Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:13

Sunday, March 03, 2013

McDonald's tried to kill me

So this was my evening as sent to McDonald's.  I'm wondering how late this will keep me up:

I have a complaint and it's serious. About 9:05 pm EST 3/2/13 I was driving on _________________. I was attempting to pass a McDonald's semi beginning 3 miles from the exit. I was going 65-70 mph due to the semi gaining speed down the hill and my need to take the exit. I passed him after signaling with plenty of room in front of him but had to slow a bit because there was a salt truck in front of me going much slower than 65-70 mph. When I did this your semi had plenty of space. He certainly had no emergency reaction; he did not hit airbrakes nor did he use his horn. I have repeatedly gone through this in my mind because I'm not perfect and I suppose in some way he could have felt I cut him off. I believe instead he wasn't paying attention or was drowsy. He had a view of the upcoming salt truck while going downhill and I am positive I gave him space as I was thinking consciously about this due to the upcoming exit. He proceeded to endanger both of our lives and possibly the lives of others around us while I was unable to see. First he turned on his high beams, effectively blinding me. I slowed significantly as I couldn't see anything. He then proceeded to pull onto the right berm and pass me there. Following that astoundingly stupid and dangerous maneuver he had to hit his brakes several times because of the salt truck. He proceeded to take exit ____ West. I did turn my high beams on long enough to get the trailer number, which was 481245. I was not able to read the license plate as it was dirty.

 This is not acceptable behavior. I am still shaking 30 minutes later. I'm also extremely disappointed that a major and respected corporation is hiring drivers willing to endanger others. Again, had there been ANY way that I could have been partially to blame that would be one thing, but there wasn't. I believe that what probably happened is that I passed him, signaled I was going to merge and he continued to speed up, using the remainder of the speed from the large hill. Semi drivers do this constantly here and we automatically account for it. Had he been paying attention at all he would have known the salt truck was very close; his need to hit the brakes hard several times after the illegal pass shows he wasn't paying any attention and I believe that led to my being in front of him without him paying attention to my signal or merge. I was very cautious about merging given the dark, a potentially icy bridge, the upcoming exit and the semi. Therefore I know that he had plenty of space if he were awake and paying attention. Had he somehow been in danger of hitting me enough that he needed to go into the edge of the road on the right he wouldn't have had the speed to fly past me from that lane at 65-70 mph about 30 seconds after I passed him. It was not an emergent reation; the headlines were on high before he was anywhere but fully in the right lane or I wouldn't be have been so blinded (and the light was coming straight in). As I said I have been trying to find anything I did that was my fault and there is nothing. His reactions were dangerous, and will make me much less likely to go to McDonalds as I do not go to places that hire drivers who endanger my life. This could easily have led to a multi-car accident and fatalities. Totally unacceptable.


1 comment:

Michal Ann said...

YIKE!!! The blinding headlights and being passed on the right berm??!

PLEASE let me know how McDonalds responds! Good for you for writing immediately.

Whew!

xoxo Michal