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I ran a Ford 350 into a light pole rather than hit the back end of a Pinto with kids in it.....that was a long time ago. Still glad I made that choice.

I hope I don't jinx myself

The last accident, ie flooded truck was in 2004. As far as my insurance goes my record is spotless. Ditto on the following too closely, my current truck tips the scales @ 12860#, so it takes a second or two to stop. I do my best to remember the 3-second rule in following others and that just because I can get there quicker doesn't mean I should. It is really bothersome that because I give a fairly large gap between me & the car in front of me, a good number of people try to squeeze into that gap. Some people don't realize what it takes to stop a 7 ton vehicle, especially if they only drive a 1 to 2 ton car. Oh well I'm done gritching, it is Saturday morning & I get to drive 50 miles to a warm dairy case....yeah for Commercial Refrigeration! Double yeah for OT!!!

Originally Posted by Wolfer

I suppose I feel different about rear ending another car. I always (personal and business) keep proper distance between the car in front of me and myself. If weather sucks I give more. I just have always made that my own personal policy. In most states if you hit someone in the rear its your fault so.

Bingo a 3/4 Ton truck that weighs 7,000 lbs. won't stop nearly as fast as a 2,000 Lb. compact car. You know how much distance you need to get your truck safely stoped at a given speed.

I suppose I feel different about rear ending another car. I always (personal and business) keep proper distance between the car in front of me and myself. If weather sucks I give more. I just have always made that my own personal policy. In most states if you hit someone in the rear its your fault so.

Originally Posted by thrashme

Fresh out of school 1982, running service out of a little truck. My boss co-signed so I could sub from him...late nite + 21 yrs old + not real bright + alcohol = 1 trashed truck & 1 nite in jail

I guess I dont feel so bad.My wreck happened on the way to a job early in the morn.I was wide awake just couldn't stop.My van has 87K miles on it and the breaks haven't been checked.I should of had them checked.May have prevented my wreck.

An ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh SHHHHHHHHHHHHXXXXXXXTTTTTT

Fresh out of school 1982, running service out of a little truck. My boss co-signed so I could sub from him...late nite + 21 yrs old + not real bright + alcohol = 1 trashed truck & 1 nite in jail

Doing a remodel at an Albertson's several years back. Could only work when store was closed 2200-0600. Left for work at 2030 hrs, some rain on my way in. Storm knocked out power & went home early. Return route same as going to work, but hit about 4'of water, truck died and I was stuck. By the time a wrecker came I was standing on the toolboxes. He did not have enough cable to tow me out, so I waded out. Went back the next morning & truck was covered to the top of the ladder rack, 3/4 t chevy sliverado. Not fired, but never, never lived it down! Well, I left to start my own company 6 months later.

Rearended a car in my old van the same afternoon the boss was going to pick up my new truck . He actually still gave it to me couldnt believe it the reck was actually my all my fault.

I had a supervisor tell me to put around 20 pieces of 2"x10' black pipe on my ladder rack left over from a gas pipe job. I told him the ladder rack wouldn't hold the weight and even if it did I had no good way to tie them down... He was the one to get a bunch of bungie cords and tied them down. I made it to the 1st stop light when the car in front of me slammed on their brakes....

15 or so of the 20 pieces came crashing down on the front windshield, I thought I was a done for, I dove between the seats and screamed like a little girl. When it was all said and done the weight had forced the entire windshield into the interior, crushed the A posts and collapsed the roof inwards. I have no idea where the car went that slammed it's brakes on? I figured I just speared some guy in the back of the head with 2" pipe but they were gone. The police ticketed me for a "unsafe load" which was picked up by the owner of the company. I was never reprimanded as others witnessed me advising against this plan and one nurse who witnessed the accident and saw the car slam on it's brakes stopped to help and gave a statement to the police.

It was one of the scariest accidents I have ever had while on the job. I never did talk to the supervisor again, I always had a chip on my shoulder when he was around. He tried to apologize about a month later at a company Christmas party, I just walked away from him.

