Crashed Old Yeller

[Tennesseahawk]

Any angel worth their salt would have slapped him in the face and woke him up before he crashed.

Maybe his angel was sleeping on the job too?

I agree with Wally. I'm sure most of us have had some touch-n-goes, usually ended by the sound of rumble strips or your self-preservation system waking you up from the dream. When I started expediting, I had a load delivering in Oscoda, MI. I drove right thru Oscoda and don't remember doing it. How's that for a touch-n-go???

I'm glad I'm teaming again, as I hate that feeling!

 

[Jack_Berry]

glad to hear you are okay. like the black knight said....its only a flesh wound, now have at you!!!

 

[MSinger]

Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes. I totally despise the fact that this happened as I am religiously pulling off at the first sign of drowsiness. I was running way ahead of schedule and was planning on pulling off closer to the OK state line and resting before going on in at 08:00 CDT even though I hadn't felt tired during the trip. My first sign of drowsiness that night was the screeching of metal and sparks flying everywhere and vibrations in the steering wheel. I had just went around a slow moving RV which is why I was in the left lane to begin with. With gas prices I have been driving no more than 63mph to conserve fuel so I rarely need to drive in the left lane. Yes, I did work at the fire department a 24 hour shift from 0800 Weds to 0800 Thurs. however we had no runs in middle of the night (which is rare) so I got to sleep all night. No I did not have my cruise control on......Penske trucks did not have cruise control from the factory. I bought an after market off the internet but never found any mechanically inclined friends who wanted to attempt the installation, it does look like a nightmare to my untrained eye.
I do believe the cable did what it was supposed to do. The Missouri trooper told me that they have been a bit of a double edged sword however. He said they have drastically reduced the cross over head on collisions as intended but they also are so close to the road that there is not any room for any kind of a breakdown lane on the left side and if you are unable to get over to the right before your vehicle quits it causes you to be stuck out in traffic. Also previously drivers were able to make evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision by swerving to the left but now end up into the cables. His biggest beef was it was difficult to "run traffic" because they cannot turn on oncoming speeders due to lack of cross over spaces. I do feel like they may be a little to close to the road but it doesn't change the fact that it was my responsibility to be in control of that vehicle and I blew it. I would not be able to live with myself if I had harmed anyone else. I do believe in angels and I made a special effort to be in church today. Hearing my ten year old daughters voice on the phone right after the incident asking if "I was going to be ok" just tore me up. I always considered this as my "safe job" and that my FD job would be the most likely one for me not to make it home from but I am rethinking that position.
Thanks for not rubbing salt into the wound. I have seen the aftermath of the cross over collisions and I never had the notion that "it won't happen to me". I know what a split second distraction can cause.
Thanks again for the care and concern. For those that do Believe please pray that I make the right decision concerning the future of this venture.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Glad to hear you are all right and from the looks of the pictures it could have been a lot worse. This is another selling point of the Lane Departure Warning System the electronic rumble strips might have jolted you enough to keep you from even getting across the white line. The LDWS sure lets us know before we know ourselves that we are getting drowsy and it is time to get out and stretch.

 

[layoutshooter]

You mean to tell me that we have to be awake when we drive? I drive with my eyes closed anyway. It's way too scary out there to see what is going on. Glad to hear you are alright. I hope you can get things fixed. I feel asleep driving home from a fire one time. We were out on a factory fire for 17 hours. I only lived 2 miles from the fire hall. I was lucky and did not hit anything or anyone. From that time on I slept at the fire hall after a long time out on a fire. I would shower there too, my wife did not like the smell when I came home from a night on a barn fire. Layoutshooter

 

[dieseldiva]

I like to think this forum is open to people of all faiths and belief systems. There are those who would suggest God was with you in an accident. Others would suggest God was punishing you in an accident. Still others would suggest there is no God, or that that God exists but is on vacation someplace. And others would say that the God you speak of is the wrong God and their God is the right God.

I agree that the forum should be and is open to people of all faiths, nationalities, colors, and whatever else you can think of that some see as divisive.

Originally Posted by iceroadtrucker
I am glad you had an angel with you. Most on here would say thats a farce.

I took the 'farce' comment as an insult to the membership, if it was meant in another way then iceroadtrucker is free to clarify. As it stands right now, I stand behind my post. My belief is that unless you know someone personally, and maybe not even then, you have not the right to make assumptions about their religious beliefs.