Very quick thinking and a lot of luck!

dewman · Post by **dewman** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:10 pm

We live on 2 1/2 acres on top of a very steep hill in Idaho. Last Thursday, my wife was preparing to go down to Boise....about a 60 mile drive....to go to work. The road had just been plowed, we exchanged kisses and she went on her way. She drives a Lexus SUV. The driveway is about 1/4 mile long with 5 switch-backs. On the first turn going down, her car started to slide and the anti-lock brakes began pulsating. At that point, she unlatched her seat belt. When the car got to the second turn, is was apparent the car was going over the side and she made up her mind she wasn't going to "ride it out". So, she opened the door and jumped out with all the gusto a 60 year-old woman can muster up. The back tire missed her head by about 6 inches. The following pictures give you some idea of what happened. The red arrows show where the car ended up. Amazingly, it was upright and still running. Her little lap dog was in the car. Unhurt but scared to death. Both air bags inflated and I would imagine the insurance will consider the car totalled.
My wife suffered a few bumps and bruises in her 20 foot tumble down the hill, but nothing major. Scary. Very scary indeed. One luck woman who had more presence of mind than I would have had in that situation.
We have a lot to be thankful for this Christmas, that's for sure!

9ball · Post by **9ball** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:42 pm

She is lucky to came out of that one, I remember how I felt the first time I slid down a mud bank side ways playing around the river.
I watched this last week, a little over-kill for my area.
I will just stay with my CJ5 for now, but you folks may be interested in something like this. They are still out there and I have seen some trucks modified with tracks also.
Cheaper than a Lexus or Life.

9ball

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0189757900

Forensic Jim · Post by **Forensic Jim** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:02 am

Dewman, Your wife must have some angels looking out for her. I don't know that I would have the courage to jump from a moving vehicle no matter what. I probably would have had a white knuckle grip on that steering wheel and just held on.

dewman · Post by **dewman** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:16 am

I'm not sure how to enlarge the photos here, but you can't possibly see the real distance and angle the car went from the photos I posted. Yep, she definitely had the Big Chief in the Sky on her side Thursday.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:41 am

hey dewman, when things go right, you know someone else is guiding.

Duffy · Post by **Duffy** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 2:26 am

Dewman, the good LORD was with your wife that day. Thank GOD she was OK. I know exactly how she felt. Used to drive a coal truck up and down these mountains here in WV. It gets real hairy when you start down a slick mountain road like that with 45 tons of coal on your back pushing you off it. I've never jumped from one before but, I've sure opened the door and stood on the fuel tank ready to a few times.

The worst time I ever had driving a coal truck was when I had let my untied chemical fire extinguisher roll around in the floor board and the pin wiggled out and it went off while it was pointed at me driving.

I couldn't see my hand in front of my face..... and you talking bout some brakes locking up......and you know, them things will slide bout as fast as they'll roll

I didn't wreck but, I sure left enough black marks in the road and in my pants to look like I did

Sometimes I think GOD has to put in a little over time watching over us, don't you?

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:09 pm

I'm very happy to hear that your wife is safe Dewman.

s-k

dewman · Post by **dewman** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:23 pm

We're headed down to Boise today. The insurance has settled up. They decided her car wasn't worth repairing, so she has her eye on another Lexus. I don't think you cound talk her into anything else. That little bugger did exactly what it was designed to do. The front end collapsed, absorbing the damage beyond the front pilars. Amazing feat for that little car to remain upright and STILL be running when it came to a stop after Mr. Toad's wild ride for 1/4 mile down a VERY steep hill.

Duffy · Post by **Duffy** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:28 pm

Getting a new car, HORRAY!

Hey I don't blame her for her choice dewman, the other took a licking and kept on ticking.

Really glad she's OK.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:52 pm

Just a thought get a WHITE one do to the fact they show up better in the snow...

All About Pocket Knives

Very quick thinking and a lot of luck!

Very quick thinking and a lot of luck!

jeep wrote the book

Accident

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