On December 30, 1952, London bus driver Albert Gunter faced a terrifying situation while crossing Tower Bridge with 20 passengers aboard his double-decker bus. As he approached the center of the bridge, the roadway suddenly began lifting to allow a ship to pass underneath. Despite the traffic light still showing green, the bridge was opening, leaving Gunter with only seconds to react. Rather than stopping, the former WWII tank driver accelerated, launching his bus across the widening gap and landing on the opposite side. The impact was violent, leaving the conductor with a broken leg and several passengers with minor injuries. Miraculously, nobody was killed. Tower Bridge uses two massive hinged road sections that rise to let ships pass. Safety barriers and traffic signals are designed to prevent vehicles from crossing during these openings, but something went terribly wrong that day. For his extraordinary quick thinking, Gunter reportedly received a £10 reward. His split-second decision transformed what could have been a deadly accident into one of the most astonishing stories in London’s transportation history.