Scariest moments behind the wheel.

There is one that comes to mind from time to time.

Probably eight...nine years ago. I-80 eastbound in PA, not far from OH. Night time, very dark. See the emergency lights up ahead on the left side, so I move right. The left lane is closed and some of the epuipment is right on the zipper, so I move right, pretty much as far as I could on the shoulder. By this time, I've slowed to probably 30 or 35, just easing on through, when all of a sudden I see a trooper on the right shoulder...no flashlight, no vest, just his uniform. I get left as quick as I can, and he never moved as he was pretty much as far right as he could be. Scared the hell outta me and I've never forgotten it.

 

Last night, I-40 east bound for 45 miles on the way into Nashville.
Horrible, horrible thunderstorm. Lightning. Wind. Rain so hard that the wipers on high almost couldn't keep up.
...and truck drivers blowing past me at 65. Saw 2 accidents that night involving big trucks, one at the exit for the Flying J.

 

After reading this thread, I have to ask,
Do your trucks come equipped with dashboard cameras or anything of that nature to use in case of an accident as proof that it might not be your fault?
And, If the trucks don't come with them, do any drivers buy them to use for personal protection in case of an accident?

I used to use a dashboard camera all the time in my car (it broke a while ago and I haven't gotten a new one yet), got lots of bad drivers and many near misses on tape. If any of those near misses weren't near misses, it would have been on tape that the other driver cut me off or pulled out in front of me, etc. It can also save if the accident *is* your fault. I once accidentally bumped into a car ahead of me (tired from a 12 hour shift at a warehouse). It was just light tap, no damage. Thought he went at a road merging as he had ample space (well over 100 yards) so I started creeping up while watching the traffic. In this instance it proved there was no damage in case the driver tried to lie and claim whiplash or damage as the camera showed him and me pulling off to the side of the road and both of us out of our vehicles talking. From what I have heard, dashboard cameras are accepted as evidence in court and some insurance companies give deductions for using them.

 

Same here had a lady pull in front me on on 85 while hauling a super coild and she slammed on brakes. Like really. No cars in front of her

 

On July 24th I was west bound on I 90, in eastern South Dakota. There was a fair amount of traffic, cars, trucks, and bikes heading for Sturgis. My speed was 70 mph, 5 under the posted limit, when I started to drift. There was little or no wind, I was empty. I was drifting a little one way, then the other. By the time I realized that my steering wheel wasn't making any corrections, I was heading for the shoulder. I locked em up in time to keep the drivers side trailer tandems on the shoulder, but the rest was in a ditch that looked pretty deep another 15-20 feet ahead. After I changed my diaper, and my heart rate dropped 60 pts, I found that the drag link fell off at the axle. Goodyear (I won't be back there) had put new steers and aligned it in June, they should have caught it. I had the DOT annual done on April 1st, they should have caught it. Ultimately, as a driver, I'm responsible for checking the condition of the equipment, so shame on me. I was a company driver then, now I drive my own. Did you know that most drag links don't have grease fittings?

 

In a wind storm on I65 in Northern Indiana,i was hauling light or empty I don't remember which, wind blowing a solid 30 and gusting to 65+..
I was heading south and a West wind gust grabbed truck and trailer, taking me over 1 lane and put my truck/trailer up on 9 wheels!!

I didn't panic and rode it out until I could set it back down in my lane on 18 wheels again..

Never panicked..never lifted out of the throttle!!
Smiling and waving..up on 9 wheels and when I got it set back down I grabbed another gear and drove off!!

 

About 5 months ago, on I90 headed east, somewhere in or just before NY state. First solo load, first time ever traveling further east than North Dakota by land. So its all new, exciting, and a little intimidating at times.

I've just been passed by one truck, and in the process of being passed by another, so basically I can't see diddly in front. As we come around a corner, the guy in front suddenly dives left, no blinker, no warning, forcing the truck.in the hammer lane to slam on his brakes. In front of me is a beat up ford ranger, doing maybe 35 MAX, pulling a small trailer loaded down with tree limbs. No four ways, no flags, nothing. I may have used both feet on the brake peddle, but I got in behind the truck who had been passing me with inches between us, and had to have missed the ranger by less than six inches. Took me a while to stop shaking after that. That was a heck of a first load, Salem OR to Rochester NY.

 

Was hydroplanning once downhill, was certain will rearend 4 vehicles but they moved a few inches. I stalled the engine almost touching their bumpers. The whole thing was caused by a distracted driver who was standing on green.
I was so inexperienced that I did not even have the clarity of mind to use the city horn.

Another time had a trailer that took very long to build up air and would not release brakes for like 5 seconds.
Just before finally rolling the wheels I noticed some teenager picking up leaves laying under my tandems.
He must have been petrified by fear. He just could not move. If I did not see his shiny trash bag he d be history. I did not tell his anything because I saw he was already shaken up.

Also a couple of winters ago I applied jake brakes and almost jacknifed.
I was driving fast for that icy stretch ,over 50 mph. Pressed the clutch , then steered and countersteered 3 or 4 times within one second. I handled it well but I also knew Id just missed a bullet. A few rigs did flip over or jacknifed down the road . It was a long drive that afternoon .

 

I had a friend that did that,....his name was fairytale lol

 

Going across US218 from Clear Lake, IA to Waterloo a couple of winters ago, it was the tail end of a winter storm, the wind was blowing and they were working on the roads but generally it was only one lane open. I was just behind this pack of four-wheelers that passed me when the lead car started going sideways and was kicking up a lot of snow, with the wind, it became instant zero visibility. I lost sight of all the players until the last second, two on the left, one on the right all sidways, my anti-collision thingy turned red and sounded alarms. I don't know how I did it, I maneuvered through that mess weaving to the left. I don't know if someone above was watching me or was watching them folks, but it could've been ugly.