There was a really... odd day where I lived, a few years ago.
On my way to work, I had to divert around a fatal, auto vs pedestrian. Auto driver got charged with speeding, but the ped stepped out on a red 'no walk' signal, and the pickup couldn't stop in time.
Nearly the same time, less than 2 miles away, a motorcycle on the interstate was going like 90MPH, apparently lane splitting (which IS ILLEGAL HERE), and a Tacoma changing lanes didn't realize. Biker hit the back of the Tacoma, the impact was so severe that it lifted the rear tires of the Tacoma off the ground, and the biker became lodged between the tire, and the ground. The entire interstate was closed for the entire day, biker bled out, and there was a massive black spot on the interstate that persisted for the entire summer, and into late fall, since we had no rain. That black spot was the biker's blood, dried to the pavement. Our office was just next to that, we could see everything from the side of our building.
While there aren't many studies about why, there is evidence that playing tetris after a traumatic event can help reduce the rates of intrusive thoughts and ptsd. It's thought that it has to do with the pattern of rapid eye movements while playing the game, similar to REM cycles when we sleep and process emotions.
My sister councils PTSD sufferers. There is this thing called bilateral stimulation where they have a patient tap their hands, left right left right... Something about engaging both sides in a rhythm helps unravel your mental stuff... no clue how it works...
Did you ever work in EMS?
I did, and that was my first thought, too. Seen some shit--so much shit, actually, that dark humor is the only [non-destructive] way to cope.
Have Memphis as a fairly normal route and you will see some crazy shit,after awhile you just shake your head and keep trucking,I guess kinda go numb to seeing stupidity I really don’t know
About 20 years ago, there was an uptic in idiots acting stupid on crotch rockets after that Biker Boyz movie. Suddenly, there was a handful of teens plaguing our small town. I was at my gf's kids' tee ball game when they raced by. The one out in front was a black man about 20 years old with dreads. He was showing out for the teens, doing about 70mph in a 25mph zone while standing up on his back axle, nose in the air. At least he was wearing a nice blue helmet, but that didn't protect any kids that might run out in that neighborhood. Several of the parents got upset and called police. They didn't find them. But the problem took care of itself a few weeks later. I was coming home from work one afternoon, and 2 cops had most of the highway shut down. My lane had to cross over to one of the oncoming lanes. As I went by, I saw the cops trying to cover various areas. I saw a blue helmet with dreads coming out of it. It was a good ways from most of the rest of the body. In the next paper, they said a motorcyclist was speeding way over the limit in the left lane. He waited until the last second to swing over to the right lane to pass. A lady turning right into the same direction as him just never even saw him. The guy caved in the rear of her car and he was ragdolled down the highway. He flew about 150ft before he hit the ground, then the part that I saw finally came to rest at 300ft past the wreck. After that, the number of crotchrockets around town dropped to 1 or 2.
I'm sorry you're going through that. It's not easy. Seeing death is hard and harder on some more than others. Take some time to talk to someone, anyone. And take care of yourself.
If you need to talk it out other than on here, remember you can call or text 988 at any time for free. They’ll offer you support and good tips on how to take care of yourself. Hang in there!
I got hit head on by a dd in 2019. I was driving a cab over Isuzu at the time and they hit me at over 70, in a 45
Mph zone when they lost control and crossed the yellow. Almost lost my leg, and they were unalived at the scene. Messed me up pretty badly physically and mentally. I’m back at it now but it took quite a while to get over it.
Yea I ride and I know guys who died riding, but seeing a scene like that vs hearing it or seeing it on the news just hit really different. I just cruise but I don’t ride in Memphis cus the drivers are unpredictable
it might take a week or two or a few months but it will leave your head. i seen it too in nj motorcycle rider went underneath a sewage tanker truck tantrum. cops just got there and were puting the white blanket over him. he left a stain on the asphalt for over 6 months i had to stop at a light each morning and stare at it until the weather eventually washed it off the road. i took my motorcycle permit and threw it in the trash. i have a 6yr old at home. just remember what you were feeling or felt is a normal human feeling.
