So, a few know some details here, but not all do. I got thwacked by an Armored Truck which had run a red light, a little bit ago. I was driving the truck, a monster F250 7.3L Diesel, at the time... and so while I certainly did not escape without injuries... had I been in the wifes Mazda, or on one of the bikes, I'm sure I'd have just been killed, instantly, on contact. My injuries are numerous, and a few are appearing as if they are going to be life long as well... however, ze "Lawyer" has be being somewhat quiet on specifics. The high level summary tho is a few busted bones, a lot of herniated discs, a crap load of soft tissue damage (unknown if surgery will be required to fix some) but.... overall, I'm ALIVE!
For Formula390 truck too the abject full brunt of the impact. He went through the red light at 60mph, and on contact tossed my truck, myself, and my cargo through the intersection and into a metal lightpole a good 4 lanes away. EMTs were on the scene FAST, and Fire had the cab popped open with the hydraulic extractors (aka Jaws of life) fast too! Apparently, they had me triage'd, in the CV collar, placed on the backboard, loaded onto the stretcher, and in the ambulance rolling for the trauma center in less that 4 minutes TOTAL from the initial impact! The driver of the Armored Truck, a young 20-something kid driving the Armored Truck, doesn't have a Class B (or C) CDL, and ALSO appears to have either been texting while driving, or perhaps was driving drowsy, as one of the witnesses reported him "almost running me off the road, so I backed off, and over the next few miles he continued to swerve cross the center line, until the accident." The driver stated at the scene that his brakes "went out" which is why he didn't slow for the intersection. Witnesses all reported seeing all his tires locked up and smoke pouring off 'em. There is video footage from traffic camera in the intersection, as well as the outside and inside of the Armored Truck. Fault in the accident is 100% the Armored Truck. It's been almost a month, and the company has YET to provide my lawyer with their insurance company contact info. In fact, even in the police report when the officer spoke with the manager about the accident and requested the insurance information, the manager just hung up on him. Stuff like that makes my lawyer giggle like a schoolgirl with a new plushie stuffed toy!!!! Having spent 9+ hours in the cervical collar and on the backboard, sucked!!! I do have to say tho, that the Austin Fire Department and EMT's did a SHOCKINGLY fast, professional, and really well organized scene and team effort with my triage, extraction, and transport to the trauma center. Once I'm walking about a bit easier again, I'll be swinging by to express my gratitude to be sure!!!
Anyway, I'm still doing the whole routine of scans, tests, and initial treatments. I'm probably looking at some lifetime injury points, some debilitating problems that'll likely take years to heal, if the do, and some which will hopefully be healed up enough to no longer be causing anywhere NEAR as much pain.
The take away of this has been, for the last several weeks, my R&D work has DRAMATICALLY reduced. I got the two new products of a) the steering damper and b) the camera/phone/lap timer/whateva RAM mount.
I'm still trying to do R&D, but it is, at best, damned difficult to impossible. I can't lift my left arm over just below my shoulder height due to shoulder and clavicle injuries, I can't bend, or lay down, or crawl around on, near, or under the bike due to herniated disks and the many (still) broken ribs. I'm also taking some reasonably decently sized dosages of morphine, Vicodin, Tramadol, muscle relaxes, nerve pain meds, and sleeping pills to have ANY chance of sleeping more than 3 hours a day. You'd think with THAT much narcotics onboard, staying AWAKE would be the big issue. yeah wel, that's possibly very well the case, but only when it doesn't hurt to move, lay down, stand, breath, cough.... or heaven help me. SNEEZE! Holy ***** ******* ***************!!!!!!!1
...but... I AM ever so slowly making gradual gains towards returning to life as I knew it, and am still getting orders packed and shipped out! I mailed off another 5 orders in the last week.
The bright light for me today is, that over the last three weeks I've been searching for another truck. Well, I'm thrilled to say that a New Formula390 Truck has FINALLY been found and was acquired today!
It's another F250 with the 7.3L Turbo Diesel and Long Bed. This ones a 4x4, vs the last one being a 2x, and the Boss / Accountant / Wifey insisted "If you're gong to buy another one of those ******** Massive Trucks, at least get an automatic this time so I can drive it easier!!!" so, no more stick. I'll be picking up some vinyl to throw on the Laser Cutter and fabricate up 2 or 3 copies of the Formula390 logo to put on the truck... but no, before anyone asks... it WON'T be being painted KTM Orange. LOL
Anyway, all that is a good part of the reason why I have not been quite as active on the forum of late. I -=AM=- still getting orders packed and shipped. That's my TOP priority each day (besides more doctors appointments) and so far at least, I've managed to not had any delayed shipments because of it all. I have had to rely on a few key folks to help me, not just for Formula390 stuff... but life in general. It's the sort you are glad to have around when you are bright as a moss covered rotten log from all the narcotics, and am holding 2 packing slips for orders that need to go out... and you can't even figure out how to work the tape dispenser at the time!!! I am pretty glad I had the foresight to train a few folks on doing order fulfillment many months prior to the THWACK moment tho!!!
