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lost motorhome brakes on mountaintop

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J

judithe

Guest
What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? Alaska - but the accident happened in Montana.

During our pending divorce, my husband offered to take our four children and myself on a road trip to make sure we were doing the right thing. Leaving Canada, we took a wrong turn and ended up in Montana instead of Idaho. We stopped by a National Park and went in to ask if their road would take us to Idaho. The gal said yes, it is a short cut, and just follow the other vehicles. There was a fee staion everyone was driving through (closed) so no one stopped at it. We later found out that they are the ones that would've warned us to only go so far and then turn around because it would be dangereous because of our size. The station on the other side of the mountain was open though. Just our luck.

There was ONE sign that said something about "feet", but it quickly disappeared. We assumed there would be all sorts of signs because it was a national park and we'd read ones coming up. But then the road started getting skinnier and we were going nothing but up. We were desperately trying to find a place to turn around, but there was no place big enough for a fifth wheel. People passed us by smiling and waving - they were very friendly. Our cell phone didn't work and there were no rangers in sight. We kept going because we had no choice and would be stuck there in the dark eventually.

After reaching the top of the mountain (we had NO IDEA we were going to be climbing a mountain), we started going down slowly... and soon smelled rubber. Next thing I know, my husband is pumping the brakes. There were none. There were also no fifth wheel brakes. The ride down was a terrifying one. The mountain was on the passengers side, so the drivers side was straight down. I was screaming at my husband by this time that he got us into this mess and that I should've never taken him up on his stupid offer 'cause now we're going to die. He told us all to jump. I had my 8 yr. old on my lap, removed my shoes and instructed my 12 yr. old to hold his 7 yr. old brother when he jumped and my 16 yr. old to go alone. My door kept swinging open, but was then forced shut on me because of the sharp curves. We new we were all going to die and were saying our last "I love you's" to each other. There was then silence and peace that over took us, all of us. Cars were behind us, cars were coming up, and there were two men out biking for the day that we barely missed. I remember on lookers faces screaming and pointing at us in terror.

Then the voice of our 16 yr. old kept repeating "hit the mountain, hit the mountain". Shortly before a hair pin curve just ahead, my husband was able to "hit the mountain" driving over large rocks and logs while scraping the side of it. Eventually, we came to a rest - all of us were in shock. It was the longest and most terrifying five miles of our entire lives. We still have nightmares and all of us find ourselves shedding tears once in awhile. We are very lucky to be alive.

My question is - My husbands insurance company paid for the towing charges and a couple days of "inconvenience". The fifith wheel sustained $16,000 worth of damage, not including personal items broken inside. I was thought that they would at least offer the passengers (kids and I) a settlement offer for emotional distress and inconvenience etc., as insurance companies do when there are accicidents. They never offered a thing. Our "living quarters" were a mess and hardly liveable. Insurance paid for a rental a vehicle until the new brakes on the truck were put on. That was it. We waited for repair, but it never came through. I finally got mean on the phone and said my family has been left stranded, we can't just leave the fifith wheel and return to Alaska like nothing happened, my husband wasn't able to return to his job, and the kids were missing school much longer than we planned. We were in a mess and still afraid to drive anything at all. The accident happened on 9/26/01. State Farm finally had an adjuster come out in December and the repairs took months and were delayed even longer because of snow and the fifth wheel not being able to be moved. We eventually moved everyone into a condo while repairs were done. We arrived back in Alaska a few days after Easter, in April of 2003.

Does anyone see any liability here in any way? Either with the National Park Service or State Farm? I know that there have been numerous deaths up in Montana at the Park, and that there was even a semi truck stuck up there. Where are the warning signs other than ONE about length since it is so dangerous??? Any input would be helpful. Thank you.
 


JETX

Senior Member
"Does anyone see any liability here in any way?"
*** Yes.

"Either with the National Park Service or State Farm?"
*** No.

"I know that there have been numerous deaths up in Montana at the Park, and that there was even a semi truck stuck up there. Where are the warning signs other than ONE about length since it is so dangerous???"
*** Why would anyone need more than ONE warning??? Also, I am sure there were others (maps, brochures, travel guides, etc.).

"Any input would be helpful. Thank you."
*** You're welcome. BTW, did you decide to still get your divorce???
:)

One more thing.... exactly HOW much time passed from your making the wrong turn to your getting to the rangers shack and why didn't you turn around then when you could???
 
J

judithe

Guest
Hello JETX

Thank you for your input and in answer to all those questions worth answering!

1.) We were arguing on the way up and I decided to shut up so I scrunched down in my seat and was quiet. That can't come as a surprise though because we were in divorce court! When I looked up by complet chance, I saw a sign come and go about "feet...turn around" or something like that. I yelled (yes I did yell) "WHAT DID THAT SIGN SAY???" and he said "WHAT SIGN, I DON'T KNOW!?". I then sat straight up to look for more signs and said "we need to turn around NOW, we need to turn around". There was no where - we stopped, observed and realized everywhere was way too small. He felt like a worm to say the least, but we had to calm down and figure out what to do. We decide to go REAL slow. What else could we do? Now that I look back, I should have taken the kids out, walked and hitched for a ride...but then again the guilt of finding out that he eventually lost his breaks and died would've had quite an impact on the kids and myself. Remember, our son is the one that kept repeating himself and stayed calm, and he wouldn't have been in the truck.

2.) As far as brocheres and all I was wondering the same thing. Nothing was given to us and the "entry station" that passes everything out was closed. We later learned that if they were open we would've been informed on where to turn around. I wish others in their cars would've waved their arms and beeped there horns to let us know what was ahead and to stop as there is no way down without help. If we didn't survive, our lives could've been saved if people watch out for one another.

3.) The ranger came to us about 1 and 1/2 hours later or so. The tow truck took forever of course because it was dangerous for it to go up too.

4.) No, I didn't divorce my husband, but he is having nightmares too, believe me. Once in a while he'll say "I can't believe I had a chance to get my family back and almost killed all of you." He has to answer to himself though and that is hard sometimes. I think the divorce rate is way too high and just thought I'd try to forgive him for this and other things. It is hard though - I feel like I have forgiven him, but I have not forgotten things - therefore I don't believe I've actually been able to forgive him and move on like I thought, wish and dream that I could.

I hope it all makes sense - I was just hoping we could be reimbursed for hardship and expenses etc., nothing major, but I can accept that it may not be possible. The lesson we learned was a very hard one and I hope that anyone who reads about this, and all those who witnessed the horror, will be more careful than we ever were. Take care.
 

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