Truck no more

[22hemi13]

I'm a UPS Driver. Have been for 35 years.

You NEVER swerve for any critter.

And when someone crashes because they claim to have swerved for a critter, lots of big red flags go up.

It’s hard. I tell my wife around where we’ve always lived. Only thing you need to swerve for is a person or a horse. Everything else it’s straight on and sorry bout ya. But that’s easier said than done

 

[RLJ10X]

If the dog is on the road, in your path, you hit the dog. The dog’s owner is then liable for any damage to your vehicle.

There are people, right now thinking, “No big deal, the insurance company will pay for it.”
But ultimately, the customers will pay for it.

I see 8-10 vehicles off I64 a year. They smash into trees, embankments, guard rails. Usually a cell phone is involved.

 

[Darth]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rsteph]

Tree 1...Truck 0

 

[CG2742]

Naw I rather not kill a dog. Truck is just dollars and insurance. Hitting deer doing 60-70 is different going that fast. I drove 18 wheelers for a while and have drove straight through things, as you can’t make major corrections in a big truck. I was going 30, sun in eyes, just swerved. It’s a wide road but I was closer to curb than I thought. Not sure about red flags. Never had accident before.

 

[TruckNut]

Wow, glad you and tree are OK. Looks like you will be vehicle shopping soon.

 

[QwikKota]

Glad everyone is ok, trucks can always be replaced!

So can dogs. Not risking my kid's lives to save an animal.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

 

[CG2742]

If I had my kids story would have been different. Just me, I didn’t care as much lol. However insurance totaled it. Probably going for new model even though exterior isn’t as nice to me.

 

[buddy guy]

not sure i could do a straight on collision unless I had next to zero notice. I've spent so many years on 4 and 2 wheels doing swerving to avoid situations I think its too deeply ingrained.

 

[GsRAM]

First off, glad all is ok.
Sorry to see that happen to your truck...and i agree. Why not look for a 19 or 20 classic if you like that body style?

 

[huntergreen]

I would always try to swerve to not hit a dog.

 

[muddy12]

Years ago, early morning drive to work, kids and wife in the van (had a Honda Odyssey at the time), driving east with the sun just starting to break the horizon. There was another car, about 1/8mile ahead of me. There was also a pony that had gotten loose. The pony tried to cross the road, and the car in front of me, clipped the pony with his driver side mirror. The pony fell down, and was laying in the center of my lane.
Because of the time of day, the pony was concealed from my view by the shadows caused by the rise/fall of the road.

I did not see the pony until we were on top of it. The road was a narrow two lane, and we were in an area with ditches and houses on both sides, so I had nowhere to swerve to. I hit the brakes, and was able to get slowed down a little, bit we hit and went completely up and over the pony.

Anyway, what I’m trying to get to, is that afterwards, I was talking to my insurance agent, and was informed that had I swerved and hit something else (house, telephone pole, fence, etc...) it would have been my fault and not covered by my insurance policy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Valkyrie0002]

My young cousin swerved to miss a dog on a 2 lane country road back in the late 80s. She suffers from permanent brain damage and partial paralysis from the collision with a huge tree in a front yard. Should have hit the dog!

 

[RawMew]

Glad your okay.

 

[CG2742]

Welp just went and bought 2019 1500 crew cab Laramie. Interior sold me and back seat area is huuuge. Great for kids.

 

[DirtyWipers]

Welp just went and bought 2019 1500 crew cab Laramie. Interior sold me and back seat area is huuuge. Great for kids.

Nobody was hurt = blessed
Dogs ok = blessed
Driving a brand new Ram = blessed

Sounds like you're blessed bro! Congrats on the new ride!

 

[gfh77665]

So what did that tree do to deserve that? Glad no one is hurt.

Not sure the tree noticed much.

 

[gfh77665]

My young cousin swerved to miss a dog on a 2 lane country road back in the late 80s. She suffers from permanent brain damage and partial paralysis from the collision with a huge tree in a front yard. Should have hit the dog!

We love animals too but I told all my kids when I was teaching them to drive to just hit them and no swerving. I cannot replace my kids.

 

[FRED Pirelli]

Years ago, early morning drive to work, kids and wife in the van (had a Honda Odyssey at the time), driving east with the sun just starting to break the horizon. There was another car, about 1/8mile ahead of me. There was also a pony that had gotten loose. The pony tried to cross the road, and the car in front of me, clipped the pony with his driver side mirror. The pony fell down, and was laying in the center of my lane.
Because of the time of day, the pony was concealed from my view by the shadows caused by the rise/fall of the road.

I did not see the pony until we were on top of it. The road was a narrow two lane, and we were in an area with ditches and houses on both sides, so I had nowhere to swerve to. I hit the brakes, and was able to get slowed down a little, bit we hit and went completely up and over the pony.

Anyway, what I’m trying to get to, is that afterwards, I was talking to my insurance agent, and was informed that had I swerved and hit something else (house, telephone pole, fence, etc...) it would have been my fault and not covered by my insurance policy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd get a new insurance agent. Lot of people swerve to avoid obstacles in the road.

 

[muddy12]

I'd get a new insurance agent. Lot of people swerve to avoid obstacles in the road.

Oh I did. Started shopping around later that day, and as soon as the van was fixed, we switched companies.
Although, while looking for a new company, I was surprised to learn that there are several companies that had similar clauses in their policies.
If memory serves, it was something to the effect of: If you hit it, it's a road hazard, and is covered. If you swerve and loose control or hit something, it's driver fault/error and may or may not be covered.

life lesson: make sure to read the fine print.