Have You Had A Close Call Driving - Cheated Death?

[ski3pin]

I'll be writing about ours soon. Julie was driving and another driver did something seriously ill advised. We came through it without a scratch.

How about you? Do you have an incident that occurred while driving your truck and camper you could share?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Oh my, yes! We were pulling the travel trailer, nearing our destination of Great Basin National Park (GBNP). A semi truck passed us on a long straight stretch, but failed to see an oncoming passenger car. The car driver had three options: hitting us, being hit by the semi, or putting his car in the desert.

Thankfully, the trucker finally realized what he had done, and took the semi out across the desert. He must have gone a good 100 yards out into the scrub. Before we went in to the park, we were looking for fuel at the border casino, and saw him pull in behind us… the truck took a beating.

Thank goodness it wasn’t the other car or us.

 

[PokyBro]

Long ago, driving south from Las Vegas to Phoenix, I was following slowly behind an older motor home. Back then the highway was just a single lane in each direction ( not sure if this has changed ). We were waiting for a good safe time to pass the motor home, though not too hurried to do so, when along comes a very small Ford Fiesta, or something similar with not much horse power. Here he comes out from behind me on the left to pass. Slowly he made it past me, and was slowly gaining on the motor home. Off in the distance I see a semi truck heading our way, and coming closer and closer. I decide to to back off in case the worst transpires. The little car kept feeding the chipmunks and was sure he could make it if he just held his ground. By now I’m hanging way back, waiting for the collision that was about to unfold. The semi held his heading straight ahead, when finally at the very very last minute, the driver of the little underpowered, taxed out Fiesta swung left onto the northbound shoulder, just in the nick of time, as the semi screamed past, still in the northbound lane, and the motor home continuing in the southbound lane. There was no glass or metal flying, but it all kind of went into slow motion as I watched, if you know what I mean.

Well, the little Ford Fiesta, having slowed down, and all danger was past, fell in behind my vehicle, and was pretty happy to do so for quite some distance thereafter. After checking his pants, or perhaps not worrying about such thing, I’m sure he was counting his blessings for another day, and probably replayed the scene many times on that trip, and perhaps many others.

I was also very glad nothing serious happened, because I have seen the results when the end of the story is much different.

 

[ski3pin]

Here's our story, an excerpt from our upcoming trip report.


[SIZE=18pt]The Lady was driving, taking her turn and allowing me a break from pilot duties. We were south of Alturas, in California’s remote northeast corner, heading north on two lane highway 395. Traffic – as is usual on 395 north of Susanville – was very light. We caught up to a semi that was traveling at around 60 mph. The speed limit was 65. With a long straight section of highway with good visibility and no oncoming vehicles, the Lady pulled into the left lane and started by the 18-wheeler. I was alert in the passenger seat and confirmed to the Lady all was safe. We pulled even with truck’s cab when we all saw it. On the left, from behind vegetation, a pickup truck appeared, speeding down a dirt road intersecting with the highway. He was not going to stop. He was looking only to his left. He was turning right onto the pavement directly head on into us. It all happened in a second. The semi driver let up on his throttle. The pickup completed his gravel raising right turn into our lane. The Lady moved to the right. The pickup driver’s “Oh S##T!!!!” expression was absolutely priceless. He kept turning to his right and off the highway, foot mashed into the accelerator, and took off into the dirt and brush. We all – the semi, our truck, the pickup - missed each other by only a foot or two. We never looked back to see what happened to the pickup. The trucker didn’t either. “You know,” the Lady calmly said. “I hate passing.” [/SIZE]

 

[pvstoy]

YIKES!!! All scary moments!!!

I seem to be invisible to people weather I'm driving or just walking down a sidewalk.

Living in Mammoth Lakes driving up one night to Horseshoe Lake a pickup truck decided to make a U-turn in the middle of the road on a blind curve. Slow motion and at speed was barley enough room to pass on the side of the road in front of it. Younger then and better reflexes.

My gal and I in the red Toyota and FWC was driving toward Cedar City Utah in Utah and a dirt farm road on the left a pickup decided to enter the pavement at speed and that forced me off the road a bit and was able to stop. Too close to call. More to list but that would require more brain cells and prefer to claim geezer hood and move forward with happy thoughts.

Keep safe out there, most drivers are distracted and you become invisible. Working to design roads and traffic flow I learned we were there to protect people from themselves, but for various reasons it just does not work for some.

 

[LuckyDan]

I don’t know that I cheated death, but did avoid it.

I wrote on here a few years ago about leaving from the old CCC camp at Hart Mtn. Refuge headed toward Hwy 395. I lost the castle nut off the Pitman Arm. For the curious, the Pitman Arm is the arm that connects the steering box to the rest of the steering assembly so I lost steering. I was still on gravel so my speed wasn’t high and it came apart on a straight away. The truck kept tracking straight till most of the speed ran out and didn’t veer till approximately 15 or 20mph, maybe less. When it did veer, it abruptly went left across the road and into the sagebrush.

Luckily for me and the Old Bum Around Ford:
A: I Hadn’t made it to Hwy 395
B: No one was coming or trying to pass on that gravel road
C: The gravel road was smooth enough at that spot that the truck tracked straight.
D: I was on flat ground
I haven’t bought a lottery ticket since that day. I figured coming through that unscathed that I used a bunch out of the luck bucket and it made me a winner.

