Posted on 05/01/2005 2:20:25 PM PDT by KJC1
RENTON, Wash. — It was a slab of particleboard, about 5 feet long, 18 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches thick. No one knew how far it had traveled or how many times it had bounced off the pavement.
Late on Feb. 22, 2004, it was known only that it got loose on Interstate 405, near this Seattle suburb, and for a few moments became airborne. One witness later said it was simple physics that turned the board into a missile, hurtling north.
Maria Federici was driving south. Like other cars nearby, her Jeep Liberty was going about 60 miles per hour. She had just gotten off her shift. Federici, then 24, worked three bartending jobs, just as she had while studying at the University of Washington. She had recently graduated, and the road ahead was full of possibility. But on this cold and overcast Sunday night she just wanted to get home.
Federici was approaching her exit when the board pierced her windshield, glanced off the steering wheel and plowed into her face. The Jeep veered onto the shoulder and struck the Jersey barrier once, twice, before stopping.
---snip---
State lawmakers eventually would pass a bill in Federici's name, one that broke new ground in the prosecution of accidents caused by debris. But on that night fourteen months ago, the chief concern of almost everyone at the scene was keeping Federici alive.
At Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, the young woman clung tenaciously to life, surprising doctors who didn't think she would make it. The board obliterated all the bones between her jaw and forehead. It shattered her eye sockets and cheek bones, and split her palate. If Federici survived — "if" doctors emphasized — she would be permanently blind, brain-damaged and disfigured.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Road debris is a major problem - people are slobs.
Not only road debris, which is a big problem, but I was driving down the highway behind a car with a T-top, when the top flew off, barely missing me. I watched wide-eyed as it flew past my passenger side and into the ditch behind me, and believe me, I thanked God for saving me that day.
I was carrying a load of 1/4" plywood on my rack on my pickup once. At 55 it all flew off in fairly crowded traffic. Thank God no one was hurt. Only minor damage to two cars. As I was watching the load and it flew off, I darn near had a heart attack. I could feel the blood drain from my face and my heart skipped a beat. The rope I had used frayed through. I got a ticket and paid it. Never heard about the claims.
Ever since then I never drive behind trucks carrying loads of anything unless it absolutely can't be avoided.
We have a good friend who is a long-haul big rigger. He has cautioned us, time and again, to never ever drive alongside a truck. Worn tires can lose part of their tread, fly loose, hit your windshield, and blam! you've either wrecked your car from the surprise hit, or the flying rubber has come through your windshield and decapitated you. An incident exactly like the latter happened here in Amarillo last year!
Either get ahead of or stay behind the trucks, folks!
Faulty hitches, debris haulers, and people who go through life mostly DFTNU.
When your number is up, you're going to go, one way or another.
You can guess the rest...
As I pedalled by, it was all that I could do to not laugh at the ignorant a-holes.
But now that I think back on where that mess landed, it's a damn good thing that I had 8 feet of shoulder to ride in.
"Ever since then I never drive behind trucks carrying loads of anything unless it absolutely can't be avoided."
I try and avoid that at all costs also.
I'd never thought of this. I will never drive along side a big truck again. Never. Thank you.
I drive on parkways (IN NY trucks aren't allowed on them) to avoid trucks. If I can't avoid them, I stay behind them.
Never mess with atruck on the road, and give plenty of distance...
Also, learn how to drive with them, light signals etc -- truckers can help you in many ways...
Does anyone know of the couple whose 5 children were killed in a van fire caused by debris on the highway? How are they doing?
>>> Ever since then I never drive behind trucks carrying loads of anything unless it absolutely can't be avoided.
Ever been behind a truck that lost a tire? That is a seat-soiling experience.
"Worn tires can lose part of their tread, fly loose, hit your windshield, and blam! you've either wrecked your car from the surprise hit, or the flying rubber has come through your windshield and decapitated you. An incident exactly like the latter happened here in Amarillo last year!"
Happened to me in Phoenix 2001,a semi tread was run over by a plumbing truck which launched it up and out of sight... untill it landed dead center on my PU hood and nearly took out the windshield. Fortunately it happened so fast I didn't have time to do anything except keep in my lane in heavy trafic on Friday evening at 4:30 gohome traffic. It pushed the windshield in so far it smashed my AZ Diamondbacks cap almost flat on the dash. Forget even trying to get a glass company in PHX at closing time on a Friday.... pulled off at the first exit and I tried on cell phone for an hour then gave up as it was 5:30 now. Drove it up the Black Canyon Freeway to P.V. as is was. lol Had a mobile tech do it next day at the house.
My catlike reflexes saved me again (grin)
Also, learn how to drive with them, light signals etc -- truckers can help you in many ways...They can be helpful. When I'm too tired to fight the traffic, I'll get behind a big-rig going slightly under the speed limit and hang back the minimum safe distance. Tailgaiters quickly pass me because they know they can't force the truck to speed up, and it's rare for someone to cut in front of me, since we're under the limit. It's not the fastest way to travel, but it's fairly stress-free.
p.s. ...This was at 70 MPH!
Some years back I had a "dead gator" (Truck tire tread) get kicked up by a truck in front of me a lane over and nail my windshield, dead center, while I was in the fast lane doing 65/70 on Fwy 5 in Orange Co CA ...while the windshield shattered I was lucky in it held together, but I couldn't see a thing out...I was able to get stopped safely...but very hairy few minute there
You really got to watch out..and still thing happen
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.