This is a true story that does not have a happy ending, so I gave you fair warning if you do not want to read on.
Short form: Pulling a 53' dry van through Indy around 3:00 am. Speed was around 60mph. I'm in the middle lane of 3, because at that time of morning, you don't know who is out there doing what and I like to have as many defensive options as possible. Came around a small short bend where your headlights can't shine on whats around it. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a reflection of the moon off something in my lane. I can remember thinking this is not an animal, the reflection is too high off the road and it is moving slowly back and forth. I never jerk the truck to avoid a collision with animals, that to me is more trouble than slowly trying to avoid it. What a shock when the lights shown on the object. Here was a young man, sitting with his legs crossed facing me, smiling while he played his guitar (that was the reflection) This time I did forget about mine and my wife's well being and jerked the truck and trailer to the left, hoping if I lost control the truck would hit and slide down the guard rail instead of going right and ending in the ditch and possibly flipping or worse.
Don't know how, but I kept control of the truck and got it stopped just before touching the rail. As I jumped out of the truck I yelled at the wife to get on the CB and alert everyone about the young man. I start running down along the guard rail and can see that somehow I did not hit him. Before I could get to him, this young man accomplished what he had set out to do. This is something I hope no other driver will ever have to experience. I talked to and stayed in contact with the other truck driver for a few weeks. He never got over this and left the trucking industry.
With the increased use of drugs in this country (police later found this in his system) nothing would surprise me anymore. Be on the defense at all times driver's. Have a pre-plan for anything possible.
