What really happens when you ignore the warning signs and try to go one mile further.
Let me preface this story by saying that I am quadriplegic and in an electric wheelchair. I was originally made paraplegic with primarily my hands and arms affected in a surgical accident. However, as I aged, I lost spinal neurons and function in my lower body and legs, too. I drove an unmodified 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo until 1995 when it became too difficult for me to steer and lift my right foot from gas to brake. I stopped trying to walk in the early 1990s and have been using the electric wheelchair since. For three years I didn't drive and used public transportation to haul me to work and wherever else I had to go. Fortunately, I learned of technology that would enable me to drive and I bought a 1998 Ford Windstar that was modified in Phoenix, Arizona by Vantage Mobility, Inc. VMI lowered the floor of the van 10 inches, removed the seats and replaced them with two removable front seats, built in a ramp, powered the ramp and door with a remote, and replaced the rear springs with airbags that could be deflated to lower the van for easier access and inflated for driving. It took about a month for this modification to take place.
The van was shipped to Houston, where Mobility Plus added sophisticated gas-brake, zero pressure steering, and vehicle controls from Electro-Mobility Controls (EMC) on a panel for me to operate. I received special training to drive the van and it took seven months to install the equipment and fit it properly to me so that I could drive. Because the van was so expensive and because it was so high tech, I have been fastidious about routine maintenance and repaired anything that gave the slightest hint of failure. Both the gas-brake unit and the steering had been recalled from EMC and replaced. The 1998 van, while running well, had reached 95,000 miles and was beginning to have small problems with its sophisticated electronics that required constant adjustment and expense. I decided to replace the van and give it to someone who could use it for transporting people in wheelchairs.
Six months ago I bought a new, 2006 Ford Freestar and set into motion the process of having it modified to replace the 1998. Recently, I drove the new van. Except for some minor adjustments and inspection, by state of Texas authorities, it is virtually ready for my use. That leads me to this morning...
There's good news and bad news. The good news is that I'm writing and telling you this. The bad news is that I wrecked my 1998 van this morning. I had been experiencing problems with the transmission with hard shifting from first or second and surging from the torque converter. I was so busy with setting up new computers, new van, work, and everything else that I hadn't called the transmission place to have it checked. I did check the transmission fluid and it appeared to be okay.
This morning I left for work normally for my 20 mile commute and everything was fine except for an unusually high idle because a cold front had come through. However, the van drove fine until I drove up onto the freeway. The van seemed to continue to accelerate after I let off the gas going up the ramp. I controlled it by braking. There was the usual heavy traffic, so several times I had to slow. The car would surge forward and I had to use the brakes more often than normal. At one point the traffic stopped ahead of me, and as I came to an almost stop, the transmission seemed to shift down and pull the van forward again. This bothered me a great deal so I thought about turning around and going back home. Instead, I decided to continue on into work, planning to leave early in the afternoon so that wouldn't have to brake for traffic going home.
After 10 miles on the freeway, I braked all right for the difficult right exit off the Southwest Freeway to 288 south. And then I made the immediate exit off of 288 to make a left turn on Southmore. There was only a Ford Expedition waiting ahead of me at the light. I braked to slow. There was no response. I braked again. There was no response. There was no time for a quick maneuver or my life flashing before me. I was locked in the moment. My only thought was to stop the van. By the time I braked the third time, the back of the Expedition was closing in at about 30 miles an hour. There was nothing I could do. It was inevitable. I braced for the hit and saw the back of the Expedition rise up in front of me, both airbags deploy in my face, patting my nose like a powder puff, and then deflate, and everything come to a stop. Just like in the crash test dummy films. Only this time, the dummy was me.
Tied in like I was with my chest belt, the van's chest belt, my lap belt, my wheelchair's EZ-Lock bolted to the floor, and with the firm sides of my wheelchair seat and laterals, I felt okay. Amazingly, I was unhurt. A thin wisp of smoke or dust was floating up from the deflated airbags. I tried the driver's side window and it worked. A young lady was getting out of the Expedition. Smoke was coming from the right front under the van's crumpled hood. Cars were going by to the right of me one after the other with everyone staring and no one stopping. Forgetting that the van was still in drive, I tried the EZ-Lock and it didn't work. I called out to the young lady for help. But she kept pacing back and forth by the Expedition with her arms crossed. She seemed to be trying to ignore me. The smoke grew in intensity with the smell of burned, glazed brake pads, and I began to panic, thinking that I had a fire on my hands. I ran down the passenger side window and yelled at the top of my lungs. Everyone kept driving by and the young woman continued pacing back and forth.
I was glad to see the smoke diminish and knew I didn't have a fire. By that time, about 10 minutes, help arrived. Reverend Larry Johnson, a landscaper, came to my driver's side door, and said that his employee, Lydia, was the woman that I had hit. He tried to help me get out of the EZ-Lock by pulling the emergency release and trying to release it from underneath. But that did not work even though I had heard the easy lock release when I pushed the button. A Houston police officer, R. B. Carter, came to my aid as well after a tow truck driver got my van's side door open and the ramp down. Officer Carter and I tried to get the van to shift to park but it wouldn't. (The van has no automatic shift lever, just buttons marked, "P" for park and so on.) Finally, after many attempts, the EZ-Lock clicked, and I backed out. Apparently the pin on the bottom of my wheelchair was damaged, because it dragged on the ramp coming out of the van.