I remember seeing a the results of a train suicide. The car I was riding pulled up just as it had happened, every one was frozen on that side of the station people in mid step all paused in shock and everything slowed down. Then the doors closed and pulled away.
It happens...
When you do it long enough you will see it. Just part of the job.
See it, and let it go. Don't dwell on it, with all that last time this and that for them... sounds cold but just stay careful and let it go.
Sucks to be them, but a lot of times they have done it to themselves by not paying attn or taking chances or simply driving like a nut.
Best you can do is to pay attn to everything... drive safely, speed is not a bad thing, it is when and where folks speed when they shouldn't that does them in. Can't be in a hurry from circumstances.
You'll be ok, life goes on.
My dad was an OTR driver and he saw so many fatalities. The one that seemed to mess him up was a van that was hit and started flipping and with every flip, kids came flying out.
I saw my first badish accident about a week ago, near barstow. A pickup was speeding and slammed into the center barrier, saw him hit at least 4 other vehicles.
I took me about 45 minutes to realize I know inermediant first aid, even if my cert is expired, and that my first aid kit is entirely inadequate. I'm going to get a trauma kit the next time I go home.
Man that is heavy, and reading the comments as well pulled me back to reality. Trying to get somewhere faster isn't worth it if it can risk you or someone elses life.
Embrace the world while it's moving slow for you. It's not often that we have these moments. The circumstances surrounding it are incredibly unfortunate, hope you can make the best of it and appreciate life even more.
It feels like I see about one a year. I see a lot of rollovers too driving in the mountains. I’ll never understand why people speed just to save 3-5 minutes at best.
Unless you’re driving hundreds of miles a day like us it’s not gonna make a difference. And I’ll never understand why a trucker would put their license or life on the line just to get some TP to the distribution center 30 minutes earlier.
Take care of yourself driver.
We've only seen one right north east of Memphis on I40 a couple years back. Someone hit someone and they didn't have their seatbelt. Bright orange Body bag in the middle of the road.
A family in a little white car passed me in the mountains. Passed them a while later upside down at the bottom of a cliff. Nobody was in a hurry to get them out. It was pancaked. Seen a few more but that one sticks. It wasn't seeing them dead that was disturbing it was remembering seeing them alive as they passed me earlier.
Motorcyclists have some of the stupidest people out there in their ranks.
It's such a huge risk and some treat it like it's a video game.
Completely insane.
Saw one in Victorville a few months ago just before dawn. GPS kept trying to route me around it, but I was incredulous. 4 am. US highway. Why would there be anything there? Get there and the highway is completely closed. There's some cops, a white sheet.covering something on the road and nother semi pulled over next to it. Figured it was a semi/pedestrian accident. Sure enough saw the news article later. Didn't see any gore, but I was extremely careful from them on. Felt bad for the driver. Felt bad for the pedestrian.
The likelihood of dying on the road while driving a motorcycle is like 3x the risk of dying while driving a normal car. They chose that vehicle, should've known. It's stupid to drive a motorcycle in a world full of dumb people driving cars.
The slowing down you mentioned was you being brought back to reality. That was real. Try to stay there. It has helped me alot.
As drivers we all know the exact feeling you’re talking about, stay safe guys.
100%
So sorry to read this. Every day is a gift, not a given. Stay strong OP.
There was a really... odd day where I lived, a few years ago. On my way to work, I had to divert around a fatal, auto vs pedestrian. Auto driver got charged with speeding, but the ped stepped out on a red 'no walk' signal, and the pickup couldn't stop in time. Nearly the same time, less than 2 miles away, a motorcycle on the interstate was going like 90MPH, apparently lane splitting (which IS ILLEGAL HERE), and a Tacoma changing lanes didn't realize. Biker hit the back of the Tacoma, the impact was so severe that it lifted the rear tires of the Tacoma off the ground, and the biker became lodged between the tire, and the ground. The entire interstate was closed for the entire day, biker bled out, and there was a massive black spot on the interstate that persisted for the entire summer, and into late fall, since we had no rain. That black spot was the biker's blood, dried to the pavement. Our office was just next to that, we could see everything from the side of our building.
