What a day! Bad accident on the way to get TT

My family and I were exciting to go back to camping. We were going to go camping next week with boy scout group. After few months of searching for a camper, we found one 3 hours away. Last Saturday, I went there to look at it and negotiated a deal and put down a deposit on it. It was a nice camper and I got it for 50 dollars over the low retail value without adding any options.

Today, we were going to bring it home. My kids and my wife did not go with me, so it was just by myself. As I got on 45 East Toll in Austin, I could feel the road was slippery on the bridge, so I slow down to around 40PMH on 70MPH highway. A car in front of me spun out and I slowly steer to the left and slow down by letting off the gas (I did not hit the brake) to avoid hitting the car. I lost control of the truck. I kept turning the wheel to left and then right and then left and back a forth for about 20 second and the truck was still sliding at around 20 MPH. No matter how hard I tried, after about 20 seconds of trying to regain control, I hit the guard rail. :(

Here is the kicker, the impact was soft, but it hit right on the frame at an angle and then spun the truck around and the rear left side hit the guard rail. Its amazing how much damaged occurred at low speed. The frame is bent like crazy. The hitch and the axle shifted big time. The front end is crocked.

Before you bash me about speed, I thought I was going at safe speed as I used to live in NY. The cop said that people were going much faster than me anyway. Cop said that because I had to steer to avoid hitting another car, I was done. As I was waiting for help, about 8 out of ten cars were losing control in the same area as I did. Cop shut down the highway until the deicer truck came. I thought I made a good judgment call by going ahead to head to Houston by going at lower speed, but I was wrong. If I had delay it by few hours, it would had been fine.

I am just ticked that I lost my favorite truck. It was bare bone 2004 F250 with V10 and it only had 70K miles. I never thought I would like my truck because it had nothing in it, but it turned out to be the best truck I ever owned

I had to cancel the loan and tell the dealer that I am not going to be able to buy the TT. Now I have to start a painful process of shopping for another truck and when time comes, then shop for another TT. Oh what a cruel world. The bright side is that I am okay, just banged up my head. Kids and my wife was not in the truck with me today, so that spare them any trauma. After this incident, I will make sure my next truck have side airbags!

Seeking Advice

fireman41
Explorer
Feb 28, 2015
Wow glad your ok. But ice is ice uaslly when you lose it you hardly ever get control back.
K3WE
Explorer
Feb 28, 2015
Two comments:

An honest multi inch snow is 10 times better than a light snow (or a light glaze which seems to be the case here). As I've become an old fart, I fear forecasts for LIGHT wintery precip more than "major winter storms"

Along the same lines, I think one of the most important safety items is a temperature gauge...If you see wetness and 32 degrees or less, bad things may not be too far away.
RoyB
Explorer II
Feb 28, 2015
Since I have previously lived many years in the Wichita Falls TX area I seem to enjoy listening to their INTERNET POLICE RADIO here in Virginia. They installed a raised loop to get around the small town a few years back.

It sure has been a black ice nightmare for them of recent weeks. No one can maneuver up and down the steep access ramps...

Most of us can make it through the snow and all but ICE is a totally different animal... No one can survive the slow out of control spins...

Glad all is safe...

Roy Ken
ggardne2
Explorer
Feb 28, 2015
Truck doesn't look to be damaged all that bad ... are you sure the frame bent or did the axle just shift on its brackets? It doesn't take too much of a side impact to shift the axle. I would check with a good body shop, I suspect the truck is fixable.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Feb 28, 2015
Good luck explaining it all to your insurance company. Hopefully you can find a good truck with the same engine and mileage, and it will all work out well for you. In California, the insurance company needs to pay the sales tax as well, so that you have the new $8,000 truck fully paid for, and you are not stuck with a $420 tax bill on top to transfer the truck into your name.

Have fun camping, once you have the new trailer! Hopefully they will understand and still want to make the sale, even if a few weeks later. And you might find the only 2004 or 2005 with close to 70,000 miles has a full chrome package and lots of options!

Good luck!

Fred.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Feb 28, 2015
kaydeejay wrote:
20/20 hindsight, but by letting off the gas you probably made the rear tires lose grip and that's when it all started!
Not an instinctive reaction, but knocking the truck into neutral may have avoided the skid. Got this advice from a Canadian Police Driving Instructor friend.
That maneuver saved my tail when I was cruising around 70mph (on cruise control) in Canada one time and unexpectedly hit a patch of black ice.
First thing I knew was the "Traction" light came on, meaning one of the rear wheels was spinning faster than we were going!
Into neutral, cruise off, and I kept a dead straight line while cars were spinning all around me. No idea how I didn't hit any, someone was watching me that day! 1/4 mile later the road was clear and dry!

Glad you are OK, pity about the truck and all your canceled arrangements.

Sorry about the accident, nice truck.

Kaydeejay, is right neutral, or stepping on the clutch (manual), will balance the vehicle, saved a couple vehicles this way.
Most likely you caught some freezing rain, as bad as black ice. Ice with a little water on the surface, coefficient of friction is about ZERO.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Feb 28, 2015
Sorry for your loss. Glad it was not worse. I know that even though you were not injured that this is sill a traumatic event because of your loss.

I'm not sure I would have given up on the camper so quickly. You may have been able to find someone to tow it home for you and then let it set while you searched for a new truck.
BillB800si
Explorer
Mar 01, 2015
Last Feb. we hooked up and headed to Florida on I-75. Hit black ice just before the Ohio border. Totaled the truck & trailer. I also was going 40 MPH in a 70 MPH. On black ice you're at the mercy of the gods.
Glad to hear you are alright.
Happy trails,
Crowe
Explorer
Mar 01, 2015
Having lived in snow country all my life, sometimes there is just nothing that can be done. Two websites concur with what I have been taught, with disconnect the ABS learned when my son got his license.

http://icyroadsafety.com/correct.shtml
http://www.myindyford.com/blog/2011/january/4/what-to-do-if-your-car-starts-sliding-on-ice.htm

My hunch is you just over-corrected. I don't agree with putting the car in neutral. Taking your foot off the gas should be enough. This is a quote from a legal forum (regarding accident liability): "Putting the car in neutral will actually decrease the friction and drag in the drive train making it more difficult to stop because there in nothing slowing you down but brakes (which will easily lock up in icy conditions)."

As far as the criticism you've received stating you shouldn't have been on the road-ignore it. Even those of us who have many years of experience sometimes underestimate the driving conditions. Bill above is right. On black ice you truly are at the mercy of the Gods. Glad you are OK. That's the most important thing.
Bob_Olallawa
Explorer
Mar 01, 2015
On black ice 40mph is only about 40mph too fast. When out sanding the hwys black ice was about the only time I had to chain up the sand truck. No way to get through the traffic or getting up or down the hills if not chained on the drivers and one front wheel. In those days the sander threw the sand behind the drivers so it did our trucks no good unless we backed.