Friend died yesterday ... Spooky

[bbhero]

Sad story, sorry to hear it. I can’t imagine the horror scene of trying to lift a branch off of someone.

Years ago my wife and I were driving someplace with another couple, and a telephone pole literally snapped in half and bounced on the roof. Perfectly perpendicular to the vehicle. A box truck on a perpendicular street snagged a wire, and the thing pulled and the pole was the weakest link. I think about that now and again - what if it wAs a fraction of. A second earlier, and it hit the windshield or a pillar instead of the roof? Scary stuff.

Freak situations are worse because they’re random and unexpected. And it’s so terrible when something like this happens.

Condolences to you and to the family.

I appreciate that JHRZ2...

Yeah I thought the same thing here... Literally a second or second and a half difference.... He would have been fine.

Sometimes in this world seconds or so decide our date.

I remember my mom and I driving southbound on interstate 81 here in Virginia... We had passed a car and at the top of the hill we got back into the right lane. A second or two later my mom who was driving asked if I thought the headlights coming up the hill towards us were on our side of the interstate... I told her yeah I'm pretty sure. About 3-4 seconds later that car went wizzing by is in the left lane. I estimate 10 seconds different... And we would have net that car head on at the top of hill.

In all likelihood we would have been gone.

Seconds can make all the difference.

Paying attention can too. I know that from my own job I have done.

 

[brianl703]

That's the question I have Brian...

Is or was that tree within the easement of the highway??

If so... Yeah that's a VDOT problem.

If not. . . It's obviously a private property issue.

I need to drive there and see how close that tree was. I remember it being rather close... Aka within 12 feet or so of Jamestown Rd.

If my neighbor's tree is hanging over my yard, I am allowed to trim the branches extending over the property line.

If this tree had branches over the VDOT right of way, then VDOT could have trimmed it.

Also suspect that VDOT would have been within legal rights to deal with it if it were obviously in danger of falling into the roadway.

 

[brianl703]

I remember my mom and I driving southbound on interstate 81 here in Virginia... We had passed a car and at the top of the hill we got back into the right lane. A second or two later my mom who was driving asked if I thought the headlights coming up the hill towards us were on our side of the interstate..

I once exited I95 NB onto Joplin Rd in Dumfries, VA. As I was waiting to make my left turn onto Joplin Rd, a car going west on Joplin Rd turned left and realized at the last possible second, likely only because I was waiting to turn left there, that he was going the wrong way. I mean he completed his left turn and then realized that I was blocking the only pavement he could have driven onto. He had to back up and turn around!

I think that if I hadn't been there waiting to turn left that guy would have gotten onto I95 going the wrong way.

 

[Shannow]

bbhero,
that's sad, really sad, but your feelings of guilt are not yours to own....I completely understand your feelings, and I'm sure that I'd feel the same.


Years ago, a mate left our power station, and went down to the big hydro's in the snowy mountains...the power station people down there are the local emergency services, having the vehicles and the skills and location to serve as roadside rescue. They were called to a tree that had crushed a car, and the driver was critically injured....as they approached the scene, the driver recognised the car as my mate's wife's car...they had to restrain him and take him away while they affected rescue.

Time and Place....

 

[wemay]

Oh man, so sorry bbhero.

 

[oldcodger]

Lost my best friend in Jan 2021. Talked to him at Thanksgiving 2020. He told me how they were going to a big Christmas gathering. I told him that he was taking a chance with COVID but he brushed it off. He died in Jan. 2021 of COVID. I remembered having a spooky feeling when we talked.

 

[UncleDave]

Aww man. So sorry BBH. What a random awful way to go.

 

[bbhero]

bbhero,
that's sad, really sad, but your feelings of guilt are not yours to own....I completely understand your feelings, and I'm sure that I'd feel the same.


Years ago, a mate left our power station, and went down to the big hydro's in the snowy mountains...the power station people down there are the local emergency services, having the vehicles and the skills and location to serve as roadside rescue. They were called to a tree that had crushed a car, and the driver was critically injured....as they approached the scene, the driver recognised the car as my mate's wife's car...they had to restrain him and take him away while they affected rescue.

Time and Place....

Really really appreciate your words here Shannow...

I'm always very happy when I see you on here.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Had a friend die from a very large tree branch breaking and falling on to his car yesterday afternoon. Killed him instantly. Storm came through with winds 40-50 mph.

I saw a very large tree branch high up in a tree on a road near me... In January.

I told my lady that could easily kill someone if it falls on to a car. And it did happen. His older daughter was in the car with him and she survived with only minor injuries. She was trying to lift that thousands of pound tree limb off her father... She's very, very distraught. He also leaves behind a 3 year old girl.

His own father had just passed away 2 days ago. So her grandfather and father died just 2 days apart.

Brutal.

I see things and notice things around me. I wonder if anyone else did that here. Did they see that dead large branch and tell anyone about it ? This road is a major road into Williamsburg. It was clearly hanging there in the tree very close by the northbound lane heading into town.

I really, really wish I had said something to someone about my concern.

My wife said that in all likelihood other people had noticed and had likely told someone about that tree... She's probably right. . I guess. Makes sense I think.

I am very, very weather aware as you all know. . I am also very observant of surroundings and potential safety concerns. Just think I should have done more here.. .

Sometimes in life... You wish you were wrong about something.

In this case that is exceptionally true.

Be careful out there my friends on here.

RIP my friend... I greatly enjoyed my times with you...

Sometimes we get called home before we're ready. I appreciate the help you gave me when I was struggling with the loss of my friend from covid-19. Every day we should think about the people that we care about the most and take time to send him a message or call them.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Had a friend die from a very large tree branch breaking and falling on to his car yesterday afternoon. Killed him instantly. Storm came through with winds 40-50 mph.

I saw a very large tree branch high up in a tree on a road near me... In January.

I told my lady that could easily kill someone if it falls on to a car. And it did happen. His older daughter was in the car with him and she survived with only minor injuries. She was trying to lift that thousands of pound tree limb off her father... She's very, very distraught. He also leaves behind a 3 year old girl.

His own father had just passed away 2 days ago. So her grandfather and father died just 2 days apart.

Brutal.

I see things and notice things around me. I wonder if anyone else did that here. Did they see that dead large branch and tell anyone about it ? This road is a major road into Williamsburg. It was clearly hanging there in the tree very close by the northbound lane heading into town.

I really, really wish I had said something to someone about my concern.

My wife said that in all likelihood other people had noticed and had likely told someone about that tree... She's probably right. . I guess. Makes sense I think.

I am very, very weather aware as you all know. . I am also very observant of surroundings and potential safety concerns. Just think I should have done more here.. .

Sometimes in life... You wish you were wrong about something.

In this case that is exceptionally true.

Be careful out there my friends on here.

RIP my friend... I greatly enjoyed my times with you...

So very sad.