I was preparing to turn in my customer’s driveway. A blue car was cresting the hill coming in the opposite direction. I stopped and waited for the car to pass then I pulled into the driveway. Then I heard what sounded like an explosion.
The first thing I thought was "damn my mini drawer must have fallen out and dumped in the back of the truck again. Then I thought no that sounds much more violent.
There had been some linemen trucks parked on the side of the road just before and just after the customers drive and a bunch of the linemen were standing between their trucks and the road. I wondered if maybe something had happened to one of the trucks.
I looked to my left side and saw this.
The first thing I thought was "damn my mini drawer must have fallen out and dumped in the back of the truck again. Then I thought no that sounds much more violent.
There had been some linemen trucks parked on the side of the road just before and just after the customers drive and a bunch of the linemen were standing between their trucks and the road. I wondered if maybe something had happened to one of the trucks.
I looked to my left side and saw this.
WTF? How did that happen?? Did I cause this??
I couldn't figure out how a head on collision involving three vehicles happened right next to me and I missed the whole thing.
I got out of the truck and along with the lineman went to assist. I looked between the trucks and the wreck to see if there were any dead lineman lying on the ground.
They had just been standing right there between the trucks and the wreck.
Thank God they had been able avoid getting smashed in the space between all the vehicles.
I couldn't figure out how a head on collision involving three vehicles happened right next to me and I missed the whole thing.
I got out of the truck and along with the lineman went to assist. I looked between the trucks and the wreck to see if there were any dead lineman lying on the ground.
They had just been standing right there between the trucks and the wreck.
Thank God they had been able avoid getting smashed in the space between all the vehicles.
I started getting that feeling again, the same feeling I had when me and Jojo almost got killed on that bridge in Kentucky last year . Kind of an itchy uncomfortable feeling that feels like its coming from the inside of your body.
The first time I remember having that feeling was when my daughter was maybe 2 or 3 and almost drowned in a friend’s pool.
It’s a feeling I get when fate and chance nearly intersect and I avoid something tragic by the narrowest of margins.
There was plenty of help on hand and doors were opened but victims where wisely left in place.
Then came the fire trucks, ambulances and cops, I milled around talking to witnesses trying to piece together what had happened.
The first time I remember having that feeling was when my daughter was maybe 2 or 3 and almost drowned in a friend’s pool.
It’s a feeling I get when fate and chance nearly intersect and I avoid something tragic by the narrowest of margins.
There was plenty of help on hand and doors were opened but victims where wisely left in place.
Then came the fire trucks, ambulances and cops, I milled around talking to witnesses trying to piece together what had happened.
Talking to a man who was following his wife in another vehicle I was told his wife had stopped behind me as I waited for the blue car to pass. A pickup truck behind her was going too fast on the wet road and swerved into the opposite lane hitting the back of the wife’s vehicle in the process, then he hit the blue car head on that had just gone by me.
I kind of wandered around waiting to see if the cops wanted a statement from me. I just kept thinking about the last time my service van and me were this close to first responders, a year and a half ago when my wreck happened. Then I was wondering if my neck was broken.
It was only my third day back to work when that happened having been off for 6 months from knee surgery.
After that wreck and 4 operations and months of rehab I have been back on the road since last July 25th.
I have slowed down a lot since all that happened, I'm the new and improved more safety minded CnC.
I have been extra careful when it comes to what expect from other drivers on road and try to anticipate other people’s bad decisions as well as my own.
I have grandkids to spoil and a wife to aggravate. I know I have to be more careful these days and that is why I caused this accident today.
After today’s wreck the ifs began, I was trying to reconstruct the events that lead up to what could have been a tragic day for the linemen, the people in the wrecked vehicles and me
The first time I approached the customers driveway the mailbox was not visible because of the two big trucks parked on the side of the road on either side of the drive. By the time I could see the address I was too close to make what the new improved and safer CnC considered a safe maneuver to get in the drive. So I continued about down the road found a place to turn around and headed back to the call.
A couple of blocks down the road I again approached the driveway that was sandwiched between the two big trucks and the linemen milling around. My approach was nice and slow and safe, then I looked up the road and saw a blue car was coming the opposite direction. I again had to make another choice.
I could have done a little less braking and turn into the drive without stopping and made the turn in front of the approaching car. I would have had time but it might look to observers that I had been just a little too impatient. So I made the
safe decision that the new and improved more careful CnC makes these days.
The first time I approached the customers driveway the mailbox was not visible because of the two big trucks parked on the side of the road on either side of the drive. By the time I could see the address I was too close to make what the new improved and safer CnC considered a safe maneuver to get in the drive. So I continued about down the road found a place to turn around and headed back to the call.
