You Never Know When Your Time Is Up...

Sounds like my day :(

I went out to Jan's place (Jan's Country Art) to cut her some firewood and Sam was going to come out later.

I finished quicker than anticipated so I called Sam to tell her not to bother. Problem was she was already on the highway and then had to look to find somewhere to turn around.
Obviously her indicating right and braking didn't comprehend to the following driver who back ended her and shot her across the highway narrowly missing a tree. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic.

The car is a hire car whilst my work car is being repaired after the hail storm, so now will have to get work to get another one as the back end is buggered and the steering is shot.

Cheers Kev

Geez remind me not to get too close to either of you pair, bloody dangerous.
Seriously glad that neither female is hurt. Cars can be repaired, humans take longer with more consequences. Gum trees are noted for this "widow maker" acts .
All the best to Fiona & Sam.
Cheers
Batsy

If you trimmed a branch like this tree did by itself, some local Govt Councils (and I'm thinking of mine) would have you up on charges.

They would prefer you leave it alone, and then, when it drops a branch on a member of your family and kills them, they would say it's nothing to do with them.

Anyway, I'm glad all concerned in both stories are OK.

When are you leaving for Mt Isa?

Strewth!

Can't think of anything else to say, but glad all are safe and well...!

Cheers, Baz

Hi Stephen, very lucky lady, looking at the photos, seems the door may have saved her.. Always makes you think when there is a close call.. Even if a different vehicle, with different door configuration, maybe a different out come..
Both girls mentioned above should go and buy a lottery ticket... I know it shakes you up for a while... My mum would have a stiff brandy or two... Cheers

Glad you are both ok - I would have needed a serious cup of coffee after that !

Bloody gum trees widow makers if there were any such beasts, my father was a "timber getter" we grew up around felling trees and i will never camp under a big tree.
Lucky……..

Hey Stephen, glad Fiona escaped this lightly albeit she's probably quite shaken by the event and you too are reflecting on the what could have been. Hopefully you will also be back on the road soon!! Looks bad but it seems most of the impact was taken by the top of the rear door so hopefully hinges and surrounding areas have not been too deformed. Glad you are both still with us!!

WOW.
Stephen, great that all has turned out okay.

Mike.

Stephen - YIKES! - that is one narrow escape. I find it amazing that a tree would snap off without a breath of wind, it usually takes a bit of breeze at least, for most tree types.

You didn't mention whether the tree was damaged by termites or dry rot where it snapped off.
I've found one has to be careful of trees where there is a fork in the limbs, and the water pools at the base of the fork, penetrates the tree and causes dry rot.

Of course, termites are always a concern - but usually, termite-ridden trees only fall over after they have been impacted by wind.

I'm convinced that being pinned by trees or branches is just in the lap of the gods.
I'm reminded of a couple of episodes I've known about, that happened around a small country town in the wheatbelt of W.A., where I was living in the 1980's.

One was; A bloke was sitting in his car watching football at the local sports oval. The oval is surrounded by dozens of magnificent Salmon Gums, and he was parked under one. There was a small amount of breeze.
Suddenly a huge limb broke off the Salmon Gum he was parked under, and it flattened the car roof over his head!
He was injured, but not too badly, and I think it was because the car roof took the brunt of the fall.

The second event was an incredible event to me. Two old bachelor farmers lived about 30 kms South of the town, and they had a private road that led only to the boundary of their property, where their front gate was located. There was a big tree by their front gate.
These old blokes were in their 70's and had been on that farm since they were born. It had been their parents farm.
One afternoon, they came home from a trip to town, and one of the brothers got out of their car to open the gate - as he'd done for probably over 65 yrs.
It was a windy, gusty day - and as he stepped in front of the car to open the gate, the tree by the gate fell over and landed right on top of him, pinning him to the ground and killing him almost instantly.
Talk about the tree with your name on it! You wouldn't credit that kind of bad luck - and I guess a lot of people would just say it was his fate to be nailed by that tree.

I know I take particular care to study trees when I'm in the bush and getting within reach of falling limbs. Even in the city, I'm wary of them.
There's a big Lemon-scented Gum around the corner from our house, in the side street - and I never trust it.
They are notorious for dropping limbs without a warning of any kind, and in still conditions.
One dropped a huge limb into the W.A. Parliament House carpark about 12-18 mths ago, and it put the wind up a heap of politicians!

Cheers, Ron.

What does one say? Life is so fragile, Fiona is so very lucky. All the more reason to get out there and enjoy this great country, you just do not know what is around the corner. Enjoy your upcoming trip to Qld and good luck with their NP booking system.

Pleased that you are both okay, though somewhat shaken, Stephen.

A couple of metres either way may have had a different outcome. :-(. The Prado has literally "laid down his life for a friend". How did you manage to shut the door for the trip home? Did it latch, or did you resort to ropes and/or duct tape?

Hope repairs are done quickly and the Isa trip still goes ahead.

Bob

G'day Stephen

Firstly glad to hear no serious injury occurred to your wife. Bloody lucky!

Whilst you're in a different state those look like some of the gums in our back yard (Brisbane). We've had quite a few large branches come down inexplicably. One day I went out to buy something, came back 10 mins later and a huge branch had come down beside the house - missed everything including the gas bottle and even fell in between other plants. Had I been out putting rubbish in the wheelie bin I'd have been buggered.

I assume you mean she was standing at the back of the car, not "in the boot" as that would have been a tight squeeze.

Take care on the next firewood collecting excursion.

Stephen it is the weight of the branch the dryness of the wood, even down to recent rainfall will change the weight of a branch, all eucalyptus have a inbuilt protection against what you most run into and that is high winds, instead of sacrificing the tree what happens is the trunk or limbs will break thus insuring the tree survives. In your case the scales tipped over in could have been a vibration or even a bird landing at the extremity that caused it to let go, when operating large dozers in scrub the scrub canopy copped a work out, even to the point of being pinned in the cab surprising how little a gap it takes.

Always surprised me that in surburbia most councils have little or no understanding and even promote the planting of these trees, while they are strictly pruned all is good but once they start to extend out look out. We have had a few incidences of people being killed including young kids on camping trips here in WA under large trees. The why's and wherefores of it all are impossible to understand and I wouldn't sweat it, just give your wife a hug take her out for a nice meal, watch the sunset and smile.

Hi Stephen and Fiona.

Glad to hear your both ok, albeit somewhat shaken and a little stirred.

Not everyone has had the opportunity to see a gum drop a limb.

Once again, glad your still here to talk about it.

Trains


Everything looks like a tree when your holding a chainsaw.


:)

Stephen,

unbelievable!

I must admit that I often wonder why there aren't more serious accidents with limbs dropping onto highways. We live amongst big river red gums and occasionally hear the almighty crack of massive limbs crashing to ground. One branch ( 18" diam) cost me $400 to have sawn up.

I am amazed the Prado hasn't been written off. With that sort of force on the back door I'd expect the whole body to be bent out of shape.

Bob

Oh my, I've just read this! Very glad to hear Fiona is ok, that sure was a very close call. Shame about the damage to your car too but its inanimate and can be fixed. Buy a lottery ticket this week Fiona xx hugs to you.