Don't try this on the road!

[JoanE]

Just outside Jacksonville, on I-295, cruising along around 9:30pm, heading north when suddenly a mattress appears in front of me directly in my path. No choice but to run over it. I braced and let out a shriek. The MH went over it and I pulled over to the shoulder. Suddenly the rig starts bucking and I think my wheels are locked up or something. Jump out and smell burning. Under my rig the mattress is shredded and totally tangled in my drive shaft.

Long story (and night) short, the mattress had to be cut away while sitting on the highway. Then Dick Gore RV looked at it the next day and finished cleaning out whatever mattress shreds were still entangled, also scouring away the melted mattress foam from my undercarriage. One leveler spring was torn off, so am waiting for new part to come in. Tail pipe and sewer door were bent but now repaired.

PS The bucking motion was from the "stay awake" braille on the shoulder of the road.

Made it the rest of the way to NY without incident. Maggie is a little jumpy now if she feels bumps in the roadway. lol

[avalen]

glad your ok and didn't have an accident. Insurance can take care of all the damages but the main thing is YOU ARE OK, thank god.

[mitch5252]

..

OMG - what an awful experience.
I'm glad you're okay.
Man, you just never know.

[Irmi]

Joan, that had to be scarey as all get out! I'm sorry you experienced this and glad you're ok.

[Bethers]

Wow - so sorry that happened. I bet you were shaking. But, as said, insurance covers those kinds of things - and you and rv are now ok and made it on to New York. Wouldn't you love to find the people who lost that mattress and give them a good speaking to (or worse?)

[mtngal]

Gosh Joan that must have been hair raising! My DD had a sofa dumped on the freeway in front of her years ago. So scary. But no one hurt then either. Glad you are ok!

[pattyk]

Wow!! That must have really scared you. I had a ladder come off a truck in front of me on I80. Luckily I was in my car and was able to move into the other lane.

[AlmostThere]

That had my heart pounding! So glad you are safe!
I also had an experience when a truck full of building material, not tied down, was a few hundred yards from going past me when a whole sheet of plywood flew off and came cartwheeling toward me.

[Nasoosie]

SCARY, SCARY, SCARY! As others have said, thank heavens you are ok, and that you didn't try to swerve around the mattress and flip over, or something, or drive into another car. You done good!

And I'll bet it's not just Maggie who is a bit jumpy on the roads these days! Happy to hear the rest of the trip went well. How many days did it take you, and where did you stay at night? I am on my way now, on Sunday, although I will be driving only about 200 to 250 miles per day. My ribs are very much less sore, but I need to stretch out still, so will not push it.

[Liz]

Sorry for the damage and inconvenience, but thankful you were not hurt, and repairs were done quickly. That happened to me once with a small rug wrapping around the drive shaft, but no damage done that time.

[Travelinana]

The interstates are great for getting there but wow! it's a obstacle course. I hate those alligators all over...I guess they don't have the manpower to keep them picked up. Speaking of alligators, when we were in the trucking business, my husband and I were traveling in Florida and I yelled out "watch that alligator"..he thought I meant shredded tire and it was a real alligator we almost ran over. So glad you, Maggie and RV are ok now. Most likely the mattress owners knew they lost it and just kept traveling

[Gentleladybear]

Thank goodness you are okay. So glad there was not worse damage to your motorhome. Maggie will settle down after awhile I am sure, but the bumps would unnerve me a bit too.

[BirdbyBird]

Wow... Glad that you made it out with minimal damage...except that done on your nerves. sounds as if your road side help got you fixed up in a reasonable time frame. I always worry about those plastic bags that float around the highway waiting to get caught and melt when no one notices.....

[JudyJB]

Wow! You are very lucky. I always worry about stuff on the road, and that's just with my car.

Must have been a good job of driving not to lose control.

[snowball]

Oh my how scary!! and so glad that you are ok and the problems with the rv were fairly minor..
you did good staying in control
pat yourself on the back!!!
sheila