[Coco] Re: The Lucky CoCoNut

[Gene Heskett]

On Thursday 23 February 2006 08:40, Richard E. Crislip wrote:
>Hello Roger
>
>Yeah... I can recall a motorcycle accident that should have done me in
> 30 years ago just like it happened yesterday. The lesson for me was,
> "don't smoke maryjane while riding 8-).

So do I.  Twice, in a 2 week time span back in spring 1984, I'm sitting 
on a suzi 550 in Ashland KY, at the same light in front of the Big Bear 
grocery store, look into the mirrors and see a car coming up behind me 
with no indication of a slowdown and stop for the light.  And twice I 
kicked myself over onto the right side and gave it an ounce of good 
gulf, jumping the curb into the parking lot, and then getting stopped, 
and turning around to see that both the vehicle in front of me, and the 
one I saw in the mirrors, totalled with heavy personal injury to the 
driver of the rear vehicle in both cases.

Yeah, I've got an angel, the same one that gave me enough stuff to kick 
my way free about 10 years ago when the transmitter tried to 
electrocute me.  I give my angel thanks everytime I think about those 
times, or the time when I'm on an old leaky (they all did) Honda 350F, 
making about 9500 revs (that little sewing machine sized engines sweet 
spot) in 2nd or 3rd gear coming up to the top of Freedonner Pass on the 
road between Susanville and Chester California.  Leaning heavily into a 
30 mph crosswind, I was maybe 2" from putting the left peg into the 
pavement as I topped that piece of 4 lane each way road.  At the exact 
top, and in the middle of this long sweeper of an 90 mph curve, the 
wind switched to about the same 30 mph pushing me down where before it 
was holding me up.  The left peg got shortened about 1/4", but the 
tires held, and I used all 4 of those lanes getting it picked back up, 
but pick it up I did.  I still don't know how, but I thank Dunlop for 
making some awfully sticky tires, and an angel that managed to keep me 
from collecting a whole lot of road rash that day.

I was still smoking then, but it was only tobacco, and I had to have one 
before continueing my journey all 3 times.  I should remember the 
brand, but since I haven't had one in 17 years now, those details are 
not only fuzzy, but a never mind, its not important now.

As for ditchweed, I can't say as it ever effected me one way or the 
other in the several times I tried it.

>On 02/23/2006, Roger Taylor wrote:
>> With all kidding aside, there is a very lucky CoCoNut among us
>> today...
>>
>> This morning, I was on my way to work on Interstate 20 and I had a
>> bad accident.  It was raining so I was doing 60-65 instead of the
>> usual 70 through this area and also watching the bridges for ice.  I
>> later learned  it was not cold enough for ice, but the slick roads
>> were just as dangerous  for vehicles with balding tires.  My back
>> tires have been overinflated so  the center surface was pretty
>> slick.
>>
>> When I came off of one of the bridges I noticed my truck fishtailing
>> to the  left just maybe a few inches.  It was small but noticeable. 
>> I let off of  the gas and kept the wheel straight to see if I was
>> ok, but the truck  fishtailed again in the other direction a tad. 
>> At this point I knew I was  probably hydroplaning but I didn't know
>> what move to make next to keep from  overcorrecting. The truck kept
>> sliding back and forth at the rear until it  got out of control and
>> I started sliding off of the road, still doing  65.  I was not about
>> to steer towards the treeline at my speed.   When I  knew I was
>> bound for the trees across the ditch I braced for death.  I 
>> extended my arms out tight and dropped my head and started yelling
>> No. When  I hit the steep ditch my truck started flipping end over
>> end.  The rear of  the truck came up and over and I rolled this way
>> until I slammed into the  trees.
>>
>> When I was rolling, I remember thinking just for a second "I'm about
>> to die, here it comes".  There is no way to describe it but the
>> picture is stuck in my head like it is still happening.  I impacted
>> very hard and the  truck came to a rest back on 4 wheels.  At this
>> point I thought I was  dead.  But the first instinct besides asking
>> yourself are you really alive  or dead is to get out of the truck
>> quick in case a fire starts and you get  trapped.  So I beat the
>> door open and jumped out. I used my cel to dial 911.
>>
>> People, I walked away from this accident and I was not wearing a
>> seat belt.  I normally do, but for some reason I forgot to put it
>> on.  The truck  was still running and my wipers were going,
>> headlights on, etc. when the  trooper and ambulance showed up.  I
>> was in the E.R. from 4:30am to 8:30am  doing xrays and the usual. 
>> They sent me home with some prescriptions for  pain but I haven't
>> taken anything yet and I've been walking around trying  to keep
>> soreness from setting in.  But tonight I have a feeling it's gonna 
>> get me while I'm sleeping, so I'm going to take my medicine and hope
>> I can  get up and walk in the morning.  So, there won't be any CoCo
>> work today or  tomorrow most likely.
>>
>> People, drive safe, wear your seat belts, and keep good tires on
>> your vehicle.
>>
>>
>> Roger Taylor
>
>Regards
>--
>Cruising on AutoPilot                        |
>        With an Amiga           ---o-o-O-o-o---  and a CoCo

-- 
Cheers, Gene
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Copyright 2006 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved.