CALAMITY STRIKES!

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Gary RV_Wizard

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Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Posts
81,565
Location
West Palm Beach, FL
Well, our freedom celebration trip got cut dramatically short today.  We were cruising down I-95 in the right lane near Kenly, NC (Exit 106), headed towards Charleston and the Fall Rally next week, when we encountered a traffic slow down.  Cars ahead appeared to be doing 40 and slowing, so I hit the brakes and...NOTHING! Thought I must have missed the pedal, so I hit it again and this time felt the pedal under my foot and on the floor.  No braking effect at all and I don't even think the engine brake had kicked in - like it didn't know I was pushing on the brake pedal.  It's already too late at 65 mph - we hit the car in front of us and booted it into the left lane and another car. Hardly felt it - 37,000 lbs vs about 4000 was no contest at all!   No open lane to steer into and guard rails on my right, so I grabbed for the Emergency Brake and pulled the handle. No apparent effect and we rear ended a second car, kicking it out the way. Sailed into a F350 size truck with a cargo hauling body on the back and some industrial parts, but we are somewhat slower know. Pushed him for a way and we came to a stop. Amazingly, both Nancy & I are fine (and so was our cat Blacky once we found him cowering in the shambles of the wardrobe closet).  I can't get our front door open, so climb out a window and am further amazed to find that no one was hurt in the other two cars or the truck either! The lady driver of one was shaken up and had some back pain, so she decided she would go to the hospital for a check-up but the on scene EMS said there appeared to be no serious injury.  And wonder of wonders, our toad was fine too.

So tonight the coach is in a tow company yard in Selma, NC and we are in a Days Inn and thankful to be alive and uninjured. Our plans for the next two weeks are in shambles, but we are thankful regardless. Tomorrow I'll work on what to do about the coach, insurance, repairs, etc., but tonight is just for rekindling our rather battered spirits.
 

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Oh my goodness, what a mess!!  But very glad to hear that no one was seriously hurt.  Everyone is very lucky.  Sounds very scary.  Good luck on your repairs and such...

Ruth
 
Gary, you got my sympathy! Really glad no one is seriously injured!  :(

I hope getting back together is not to tough for you.  :-\

Ray D  :)
 
Wow!  Thanks be that no one was seriously injured.  This has been a bad enough year for you, so we're both very thankful all three of you are okay.  It will certainly be interesting to find out why neither braking system worked!  Hope all the insurance and repairs go as smoothly as can be hoped.

Take care,
Ardra and Jerry
 
Unbelievable.
You must still be shaking, and probably won't be able to sleep tonight.
But you are both alive, and nobody else hurt. Good luck.
 
I've traveled I-95 many times and seen accidents like yours...
but with worse endings.

Thank God nobody was hurt!

Joe
 
Wow Gary, some story. It is really weird that so many functions failed at the same time, but thankfully no one was hurt. The coach can always be replaced, you and Nancy can't. Hope you never have to worry about it again, but that guard rail could have been a life saver in slowing/stopping the coach. Just remember to take a very shallow angle so you don't break thru.
 
I know about using the guard rail to slow down but am afraid I may have panicked at bit.  Everything happened so fast and by the time I realized the service and emergency brakes weren't going to do anything at all, we had already hit two cars and were about to collide with the truck. I keep thinking about what I could have done differently and the guard rail is the obvious thing - should have kissed it HARD.

I can't believe the rear brakes did not lock up when I pulled the Emergency - everything I have been told says that is what happens. But there are no skid marks on the pavement at all.
 
Gary, I can't imagine how horrible that must have felt to have no brakes and be unable to avoid those collisions.  We're thankful you and Nancy are OK and no one else was injured.

It will be interesting to find out why the parking brake didn't apply.  Air brakes are supposed to be fail safe.
 
Oh my gosh! I'm so glad you're both OK (and Blacky too). It's just amazing that nobody was seriously hurt or injured. Hope you get a good night's sleep so you can deal with things calmly tomorrow.
 
Gary:

Glad to hear no one was hurt, sorry it ruined your week. (month).
 
Gary,

Not much you can do if your brakes fail, sounds like you handled it as well as you could considering that no one was killed or badly injured.  Hang in there buddy, we're all feeling your loss.  You're started a blog here now so keep adding to it whenever you can.  We want to follow this story with you and we want to help you in any way we can.  We're just glad you're all right!
 
Gary,
Thank goodness nobody was hurt in the accident...what a frightening experience...so sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident.

Best regards,

Jim
 
Gary, glad to hear you and wife are OK and that no one else was hurt,

If you need anything I am about 70 miles North of you and will assist in any way I can.  If you find that you are going to have to stay in the area for awhile you are welcome to stay with Fran and I.

Hope everything goes well.  By the way we met when I came to get the 'step' in West Palm Beach.
 
Gary, Very glad to hear that no one was hurt.  Kenly is about 50 miles from me and, I too, offer any help I can provide.  Please let us know what we can do.         
 
Gary,

Having been in a bad accident in 2000 I truly free the pain. BUT, like us you were not hurt. The guy who crossed the lane and hit us was slightly hurt, but lucky I saw him coming and steered off the road so it was a glancing blow rather than head on.

Sounds like you did all you could given the problem. Glad no else was hurt.

I know things are rough now, but they will get better.

I have never heard of air brakes failing without the emergency spring brakes activating. That is just scary.

Rest and relax,

ken

 
Holy Cow, that must have been terrifying...so glad you guys (and other car passengers) are all okay.  I can imagine what neurons must have been firing at that point when both brake systems failed.  I had a brake failure in a car once and I remember my brain simply couldn't register what was happening for about 3 seconds.  

Again, so glad you are okay.  Please let us know if you can ever decipher the mystery.
 
Holy Moly, what a mess ! Bad news is that the coach is hurt, good news is that you're not. And I see that you've found a Motel 6 which gladly take pets. Might not seem like it, but you guys sure are lucky - bad things happen that ultimately turn out good.

Relax and recover and give each other a big hug.

Wendy
 
Gary and Nancy,

How vivid your recollection of the incident.  I can't imagine the fear and the fast heart rate you must have experienced at those  impacts.  Sounds like you kept your head.  I  can only hope all the details of the repairs go smoothly and that you figure out the cause of those brake failures.  Whew so glad it was not  worse.  Whew I just can't believe it.  Whew 
Thank goodness no serious injuries.  Call out if  any of us can do anything for you. 

Betty
 
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