[2000Z-71]

Well I found out today R-compound tires can be hazardous to your health. I threw the Victoracers in the back or the truck to have them flipped and re-balanced for tomorrow's event at Phoenix International Receway. On the way back, a waste management garbage truck decided to cross all 7 lanes of 7th Street to make a left hand turn in front of me and literally drove over the hood of my F-150.

I had my seatbelt on and should be alright. I've got burns up the inside of my right forearm and bruising and cuts across my chest and stomach from the airbag deploying. I'm thinking I probably would not even have a scratch if the truck did not have airbags. I'm definately out for tomorrow's autocross. I went out to change tires and ended upo reopening some of my wounds from this morning.

I'm very concerned now about the Camaro since I sit a lot lower and closer to the wheel in that vehicle. I'm thinking the airbag deploying in that would cause even more injury than today's did. I know that there have been rumors about the SCCA having a new rule no longer allowing full face helmets in cars with an active airbag. What does the current rulebook say about disabling airbags?

[2000Z-71]

I think the driver of the garbage truck was suffering from a cranial rectal inversion and just didn't see me. He was coming from my left and made his turn across the 3 lanes of northbound traffic, the center lane, and all 3 lanes of the southbound directly in front of me. I was in the far right southbound lane and had absoluetly no where to go. The left front corner of my truck went underneath the right rear corner of the garbage truck as he finished his turn. My truck is probably totalled, the mud flap on the garbage truck is bent.

The paramedics had said that the driver of the garbage truck would probably not be ticketed since he would lose his job as a result. I was not cited and neither was the garbage truck driver. Forunately the lady in the middle lane next to me stayed and gave a statement. Her story was the same as mine, basically the garbage truck driver was an idiot. I'm just hoping this doesn't turn into a major PITA with the insurance companies and I will not be out my deductible since the garbage truck driver was not cited.

I've had one previous accident, a high speed head on into a tree after the left rear tire on my Gran National blew out causing me to lose control. The car did not have air bags, I was wearing my seat belt, and luckily walked away with no injuries what so ever. Today's accident was relatively low speed and I've got cuts, serious bruises and burns from the airbag. I'm not convinced that they provide the protection that they claim.

It sucks, the truck in all likelihood will be totalled. According to my insurance company, just replacing the airbag is anywhere from $1,500 ro $3,000. What really sucks is that I just finished up with the suspension work. I was basically making a K-Mart budget Lightning out of the truck, Eibach springs, Addco bars front and rear, shocks, urethane bushings, ball joints, Eibach spring shackles.

So now I get to look forward to fighting with the insurance companies and shopping for another truck once I get a settlement.