BAAAAAD Wreck today.

General Lee 01 · March 1, 2003

We were coming home on Interstate 81 (Mountain Highway, notorious for fatal wrecks)in the western part of VA. We were surrounded by 18-wheelers. We came to Lexington, and traffic was stopped because of anaccident a little ways uptheroad, so we all started stopping.

Well, behind us, we heard crashing, so we turned our heads around, and we see this big behemoth tour-bus like vehicle (It was a RV coach with a tour bus body, used by some company as a travelling display) run off the road, start to slide, and tip over. It made a full-rotation rollover (Something I still can't believe happened, never seen something like that *even in the movies*) and came to rest on the driver's side.

Everybody stopped, we got out, and ran to the bus. When we got to the bus, black smoke was pouring out, and the smell of gas and the smell of something burning were both present. We thought the thing was fixing to blow, and the Driver had already been pulled out, so the decision was made to move the driver. Yes, more damage could've been done, but the man was about to be either burned alive, or blown up.

6 or 7 Truck drivers pulled him up, I grabbed the hand of one of the lead carriers and helped pull them up to the side of the road (The bus was down a 10 foot embankment, which was covered in 3 or 4 inches of snow).

After that & about 20 minutes of waiting and Watching, we gave our report to the police, then left.

I'm surprised the guy survived!

.

99silveradoz71 · March 1, 2003

My hat is off for you stopping and doing something. So many people blow things like that off or just keep on driving. It's amazing the difference a few moments of your time can make sometimes.

k1500chevy97 · March 1, 2003

We (emergency services) are thankful for people like you who stop to help until personel get there instead of driving by .

Makes a big difference if you can get someone out of a vehicle that is on fire or about to go over an embankment or just provide basic first aid until we get on scene :thumb: but once we get on scene give your report, stay out of the way , and when driving by pay more attention to your driving then the incident you would be surprised at how many accidents happen because people were watching the first accident

TxDoc · March 1, 2003

For General Lee 01-->> and .

I topped a hill about 1/2-mile from home to see an 60's model convertible 'Vette and a truck had hit head on. The 2 of 3 in the truck were dead. The 'Vette driver was almost decapitated and died later. It had just happened and I slowed down seeing all the glittering pieces in the road--turned out to be glass. Very dark and no one around. Popping and crackling noise and the one driver making gurgling noise. I found out the next day the "Vette driver died and I had grown up 4 houses down from him. I could not recognize him. That was years ago and it scared me.

You did the right thing. Congrats. And, as they say on Sports Center--"my friend, you have some big ones".

SnakeEyeSS · March 1, 2003

good job! nice to see there are still good samaritians(AP) around!

chevyman992002 · March 1, 2003

Good job on stopping to help. It's good to see that there are still some really good people in this world. I've always been nervous about coming up on a bad traffic accident.. luckily ive never been in that situation. However, this past Thursday, I became a certified first responder for first aid. I learned CPR, rescue breathing, how to use an AED (automated electronic defibulator), and other general first aid methods such as controlling bleeding, immobilizing injured limbs etc. My boss is the one who asked me to take the class...usually only supervisors are First Aid certified at my work, but for some reason, I was chosen. I feel alot more confident while driving now that if I was to come upon a traffic accident, I would know what to do to help as best as I could until the Paramedics arrived.

General Lee 01 · March 2, 2003

Chevyman, if you don't mind me asking, what is your line of work?

WEFs99 · March 2, 2003

:thumb: Good work General

95whtZR2 · March 2, 2003

Good job General...Hats off to you.

Sorry for the book :

One time my family and I were going out to the lake to go skiing, my dad was driving and we were pulling our 21' cuddy cabin behind our suburban, we saw this old style white dodge caravan off on the side of the road, didn't think much about it, but we decided to stop anyway. My dad sent my brother over to the van to make sure no one was in it, we were parked about 50 yrds away-due to the 2wd sub pulling the big boat, and the van being parked next to some trees, and wet grass all around- my brother ran over to the van and started waving frantically. So my dad jumped out and I was close behind-he told my mom to call 911 as she came over with us, we saw this old man, probably in his mid-seventies, early eighties, was just sitting in the van with blood on his forehead. We looked in front of the van, and it had *crashed* into a tree, it wasn't parked there like we had thought. The old man had all of the doors locked, and was staring at us blankly, I assume he couldn't comprehend what was going on, so my dad, got a pair of channel lock pliars, and started banging on the passenger side window(the man was the only one in the van, and he was in drivers seat) the channel locks wouldn't break the window, so he took the radio attenae off the van and held the base, pulling back the part with the ball on it, and letting go, shattering the window. Soon as my dad got the door open, a first responder showed up, and along with my dad the first responder started doing basic First aid, and assesing wether or not the man new where he was, etc. A little while later-several minutes- the fire dept. and paramedics showed up, and they took over from there, where my dad told them the story, and washed his hands in the soap they carry on the Fire trucks and ambulances, from there we went out to the lake and tried to put it all to the side for then. My dad said that probably what happend is the man had a stroke while driving, then crossed traffic, and hit the tree. It was about 10am, and there was no sign of how long the van had been there, there were also no skid marks which is another thing that led my dad to believe he was unconcious when he hit.

It was an experience I will keep with me forever, and thanks to my dad I know basic first aid, and that I could handle a situation like that...

Tom

TROYROBO · March 3, 2003

good job--my hat's off to you :thumb: :thumb:

99silveradoz71 · March 3, 2003

I learned CPR, rescue breathing, how to use an AED (automated electronic defibulator)

We had the same training this morning. We do CPR every year, but the dept. just got AED's...1 near the jail, and the other 2 will go out with the accident cars...1 east and 1 west. Our squads used to be stationed out of the hospital(which was centrally located), but now they're out of the 3 fire houses, so response time is great. They get there right about when we do, but it's still nice to have the AED's on the road if you pull up on something.