Wrong Way Driver

So today my normally boring run down US 30 in Indiana took a interesting turn. I was headed east bound to Fort Wayne in the right lane, I saw headlights coming at me and thought looks like he is on my side of the road and thought no way must be the night playing tricks on my eyes. As he got closer I realized that he was indeed on my side of the road luckily in the other lane.

I still went onto the shoulder to be safe as I was unsure if he is drunk or just confused. I called 911 and gave them a description of the pickup and they said they had several calls on him and have officers trying to catch up.

For all the newbies out there you have to be ready for anything at anytime and should always know your "out". This is my second close call in a couple in the last few weeks that wasn't my fault hopefully this one will be it for awhile.

Hey that's the area I'm in. I just came up 30 this morning to deliver to the Walmart DC just north of Fort Wayne. I'm at the Pilot right now

Couple months back late at night I was heading to drop a trailer at a customer and bobtail out for home time. 1.5 miles from the customer I see a strange set of lights coming up the road at me. Then the lights turn and stop. As I get closer I see a trailer completely across my side of the highway. Get a little closer and I can see the company name...Prime... Same company I drive for.

Driver had just got loaded at the customer I was heading to. He made the left out of the customer, but in the darkness he got on the wrong side of the road and didn't realize it until he saw my headlights coming at him. He panicked and tried to pull a u turn before I closed the distance.

It didn't work out so well for him.

That is a rough one, at least he only got stuck and didn't roll it.

He panicked and tried to pull a u turn before I closed the distance.

It didn't work out so well for him.

Take note newbies. Panic and U-turns seldom ever turn out good in big rig. I will drive for miles to find a decent place to turn around before I do a U-turn.

Just to reinforce what Old School said.

The red pin is the exact location the driver tried to pull that u turn. The large buildings towards the bottom of the pic is the customer he had just left.

Now a closer look at the location. Take a look at what is just 500ft futher north of his location... It was pitch black out and he had no idea that was there until the sun came up. If only he had just pulled over and taken a minute to check his surroundings...

PlanB that’s just crazy on so many levels!! Weren’t you stuck there until they pull his dumb butt outta there?

Yup! I was trying to get home too. My wife and 2 little girls had stayed up WAAAAY past bed time to see Daddy come home. All I needed to do was drop my empty at that same customer and bobtail home... I ended up stuck there til morning when the wrecker came.

Was telling my wife what was going on and heard my 3 year old in background. "Is Daddy still coming home?"

PlanB that’s just crazy on so many levels!! Weren’t you stuck there until they pull his dumb butt outta there?

Yup! I was trying to get home too. My wife and 2 little girls had stayed up WAAAAY past bed time to see Daddy come home. All I needed to do was drop my empty at that same customer and bobtail home... I ended up stuck there til morning when the wrecker came.

Was telling my wife what was going on and heard my 3 year old in background. "Is Daddy still coming home?"

PlanB that’s just crazy on so many levels!! Weren’t you stuck there until they pull his dumb butt outta there?

Ouch! That’s heartbreaking! I’m looking at a wreck that’s park at PRIPIT & thanking my lucky stars that I’m “older & wiser” to try stupid stunts like that. As you said, all they needed to do was pull over, assess the situation, create a safe way out of a bad situation. That’s why I love this forum. So many boneheaded mistakes we can make out here if we’re not vigilant the whole time those wheels are turning.

Check this out!