That horrible fear you’ve always had of driving in a lane next to a big truck that you thought was just you being kinda dumb and a worrywart? Justified!
(Not that I’ll probably *need* this note as the smoke coming from the wheels of the tippy wobbly semi next to me on 101 left me 100% convinced that fear=survival instinct.)
*edited to add:
My lovely friend Karen pinged me to be sure I wasn’t smushed, so I’d better say that I’m 100% fine, and so is the truck driver dude! The truck didn’t actually tip over, but now I know that my fear of driving next to them at high speed on the freeway is a good thing.
I have that same fear!
And, so does your mother and Mandy at her work…………
So, back in February, I was driving home from Michigan with my dad in the car after one of his chemo treatments. We’re heading north on a highway and all of a sudden, I see … something. Flying through the air. And then it lands. In the left lane of the side of the highway I was on. And bounces. And then another lands right behind it. And bounces some more.
Of course, every one starts freaking out, slamming on brakes and swerving to avoid the TWO HUGE tires from a semi that some how CAME OFF while the truck was driving at roughly 65 to 75 MPH in the southbound lane.
They managed to roll off our side of the road and went into a field, but WOW. Was that scary.
Even scarier? was looking in my rearview mirror and seeing the plume of snow from where the truck landed. It took me easily an hour to come down off that adrenaline rush.
Also? When I was 8 or 9, my sister was learning to drive on a long-distance road trip. As she passed a semi, my mom made some remark about accelerating past the truck in case a tire blows out. I have NEVER forgotten that. And every time I pass a truck, I cast a very suspicious eye at the tires and get the hell away from them before they blow. Yeah, I’m a bit paranoid.