Within 1.5-2 miles of the itneresection of GMR and East Fork at around 10:15PM on the 15th of November, front left tire blew and vehicle (Mazdaspeed 3) understeered towards wall. Traction control probably kicked in and prevented my buddy from giving the car more gas (FWD car = traction), which applied brakes, causing the understeer. We veered right into the side of the mountain/wall, "slowly" rolled the car which went onto the roof. The roof of the car does not provide very much traction, nor braking force, and we stopped probably a hundred or so feet later in the middle of the road, just a bit shy of going over the edge to have a quick social encounter with East Fork Road. I was shotgun, my buddy driving, my other buddy riding in the back.
On the flatbed in Glendora:
(Most of the damage was on the driver's side, which "caught" the road)
Asked my buddy (driver) if he was OK, which he was. I asked my buddy in the backseat, he's suspended but OK. Exitted the vehicle, pulled a shard of glass out of my knee, tried to open the door for my bud in the back, but that door was jammed. Buddy got out from other side. To be safe and vauge, driver and myself have military/law enforcement experience. Dismount and casualty assessment was very quick, emotionless, and efficient.
I am very impressed with the vehicle's safety and integrity. I read that Volvo helped design the body of this car.Passenger buddy stayed with car whilst driver and I went to Camp Williams General Store and Cafe to use the phones. First three calls to 911 had busy signals. Had to call a friend who then relayed message to 911/LASD (then CHP) (single vehicle TC, not OTS, no injuries).
CHP reached my buddy at the site, and told him that we left him for dead and we were probably drinking heavilly. Hey, that's really truly professional. Excellent. THey did not come to pick my buddy and I up at Williams to join our buddy, but they mentioned calling in "mountain rescue" to find us. It'll be a VERY cold day in hell before I'm "rescued" in my mountains.
Towtruck flipped car, and moved down to our location at Williams with CHP unit with my buddy in CHP Crown Vic. CHP's situational awareness was too low in the author's opinion, considering the area. Asked for my buddy's firearm, but did not ask to see his badge. Minus points. This is obviously a serious issue, as during no time did my buddy have to show his badge or other law enforcement qualifications to CHP. Had we been a different set of city slickers with no quals, things could have turned out very badly. I do not know CHP's standard operating procedures in this situation, but if they are similar to most PD/SD's, they should be followed much more strictly. Your life and your partner's life depends on being aware of the situation, and "seeing bad things before they happen", as it were. Situational awareness is key.
Moved down R39, to Glendora Denny's on Grand. Fight broke out at that Denny's for whatever reason, as we found out upon having a Glendora PD unit roll up and ask us if we knew what was up. Glad that didn't involve us (I was limping and I'm not a groundfighter
).Yup. That's about it.
Discreetely, the author's confidence in "emergency services personel" involved, with exception going to the towing service, has been severely degraded. His opinion was already very low in comparison to other agencies. Author appreciates help, but hopes that those "services" take any comments as constructive criticism/training, and not as a dislike of any agency or other negative opinion with negative connotations. The author is only slightly referring to the three times 911 was on a busy signal. Apparently, a report of "no injuries" means LASD or other police authorities with jurisdiction in the immediate area is switched-over to the state traffic law enforcement agency.
NOTES
*These notes are obviously the author's and not the board's collectively. I'm sure I don't really have to say that, but you never know nowadays.
*If reader does not understand my stance on any of my notes, relieve yourself of reading them.
-If you are to spend any time in the vicinity of R39, the author does not find carrying a firearm for personal protection to be negative. We had some folks try to help my buddy (who, unfortunately, was alone at the vehicle as we were a group of three, not four), but it is the author's very vivid experience dealing with people that not all folks want to help YOU. Your protection is in YOUR hands, and yours completely alone. Reliance on outside powers is not only unsafe, but very simply mentally retarded and ignorant/amazingly immature to the point of being comparable to a 4 year old thinking Superman will come in and save the day. Regardless of one's opinion on gun control, knives, sharp pointy objects, violence, whatever, your safety lies in your hands, and your most likely "opponent" in the mountains is a drunk city dweller who may or may not be armed with whatever they illegally "acquired".
-This is in no way a jab at my best buddy, who was driving. He is an excellent driver, and I've helped him out, as I've been driving up here very often for the past handfull of years. If you drive in the mountains on a regular basis, learn your vehicle and how it drives, all across the board. Wet conditions, dry conditions, dirt on the road, ice, black ice, snow, snow and water, rain, light rain with oil, uphill and downhill with all conditions, all previous conditions mentioned plus the addition of gear and/or a person, or multiple people, with each training "load" requiring focus and learning, etc. Fast, slow, everything. Otherwise, go slow and avoid roads that aren't heavilly patrolled or trafficed (spelling?), in case of emergency. Learn how to handle your vehicle with traction control on AND off, if your vehicle is equipped with such a feature. Never rely on any single tool aside from your own brain and training for your safety.
-Don't buy Federal tires. 2nd (and last) blowout in 24-48hrs or so with that vehicle, with rollover being #2.
-Carry enough change for at least three telephone calls. Note locations of all payphones in the area of your hike/camp/climb/activity, rates, their numbers, etc.
-Note locations of clean water for drinking in the area.
-The folks camping along the side of East Fork Road before it turns to Glendora Mountain Road are miners. I did not even consider this prior to speaking with them on the night of the 15th.
-Stay safe.
-I dislike carrying much gear. I suggest carrying a whistle, a good bright flashlight, change for payphones, and a self-defense implement in the R39 area, or anywhere applicable.
I'm sure this post sounds dry or whatever, but understand where I'm coming from on some of these things, especially considering self-defense in an area such as R39 where it is IMPORTANT.
-Taco
