Feeling blessed right now

Discussion in 'Trucking Accidents' started by Roadgeek395, Dec 9, 2019.

  1. Roadgeek395

    Roadgeek395 Light Load Member

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    About a half hour ago I had a near death experience. I was headed southbound on US 395, Sherwin grade, when I passed a slow-moving semi that was smoking his brakes going down the grade. I didn't think too much of it because I see it on a fairly regular basis on that grade. About 4 miles down the grade I all of a sudden see a pair of headlights coming at me fast and it's that semi doing 80+ mph completely out of control. I swerved just at the nick of time and he missed me. He then almost hit three other cars in front of me. He finally got to the bottom of the grade and made a complete stop with his brakes smoking like a chimney. A few of us pulled over to see if we can give any assistance. Two Middle Eastern guys hopped out of the truck and seemed to not know what was going on at all. At that point I called CHP so they can handle the situation. They seemed upset with me when I called CHP, but I don't think they realized they'd almost ended multiple lives. The minivan that they almost hit pulled over and it was a family of eight including multiple young children.

    Sorry for being long-winded I'm just feeling blessed that no one died in that incident tonight. Safe travels everyone
     
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  3. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Im sorry you had a scare. Chalk that one up, go have fun doing something and get back into the saddle.

    Two things, the middle easterns screwed up by allowing the brakes to get that hot and second stopping at the bottom, they could have caught fire and burned down the entire rig.

    Its evident no one trained these two anything about mountain. So there is no point harping about it.

    I am upset at the near misses on the families with children etc. But Im not going to make a long post about it.

    What I will say is this. I have almost been killed 8 times so far in my life. The last one was a near thing. The next time Mr Death comes to collect my soul, Im not going to be able to see him coming. (Thats a good thing) Otherwise sun comes up, I give thanks for the new day and go forward to whatever it brings.

    You are going to have these near death experiences more often than most in life. Just do what you can and remember two words "Risk Management" if you know something is going to potentially be a problem avoid it or workaround it. Thats half the battle.

    In today's trucks with powerful engines supporting Jacobs braking there is no need to smoke brakes or use any at all.

    Ive burned out brakes before, strictly in company trucks that did not have Jacobs installed. That quit after I carefully selected companies based on what tractors they had in the yard and what they had installed on them. So Mountain work became less scary for me.

    Im sorry it was a rough day, but in the end I am happy no one was hurt or killed. The Middle eastern men need to be referred to mountain training so they don't keep doing that. They should know better.

    If our Industry declines to the point that no company or employer gives a ####### and fails to provide any quality training at all? Then by all means kill families and wipe out generations. //half sarcastic. They would have brought that on themselves for failing to provide that training which I feel is important.
     
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  4. Atlanta trucker

    Atlanta trucker Road Train Member

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  5. JC1971

    JC1971 Road Train Member

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    Don't pass trucks with smoking brakes or they might be needing to pass you further down the hill.
     
  6. Roadgeek395

    Roadgeek395 Light Load Member

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    Definitely a lesson learned. Even though he was smoking his brakes he wasn't going very fast so I thought he had control. This is a lesson I will never forget
     
  7. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

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    Guess the don't teach how to go downhill without overheating the brakes.
     
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  8. VA CDL Holder

    VA CDL Holder Medium Load Member

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    Trucking is like riding a motorcycle, you can do everything correctly and still end up dead! Just like driving with chains on, no matter what someone always has to pass me.

    When I go down a mountain my goal is not to use the service brakes at all. Not easy to do with an auto, but it used to be possible with a stick.

    With the level of amateurism out there these days, I can't help but believe the quality of training is just not there.
     
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  9. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Welcome to 2019. Nothing but idiot wheel holders these days. I've witnessed more stupid in the last 3 days than in the last 3 years combined.
     
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  10. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    We used to have FUN on these mountains. Take WVa on a friday night. Find a car with a CB.

    Wait until summit, start downgrade. Kill lights slowly until all are off. Turn down dash lights.

    Put her into nuetral and come up on rear of car.

    On the radio ask in general "Anyone lose a big truck around here?"

    When the CB or anyone else insists there is no lost truck insist-back and swear on your mother that there is a ghost truck around here tonight.

    Usually someone squeals and says OMG there IS a ghost truck. (Works better in rain and fog at night. Not in full moon.)

    But don't do that too much you can hurt or kill someone for being that dark with all lights out.
     
  11. lovesthedrive

    lovesthedrive R.I.P.

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    It is more likely they threw that knowledge out the window when they tried to ride the brakes like what is done with their four wheeler.
     
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