Wrecked my truck Bo Duke style........(non valk)

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Heading to work 5 am Tuesday morning on winding 25W towards LaFollette,TN. Blind hill with a car coming at me with HIGH beams on. Tree trunk across my entire lane and part of the north bound. I hit this thing at full speed and went airborne. Bent main frame back so truck ain't worth cost to fix. Just dropped full coverage last year   I'm fine, just sore as all get out.

First pic is after it got daylight and sheriff deputy and I cleared most of the debri. 1st pic shows where I landed at bottom of pic. 2nd pic is closeup of where I hit. Last pic is where the truck came to rest as I sheered something in the steering and couldn't control direction. Amazing how many people passed me in the dark standing at the side of the road with no phone service and kept going. (I know they saw me) I ALWAYS stop to render assistance even when not a serious situation. Even carry a gallon of gas to give to folks who run out. What is it with people today. 3 stopped eventually and called when they got to Jellico. Fun day...........Anyone need an 03 Ford Ranger parts truck. 

[hubcapsc]

Holy Cow! Glad you're safe. Don't do that on your Valkyrie!

-Mike

[..]

Holy Cow! Glad you're safe. Don't do that on your Valkyrie!

-Mike

+ 1 million

[..]

Two Sundays ago I was out riding in Gilmer County, GA on Macedonia Rd.

Two trees were leaning at an angle blocking the southbound lane completely. I was going north.

I called 911 and they told me that because the fire dept didn't have a bucket truck nothing could be done.

They also told me the trees had first been reported Friday night and the Road Dept would take care of it on the Monday.

They didn't care at all that someone could plow into the trees at night.

[grandpaweaver]

glad you're ok.

It's crazy around here the roads are so bad and no money to fix them. The pot holes are everywhere and it's like riding a shalom course  on every road throw some tree trunks around and we're all in trouble.

No Comp. insurance that hurts

[Jess from VA]

Ouch, that sucks Dave.   

I almost never drive/ride in the dark anymore. 

I don't need to, and I don't see so well.

[Hooter]

Two Sundays ago I was out riding in Gilmer County, GA on Macedonia Rd.

Two trees were leaning at an angle blocking the southbound lane completely. I was going north.

I called 911 and they told me that because the fire dept didn't have a bucket truck nothing could be done.

They also told me the trees had first been reported Friday night and the Road Dept would take care of it on the Monday.

They didn't care at all that someone could plow into the trees at night.

Seems to me this is a highway dept or street dept issue. Fire dept, really...

[signart]

You should file a claim with TDOT and see if it gets any traction, since you have photos and PR. You might get lucky, who knows. I know they pay on documented pot hole damage as well as other states. My brother while a resident from Georgia hit a buck in TN which stuck his antlers in the grill then proceeded to swing it's body around the fender, the ran over with front tire and lodged under the crossmember, raising the front tires off the pavement. State of TN paid for the damages that his ins. did not cover, but this was twenty years ago. Old tire in the road is a different story, owner of tire is responsible there. Worth a try.

[Crackerborn]

Glad you walked away from that one, Rangers ain't noted for their safety record but they do hold up well to a certain amount of abuse. I have an 03 long bed Ranger with over 300k on the clock. It is not pretty anymore but so what? It hauls what it needs to and I don't have to worry about scratching it. I too won't carry comp on a truck that will pay off less than it's scrap value when totaled.

[Mr Whiskey]

D***! Glad you're just "sore as all get out" Bro!

https://youtu.be/zAKksqKR3pI

[Stormchase]

Yup glad to hear your ok. That can get messy. one of the fears I always have riding through woods. I have had encounters like that but in a semi.
Ride safe!

[wiggydotcom]

Dave, sorry to hear about your truck. Glad you're relatively ok.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Thanks for the well wishes  I love to open it up on that road when on the Valkyrie, but will have this in the back of my head now and probably a little lighter on the throttle then I normally would. Everybody ride safe   

[MacDragon]

Find out who owns the property that the tree was on.  If it's the state... then the state should pay for the damages.  File a claim with your insurance co. even though you don't have full coverage.  They may be able to find out who owns the land quicker than you can.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

To address the comments about TDOT or the state who I'm sure owns the land, I'm pretty sure that nothing would come from it and am trying to just forget about the situation and chalk it up to one of those things in life that happens, you deal with and move forward. I know with potholes they have to be negligent, that is "Know" there was a problem and not fix it in a reasonable time. I obviously was the first one to come along and they couldn't have known or had time to remedy and therefore will not be at fault. It is what it is. I was just shocked at the lack of empathy with people today. Sign of the times for sure. 

[Daniel Meyer]

Wow. Glad you're okay. That could have ended badly in SO many ways.

Sorry about the truck...but...yanno...it did it's job and you walked away.

Take care!