Rogue wheel.

Just a very quick little story which happened a long time ago...but a slightly different outcome would have been disastrous.
I was born and raised in that part of the UK called the Lake District...from an early age I wanted to explore every inch of this stunning part of the world.
Shen my then wife and I got married we moved to a coastal town but we still visited the mountains and lakes at every opportunity...we loved rock climbing and joined that small community.
One weekend we all six of us piled into a small van owned by one of my friends..we were all going up to Keswick for a drink with some other pals..a good time beckoned.
On the outskirts of Keswick there is a long left hand curve as you approach the town..we were not in a hurry but doing a fair speed..when suddenly the van lurched to one side and we quickly ground to a halt....but fortunately at the side of the road...silence ensued. Then we noticed a wheel, still at speed, racing along the road..in a straight line.It took but a second to realise that it was one of ours that had suddenly decided to go solo and part company with the van.
We all watched its progress..all slightly mesmerised as it happily went on its way towards a Bus Stop sign on the far side of the road where the bend became more acute. No problem..except that a small old lady was waiting for the bus and was looking in the direction it would arrive from..Keswick..
She had no inkling that possible death or major injury was almost silently doing fifty miles an hour towards her..We all just watched, there was nothing we could do..The impact would be about two hundred yards away and was imminent
Then a small miracle happened
About ten feet from impact the old lady  slowly turned to look to where we were..As she turned the very large tire hit the kerb stone and sailed straight over her head to land in the field behind her..She never saw or heard it...and was completely unaware of what had just occurred.
We waited until hr bus arrived then retrieved the wheel.
Narrow escape all round.
Just thought you might like to know.