Fahrvergnügen

Well, it has been a month since I experienced my first steer tire blowout. But that was not where the story ended. After having a used tire put on, I was able to make it to my dealership to get unloaded. The next morning, I was going to have to shop the truck to have some hydraulic lines replaced. Lucky for me, one of my routine motels was close by.

The next morning, after placing several phone calls, I was able to locate a shop that could do the required hydraulic repairs. Without replacing the lines that were shredded by the blown tire, I would not be able to lift the front deck and open my hood. Without opening my hood, I was unable to determine if there were any other damages that needed attention. Knowing the day would be financially unprofitable, I decided to sleep in. I never could pass up a good excuse.

Around 11am, I climb in the truck and begin my day. I pulled out of the motel and made the left turn onto the ramp to get onto the Interstate. The ramp lane actually continued forward and became the exit lane for 270 in Columbus, Oh. As I eased down the ramp, I was watching for traffic on my left to cut in front of me. Expect the unexpected, always! After a few hundred feet, another lane merges in from the right. This is typically an extremely heavy merge point, but there were no cars coming from my right. I am probably rolling along about 40 to 45mph because I had just started from a traffic light and was about to make a 25mph exit, so I never gained full momentum.

BOOM!!  Oh crap... Still in the left lane, with my right turn signal engaged, my first thought is that the USED steer tire replacement has just erupted. There was a slight jolt to the truck so I hit the brakes and check for cars on my right because I need to hit the shoulder. Seeing nothing blocking the lane,  BOOM!!!!!!  WHAT THE F#@K ??!!??!!  Now, I am thinking the tire has wrapped itself around my axle and just about that time, I notice the trunk of a Volkswagon Jetta about 2-3 foot off the ground going flying past my left headlight....

The Jetta slams into the wall on my left and I jerk the wheel hard to the right. There was not a whole heck of a lot of room between me and that wall and with the Jetta doing donuts down the left side of my truck, I feared the worst. She managed to bounce between my truck and the wall at least 3 times before we got stopped.

Basically, when she tried to cut me off, she did not allow enough room and the left rear corner of her car caught the right front corner of the step on my bumper. The impact immediately turned her to the left and I then t-boned the left side of the car. As I braked, she was then able to get traction and basically drove straight into the jersey wall on my left. As she bounced off the wall, she hit my truck again. Then the wall, my truck, the wall, my truck....

Both the driver and the passenger were physically okay with the exception of a few bruises and cuts. Emotionally, they were both a wreck. Well, literally too! The driver apologizes to me. I am still shaking my head because I have no idea where she came from. There were no cars on that ramp! A witness has also stopped and we continue to make sure the car occupants are okay. The police arrive, along with an ambulance and tow truck. Everyone is interviewed, except me..... The car is totaled. The occupants are transported to the hospital for standard tests and the witness offers me all his information before vacating the scene. The officer finally approaches me and informs me that with the witnesses testimony, the driver of the Jetta was issued a citation for improper lane change and improper passing.

I still have NO IDEA where she came from. I am thinking she just wanted to get passed the big truck and decided to pass on the right. But the accident report confirmed, along with the witness statement, that I did absolutely nothing wrong...

As for White Lightning, the truck is virtually unscathed...

Had this woman had the same accident with a regular high mount tractor trailer, the outcome could have very well been a tragedy. The points of impact indicate it could have indeed been fatal, but with my trailer riding inches off the ground, it kept her from being crushed by my tires.... Just something to think about, folks. Noting the damage to the Jetta, versus the scuff marks on my truck, I can assure you, I barely felt any thing.

Safe Travels!!