Happy To Be Alive

A week ago or so Pre dawn hour. Heading down I44. Looking ahead I just see the normal drive lights of other trucks. I check my mirrors and look back up.

For a second my mind started screaming something is wrong. It took me another half second to recognize the danger. A truck in the right hand lane his trailer angles into the burm. He's getting onto the road at a very slow speed no signal lights going.

I managed to swerve into the left lane (thank goodness I was just checking) I traveling along side his trailer I notice maybe a foot or two sperating us.

Half a second more I'd have been inside the guys trailer. I'm positive the grim reaper had stopped in for a chat that day I'm just happy to be alive

Glad you're okay Joseph!

Things can happen in a flash out here on the road. It pays to be vigilant. It is so easy to get lulled into a comfort zone and fool ourselves when driving something as massive as these class 8 trucks. It only takes a second for everything to go south. Stay alert and stay alive. Thanks for the reminder of how quickly things can change out here.

I'm glad you made it, stay safe! God bless you

Happy that you made it out of that situation and you avoided an accident. Glad you posted this, it's a reminder to noobies like me about how dangerous it can be out there, to always check your mirrors and constantly be aware. Stay safe out there buddy!

Situational Awareness.

The time between when it begins to become light outside, and the hour after sunrise, I refer to as "the hour of death." Why?

People driving are either near the end of an all-nighter, or are just beginning to start their day, not into the rythm of the road yet. Both groups will generally be at a lower level of awareness. They are thinking about "later" instead of right now. Later could be finally getting to a parking spot, what to do at work this morning, finally getting to sleep in a few miles, etc.

Consider yourself fortunate. I delivered in Sheboygan Falls Wisconsin on 9-30 and the final 2 miles of roadway westbound was closed and had a 5-7 mile detour. It routed us back eastbound and there was fire, rescue and police across from the road I was turning on. Also a Swift daycab with a 53' trailer with damage to the bottom middle of the driver's side. This was around 10am. Turns out he had left the place I was delivering to earlier that morning and it was in heavy fog. He was crossing the eastbound lanes to go left into westbound lanes, 4 lane separated by a median. I gather the eastbound car didn't see him in time, it was a fatality accident. I had been driving in fog earlier that day northbound. It was a reminder to be extra cautious in inclement weather.

Similar thing happened to me about a month ago, and whenever I think about it, my blood runs cold for a minute. I was westbound on I-78 just past Newark International Airport, crest a rise, and there's a car with its nose against the guardrail, and its rear end sticking out into the right lane, where I was. It must have just happened because there were no emergency vehicles on sight or anything. It was sometime after midnight and very lucky for everyone involved, the center lane was unoccupied, so I could just move over. I'm not al all sure I would have been able to stop in time if I had to.

That Smith System principle about Leave Yourself an Out? Yeah they're not kidding.