MadtownPacker
03-30-2007, 02:58 PM
Last night I was driving on the fast lane of a 2 lane highway here in Cali. I approached an overpass at about 70 MPH. This is a place I have driven by many times. From about a mile back I could see police lights on the over pass. You could tell it was an accident and I keep on my way. As I got under the shadow of the overpass I saw something in the roadway and tried to steer around it but was unable to clear it.
My driver side front tire instantly blew up and my car pulled in that direction onto the gravel median of the highway. The tire caught and started to slide but I held tight and drove through it. It took me about 150-200ft to come to a complete stop. Luckily no cars where around me or they might have crash from all the dirt.
I looked in front of me and they was a white Chevy truck with a flat too! I got off and cussed a grip. I called 911 and started walking back to the overpass and then I saw this there.
http://www.packerrats.com/images/road1.jpg
http://www.packerrats.com/images/road2.jpg
If you look in the background where it came from.
So I look up at the police who are looking down at me and they ask if Im OK. I hyped to the max and let them know Im cool and if they saw me hang tight when I got the blow out. One of them replied that he sure did. While still on the phone I grabbed the rail and pulled it back. I figured someone might hit it again. That would be good and they might also bash into my car. It was hell of heavy and I kinda had to drag it sideways. Today my arm and leg are sore as hell. The pic above is where I moved it.
Turns out some drunken idiot hit the side of the walkway rail and knocked out a big piece. The PD tells me the highway patrol has to come out because it happened on the highway. At this point the driver of the truck has come back and is all pissed off about his truck. We go back to our vehicles and then a highway patrol gets there and we walked back to the overpass. He ends up telling us that he will file a report if we want but it is going to be us at fault for not driving at a speed safe enough to avoid hitting something. I wasn’t surprised and we both declined to file a report.
So the cop holds his flashlight as I put on my spare. I dont even know if the car has damage underneath but it drove fine. Today I went by there and there is still a big ass piece hanging over and the piece I hit is still on the side of the road. I called to tell them about it and ask who I should file a claim with and was told to contact Caltrans. I told them that they should have looked out for public safety after the first car hit it. Then I was told the officers might not have seen it. I told them it was more then one car and that I had moved it myself. They said they appreciated that and gave me the number to there claim dept but said it wasn’t gonna be their thing.
So I out a tire and rim for now unless there is more damage. Not too bad I guess. I am gonna see about pursuing this but I doubt I will get compensated. I do intend on finding out when the DUI driver goes to court. Im gonna ask if there is any way this chump can get a month in jail for almost killing two people.
Am I wrong?
My driver side front tire instantly blew up and my car pulled in that direction onto the gravel median of the highway. The tire caught and started to slide but I held tight and drove through it. It took me about 150-200ft to come to a complete stop. Luckily no cars where around me or they might have crash from all the dirt.
I looked in front of me and they was a white Chevy truck with a flat too! I got off and cussed a grip. I called 911 and started walking back to the overpass and then I saw this there.
http://www.packerrats.com/images/road1.jpg
http://www.packerrats.com/images/road2.jpg
If you look in the background where it came from.
So I look up at the police who are looking down at me and they ask if Im OK. I hyped to the max and let them know Im cool and if they saw me hang tight when I got the blow out. One of them replied that he sure did. While still on the phone I grabbed the rail and pulled it back. I figured someone might hit it again. That would be good and they might also bash into my car. It was hell of heavy and I kinda had to drag it sideways. Today my arm and leg are sore as hell. The pic above is where I moved it.
Turns out some drunken idiot hit the side of the walkway rail and knocked out a big piece. The PD tells me the highway patrol has to come out because it happened on the highway. At this point the driver of the truck has come back and is all pissed off about his truck. We go back to our vehicles and then a highway patrol gets there and we walked back to the overpass. He ends up telling us that he will file a report if we want but it is going to be us at fault for not driving at a speed safe enough to avoid hitting something. I wasn’t surprised and we both declined to file a report.
So the cop holds his flashlight as I put on my spare. I dont even know if the car has damage underneath but it drove fine. Today I went by there and there is still a big ass piece hanging over and the piece I hit is still on the side of the road. I called to tell them about it and ask who I should file a claim with and was told to contact Caltrans. I told them that they should have looked out for public safety after the first car hit it. Then I was told the officers might not have seen it. I told them it was more then one car and that I had moved it myself. They said they appreciated that and gave me the number to there claim dept but said it wasn’t gonna be their thing.
So I out a tire and rim for now unless there is more damage. Not too bad I guess. I am gonna see about pursuing this but I doubt I will get compensated. I do intend on finding out when the DUI driver goes to court. Im gonna ask if there is any way this chump can get a month in jail for almost killing two people.
Am I wrong?