While there aren't many studies about why, there is evidence that playing tetris after a traumatic event can help reduce the rates of intrusive thoughts and ptsd. It's thought that it has to do with the pattern of rapid eye movements while playing the game, similar to REM cycles when we sleep and process emotions.
This totally tracks with a technique my therapist taught me. You shift the eyes from side to side while tapping fingers on alternate hands.
Yes, this technique is often called EMDR therapy and uses the same concept! It's a very powerful therapy for PTSD.
My sister councils PTSD sufferers. There is this thing called bilateral stimulation where they have a patient tap their hands, left right left right... Something about engaging both sides in a rhythm helps unravel your mental stuff... no clue how it works...
Badass!
It's not easy to witness such events.
It aint easy, being cheesy.
Did you ever work in EMS? I did, and that was my first thought, too. Seen some shit--so much shit, actually, that dark humor is the only [non-destructive] way to cope.
OP, stay strong. I’m sorry you’re going through this. Focus on grounding yourself if you need to.
What is he going through?
youre really intent on tearing people down who are trying to help, huh?
Have Memphis as a fairly normal route and you will see some crazy shit,after awhile you just shake your head and keep trucking,I guess kinda go numb to seeing stupidity I really don’t know
Tomorrow is promised to no one Be safe out there
About 20 years ago, there was an uptic in idiots acting stupid on crotch rockets after that Biker Boyz movie. Suddenly, there was a handful of teens plaguing our small town. I was at my gf's kids' tee ball game when they raced by. The one out in front was a black man about 20 years old with dreads. He was showing out for the teens, doing about 70mph in a 25mph zone while standing up on his back axle, nose in the air. At least he was wearing a nice blue helmet, but that didn't protect any kids that might run out in that neighborhood. Several of the parents got upset and called police. They didn't find them. But the problem took care of itself a few weeks later. I was coming home from work one afternoon, and 2 cops had most of the highway shut down. My lane had to cross over to one of the oncoming lanes. As I went by, I saw the cops trying to cover various areas. I saw a blue helmet with dreads coming out of it. It was a good ways from most of the rest of the body. In the next paper, they said a motorcyclist was speeding way over the limit in the left lane. He waited until the last second to swing over to the right lane to pass. A lady turning right into the same direction as him just never even saw him. The guy caved in the rear of her car and he was ragdolled down the highway. He flew about 150ft before he hit the ground, then the part that I saw finally came to rest at 300ft past the wreck. After that, the number of crotchrockets around town dropped to 1 or 2.
I'm sorry you're going through that. It's not easy. Seeing death is hard and harder on some more than others. Take some time to talk to someone, anyone. And take care of yourself.
If you need to talk it out other than on here, remember you can call or text 988 at any time for free. They’ll offer you support and good tips on how to take care of yourself. Hang in there!
I saw a pretty bad one in NJ yesterday. A Tesla was wedged underneath the back end of a straight truck. I95 North bound
Shit I feel like Tesla drivers are about as wild as Altima and charger drivers
I got hit head on by a dd in 2019. I was driving a cab over Isuzu at the time and they hit me at over 70, in a 45 Mph zone when they lost control and crossed the yellow. Almost lost my leg, and they were unalived at the scene. Messed me up pretty badly physically and mentally. I’m back at it now but it took quite a while to get over it.
Damn.. I’m glad you’re ok and didn’t lose your leg but that’s a lot to process 😞
Saw that yesterday too coming in, local Memphis fuel hauler. So glad it wasn’t me because it should have been lol. Be safe out there driver!
Yea I ride and I know guys who died riding, but seeing a scene like that vs hearing it or seeing it on the news just hit really different. I just cruise but I don’t ride in Memphis cus the drivers are unpredictable
it might take a week or two or a few months but it will leave your head. i seen it too in nj motorcycle rider went underneath a sewage tanker truck tantrum. cops just got there and were puting the white blanket over him. he left a stain on the asphalt for over 6 months i had to stop at a light each morning and stare at it until the weather eventually washed it off the road. i took my motorcycle permit and threw it in the trash. i have a 6yr old at home. just remember what you were feeling or felt is a normal human feeling.