We all reconvened at a nearby gas station. I had the van towed to Mobility Plus. Reverend Johnson offered to take me home in his truck, but I declined because it's too difficult with my 450-pound Permobil wheelchair. Officer Carter, believing my story about equipment failure didn't cite me for the accident. My insurance will take care of Lydia's Expedition. If the repairs on my van are too great I will just have to junk it for parts.
I took three buses and the light rail home. It took 2 1/2 hours. Mistakenly, in my confusion, took the wrong bus and wasted over an
hour transferring. I reached home safely by noon.
After thinking about it, I could have probably stopped the accident from occurring had I reacted to the surging problem sooner and gone home. I believe now that the high idle, combined with overdrive made the van surge forward. The brakes probably failed because they became overheated and glazed. But there's no use in second-guessing. I was extremely lucky that the only thing hurt was my pocketbook and a little of Lydia’s and my time. I'm also lucky to have a replacement van waiting in the wings. My only regret is that I may not be able to give my used van to a worthy cause or a needy individual.
I love your sense of humour, Ron. Despite everything, you look at life in face and laugh at it, erm, with it. You are truly an amazing person!
God bless,
Sandie.
Reviewed by Bircendia Rayford
11/1/2006
Wow, Dr. Hull!!! What an experience! I am glad that you were not hurt! Too bad about your used van, but isn't it amazing how God's plan falls in place right on time? You will be "locked and loaded" in those new wheels any time now!
"Crash Test Dummy -- A True Story" is quite good. It is always a treat reading your stories. Thank you for sharing them with me. Bircendia Rayford
Oh my gosh, Ron. I am so glad you are okay, though, and while it is a shame that your van may not be going to a worthy cause, the most important thing is that you are fine. Traffic may have been worse than normal on a Saturday but even at that, you were probably better off than say a weekday morning during peak rush hour. Still, it is a shame that the woman in the other vehicle did not think well enough to assist you. Some people only look out for themselves, unlike your idea to donate your van!
I hope everything works out fine! But, the lesson that we should never put off 'til tomorrow, the things we should do today is a good lesson to learn. It is a shame you had to learn it the hard way!
These kinds of things happen so often and in so many varied ways. My wife works as a controller for San Diego Trolley. Many of those stories for the Trolley end up as tragedies.
I am so thankful that you are still in one piece. And also ... the confusion, in my mind, was entirely justified.
What a nightmare. I'm glad your losses were minimized. You were lucky there wasn't a gagle of bicyclists waiting at the light or that it wasn't at the top of a cliff. It's great, though, that you have new wheels coming. Tip a stiff drink, if you do that kind of thing, and settle your nerves. You are in my thoughts.
Best regards,
Leland
Reviewed by Jerry Bolton
10/28/2006
What a sneaky way to get reviewed. LOL I'll have to try that. LOL2 Good to hear that you are okay, THAT was a close call. Maybve you had a little help from above? Whatever, glad you are okay.
Wow Ron, I'm glad no one got hurt. If something like that would have happened to me, I would've done your first thought; gone back home.
The title of this story "is" funny though. It fits. :O)
Dayum it Ronald Hull. You better take more precautions next time...and I pray there is no next time.One never knows the depth of caring for a friend until something like ths happens. You are a precious friend to me. We have so many things in common and I'm not ready to give up this friendship just now.
Behave.....I'll get a switch.
Love.
Susan
These song lyrics and art are tales, tides and twinkling lights - tunes telling stories of warmth and sun, city and sand, paths that lead, and the coins we can keep in the Karma Bank. Spirit's been bypassed for sorrow, dreaming of a better tomorrow .
Reflections and Nature Watercolors is a collection of Margaret's spontaneous positive thoughts in celebrating and reflecting on life and her nature watercolors.
Let me preface this story by saying that I am quadriplegic and in an electric wheelchair. I was originally made paraplegic with primarily my hands and arms affected in a surgical accident. However, as I aged, I lost spinal neurons and function in my lower body and legs, too. I drove an unmodified 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo until 1995 when it became too difficult for me to steer and lift my right foot from gas to brake. I stopped trying to walk in the early 1990s and have been using the electric wheelchair since. For three years I didn't drive and used public transportation to haul me to work and wherever else I had to go. Fortunately, I learned of technology that would enable me to drive and I bought a 1998 Ford Windstar that was modified in Phoenix, Arizona by Vantage Mobility, Inc. VMI lowered the floor of the van 10 inches, removed the seats and replaced them with two removable front seats, built in a ramp, powered the ramp and door with a remote, and replaced the rear springs with airbags that could be deflated to lower the van for easier access and inflated for driving. It took about a month for this modification to take place.
