Sure wish I'd had them in my truck when I met a wild hog.
http://www.strato.net/~jrdorsey/truck
The wreck pictures start at 'hog damage 1' and 'hog damage 2'. That is
the damage the hog did, the others are the damage that I did.
Also a good case for antilock brakes. Even after all the classes I've
had in emergency vehicle operation, all the knowledge about threshold
braking, all the years of driving firetrucks, ambulances and police
cars, I still managed to lock up the brakes and skid sideways into a
ditch. What you always hear is true, it happens too fast.
The damage doesn't look like that much but I'm lucky to not be
seriously injured, with all the crap I had in the back, a dresser
cabinet, a hundred pound reese equalizer hitch, assorted tools, spare
tire and a 10 inch cast iron frying pan that was on the seat next to me
(it went out the passenger side window).
I landed on the roof on my right side, I couldn't hardly move for two
days, my knee had a lump the size of an orange, couldn't raise my right
arm, or bend my right hip. I couldn't sleep on my right side for a
week, and that's the side I usually sleep on. Three weeks later I'm
pretty much healed, my hip twinges when I move wrong, and my should
aches a little, but mostly I get depressed everytime I look out side
and see my truck all mangled up. All those years of work.
I went down this week and looked at new trucks (it was also the only
tow vehicle I had that could pull my trailer).
I'm thinking about it.
For the price of a new one ton I could probably get this one fixed but
what then? Another hog? I'm just happy that no one was coming the other
direction when I skidded across the road, I could have wiped out a
family of five in their minivan.
I'm really thinking about those antilock brakes on the new ones.
Anyway If you don't have seatbelts I strongly recommend them.
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