OMG Panic time!!

lelou · May 17, 2012

Cyneca: Would it be possible at all for you to find 'pre-hires', go to school, get your CDL, begin your driving career, and he becomes your navigator until he is able to find a co. that will hire both of you as a team? I know this would mean a few more months of him staying at the b/f's house while you go to school and training, but at least there would be a light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm not a driver yet, so please take my advice w/ a grain of salt as I don't understand the in's and out's of the trucking industry.

I do wish you luck and sympathize w/ the situation. Accidents happen, that's why it's called an accident. It's unfortunate that 1 accident will cause a driver's livelyhood.

PS: It sounds like he was an OTR driver and the 250K safe miles was a typo. Why would a local driver need a navigator? Also, the lack of permanent residence tells me he was OTR.

Goodluck and please keep us posted!

Louise

Cyneca · May 17, 2012

The truck in question was one of those container trucks. you know the ones that they put those containers from ships on. The container itself was a dark blue, and had no reflective tape on the top corners on the back and from the pictures I have seen of the other truck, the tape on the icc bumper wasnt exactly in good condition.

As for the amount of miles hes driven, hes correcting me saying closer to 500k safe with the company he was with, honestly I didnt keep track, 250k was the last award I remember him getting so I could be wrong. He drove OTR east of the rockies and into Canada on occasion. I have to be honest it could be more but I dont keep that close a track of it. He says total miles hes driven is significantly more then that but he doesnt have an exact number.

To the one who asked if we had saved money in the last 15 years. yes we had, and what I can tell you is, this accident has blown through what was left of savings. when you are looking at about 100K in medical bills, among other things, it will blow thru what savings you have mighty fast.

If you have ever driven I 10, late night between schulenburgh and seguin, you know that there are many many places that you dont see the reflective lines in the road, and reflectors either. Not trying to make excuses just pointing certain things out, especially since I have driven that stretch of road since I was 19 and moved from houston to San antonio so I personally know it quite well, Im almost 50. I cant attest to what he did or did not see, I was in the bunk at the time, I just know what he has told me about the accident and most especially his very first words to me at the scene.

1nonly · May 17, 2012

My advice would be to just start filling out applications for anyone who puts out a help wanted sign. Right now you need a paycheck. A small paycheck from Walmart or Burger King is better than no paycheck at all. Once you've got some money coming in, then keep looking for a better paycheck. That would also be the time to see about getting training for yourself, if you are still interested in driving.

Sooner or later, you will get this mess straightened out. Someone will eventually give him a driving job. But that may take time, and right now you've got to get a place of your own and food to eat.

d o g · May 17, 2012

Cyneca said: ↑

He says total miles hes driven is significantly more then that but he doesnt have an exact number.
Click to expand...

If he's serious about finding a job, it's time for him to be coming up with the number.

MNdriver · May 17, 2012

to the OP's benefit.

Yesterday I was driving south on MN13 in BROAD DAYLIGHT at 12:30 PM.

I came upon a 4WD tractor Fairly new New Holland Articulated 525 or bigger hp class thing. So no where near a small tractor. Talking BRIGHT shiny new blue paint.

The implement he was pulling was all folded up, and there were two small markers on the outside inside the cutting teeth. There was also a small slow moving vehicle warning sign and the driver had all the 4 way flashers going AND two rotating beacons.

As this thing was driving it was backgrounded by trees on the right side of the curve to help blend it in.

I had a hard time even seeing this thing in the middle of the day with full light and clear skies even from 1/10th of a mile.

I can imagine what it was like to see a poorly marked container trailer at midnite with no lights and no warning triangles in the middle of the road.

Especially considering the last couple of nights there have been more than a couple of broke down cars on MO13 from Springfield to Kansas city.

If you all think you can rely on another vehicles reflective material to be the only protection or early warning for you, then you truly are a super trucker.

It's also why I run with highbeams on on the divided roads.

alts55 · May 17, 2012

You guys that think you can stop a loaded truck in time to avoid hitting a stalled truck in your lane at night are clueless. Especially if on a little down hill grade forget it. If that were the case there would be a lot less road kill for deer. As far as employment lots of apps if need be someone should listen and see the sensible side of this! My opinions are from 30 plus years od driving exp. Alts55

double yellow · May 17, 2012

who said anything about stopping? I 10 has at least two lanes in each direction and there is no excuse for running 65mph without looking at least 1/8 mile ahead - day or night. Plenty of time to slow and change lanes. If the road is otherwise desolate, run with highbeams. If its not, you should see taillights in front of you for half mile or more. When those taillights cant be seen - somethings up... Only mouth breathers look just at the yellow patch of ground directly lit by their headlights. They probably are also the folks who never wash their windscreens & headlights.

Cascadiagirl · May 17, 2012

I hope everything works out ok.

325TahoeSS · May 17, 2012

I've driven that stretch & i've seen quite a few trucks at night broke down with there trailer on the granny lane with no triangles or anything so i know the feeling! But let me tell you there's quite a few people (owner operators) looking for drivers in the Alice, Tx area to pull pneumatics locally & the money is really good! look in McAllen, Tx Craigslist

Cyneca · May 17, 2012

There was no time to change lanes, or stop. That stretch has small dips in it that easily hide tail lights before you are right up on them especially a stopped vehicle. I so wish I could tell you what we know from testing, crash experts and background check of the other driver, but I cant as it is in litigation.

I understand that some of you have never been in this kind of situation, and I pray to God that you never are! I pray that you can always see at least a half a mile ahead so you see any obstruction before it becomes an accident. I pray that none of you ever find yourselves wondering what you did that was so bad to deserve this. That you never come out of an incident knowing that the only reason you are alive to discuss it is God was in the cab with you.

Those that have studied the accident, seen the pictures and so forth have told both of us repeatedly that we are lucky to be alive, and that while painful, our injuries were reletively minor. Every day I go over scenerios of what "could"have happened. What if, a 4 wheeler had passed us and gotten in front of us just before that happened? What if, instead of comming off the bunk and onto the floor I had flown through the windshield? What if the load had come through the headache rack? What if the part of the load that came off the trailer had come through 2 inches lower? The thoughts of these things are horrifying at best.

One thing this has taught me is you can never be careful enough. You can never be too careful. My husband is a careful driver. He keeps his headlights, tail lights, clean and in good repair. he gets hardly anything on the windshield and he stops to clean it. He constantly checks his mirrors, gages, and as far as he can see the road ahead. He'd had some near misses, a time in CT stands out particularly when he came around a curve only to have an abandoned car sitting in the dark no lights in front of him in the lane he was in. He changed lanes and missed it and we called into their highway patrol and reported it.

The point is, unless you were sitting behind that wheel on the truck that was coming up the interstate behind this stopped truck, in the exact same conditions, you can only assume youd be able to stop or change lanes. Until you are tested with the exact same conditions you dont know for sure. I pray to God you never are.

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