So ....
middle of the night, coming out of Yankee stadium, Grrrrrrr ... I mean the United States of America, along I-90W Buffalo, about 40mins to the Fort Erie border crossing back into canuck country, running the clock with a couple of other guys doing 65mph wide open, (was nearly out of US allowable drive time, had already been at it for a good 9.5hrs that day) (would gain two more drive time hours soon as I cross border) ....
SUDDENLY, the guy in the hammer lane in front of me, starts an immediate left to right lane swerve, BARELY hangs onto it going back and forth, tossing the trailer nearly onto the shoulders, HELLO !!!!! wake up, I'm on the binders, me and the few behind and beside me ....
Oh deer! I said, ... Nooo, no deer BUT rather .... right there in the lane I'm in, middle of the road portion lays a tarp that had fallen off a flatbed truck.
Now you don't swerve with a loaded semi at that speed boys and girls, it's pretty near suicide at best.
I wildly yell some profanity above the blaring music playing on the radio, I aim straight for it and attempt to put it in between the wheels. Got buddy beside me also on the binders after that spectacular entertainment directly in front of us. Can't lean into his lane, have to hold it .... BANG!!!!!!! it goes as I hit it directly on center
Oh no!!! just wrecked the front end of this brand new truck I'm thinking.
at first, didn't clearly know what it was other then it was not wild life in motion nor fresh road kill.
way too big, dark black puffy laying there in my lane.
Look in the mirror on my inside, trying to keep the whole situation from heading for the gravel.
BIG PUFF of debris behind me, I can hear it rumbling underneath.
HELLO fourways!
So hard on the brakes, everyone coming to a near stand still, they give me right of way into the right lane with my fourways on, I limp to the side of the shoulder, couple of them pull over with me.
I'm yelling nasty words at this point, it was a hard impact. Heart is pounding.
Get out with flash light, thinking the worse ... others pulling up behind me and in front of me, BIG SCENE.
Guy that nearly capsized in front of us .... long gone. Probably off changing his shorts.
Damage?
a bend license plate and some black scuff marks on the white all plastic bumper.
Checked the whole thing underneath both tractor and trailer, could see it wrapped around drive-shaft and existed out back, seemed to have dragged free some dirt marks underneath, nothing torn up, nothing cracked, nothing leaking, nothing stuck underneath, in between wheels or anywhere.
Ate it up and spit it, out the back.
Others back tracked and got the remains off the road way, traffic came to a stand still.
Definitely a heavy duty flat bed tarp, no doubt. it's torn up and done.
I test out all my air system and verify I'm holding air, got brakes, all gauges look good, double checked for any leaks underneath.
Good to go ... finished trip, next morning, grabbed some Spray-9 and a pad and cleaned off the marks, bend plate back to original shape, like it never happened.
Was also getting a bolt pulled out and patch on my most outer rear left drive tire, picked it up somewhere in a yard, it went right in, tire guy was there anyhow first thing in the morning.
Boss drives in ... Hello, how was your trip?
FINE, just getting a tire plugged, no worries!
He don't need to know the rest, TRUST ME !!!!
another fine adventure. F&ck me!