 

[Old Crow]

This wasn't a camping-rig one but two close calls on the same weekend...

I used to occasionally fly to business conferences or shows. These typically started Monday morning so I'd book an early flight to the conference on the Saturday before. I'd rent a car or motorcycle to tour the area until I had to report to my hotel on Sunday evening for the next-day's conference.

On a trip to San Diego, I rented one of the new (at the time) Harley-Davidson V-Rods. The first interesting thing happened on I-8 East only an hour after picking up the bike. An aluminum ladder section --- about ten feet long --- magically appeared from under the truck in front of me on I-8 East. The ladder must have been nudged by the truck's tires or affected by its wake or something because it was moving. Fortunately, it continued sliding along end-on to me and I was just far enough back to have time to dodge it.

The next day I was touring eastern San Diego County. Looking at maps now, I believe it was out toward Campo or Lake Morena. Anyway, the road surface was great and there were nice sweeping turns through hills. Apparently this was a popular area for wannabe road racers and I was surprised how fast some of them were riding. In fact, some were so fast that I decided I'd better stay the heck away from the centerline in the turns. And sure enough I entered a blind turn and there was a black sport-bike coming at me in my lane. Our closing speed was so fast, of course, that nothing could be done. Fortunately, it turned out to be just a hair-raisingly-close miss, both of us in my lane. But as they say, a miss is as good as a mile.

 

[rubberlegs]

Wow. These stories raise the hackles on my neck. Now I have more excuses to save gas by staying behind trucks at 40 mph!

 

[buckland]

Fifteen years ago my wife and I rode 2 up on my R100 BMW from Massachusetts to Idaho across Montana. Speeds there are relative to open space so we were normally cruising at 80. We could see what seemed like forever straight ahead. No traffic on a 2 lane blue highway. I could see a dot far ahead which grew in size until I recognized a duel wheeled pickup towing a big cigarette boat behind it. There was something in the back of the boat that kept jumping up. In what seemed like a long time but was real fast as we were approaching at 160 mph to each other... I tapped my wife's leg a signaled to lay flat...I dropped my chest to the gas tank and she same ... The lid of the big gas grill snapped off and out of the boat and went directly over our heads with a few inches to spare. Being Irish, so lean to ironic, I have rethought that moment many times and wondered if my stone would have read..."The last thing to go through Rob's mind was a Weber grill"

 

[Stray Dog]

We were coming into Custer SD on US 385. The highway has wide, sweeping curves, 4 lanes, an excellent road. We were in the right hand lane doing maybe 50 and a car came up behind, signaled to pass and pulled around. He was at our approximate 1100 position when a group of motorcycles came into view coming up the hill toward us. One of the motorcycles crossed the centerline on the curve and hit the passing car. The car was, at that time, slightly ahead of us and in the left lane. The car swung broadside in the highway and we braked to avoid him. Debris from the impact of the motorcycle showered our truck and camper. We all came to a stop. The motorcycle got the worst of it of course. He was fortunate that riding with him was a RN with trauma experience and a retired NYPD cop. The nurse tended to the injured man and the cop instituted traffic control immediately.

Flight for life landed on the highway to remove the injured man. The nurse had done excellent work in stabilizing him from what the State Patrol officer said. The driver of the car and we were not injured. We stayed around to give a statement. The officer asked if we had noted the woman doing all the screaming at the motorcycle. We had. Evidently it was a very well known female country singer who had a day off from performing in the nearby casinos so they rented bikes to tour. The man injured evidently did not have the proper license.

The injured man survived with the loss of a leg, the left one I think. He had recently married the singer and was her drummer for the band. They still tour together and have performed in our town. The drummer does fine today.

 

[AWG_Pics]

Here's our story, an excerpt from our upcoming trip report.


[SIZE=18pt]The Lady was driving, taking her turn and allowing me a break from pilot duties. We were south of Alturas, in California’s remote northeast corner, heading north on two lane highway 395. Traffic – as is usual on 395 north of Susanville – was very light. We caught up to a semi that was traveling at around 60 mph. The speed limit was 65. With a long straight section of highway with good visibility and no oncoming vehicles, the Lady pulled into the left lane and started by the 18-wheeler. I was alert in the passenger seat and confirmed to the Lady all was safe. We pulled even with truck’s cab when we all saw it. On the left, from behind vegetation, a pickup truck appeared, speeding down a dirt road intersecting with the highway. He was not going to stop. He was looking only to his left. He was turning right onto the pavement directly head on into us. It all happened in a second. The semi driver let up on his throttle. The pickup completed his gravel raising right turn into our lane. The Lady moved to the right. The pickup driver’s “Oh S##T!!!!” expression was absolutely priceless. He kept turning to his right and off the highway, foot mashed into the accelerator, and took off into the dirt and brush. We all – the semi, our truck, the pickup - missed each other by only a foot or two. We never looked back to see what happened to the pickup. The trucker didn’t either. “You know,” the Lady calmly said. “I hate passing.” [/SIZE]

I am happy you had nothing to report but an adrenaline rush!

As for similar experiences, Impetuous youth is to blame for all my near death experiences. I have grown cautious and maybe just a tiny bit forethoughtful in my older years.

 

[ski3pin]

Wow, thanks to all for sharing these spine tingling close calls! It can be scary out there. During our decades of teaching outdoor skills we always stressed that driving was THE DANGEROUS part of the trip.