Actually a day and a half.
I was on my way to a Babies R Us store in Oklahoma City. There was lightning all around but no rain yet. I even saw lightning strike a big transformer. Big flash, that a long green glow.
It was 11:45 p.m. I had just gotten off I-235 going north and onto I-44 going west, just getting up to speed. Suddenly there was a big bang. Lost of gray smoke. The steering wheel wasn't shaking, so it had to be the engine. Pulled over to the shoulder on a ramp, out of harms way. Shut off the engine. Opened the hood, and that's where the smoke was from. Strong smell of oil. Engine oil everywhere. And a hole blown in the big exhaust pipe, just behind the turbocharger. Blown up turbocharger, apparently.
Started to rain. Put out my hazard triangles. Called dispatch and told them the problem. They transferred me to the shop, told them the problem all over. They arranged for a tow truck. He was there in less than an hour. Hooked up the truck and delivered the trailer to the store (the tow-truck driver wasn't particularly happy about that, but I broke down only a mile from the store). Dispatch arranged a room at the Motel 6, and the tow truck dropped me off. Got checked in and went to bed.
In the morning, I walked out front to find a place for breakfast. Ah, an IHOP and a Waffle House handy. Went to the Waffle House and had a pecan waffle and coffee. Started to get my wallet out to pay.
No wallet.
I assumed it had fallen out of my pocket in the room. I left my company ID with the waitress and went to look for it. Not in the room. Maybe I left it at the counter of the motel when I checked in? Not there. Realized it was probably stolen and called Dottie to have her start cancelling the credit cards, etc.
One card had already been used twice for gas. None of the others were used. Went back to the Waffle House, explained the situation. The gave me a slip to send them the money.
Took all day for the repair shop to decide they weren't going to have the truck ready by Wednesday. Talked to Dottie, and she decided to drive up to pick me up. Finally got home at 2:30 this morning.
It shot my trip to Baton Rouge last night, so I'm going to have to do a fill-in tonight to Bossier City. I'll be paid hourly for all the time I was broken down (from Monday night to Wednesday morning), minus 10 hours for my required off-duty time. And they're paying for the mileage up and back on Dottie's car.
One thing that may have saved me: I don't sign my credit cards. I just put "SEE ID" in magic marker in the signature blank.
There was only about $35 in the wallet, plus 5 credit cards, a credit card belonging to the company, my medical cards, a few business cards. I may have gotten off easy.
Put a fraud hold on my credit record. Requested new medical cards. Filed a police report.
Now I have to go get my driver's license replaced.
What fun!
I was on my way to a Babies R Us store in Oklahoma City. There was lightning all around but no rain yet. I even saw lightning strike a big transformer. Big flash, that a long green glow.
It was 11:45 p.m. I had just gotten off I-235 going north and onto I-44 going west, just getting up to speed. Suddenly there was a big bang. Lost of gray smoke. The steering wheel wasn't shaking, so it had to be the engine. Pulled over to the shoulder on a ramp, out of harms way. Shut off the engine. Opened the hood, and that's where the smoke was from. Strong smell of oil. Engine oil everywhere. And a hole blown in the big exhaust pipe, just behind the turbocharger. Blown up turbocharger, apparently.
Started to rain. Put out my hazard triangles. Called dispatch and told them the problem. They transferred me to the shop, told them the problem all over. They arranged for a tow truck. He was there in less than an hour. Hooked up the truck and delivered the trailer to the store (the tow-truck driver wasn't particularly happy about that, but I broke down only a mile from the store). Dispatch arranged a room at the Motel 6, and the tow truck dropped me off. Got checked in and went to bed.
In the morning, I walked out front to find a place for breakfast. Ah, an IHOP and a Waffle House handy. Went to the Waffle House and had a pecan waffle and coffee. Started to get my wallet out to pay.
No wallet.
I assumed it had fallen out of my pocket in the room. I left my company ID with the waitress and went to look for it. Not in the room. Maybe I left it at the counter of the motel when I checked in? Not there. Realized it was probably stolen and called Dottie to have her start cancelling the credit cards, etc.
One card had already been used twice for gas. None of the others were used. Went back to the Waffle House, explained the situation. The gave me a slip to send them the money.
Took all day for the repair shop to decide they weren't going to have the truck ready by Wednesday. Talked to Dottie, and she decided to drive up to pick me up. Finally got home at 2:30 this morning.
It shot my trip to Baton Rouge last night, so I'm going to have to do a fill-in tonight to Bossier City. I'll be paid hourly for all the time I was broken down (from Monday night to Wednesday morning), minus 10 hours for my required off-duty time. And they're paying for the mileage up and back on Dottie's car.
One thing that may have saved me: I don't sign my credit cards. I just put "SEE ID" in magic marker in the signature blank.
There was only about $35 in the wallet, plus 5 credit cards, a credit card belonging to the company, my medical cards, a few business cards. I may have gotten off easy.
Put a fraud hold on my credit record. Requested new medical cards. Filed a police report.
Now I have to go get my driver's license replaced.
What fun!
