We get feedback – especially from plow truck drivers – who feel unsafe because of the speed level and that drivers make bad choices, says Stensrud.
With continued prospects for snow and unstable winter conditions on Norwegian roads, calls from Stensrud are clear:
CONCERNED: Asbjørn Stensrud in the National Roads Administration is responsible for operation and maintenance of the roads in parts of Eastern Norway. Photo: Harald Eiken / TV 2
– Adjust your speed according to the conditions, follow the flow of traffic and respect the plow trucks.
– Leaves traces in the body
The incident with the overtaking has left an impression on the experienced semi-trailer driver.
The person who made the dangerous overtaking first disappeared from the scene before the person reported to the police.
ACCIDENT: In the last week, Norwegian roads have been characterized by snow chaos and poor driving conditions. Photo: Private
Mellingen himself, who has driven heavy transport for over 25 years, came away from the incident without any physical injuries, while his lorry suffered only minor damage.
– Such an experience leaves some marks on the body, so it was good that I got behind the wheel quickly again, he says.
Watch the video from the incident here:
