STL, what an extraordinary experience! Glad to know you made it out of there
alive if only for some pain and bruises. Hey man, you got a gift from above.
Don't forget to thank him anyway you know how. Just thinking about how that
tranny got in reverse.... Man what a gift........
"Steven St.Laurent" wrote:
> Well this morning I stopped at the light on Bobier and East Vista Way, in
> Vista California. While waiting at the light to make a left turn, I happen
> to just look down doing something, for which I cannot remember, then
> BAMMMMM. It sounded like a loud bang when I wake up from either being dazed
> or passed out.
>
> What happened after still being in the car facing in the right lane
> on-coming traffic, someone apparently either lost control going threw an
> intersection or hydro-plane doing 50 mph or greater. While at a still stand
> still, the truck flew backwards over 100 feet down the road.
>
> At the time as I looked around after regaining my composure, no glasses on,
> could not even find them, I was looking around to see if the truck had cabin
> damage meaning FIRE. The Club cab was filled with smoke and I didn't know
> for sure what was happening. Yet, here in California, like road kill, no
> seemed to stop to help or ask any question (this is more apparent than ever
> over the last few years) while I was in their slow lane facing them. This is
> a sad note for those individual found that rushing to work was more
> important than a person life.
>
> However, I looked around the cabin, found my glasses lying in the passenger
> area, along with my cell phone, I looked at the car (A Rodeo) down the road
> still in my lane sitting there. I was wondering if he or she was still
> alive so I managed to open the door and stumble out of the vehicle. This
> took me more than five minutes since everything seemed to hurt.
>
> As I walked to the curb, the other driver finally managed to get out of the
> car and the front of the Rodeo was gone completely. The Dakota 4.7 front
> was smashed but the crumple zone looked great as it just wrinkle back
> compared to the Rodeo. He finally walked over and asked with an Spanish
> accent if everything was Ok. I looked at him and found no injuries meaning
> blood, broken bones etc after seeing his truck. Did I screamed or yelled,
> even call him names? No. I just felt sorry for him and hope he wasn't
> injured either. I asked him what happen and with the few words I could
> gather that he must of hydro-plane and did not see me there. Didn't even
> brake before impact the front of the truck.
>
> Then I looked and inspected the Dodge and found that the cabin, driver door,
> where completely intact. The front was smashed beyond the radiator area
> that the hood did buckle enough that you could see inside the engine area. I
> managed to call the 911 and the Sheriff showed up after five minutes. The
> sheriff ask me what happen but I could not tell him since I did not know.
> He asked me if the truck could move on it own power enough to move reverse
> to the curb since traffic was building up for morning rush hour.
>
> So I limped to the truck and got in and looked at the dash board and saw the
> transmission was on the Reverse mark. I look again , then again, it was in
> REVERSE. Hmm. That strange, I thought, but get this? It started up with
> the radiator fan cladding and it was still working. Just amazing. Just
> amazing...
>
> The Dodge Dakota suffered a 50 mph plus STAND STILL FRONTAL IMPACT and still
> operational. The driver airbag did deployed and the left side of my face
> felt painful. My right knee swelled up on the inside portion like a
> baseball since I had short on. I know! It is California in me wearing
> shorts. Inside the middle console, everything was smashed (CDs, plastic
> things). That was odd also since the dash board looked normal.
>
> Anyway, my wife took me to the hospital and they did a MRI CAT scan, X-ray,
> and did some checking around the body. My left arm felt funny also. I was
> then released four hours later and was told I was very lucky to be alive.
>
> Anyway, seeing the transmission marker in reverse, at just the time before
> impact looked down at something on the floor, I felt as if someone seemed to
> be helping me before the impact. Applying the law of physics, the
> transmission being in reverse must of helped the frontal impact absorbing
> the on-coming vehicle.
>
> I am glad to be alive but the Dak? I will not know until Monday to find out
> what will happen. The other guy? Expired insurance since last November
> 1999. Am I mad? No..I still believe there is angel watching over me and a
> God who loves me enough (tears) to save me from this car wreck.
>
> I have already preparing to purchased another Dakota with a 4.7, 5-speed,
> and the full treatment, to include the 17x9 rims from the factory. I have
> already sent an e-mail requesting a quote from my five-star dealer who takes
> time to have a real relationship with there customers (Jack Powell
> Chrysler). After seeing Ron's quad cab, well, this is my next choice.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> Steven St.Laurent
> 2000 Dakota 4.7 Hemi (WRECKED)
> 1999 Chevy (gone in 2003)
> 1993 Tracker (still going...going)
> 2000 Roush Mustang Stage II (sold) TT
> ----------->:)
> Aspiring for the next toys:
> 2003 Dakota Hemi R/T
> 2003 GTS-R Viper
-- DML profile: http://www.twistedbits.net/WWWProfile/dakota/UwHhKURBBnMA6
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 11:58:34 EDT