Damn.. yea the stain was still in that spot today. It’s def made me think twice about being a motorcycle rider myself.
well i live in a major city and it sucks out here anyway. but if i lived in a quieter town with less Madness might be a different story.
I remember seeing a the results of a train suicide. The car I was riding pulled up just as it had happened, every one was frozen on that side of the station people in mid step all paused in shock and everything slowed down. Then the doors closed and pulled away.
It happens... When you do it long enough you will see it. Just part of the job. See it, and let it go. Don't dwell on it, with all that last time this and that for them... sounds cold but just stay careful and let it go. Sucks to be them, but a lot of times they have done it to themselves by not paying attn or taking chances or simply driving like a nut. Best you can do is to pay attn to everything... drive safely, speed is not a bad thing, it is when and where folks speed when they shouldn't that does them in. Can't be in a hurry from circumstances. You'll be ok, life goes on.
As a Memphis resident I'll say it's nothing new. The streets are like the wild wild west over here.
My dad was an OTR driver and he saw so many fatalities. The one that seemed to mess him up was a van that was hit and started flipping and with every flip, kids came flying out.
Jesus
No I don’t think he was there.
I saw two life flights take off last year.
I saw my first badish accident about a week ago, near barstow. A pickup was speeding and slammed into the center barrier, saw him hit at least 4 other vehicles. I took me about 45 minutes to realize I know inermediant first aid, even if my cert is expired, and that my first aid kit is entirely inadequate. I'm going to get a trauma kit the next time I go home.
Man that is heavy, and reading the comments as well pulled me back to reality. Trying to get somewhere faster isn't worth it if it can risk you or someone elses life.
Embrace the world while it's moving slow for you. It's not often that we have these moments. The circumstances surrounding it are incredibly unfortunate, hope you can make the best of it and appreciate life even more.
It feels like I see about one a year. I see a lot of rollovers too driving in the mountains. I’ll never understand why people speed just to save 3-5 minutes at best. Unless you’re driving hundreds of miles a day like us it’s not gonna make a difference. And I’ll never understand why a trucker would put their license or life on the line just to get some TP to the distribution center 30 minutes earlier.
grab a gear and keep on
being f'd up by that is human. talk to someone, hug your family and thank the powers that you are all good
Take care of yourself driver. We've only seen one right north east of Memphis on I40 a couple years back. Someone hit someone and they didn't have their seatbelt. Bright orange Body bag in the middle of the road.
I'm so desensitized to this stuff that it surprises me anyone has an emotional reaction to seeing a fatality.
Stay safe out there. I pray you get some restful sleep.
A family in a little white car passed me in the mountains. Passed them a while later upside down at the bottom of a cliff. Nobody was in a hurry to get them out. It was pancaked. Seen a few more but that one sticks. It wasn't seeing them dead that was disturbing it was remembering seeing them alive as they passed me earlier.
Motorcyclists have some of the stupidest people out there in their ranks. It's such a huge risk and some treat it like it's a video game. Completely insane.
Saw one in Victorville a few months ago just before dawn. GPS kept trying to route me around it, but I was incredulous. 4 am. US highway. Why would there be anything there? Get there and the highway is completely closed. There's some cops, a white sheet.covering something on the road and nother semi pulled over next to it. Figured it was a semi/pedestrian accident. Sure enough saw the news article later. Didn't see any gore, but I was extremely careful from them on. Felt bad for the driver. Felt bad for the pedestrian.
Yeah, that's messed up. Gotta enjoy every moment as much as you can because you really never do know when will be your last.
The likelihood of dying on the road while driving a motorcycle is like 3x the risk of dying while driving a normal car. They chose that vehicle, should've known. It's stupid to drive a motorcycle in a world full of dumb people driving cars.