Scariest moments behind the wheel.

Mine was I when I was in my first or second year? I was in DC southbound at the I-495/I-95 split in heavy traffic. I was in the 5th lane which turned into the granny lane for I-95. Needless to say I was following a 70 year old granny, lol.

Well she was unsure which way to go. She moved over to the I-495 hammer lane. Then she moved back in front of me. Then as we got closer she moved back in the I-495 hammer lane. I had good separation but had traffic on all sides.

At the last second before the split here she comes back in front of me, panics and stops completely in front of me. I locked em down and saw my trailer starting to jackknife as it hit the zipper. I'm literally eating this lady up and have to ease of the brakes and control the jackknife at the same time for the traffic. I layed on the air horn and watched her crunch her body down in terror. I just knew I was going to kill her. . I braced for impact as she started to disappear under my hood. The whole time watching my trailer sliding down the zipper and smoke boiling (pre ABS days).

At the very last second she gassed on it and avoided the impact. I pulled over on the shoulder and shook for 30 minutes until I calmed down.


Another time southbound I-95 about 3am in the morning. I just passed through Providence, RI and was in the granny lane. Another truck was passing me and was about a half truck past me. All of a sudden we crested a little hump at an overpass and there's a lady just sitting in the granny lane in total darkness. No emergency flashers, no lights, no nothing. I could see here big eyes in the rear view mirror as I lit her up. Again I had to lock her down and at the very, very last second the truck beside me cleared. I missed him by inches and missed her by inches. I watched my trailer tandems miss her by about 8". I was all shook up and couldn't get the brain to work and think to stop and help her in time. I called 911 and told them and got on the CB. For the life of me I don't know how stupid that lady could be to just sit in her car waiting for someone to hit her. I checked the news the next day and there was nothing about her. Hopefully she survived.

 

I'd have to say that our scariest moment behind the wheel was when we first started out driving. I mean only a week or two into it. We have the typical 13'6 trailer. In Austin, TX we took the lower level of I-35 and I had told my husband we should probably have taken the upper level. So we are going under all of those bridges and I notice all of the bridges seem to be getting lower and lower so I ask "how tall is our trailer again?" He tells me 13'6. The very next bridge we come on says 13'6 on it and I think both of our hearts just stopped beating! We didnt' see any other trucks around to see if they cleared it and obviously going to fast to do much of anything about it. Like I said though, it was when we first started out and it was our first 13'6 bridge. Now we go under those bridges all the time. There's still that brief twinge-in-the-gut fear but NOTHING like that first time! LOL

 

I wouldn't even know where to begin..

I don't think I can count the number of times over the years 4-wheelers have come close to meeting their maker becuase of their own stupidity.

 

Maybe the most scared I've ever been in my life was in my first couple months of driving. I was running team with my girl who was in the bunk. Going across Nebraska, I was just beat. I had to pull over and take a nap. I got off the exit, back on to the on ramp where a few other drivers were on the shoulder. I cozied up behind another truck who was idling with their lights on. Well I didn't even make it out of the seat, I just slumped over the wheel and passed out. Well I kinda sorta wake up later on with this truck 5 feet in front of me, and me in my half awake state is certain I'm still driving and I'm going to rear-end him. I stand on the brake and start screaming lol! My chick pops her head through the curtain and says " the grass on the shoulder isn't even moving, a-hole. Go to bed"

 

Had someone slam into the back of my trailer a few hours ago.... My DOT bumper is laying on the trailer now with a strap over it. I was doin the speed limit, he wasnt. Im fine, truck seems fine, trailer... not so much, car totalled.

 

Glad you are OK ORD. It's never pleasant to be involved in a crash, but if you aren't hurt, then it's not quite so bad. How about the idiot who tried to pass you (underneath.) How badly is he hurt?

 

He wasnt trying to pass... I was in the right hand lane. He said he sneezed. Swerved and hammered the trailer. He was doin over 70 in a 55.

 

That is why you NEVER EVER sleep in your seat that and your body and brain will be ok with you dozing in that position cause they are used to it.