For Formula390 truck too the abject full brunt of the impact. He went through the red light at 60mph, and on contact tossed my truck, myself, and my cargo through the intersection and into a metal lightpole a good 4 lanes away. EMTs were on the scene FAST, and Fire had the cab popped open with the hydraulic extractors (aka Jaws of life) fast too! Apparently, they had me triage'd, in the CV collar, placed on the backboard, loaded onto the stretcher, and in the ambulance rolling for the trauma center in less that 4 minutes TOTAL from the initial impact! The driver of the Armored Truck, a young 20-something kid driving the Armored Truck, doesn't have a Class B (or C) CDL, and ALSO appears to have either been texting while driving, or perhaps was driving drowsy, as one of the witnesses reported him "almost running me off the road, so I backed off, and over the next few miles he continued to swerve cross the center line, until the accident." The driver stated at the scene that his brakes "went out" which is why he didn't slow for the intersection. Witnesses all reported seeing all his tires locked up and smoke pouring off 'em. There is video footage from traffic camera in the intersection, as well as the outside and inside of the Armored Truck. Fault in the accident is 100% the Armored Truck. It's been almost a month, and the company has YET to provide my lawyer with their insurance company contact info. In fact, even in the police report when the officer spoke with the manager about the accident and requested the insurance information, the manager just hung up on him. Stuff like that makes my lawyer giggle like a schoolgirl with a new plushie stuffed toy!!!! Having spent 9+ hours in the cervical collar and on the backboard, sucked!!! I do have to say tho, that the Austin Fire Department and EMT's did a SHOCKINGLY fast, professional, and really well organized scene and team effort with my triage, extraction, and transport to the trauma center. Once I'm walking about a bit easier again, I'll be swinging by to express my gratitude to be sure!!!
Anyway, I'm still doing the whole routine of scans, tests, and initial treatments. I'm probably looking at some lifetime injury points, some debilitating problems that'll likely take years to heal, if the do, and some which will hopefully be healed up enough to no longer be causing anywhere NEAR as much pain.
The take away of this has been, for the last several weeks, my R&D work has DRAMATICALLY reduced. I got the two new products of a) the steering damper and b) the camera/phone/lap timer/whateva RAM mount.
I'm still trying to do R&D, but it is, at best, damned difficult to impossible. I can't lift my left arm over just below my shoulder height due to shoulder and clavicle injuries, I can't bend, or lay down, or crawl around on, near, or under the bike due to herniated disks and the many (still) broken ribs. I'm also taking some reasonably decently sized dosages of morphine, Vicodin, Tramadol, muscle relaxes, nerve pain meds, and sleeping pills to have ANY chance of sleeping more than 3 hours a day. You'd think with THAT much narcotics onboard, staying AWAKE would be the big issue. yeah wel, that's possibly very well the case, but only when it doesn't hurt to move, lay down, stand, breath, cough.... or heaven help me. SNEEZE! Holy ***** ******* ***************!!!!!!!1
...but... I AM ever so slowly making gradual gains towards returning to life as I knew it, and am still getting orders packed and shipped out! I mailed off another 5 orders in the last week.
The bright light for me today is, that over the last three weeks I've been searching for another truck. Well, I'm thrilled to say that a New Formula390 Truck has FINALLY been found and was acquired today!
It's another F250 with the 7.3L Turbo Diesel and Long Bed. This ones a 4x4, vs the last one being a 2x, and the Boss / Accountant / Wifey insisted "If you're gong to buy another one of those ******** Massive Trucks, at least get an automatic this time so I can drive it easier!!!" so, no more stick. I'll be picking up some vinyl to throw on the Laser Cutter and fabricate up 2 or 3 copies of the Formula390 logo to put on the truck... but no, before anyone asks... it WON'T be being painted KTM Orange. LOL
Anyway, all that is a good part of the reason why I have not been quite as active on the forum of late. I -=AM=- still getting orders packed and shipped. That's my TOP priority each day (besides more doctors appointments) and so far at least, I've managed to not had any delayed shipments because of it all. I have had to rely on a few key folks to help me, not just for Formula390 stuff... but life in general. It's the sort you are glad to have around when you are bright as a moss covered rotten log from all the narcotics, and am holding 2 packing slips for orders that need to go out... and you can't even figure out how to work the tape dispenser at the time!!! I am pretty glad I had the foresight to train a few folks on doing order fulfillment many months prior to the THWACK moment tho!!!
