Bill P. (Semilivemusic) and I decided to take a trip to Lufkin, TX too see Don Patterson and play with some of his toys, including Audya 4, today. We had a great visit, stopped for supper and headed home.
I'm driving along at 60 MPH on a highway outside Carthage, TX. Road is clear ahead except for a car coming in the other lane.
Seemingly out of nowhere a huge section of a tree fell directly into our path. It hit the road seconds before I hit it. Couldn't swerve because of the car coming, but probably didn't have time anyway. We emerged from the other side with no damage to either of us, but quite a bit to the car. I thought Bill was going to have a heart attack or at the least mess his pants.
We called 911 and then tried to slow other traffic as the tree covered at least half the road.
They sent Deputies, a Highway Patrol car and a guy to saw up the tree and clear the road.
Two nice girls were in a car right behind us and stopped to offer help. (I think Bill got their phone numbers). Anyway the car was able to run o.k., the THP officer said the tree was at fault, not us., and we were back on the road in about an hour.
We are blessed to be ALIVE, much less unhurt. Insurance will fix the car.
Moral: we don't know when our time will be up. If the tree had fallen five feet farther out, if we had hit a little bigger branch (some of them were two feet in diameter, if I had jerked the wheel to the left and hit the other car--so many things had to go right to counteract this one thing that went wrong. Someone was watching over us. Coulda been Nigel, but I think it was someone higher up!!
DonM

wow !! Glad you are all ok.

Hell Don, that was a close shave, glad you and SL came out of it OK, no Nigel is the Moderator not the Creator. I had a similar incident when I was drunk about 40 years back and this sheep jump out at me and made me run my car into a tree, it never stopped to help me!!!

Don, as I read your story I kept waiting for the line in which you would surprise us in tyoically expected DonM fashion to reveal your humourous punchline surprise. Only after I reached the end did I finally realize you were totally serious, and how close to death both you and Bill were. This goes to show how fragile life is and how important it is for us all to take time to stop and smell the roses, including taking time to appreciate the friendhships and bonds we've made on synthzone through the hears. Don and Semilive Bill, I'm thankful and relieved to learn that both you are ok.

I don't know abt the tree, but DonM and Semilive were served diet Dr. Pepper in this establishment!

Close call guys, I think I know the stretch of road. Not much wiggle room! Glad your OK; enjoyed the visit as usual.

Take care,
Don P

Don. Frightening story...but good to know you are both fine.
It's certainly a reminder to get the best out of every day.

I am really glad to hear you guys are ok. I can really relate to unexpected things happening on the road. Like the time in '82 a semi tanker trailer decided to run the stop sign at a kind of blind intersection. I am very lucky to be here after a lengthy recuperation.

The good that came out of it was they finally put in stop lights after my accident. It was on the front page of the newspaper as I lay in the hospital and said it was known as the most dangerous intersection in Wisconsin.

Don:

I suspect someone "Upstairs" was giving you a warning about the company you keep... LOL! If Bill had been at the wheel... that limb would have probably "dead centered" the car.

I've been told that old "Semilive" has a string of women in all the states surrounding Louisiana that would rival Bill Clinton's harem.

Seriously, I'm grateful that you two escaped unharmed... other than frayed nerves.

Dave

Ah, this thing called life, eh?

Glad you two came through it, ok...

Yep, that truly was a close call. A lot of things could have changed 1% and we could have been dead. And there was no weather, it was calm, the tree just fell. Beats me. We're in the worst drought in recent history, maybe that has something to do with it.

Sally Maye and Tommie Sue hope you are fine, Don.

As for freak accidents, a few years back, a friend was mowing his lawn on a riding lawn mower and a tree fell out of the blue and struck him in the back of the head, instantly dead.

Just last week, my first cousin's 23 year old daughter was killed in a car accident.

I am constantly reminded, or puzzled, why we don't have even more accidents. Think about it. You're in a 5,000 lb. missile going 60 mph one way and there is a constant barrage of other ones going the opposite direction about 3' the other side of you. I guess that means it's like you're going 120 mph if you collide? A split second booboo and you're gone. Bring cell phones, alone, into the pic. Not good for homo sapiens.

Be aware!

I was having withdrawal pains from selling my Audya and now, this.

I'm guessing that when all this was going down you weren't thinking about your Audya, were you?

Glad to hear you and SL came out of that with nothing other than frazzled nerves. It's a fine line sometimes guys, for sure. Take care.

Damned beavers!

Gary

Glad you two are OK. Were you in your little Scion?

R.

We were in the Scion XB for sure. Good thing is that a lot of the damaged area is plastic. There didn't appear to be any structural damage, but I haven't had time to really check it out yet. I guess they could have put on my marker, "he died getting 34 mph".
Thanks for all the kind comments!
DonM

I'm so glad you guys are OK!

Omg, you are both so very lucky. It so easily could have been much more serious.

Don and Bill ... sorry to hear the news, but happy about the outcome ... and Don, I am sure NO ONE is happier than Susan ... as for Bill, I am sure there is a bevy of beautiful women who are happy ...

It must have been that Golf God...what's his name ?????? Oh that's right Tiger

Don I am glad both of you are OK and like you said, we never know.

We need to learn to more appreciative of what we have.

Nice to hear no one was hurt.

Gosh, glad you are both all right! Thanks for sharing. -Ted