A couple of blocks down the road I again approached the driveway that was sandwiched between the two big trucks and the linemen milling around. My approach was nice and slow and safe, then I looked up the road and saw a blue car was coming the opposite direction. I again had to make another choice.
I could have done a little less braking and turn into the drive without stopping and made the turn in front of the approaching car. I would have had time but it might look to observers that I had been just a little too impatient. So I made the
safe decision that the new and improved more careful CnC makes these days.
I came to a safe stop and waited for the blue car to pass.
The truck behind me came to a safe stop.
Apparently the truck behind that truck didn't get the memo about the new and improved safety minded CnC and was going way too fast to stop on the wet road in time. He had 3 options, none of them good. He could have veered off the road and took the ditch. The ditch was about 8 feet deep with steep banks and lots of trees. I think he probably ruled out option number: 1 right away. Option number: 2 was to continue braking and slam into the truck that was stopped right behind me. That would have been the best option or the least bad. There were 3 or 4 people in his truck so he had a lot to consider.
He took option number: 3 the worst option, he swerved around the trunk in front of him and clipped the back of it. Then he was in the opposing lane heading right for the guys standing by their trucks and the blue car that I was waiting on.
The truck behind me came to a safe stop.
Apparently the truck behind that truck didn't get the memo about the new and improved safety minded CnC and was going way too fast to stop on the wet road in time. He had 3 options, none of them good. He could have veered off the road and took the ditch. The ditch was about 8 feet deep with steep banks and lots of trees. I think he probably ruled out option number: 1 right away. Option number: 2 was to continue braking and slam into the truck that was stopped right behind me. That would have been the best option or the least bad. There were 3 or 4 people in his truck so he had a lot to consider.
He took option number: 3 the worst option, he swerved around the trunk in front of him and clipped the back of it. Then he was in the opposing lane heading right for the guys standing by their trucks and the blue car that I was waiting on.
As I started my turn that's when head on collision took place gathering the other pickup in the wreck hitting it for the second time.
They took 4 people away in ambulances but I don't believe any of them were critical, it looked like seat-belts and airbags ruled the day
I spent about 30 minutes walking around the carnage and decided my services were needed elsewhere so I drove up the driveway and got back to business. Luckily it was a non-thinking repair as I spent the next several minutes contemplating what had just happened and what my part was in it.
They took 4 people away in ambulances but I don't believe any of them were critical, it looked like seat-belts and airbags ruled the day
I spent about 30 minutes walking around the carnage and decided my services were needed elsewhere so I drove up the driveway and got back to business. Luckily it was a non-thinking repair as I spent the next several minutes contemplating what had just happened and what my part was in it.
It's strange when you reconstruct an accident and think about all the little tiny things that have to happen in just the right way at just the right time, unconnected little inconsequential things that happen in a string of events that end in a very bad result.
The irony of this whole thing was the two decisions that I made, at the time seemed to be the safest choices.
They say you can't be too careful.
The irony of this whole thing was the two decisions that I made, at the time seemed to be the safest choices.
They say you can't be too careful.
Uhhhh yeah you can, twice !
7 comments:
Okay, my friend.
No way are you responsible for this accident.
There's this thing called "assured clear distance ahead".
It means that a person driving a vehicle has the inherent responsibility for being able to stop his/her vehicle at any time in the assured clear distance available.
Whoever was driving the second truck is purely, solely at fault. He was driving too fast for the wet roads and for the traffic on the roads.
Most likely, he was distracted by his cell phone or radio or lunch...
Not your fault at all.
cjh
cj may have a point, but all I know if I am not even letting you ride as a passenger in my car ever again.
I'm pretty certain that God tatooed a HUGE target on your backside that we can't see and sometimes people barely miss that target and sometimes they t-bone you perfectly.
Either way, I'd prefer to not sit too close to that target.
Now I'm getting concerned that when we visit, some stray private aircraft may come crashing down on your house.
How many of those nine lives have you gone through now?
Enough is enough.
Will you PLEASE sell that damned motorcycle now?
Cj I know I wasn't at fault and I was blaming myself tongue in cheek. I was just saying that even if you do things right sometimes events line up in just the right order where disaster strikes if not for you somebody else. It's all fate and chance and the past few years I have been thinking about those two things a lot more. And Rita may be right about the target thing. It almost seems that way sometimes. Me and mike are routed together today. I think he wants to drive haha
You did right. The Fates laughed and wove the thread in the fabric of life that made the truck driver do what he did.
Stuff happens. No matter how safe we try to be.
Yeah Joe if your numbers up, its up
See? Everyone thinks I'm exaggerating. NOW you have to fess up with an update to this post.
Poor Mike.
I think Helen is the only sibling you have left that will let you ride in their car.
Give 'em the update.
update coming
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