Crazy Coincidence

[Jeff Higgins]

My two sons and I celebrated Fathers' Day today by heading up to our favorite gravel pit to do some plinking and shoot some clay birds. The route there takes us out on our Hwy 530, between the towns of Arlington and Darrington. We've driven that road a hundred times if we've driven it once.

On the way home, with Chris (the older) riding shotgun in my '93 80 series Land Cruiser, a softball sized rock fell off of the bed of an oncoming lowboy semi hauling a bulldozer. Smacked the windshield right in front of his mug, spraying glass all over him. The safety glass did its job, though, and the rock did not actually come through. Thank God he was wearing sun glasses, though. And, as an aside, I did turn around, caught up, and Chris phoned in the license plate number, location, direction of travel, etc. to the State Patrol. I don't expect anything to come of that, but we did our duty, turned around, and went home.

Now for the freaky coincidence - I had a '71 FJ40 Land Cruiser when I first got married, and for 20 years thereafter. When Chris was about eight or so, we were driving on that very same highway. He was in the front seat between my wife and I, Alex and the dog were in the back. We were heading to the cabin for a weekend of hanging out.

You've probably guessed by now - an oncoming semi truck (a dump truck that time) bounced a rock right into our windshield, this time centering it, and spraying glass all over Chris. Exact same road, close to the same milepost. What are the chances?

Chris doesn't get to ride in front anymore.

[masraum]

Chris's new "ridin' in the truck" hat.

[LWJ]

I know exactly where this is. We have family in both Arlington and Darrington.

Glad you all are ok. Rocks into cars is a bad combination.

[red-beard]

Same pothole?

[mattdavis11]

Wow! I like those signs they put on their vehicles that say not responsible for broken windshields. lol.

Last time I was nailed, I called the company that owned the truck about rocks falling from their truck. You guessed it, not responsible for broken windshields. I said, I'm not calling about my windshield, I need you to pay for my condenser. Click.

[icemann427]

I was driving on a 65 mph two lane highway many years ago and a rig pulling a two trailer bottom dump was coming towards me from the opposite direction. For some reason, both trailers' gates opened and dropped their full load of 1" DG (decomposed granite) on the road about 25-35 yards in front of me. As soon as I realized what was happening, I ducked down as low as I could and let the barrage begin. Well, lets just say I know what a 1" DG grenade is like and what it can do bouncing off the asphalt highway into my truck at 65 mph. Let's just say there wasn't much left of the front of my truck...

[speeder]

First off, I’m glad to hear that he’s alright. People get killed that way, sometimes. It’s serious business.

I’ve heard that people buy a lot of replacement windshields in WA. state, why is that? I was driving from Yakima to Seattle once and getting showered w small stones from trucks, don’t remember the highway but it was mountainous.

[71T Targa]

Wow Jeff, glad everyone is okay.

I was following a gravel truck down 5 and started getting pelted with little pits of sand. Nothing big, but I slowed to give some space. The guy behind me was not happy and flew around and cut in front of me. I've pretty sure he needed a windshield replacement after that.

What's really crazy is that you drive 10 minutes from my place and never stop by.

[Jeff Higgins]

What really kind of upset me about this whole thing was the notion that no vehicle of any kind, regardless of size, would accidentally just "kick up" that big of a rock off of the roadway. No way. That rock clearly fell off of that truck. It got tracked up onto the bed of the truck by the bulldozer, or was stuck somewhere on the bulldozer. Either way, that truck was carrying that rock. Just sheer laziness, inattention, and lack of any real concern for others' safety. Even a cursory look around should have revealed something of that size.

[Jim Bremner]

I avoid flatbeds, gravel trucks and pickups,like crazy

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

I avoid flatbeds, gravel trucks and pickups,like crazy

Kinda hard when they are oncoming. But, yes, I agree - I don't follow them.

[rfuerst911sc]

Many years ago I had my family ( wife and two sons ) in our Suburban coming back from a weekend of boating . We were towing our boat home and we're on a two lane road . Driving about 45 mph and I see a similar rig coming towards us in the opposite lane .

As that rig came closer I could see it was a boat rigged for fishing , lots of poles sticking up and outriggers on the back . As the rig passed our windshield explodes and I struggled to see and keep our setup on the road .

We were lucky there was a state park about a half mile away and we pulled in to determine our status . It turns out a outrigger weight flew out of that boat and hit at the base of our windshield . I know this because the weight was on the bench seat between me and my wife !!!

It was a sunny day so to get home I kicked out the shattered windshield and drove the rig home . After the kids got over the shock of what happened they thought it was cool driving home with no windshield ........... the wife and I not so much 😁

[svandamme]

how can trucks absolve themselves of liability...
sure , not of rocks kicked up by a tire

but anything they haul ,and comes off.. is their responsibility.
Either they load less
or put a cover over it

their responsibility to secure their load.

[Rick Lee]

Windshield replacement is a fact of life in AZ. It's covered by most insurance policies with no deductible and no increase in premiums. What's silly s that a lot of trucks have signs on them that read, "Not responsible for broken windshields." Oh, that should clear it up. Put a sign on a truck, probably as a result of so many complaints or claims, and you're suddenly exempt for any responsibility.

[svandamme]

probably means :"My insurance no longer accepts claims for broken windshields"

[Jeff Higgins]

Trucking companies are indeed liable for items falling off of their trucks. It gets difficult, however, if it's a large rock. It's much easier if it is an identifiable piece of equipment, like a shackle or whatever. That, and windshields are cheap, and no one got hurt. The State Patrol dispatcher with whom my son was speaking as we followed the truck expressed no interest whatsoever after she learned no one was hurt. My insurance rep didn't either.

[Zeke]

I couldn't find the specific CA law on this but I think I know that trucks carrying loose loads ARE liable for windshield and other damage due to debris "falling off their vehicle." I put that in quotes to differentiate that from kicking up a rock already on the roadway.

Anyway, in support of this, there is this article.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Windshield replacement is a fact of life in AZ. It's covered by most insurance policies with no deductible and no increase in premiums. What's silly s that a lot of trucks have signs on them that read, "Not responsible for broken windshields." Oh, that should clear it up. Put a sign on a truck, probably as a result of so many complaints or claims, and you're suddenly exempt for any responsibility.

Yep. They can paint all the signs they want on their trucks and it doesn't change a damn thing wrt legal liability. It's not as though you are walking into a business w a sign on the entrance w some type of waiver and you can decide whether to enter or not. Most "legal waivers" are not worth the paper they are printed on anyway, they just exist to fool gullible people into thinking that they have relinquished their legal rights. But that's another conversation.

If another motorist damages your vehicle on the motorway, guess what? They are liable. I would have run down that truck, attempted to pull them over and at least taken photos of the license plate and any markings on it. And then sued for more than the windshield.

[Eric Hahl]

Wow, that's just scary. Glad you all are ok! I suggest Chris never, ever travel that road again!