Posted on 01/19/2023 6:48:39 AM PST by marktwain
Dark SUV (Mazda CX-9) stopped at stop light in Quartzsite, AZ, January 15, 2023
I had a close brush with death on the way to the Shot Show on Sunday. It was a dull day, overcast with a chance of pending rain, further north.
This correspondent was on his way to Las Vegas, Nevada, to cover the Shot Show on Sunday, January 15, 2023. I had gone to early service at my church, and was traveling North on state Highway 95, a mostly two lane road. There are several passing lanes on the route between Yuma and Quartzsite, AZ. That leg of the trip is about 85 miles. It is mostly open desert controlled by Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) and the KOFA Wildlife refuge. I had made the trip thousands of times as far as YPG and over a hundred times further north.
It happened between milepost 99 and milepost 100, at just about noon. A little earlier, the speed limit had dropped from 65 mph, to 55 mph. I had experienced a speed trap approaching Quartzsite years earlier, and did not wish to pay a fine of a couple hundred dollars. I dropped my speed from a bit under 70 to 57 mph. The big pickup with a loaded flat bed trailer behind me had to slow as well, but he crept up on me to about 80 feet, closer than I would like.
Oncoming traffic was fairly busy, as is usual in January on Highway 95, with lots of big pickups hauling fifth wheel trailers, diesel pusher 40 foot RVs, and plenty of smaller vehicles heading south. Presumably they were snow birds coming down for the winter weather.
A big RV was approaching in the south bound lane, heading south. Most that I observed in the north bound lane were traveling at or slightly under the speed limit, probably to conserve fuel.
Suddenly, a flash to my left. A dark SUV is passing from behind, in the south bound lane, heading north, heading directly at the oncoming RV. The SUV is traveling close to a hundred mph. The RV has its lights on. I do not think it ever saw the dark SUV in time to react. The RV did not appear to brake or slow down.
I barely had time to lift my foot from the gas pedal as the right rear of the SUV crossed the centerline in front of me, at less than 30 feet. I did not have time to contemplate as the left front fender of the SUV crossed the centerline, no more than 50 feet from the oncoming RV, missing it by not more than a couple of feet. The closing speed of the two vehicles was about 150 mph.
It was over. Start to finish, at most a second. The SUV driver probably never saw me, screened by the truck behind me. The RV driver probably never saw the SUV, a dark vehicle on a dark road on a dark day, coming from behind the truck with the trailer. The SUV may not have had its lights on. The driver may have counted on the RV to brake to let him in. It was a very close call.
If the two had impacted, momentum could have carried the SUV away and out into the desert. I might have avoided impact with debris, and not been involved. More likely, it would have been a three vehicle pile-up. The passenger cage protection in modern vehicles is very good. If everyone was buckled in, everyone might have survived. It is not the way to bet.
A few miles further on, at the stop light in Quartzsite, a dark Mazda CX-9 was in the lane left and one vehicle ahead of me. It looked like the SUV from milepost 99-100. Right color, right shape. I have blotted out part of the license plate. I could not testify in court it was the same. Over the miles, it could have turned off of 95, and another, similar car turned on to take its place. Not likely, but possible. If you look in the mirror of my vehicle, in the picture, you can see a dark vehicle on the dark road behind me. It illustrates the lack of contrast.
Man's life on this earth is short and full of troubles. I had plenty of time to consider mortality on the way to the Shot Show. I have seen death near Highway 95. Several years ago, I saw a young woman dying, bleeding out of her mouth and nose and ears from severe trauma in a single vehicle crash on the road to YPG. Others were already there, sirens coming on. Death is seldom pretty. There have been plenty of fatal crashes on AZ 95.
There has been much to see and do at the Shot Show, already. A report on Industry day at the ranch is coming soon.
©2023 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Glad you’re okay.
L
I dislike using the Fauci Flu to make a point, but from my observations (I drive a lot; mostly on freeways, and I’m not a “moving roadblock”) ever since the lockdowns it’s clear that people are driving much, much faster ... even on busy freeways in the city ... and they are taking many more risks with passing, changing lanes, tailgating, etc. I do my level best to “let it go”, primarily because so many drivers are in a big hurry. generally p*ssed off about something .... and they’re armed ... not a good combination at 80mph in moderately heavy freeway traffic. Cheers!
It is my opinion that headlights should be on any time the vehicle is in gear. Headlights should be wired to the gear shift.
There always have been idiots who refuse to turn lights on during the time of poor visibility, but recently I have seen a great increase in their numbers.
Recently, frequently after dark.
A few miles from here, on a highway I travel frequently, an idiot in a Porsche traveling after dark at high speed hit a pickup and died in the resulting crash. Fortunately the pickup driver was OK.
The pickup driver was entering the highway and could not see the Porsche.
Some people are so stupid they can not understand that lights on a vehicle have two purposes of equal value: To see and to be seen.
The Former USA is awash in idiots and lawlessness. It will only get worse.
worse by design, my FRiend. That’s the conclusion I cannot avoid coming up with ...
I traveled for business so have many years with 50k on the odometer. I have had a great number of near miss events like this over the years and seen even more. I do not like trying to see if an airway is open on messed up bodies but have had to do it more than once.
Had a zoner pass me on the right shoulder of a busy two lane highway. I was driving the limit (60) in the slow lane and there was a left lane bandit beside me. Of course, there was no law enforcement around at the time.
Had the same happen to me on my Norton 850 back in 1975, what should have been an effortless pass
but in passing my clutch cable broke between 3rd and 4th gear . It was a very close call revving red line at 6000 rmp at about 75 mph , my left knee missed the oncoming bumper by 2 feet.
That legendary Norton torque saved my life.
I had to get off and have a leak.
Glad you are ok, you have sharp senses and it saved you.
lights on a vehicle have two purposes of equal value: To see and to be seen.
Most new cars now have always on running lights in front. Even 30 years ago some car manufacturers like Volvo anticipated the importance of lights in certain situations, they had a fog control you could switch on that made your rear lights very bright to help avoid cars running up into you.
-I'm going to the Antique Arms Show on Fri--I don't do the SHOT show--
Glad you are ok. Drive long enough, and close calls happen.
With 20 to 50 million ILLEGALS (depending on where you get your numbers) in the US now, odds are you will pass several every day. You think they know or care what the “traffic laws” are?
Drive like everyone is out to get you. For instance, allow any tailgater to pass you, it man cost you a minute if you do.
Not doing it could cost much more, including your life.
I used to drive the 40-odd mile stretch of US 93 between Wickenburg and the AZ 97 junction fairly often, and about every 10 or 12 trips I’d have to take the shoulder to avoid an idiot trying to pass where he shouldn’t have. The worst times were Sunday evenings, when you had pissed-off people heading back to Phoenix from Las Vegas after losing their money.
BTW, the road you were on was US 95, not AZ 95.
I've noticed the same thing, and am actively trying to "not get involved".
To the point where I'll pull over and get out of their way.
They can be in a hurry to get to their fatal traffic accident, but nothing is that pressing to me.
Thanks for the correction.
The first time in lived in Las Vegas, I would visit Tucson regularly. This was the early 70s.
The route from Kingman to Phoenix was a two-lane deathtrap, the part from Kingman to Las Vegas wasn’t much better.
Last time I made the trip it was Las Vegas, Kingman, Flagstaff then Tucson - all Interstate or 4 lane.
People are just nuts.....
Stay safe.
Considered normal in Houston and environs. At least it’s drama elsewhere.
Happens that you’re blessed with a Guardian Angel.
Same here, several times in several different decades.
Proof that people are idiots. And self important and self righteous, at that.
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