It can happen anywhere at any time

[UtahPete]

Jane and I went for a beautiful ride yesterday out away from the crazy and dangerous traffic into the countryside. When we got home, this was on the news; it happened just five minutes after we had passed the same spot on SR-56 at Newcastle. It was perfect weather, miles of visibility, dry roads....

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/ar.../#.WhrbHEqnFhE

[Chupaca]

Happens so fast and during this time it's the worst...

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you missed it...

[Lew L]

It wasn't your time Pete. Nova and I have had similar situation a few times at some of Reno's major intersections. Just gotta live life and hope that when your time does come that it's quick. Ya a bit fatalistic I know ------ but all those years on 2 wheels and all those close calls will do that.

Lew L

[UtahPete]

It wasn't your time Pete. Nova and I have had similar situation a few times at some of Reno's major intersections. Just gotta live life and hope that when your time does come that it's quick. Ya a bit fatalistic I know ------ but all those years on 2 wheels and all those close calls will do that. Lew L

Thanks Lew. I think fatalistic is the only sane approach to life. I've just never (knowingly anyway) been that close to being involved in a deadly collision.

[Yazz]

Thanks Lew. I think fatalistic is the only sane approach to life. I've just never (knowingly anyway) been that close to being involved in a deadly collision.

I have and can't forget it...

In the mid '60s, my older sister was driving me home from horseback riding in Ogden, Utah. We were in a Volkswagon Beetle driving down Washington Blvd, which is a four lane road with a center turn lane.

For whatever reason, we could not get around this pokey dump truck. Very frustrating! At the cross street of 7th Ave, our light turned green and the dump truck started into the intersection.

All the sudden this Cadillac type car came speeding across the intersection from 7th Ave, running his red light. He hit the nose of the dump truck and went spinning across the intersection, hitting a light pole on the far side of the road.

If we had passed the dump truck, the car would have hit us. It would have hit the passenger side and thats where I was. Guardian Angels were watching us that day...

"Put the Lime in the Coconut" was playing at that moment.

It was a long time ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

*****

I'm a realist...

[UtahPete]

I have and can't forget it...In the mid '60s, my older sister was driving me home from horseback riding in Ogden, Utah. We were in a Volkswagon Beetle driving down Washington Blvd, which is a four lane road with a center turn lane.

I know exactly where you're talking about. My most vivid memory on Washington Blvd was seeing a bright red bullet bike zipping along, the rider in T-shirt and shorts no helmet, dangling an infant under his left arm. I've always wondered at that; how could anyone be that stupid, careless, reckless with another one's life, etc...?

[UtahPete]

Update; a 19-year-old driving a suburban crossed over into oncoming traffic, hitting a ford focus carrying a family of four. All died (the focus was demolished; the suburban burst into fire, killing the sole occupant). Two-lane desert road at 4:30pm; visibility not an issue. We'll never know why or how this happened.

[mowin]

I could be wrong, but a 19 yr old crossing the center line, I'm thinking paying more attention to the phone then the road.

[JerryB]

Hi Pete,

Re: I've just never (knowingly anyway) been that close to being involved in a deadly collision.

I've been closer. Fifty years ago I was sitting right where you are looking here, next to the pilot:

Airplane Crunch.jpg

To this day, I can still see the blades of grass coming up at me. I ABSOLUTELY knew that I was dead.

All three of us survived; it just was not in the cards then.

Jerry Baumchen

[ARtraveler]

Bottom Line: Be careful out there. Drive like everyone is intentionally out to get you.

Also had a close call, and not our time.

South of Janesville WI. Was taking an "alternate" route to Indiana to avoid the nasty freeway system around Chicago.

Tooling down the highway. It was raining that morning and the roads were very wet. I was going to fast for the conditions. An old farmer in a beat up pickup truck pulled out from a side road in front of me. He realized he made a mistake. Dumped on his brakes. Caused me to do the same. My car (a 72 Plymouth Satellite) quickly locked up and went out of control. We went across the center line and head on into an oncoming van. We ended up on the far side of the road in a ditch. The car was almost totaled. Had wife and 2 toddlers with me. No one was hurt, but we were shaken up big time. It is true, when something like that happens--everything seems to go into slow motion. I remember ducking down and making the statement "we're dead."

Just regular seat belts and no air bags in those days.

[Blue Star]

Bottom Line: Be careful out there. Drive like everyone is intentionally out to get you.

Also had a close call, and not our time.

South of Janesville WI. Was taking an "alternate" route to Indiana to avoid the nasty freeway system around Chicago.

Tooling down the highway. It was raining that morning and the roads were very wet. I was going to fast for the conditions. An old farmer in a beat up pickup truck pulled out from a side road in front of me. He realized he made a mistake. Dumped on his brakes. Caused me to do the same. My car (a 72 Plymouth Satellite) quickly locked up and went out of control. We went across the center line and head on into an oncoming van. We ended up on the far side of the road in a ditch. The car was almost totaled. Had wife and 2 toddlers with me. No one was hurt, but we were shaken up big time. It is true, when something like that happens--everything seems to go into slow motion. I remember ducking down and making the statement "we're dead."

Just regular seat belts and no air bags in those days.

Years ago I was driving my car on the freeway in a light rain, driving a safe speed for the conditions, on a curve in the freeway, and I started to hydroplane towards the left edge of freeway. There was no curb, just dirt when my two left tires made contact with the dirt it swung my car around. As I slid backwards towards the other side of the freeway I remember watching the cars behind me (now in front) slowing down, and thinking how glad I am that they were far enough away that I did not hit them. Finally I slid across the freeway, my drivers side rear tire hit the curb making the car swing around, so I was facing the right direction. One of the drivers behind me stopped to check on me, I was only shook up, but not hurt. The force of impact was so strong it made the rear driver side tire valve stem pop out, so I just drove the car the 75 feet (or so) to the off ramp to change the tire. There was no way I was going to change the tire on the side of the freeway on the traffic side of the car.