I got run off of the road and stomped by three guys within an inch of my life ( 3500 Chevy van less than 3000 miles , van was total loss ). I was having problems with a neighbor and he took it to another level...extreme but true. This happend 11 years ago and I still think about it every day.

I've hit deer in every other work truck I have been in , it's always at least 5,000 dollars in a Chevy van on the front end damage.

My insurance for my personal vehicle covers me in any vehicle I'm driving. I've offered it every time I've damaged a work truck and each time I'm told not to worry about it.

Get better auto insurance than you need ( personal ) and " DRIVE IT LIKE YOU OWN IT " .

About ten years ago I was in excramento, going down a road straight as an arrow for about 5 miles. Speed limit was 50 and thats about what I was doing when this c**t in a jetta blows a stop sign right in front of me. Planted my BIG ford van on the drivers door still doing close to 50. What a mess, she's knocked out I'm kind of beat up roof rack flew 45 feet. Squashed her up pretty good. Had to cut her out and took her away in a heilo. Several witnesses put me in the clear with the cops.

I hate lawyers!

About 3 months later, this C**T has the balls to try to sue me and the company for, get this, $11,000,000.00! Yep, 11 million bucks! It did not go well for her. C**T!

Originally Posted by craig1

I had deer whistles for a few years and hit more deer in that time than ever before or after. I think they sold me deer mating call whistles

Maybe if you put them on backwards they are deer callers? lol

I had deer whistles for a few years and hit more deer in that time than ever before or after. I think they sold me deer mating call whistles

Originally Posted by jdavis72

Get deer whistles. Got 'em on my personal truck, and never have had a problem. My father-in-law, who drove a semi for years, swore by 'em. Just be sure to take 'em off before you drive out to your favourite hunting spot.

I caught a deer at highway speed and the first thing blown off the bumper was my deer whistles. Didn't do much for me

I hate talking about this

1.Second day on the job picked up an astro van full of filters for the semi annual pms couldn't fit all the boxes in the van had to go back for three more boxes coming back some taxi driver side swipes me trys claiming it was my fault pictures said different that i took he was stopped on the other side of the lines in my lanes 2500 worth of damage to astro van.

2.three weeks later dropping off a part for some plumbers in a ****ty one way alley somebody backs into me took off hit and run on me i took the fall saying it was my fault
Boss says to me one more company policy you are gone.

3.Month later going to get a oil change on the truck backed into somebody didnt see them at all new i was done.

Awesome money bad luck only accidents I have ever been in in my life.

Originally Posted by genesis

Unfortunately this was your first and most likely wont be your last. When you are on the road as much as an HVAC tech is the numbers are against you. Sooner or later it happens.

SSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

had an early 90's ford 250 van with abs (first generation?). stopping that overloaded vehicle on a damp road was like trying to stop a ten speed bike on a sheet of ice. warned the orifice and took it to several mechanics - no help.
needless to say that buggy's life ended in the rear of a continental.
the very next ride got totaled in a collision with a van full of undocumented workers. it was like 'keystone kops', how many east europeans came out of the van and ran for the hills

right.

Originally Posted by Dowadudda

I hit one recently

u did not hit it.....It hit you

Originally Posted by jdavis72

Get deer whistles. Got 'em on my personal truck, and never have had a problem. My father-in-law, who drove a semi for years, swore by 'em. Just be sure to take 'em off before you drive out to your favourite hunting spot.

Yeagh, a lot of guys swear by them. I grew up in WI where deer are very plentiful. Everyone has those deer whistles on their trucks, and they still hit em.

I hit one recently, about 55 MPH. That friggen thing come out of nowhere. It just popped right out of the low lying brush on the shoulder of the road. It's hard to say if a whistle would have stopped it. Any way. Brand New Chevy 1 ton. The front crumpled like an accordion. The auto body shop had the van for over a month. It still don't seem right, have some electronics issues.