Scariest situation you have been in?

Maybe not the scariest situation JakeBrakeRem...but every time I got under the wheel I said a little prayer. Now there were times when snowy roads , and crazy drivers made my rear-end grab the seat-covers real tight , or a school bus pulled out in front of me on a narrow two-lane road , or you see Mom giving all the neighbor-hood kids a ride to the pool , while trying to "put her face on"..all kinds of things can be construed as being scary. But as you start your career....try this , each and everytime time you get into your truck , or even your personal vehicle...make sure you realize just how much that your attitude plays a part in not only keeping you safe but others around you. Try and always keep safety as your biggest goal...Good luck

 

Lets see, January 1992. Another typical winters day driving across I-80 in Wyoming. I fought ice, snow, high winds and whiteouts over Elk Mtn. All I wanted to do was get to Laramie and shut down. I was at the 308 mm on ice covered roads. It was me and a school bus about a quarter mile in front of me. All of a sudden the bus hits a deep rut in the Ice, does a 180 and is now facing me going backwards. I was getting closer and closer, trying to get my truck slowed down without hitting the bus, or jackknifing. All I saw was the woman and kids in the bus with nothing but panic written all over their faces. The last thing I saw as I drove to the left of the bus was a flat smooth median about 25 yards wide. I took it, drove straight across the median and across the westbound side to the shoulder and came to a stop. Thank God no one was coming west, I never hit the bus and the woman driving the bus slid backwards into the median and came to a stop. I jumped out of my truck, ran over to the bus and saw about 10 kids all crying and the bus driver with a death grip on the wheel. The police got there in record time, shut the road down at the Laramie exit and transferred the kids to another bus, then after taking the statements escorted me off the interstate going the wrong way. No tickets were given, just a thank you from all involved for doing everything in my power to avoid a crash. I carry that scene in my memory bank every day I start my truck. Just writing about it right now has me a little uneasy.

 

Try being a trainer that had a Trainee that well lets just say lost his Marbles and tried to kill himself and you on Parley on 80 in UT. We were in our last trip as trainer/Trainee and he was classified as a qualified 2nd Seat driver pending testing at the Terminal after we got back so we had switched to running Team. Well I had noticed he was being a little twitchy and had been keeping an eye on him anyway. Besides I am not the best sleeper in a truck when it is moving if I do NOT TRUST the person driving. Well we hit Utah and where heading to Stockton CA and I noticed that after the Canyon before Parley he DID NOT STOP at the Brake Check Area. That got my Attention real Quick. Then I felt the truck go into Neutral and heard him Scream WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE.

Now I am in the bunk in a T-shirt and shorts and next thing he knows is he is being Ripped out of the Seat THROWN across the cab hit with the Tire Billy for Good Measure and I am jumping in the seat. I look and we are doing over 85 MPH on Parley in Mexican Overdrive. I stand on the Brakes HARD smoked all 5 Axles slowing us down to where I could get the Jakes engaged and where they would hold us. Next stop was Sapp Bros to get his butt off the Truck. I called HQ of the company and was like HE IS FIRED to Bill our Saftey Manager and he goes why. Told him what he did and he went WHAT. I then said truck needs new Brakes and I need a hotel room for the Weekend as I planned to get Sloshed after almost Dying on the mountain. Was told get the brakes fixed and then call in when I was at the Hotel.

I threw the now Ex Drivers crap out of my truck got the brakes replaced 10 drums 10 sets of shoes and hardware total where needed. Then I headed for Wendover NV for 2 days. Lets just say that was the best weekend I had on the company dime.

 

so are you still a trainer or did you give that up?lol

 

Aside from the nightmare of freewheeling down the mountain, you sir just lived the dream of many trainers with that billy club. How many guys can say they got to smack a trainee with a blunt instrument and got away with it. Kudos!

 

You see, after 30+ years of doing this, I have my doubts about training. I know I have a lot to give a new driver just starting out, but with my luck I might get one like this then wind up enjoying my retirement in the big house doing 10 years for attempted murder.

 

I could simply never be a trainer, my hat is off to you that do it well!

I am just to much of a loner once I jump in the truck, not anti-social, I just like my me time, I like the music I like, I like to stop when I want to, I like to eat when I'm hungry, and sleep when I'm tired, all these years and I still have never taken a pet with me, in fact, hell, even the wife is a PITA.

Hmm, maybe I am a touch anti-social, lol

 

To this day I would have nitemares witnessing that.It would be no more scary movies that's for sure.