Matress Sail
Posted on 07/21/2009 11:36:05 AM PDT by buccaneer81
I have a hard time believing at 25MPH the wind would have lifted the matress, however as someone who has been buffetted by sudden 60 MPH gusts, I can believe if one of these slammed the truck, it could have flipped that mattress and the boy on top of it right out.
Matress Sail
He was ejected along with the wood. Fatal.
Agree!!!
Unable to count the number of times I rode in the back of a pickup sitting on the sidewalls while going down the highway, all I can say is there but for the grace of God went I.
“Same thing happened to someone I knew in college - he ended up brain-damaged.”
You mean he’s a liberal now?
Calling Mythbusters.
No, this is typical. Ya ride in back of a Pickup, your chances of surviving an event, collision etc, are greatly reduced.
In addition, the mattress was probably not lying on the bed, inside the bed of the PU, but probably on top of other items being moved. Just the wind from the moving vehicle could have done this, turning the mattress into a sail.
“Riding in the back of a pickup is dumb under any circumstances.”
It was common practice when I was a youngin in farm country. I think it is outlawed now.
No need to call them, this happens several times a year. Usually the mattress is on top of a van or car.
No more so than riding in a jeep, a convertible, an Army duce and a half or 5 ton hauling troops down the interstate, or a motorcycle. Siting up on the side of the bed of a pick up when moving isn't too smart though.
I personally know the family and knew the child that died. Marion is a very flat place and winds during storms get very strong, a few years ago large trees blew down and killed a few people. The area of road that this happened on the speed limit was only 25. The mattress was on its side, on the side of the bed of the truck. The mother loved her son very much and i think it is horrible that some of you say this is suspicious or think she was going much faster. The child was a very good kid, very well loved by his family and friends. The mother is now guilt ridden and well she is a mess. Cant blame her, they dont have much money and the truck was full of stuff from moving, there was no place to sit but in the back.
So yeah she might have made the wrong choice to have him in the back of the truck, but on that road, and in that area it is not illegal to do this. So due to the wind this mother was faced with the choice to watch her son on life support for ever or to donate his organs. She made the choice to donate his organs. Shawn was a great kid, loved other kids, and was always helping younger children. His mother called me with the news and asked what she should do (i currently live in thailand.) I said well if you donate his organs think of this, Even in death Shawn will still be doing something he truly loved to do, and that is help other children.
No more so than riding in a jeep, a convertible, an Army duce and a half or 5 ton hauling troops down the interstate, or a motorcycle. Siting up on the side of the bed of a pick up when moving isn’t too smart though.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Other than the motorcycle, I think you’ll find those vehicles have alittle thing called a seatbelt (or some other design/functionarlity) that helps prevent you from being trown from the vehicle.
I never implied that the mother was speeding, but others have, my post was stating I have been caught by sudden wind gusts and can see the events happening as described in the article.
This was a truly sad incident, and I never doubted this mother loved her child, and it is a tragedy. I am not going to judge this woman for this, Lord knows we’ve all made mistakes based on the low probability of something bad happening... sadly sometimes that low probability happens.
Army Duce and Half and 5 ton troop and equipment transport trucks have a bench seat running the lenght of the bed on each side. You don't realize it because a tarp is over it but they ride right below the edge of the top of the bed yes even on the interstate. Been there done that. No seat belts.
Human beings of all ages have been riding in pick up truck beds ever since the first ones hit the road. Before that they rode buggies with no seat belts. A seatbelt in a Jeep really isn't gonna help you that much either. You actually may fair better being thrown clear of it in a roll over. A Pick truck is reasonably safe to ride in SITTING DOWN INSIDE THE BED.
People worry about this then buy a tin can 35 MPG death trap and not think twice simply because it has seat belts.
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