San Diego Highwayman WRECKED! Beulah KIA 08/10/11

[theHighwayman]

tDAY -- approx 1400 hours NB I-5 transition to NB SR163

Shela & I are OK -- SAR rig likely totaled

[Biker395]

tDAY -- approx 1400 hours NB I-5 transition to NB SR163

Shela & I are OK -- SAR rig likely totaled

Oh no!

What happened?

[MountainNut]

Sorry to hear that. I take it you weren't hurt (much, or at all)?

[Sierra Lady]

Oh my gosh, Highwayman...how scary! Glad neither you or Shela are hurt, but probably shaken up. Do tell us what happened when you're up to it.

Poor SAR rig. How can we help get you back out on the freeways helpin' folks?

[Biker395]

Oh, that sucks.

I'll confess something else here, Highwayman. I love your SAR rig, but there is a dark side to driving an auto with 1950s technology ... safety. Even fairly low speed crashes can inflict serious injuries in those older cars. Simple things like the steering wheel, the rear view mirror, seats that aren't bolted down as well ... all kinds of stuff we all take for granted today. Kinda concerning.

I hope the SAR wagon survives, but it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to get an auto with some updated safety features.

I'll bet Sheila would love a Subie.

[2NAKLLR]

OTOH, those steel cars can destroy anything else on the road w/ little damage. I want to see the other car.

[SurfnSnowboard]

Oh wow that's crazy I just drove past Highwayman's roost yesterday and smiled as I checked out the SAR wagon. So sad to see it destroyed but glad you and Sheila are okay Highwayman. Maybe time to call Turko agin

[mspamelablythe]

Sad face, glad everyone's ok....

[onegoodturn]

Glad you are okay Hman.

Coulda been worse. Think '60s VW van SAR vehicle.

[Biker395]

OTOH, those steel cars can destroy anything else on the road w/ little damage. I want to see the other car.

That's what I would have thought, but remember this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g

[2NAKLLR]

Ouch. Poor Bel-Air.
And poor SAR rig. Hope you get back on the roads soon Highwayman!

[theHighwayman]

Sadly, short of a complete redo -- which is somethin I am unable to effect mself I'm afraid it's totaled

funny what sudden impact kin do -- my loadin-packin stratigies of my equipment w this possibility in mind, over the years, payed off purty well, in that while lotsa things shifted forward, nuthin impacted Shela or me to injure us -- odd thing -- compressed air tank in the very back was upside down -- also my wheeled service jack stowed behind tool box behind driver's seat got upside down as well



lotsa things scattered around & thrown forward



hate ta think what mighta happened if the rig had got rolled tho

[theHighwayman]

thanks fer the well wishes ya'll

I'm thankfull no one was seriously hurt

been ponderin on this --

not really shure what happened -- went inta the transition from NB I-5 to NB SR163 prepared, as always, to encounter stopped traffic on the ramp -- noticed a vehicle w hazards flashin on the gore point, left side, goin in -- I was in the #1 lane decellin when, of a sudden, there was a WHUMP and outta the corner of my eye, I saw Shela fly towards the windshield -- harness saved her -- attempted to brake HARD -- to no effect -- a second WHUMP and rig's nose buried in the rear of a second vehicle --

I've been stewin bout it ever since -- it don't make sense how it happened --

first thing I did was check on status of other drivers -- both women -- no visible injuries but both got transported --

1st vehicle ended up on RS a considerable distance down the road -- second vehicle on LS w rig's nose jammned into it's rear -- possible 3rd vehicle "touched" by second [ no visible damage to either ] stopped a short distance in fronta the second

when help arrived, [ took bout 15 min ] I paced off back *up* the offramp hill lookin at the "trail" to try and decipher if there had been somethin slick on the road surface -- looked like there mighta been -- but then why didn't anyone else slide inta me?

most likely scenario I kin come up w, besides there havin bein spilled coolant from an earlier TC there, is that the first impacted vehicle changed lanes from right to left in fronta me and braked hard, jist as I glanced at-was distracted by the disabled vehicle in the gore point -- cause I *know* I had more then adequate stoppin distance to the second vehicle --

brakes failed on the rig -- pedal to the floor -- discovered when we went to move it to git it onta the rollback tow -- most likely, the first impact broke the hydraulic line at the master cyl when the fender crumpled -- which would explain why I couldn't avoid hittin the second vehicle --

I'm devastated by this --

[2NAKLLR]

Don't be too hard on yourself HWM. You've been out on the roads long enough to know they're called accidents.

[Photoho]

Sorry to hear this Highwayman.