I'm at home today.

Yesterday I was sitting on HWY 99 in Bakersfield almost to exit 26. The highway has a slight incline to go over a bridge at this spot. Traffic was stopped due to a rollover accident and I was sitting in number 3 lane. I had a refeer in front of me and I was about a car length (8-10ft) away from the back of him. We had been sitting there for about 2-3 minutes.

I see this refeer start to roll bacwards into me. I honked my city horn 4 times and then went for the air horn but never pulled it since he had hit me by then. I was pissed, I jumped out of the truck and a person in the car next to me says ah that sucks he rolled into you. I continued up to the truck driver and knocked and then tried to open the door. The driver, Middle Eastern wearing a dress or whatever you call it gets out. I said why did you roll backwards? This guy says no you hit me. I was stopped and you hit me. I told him no way, you rolled backwards. He then walked to the back of his trailer.

We ended up pulling to the side of the hwy and another CHP officer arrived to take the report. He took our info and asked what happen. I told him the truth and the other driver lied. CHP said so theres a difference of what occured. He was pretty business like and couldn't take a side. He asked what our speed was. The other driver said 2-3mph I said Stopped. Other driver starts again with he's lying, he was following to closely, he hit me.... I just shook my head and said nope we were stopped and for some reason he rolled backwards.

So now I have to wait and see what happens. I took some photos of the scene and his truck and damage. I took the truck to the yard in San Bernadino and had them look at the front bumper. I was cleared from any other damage and I left the truck there. I have a load to deliver monday morning.

I have done some searching on the net and was wondering what others do. http://windshieldcam.com/ http://us.3rdeyecam.com/?gclid=CIe51...FR0SagodQiOtpg
Any other ideas? Now for some guy rolling backwards into me I don't know what's going to happen, this sucks!

That sucks Paul. You should have jotted down the license plate number of the car that was beside you. Try and do that next time. To bad that driver didn't give up a few minutes of his or her day, to witness for you. But that is how it works out there in the valley.

The CHP officer most likely gave you more credit than you realize. He or she just could not show it.

Still can't believe you went to the "other side" :p. I personally can't see myself switching over anytime soon since I am one of those sick puppies that enjoys flatbedding too much. Maybe i should see a doctor?? :lol:

Anyways, I will watch your new thread to see how things are going for you. Best of luck and be safe out there.

Dang dude, sorry to hear that. Seems like you tend to have some rotten luck. Hope JB takes your side of the story.

wow, that sucks. sorry to hear of it but the advice about the plate number was good. The only thing I would say is that you stopped way too close to that guy in front of you. Leave a truck length between you next time. I know that cars will probaly try and jump in but better a car than a big truck.

Back when I pulled covered wagons, I had a dry-van driver go under my trailer with one fender. Busted the crap out of his fender, and although he tried to say I ran over his fender, I pointed out the rachet scrape on the side of his fender. It scratched the length of his fender, and could only have done that if he was the one moving. If I had been moving, it would have taken his fender completely off. Even after the cops saw that, he still tried to say I ran him over. One cop that looked at that told me he knew who to believe.
"And, by the way, you WERE wearing your seatbelt, weren't you?" he asked me, with his head alternately looking at the sky and the ground several time.
The other guy had been parked, and released his brake, then stepped to the rear to put a jacket on. His truck rolled under my trailer and stopped on it's own. Another witness saw him get knocked forward, into the windshield, when the truck came to a stop. I never heard another word about it.

That doesn't make you sick. I enjoyed it too, back when I was doing that. Still would not mind throwing the straps and chains across, but I don't like a few of the rules for securement they have now. Hooking to the rub-rail, I could ensure that nothing came loose. Hooking to the lower edge of the frame channel, I've had a hook come unhooked, go up in the air, and arrange for me to get 18 stitches in my head. Also heard from a MD trooper that a load of hay lost a hook into the windshield of a 4-wheeler going the opposite way and killed the driver. I've also seen a couple of trailers with that edge cracked and pieces busted out. In my opinion, someone was a complete idiot when they came up with that one.

I was taught to use the spools to secure chains- straps (with clips) go behind the rubrail and onto the frame.

For the trucking gods on here who claim all straps have to be inside the rubrail- what do you do with an outside frame trailer?

Well Im in Laredo waiting to offload in the morning. I started on monday and arrived today around 2:30pm, my time, 4:30local.
As I was coming out I received a load to hook a loaded trailer and run to Mira Loma and be there by the 7th. Total of about 1400 miles here and 1400 back at .37 hmmmm.... hold on carry it over, take socks off.....$1036 gross... Minus $ to Arnie... Minus $ to Osama....:puke:

What is the update on the accident you had on CA99? Sound like you are going to get a raw deal. Anyhow, BOL