A wake up call - literally!

Thankful you are ok Andy. Over the years I had two professors die in separate incidents- both fell asleep. I know I have a guardian Angel cause for a good 15 years I was always intoxicated-never an accident- not even a DUI. I was young and foolish but since sober I’ve had three incidents I was forced off road by careless drivers and I’ve gone off road three times my own carelessness. Just banged up vehicles- one left my car much as you described. I was on a date and she was “distracting me “ and next thing you know the side of my car was eating wood.
 
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DO...NOT...EVER...try to reenact planes..trains..and automobiles. The (real life) movie isn't funny. My friend..you were granted more time to lay down a groove now play it like you are lucky to play one.
 
Glad you're ok, Andy! I get a bag of shelled peanuts and/or some cookies and a soda before each gig, in case I need it to keep busy on late drives. In a pinch, I'll call my wife and she'll talk to me until I'm close enough to home.
 
I get the pleasure of driving at night with little sleep at times when I'm on call. The trick I use to keep awake is to eat sunflower seeds while driving. Bring an empty bottle of water with you to spit the shells into. The act of cracking a handful of seeds in your mouth keeps me awake as it's active and keeps your brain engaged.
 
So glad you are OK @Andy !
On a busy road that could have been far worse, too!

I tell everyone to get a dashcam. As @wraub stated (insurance)...and psychos.
I installed mine two weeks after I got my car. Two weeks after that someone lost a LOT of random...I don't know what...ahead of the people ahead of me on a three lane. Had nowhere to go. People on both sides and behind me.
Slight damage to the underside of my car, not worth making a claim, but had it been worse...
One flying piece looked like small ladder. One like a piece of (muffler) pipe(?). I was going about 75 MPH.
Down the road about a mile, the lady with her disabled car, talking to the cop...I asked if she was where I was...something from that scene there pierced her radiator.

Stay over, pull over and rest, anything but the alternative.
The world NEEDS jammers like you!
 
Glad you're still among us. Thanks for the warning. I'm not getting any younger and I have limits.
 
It's quite clear from replies here that this is not an uncommon occurance. Thankfully many are near misses, but all too often not.

If my post serves to encourage just one person to think twice, it's been well worth it.

My next gig is another circa 3 hour drive. Worse, it's a full gear setup & breakdown show, & I'm towing a 2 ton box trailer. Booking accommodation anywhere near the event is close to impossible (or impossibly expensive), so I'll be sleeping in the car. At least it means I can chill & have a few beers later in the evening.

Thanks again for the best wishes,

Andy.
 
Andy said:
Nah, it's full to the roof with gear :(

& that's an additional hazard. If the car hits something solid, the trailer is likely to do a lot of unwelcome inertia damage!
Click to expand...
Never underestimate inertia.
 
wraub said:
Never underestimate inertia.
Click to expand...
Oh yes! A long time ago, work colleague was crushed by a propane cyliner he had in the back of his station wagon. A relatively modest impact, but enough for the cylinder to come clean through the rear seats of the car & strike him at neck height.

Every time I load the car, I do so with flying stuff in mind. I put all the big / lightweight soft stuff directly behind me as a barrier (Protection Racket AAA cases), all the heavy metal stuff low down, & stuff on top of it as a further barrier. It's not going to help much in a really big crash, but it buys a bit of headroom. Ideally, we'd all drive something with a heavily reinforced bulkhead, but life --------
 
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