I don't find it uncommon for a vehicle out of control to ram through a fence and remove wire for a quarter of a mile -- at least not on a highway where traffic sometimes moves at the speed of sound. The most interesting thing about that traffic is the fact so many of the drivers seem to challenge the road department when they see a sign that shows a curve and suggests a speed of 45 miles per hour.
The suggestions fire a multitude of male hormones in some between preteen and old suckers to just show them! The pedal to the metal and tires leave the pavement in a sudden gush of fuel to seldom touch asphalt again, gaining small amounts of traction until airborne and gone! This cannot be explained and happens mostly to drivers who don't own such vehicles or who have had an overindulgence of partying! Some, a small number, do own the instrument but just don't care at the moment!
This activity seldom occurs on the dirt roads, but it did last evening at some point and we were welcomed to a half-mile of a year-old "new" five-strand barbed wire fence gone and unredeemable! That wire looked like a wad of yarn a cat had been slapping around! The pickup that rendered the death blow was upside down in the pasture quite some distance from the road. No curve, no rain, no explanation as to what happened; it just did. There was no blood or bodies, so we assume there was a cell phone called and help came and took them out of the area.
We gathered up what we could in the way of posts and visited with the neighbors that passed. No one heard any commotion and everyone had a guess as to whose truck was still there. We went on into headquarters for lunch and called the sheriff to inform officers of the accident. I was already tired and had not had time to check any cattle or do barn chores. The foolishness of some cause problems for others.
The sheriff's deputy drove in as we were loading the tractor and supplies. The driver was found to be recovering at his home and was suffering broken ribs and arm. He had been to a company meeting in New Orleans and was going to spend the night with a cousin but took the wrong road and, being so tired, drifted off and, as he slept, his foot pushed hard on the gas. No one can explain the amount of fence removed!
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, we were blessed there were no cattle in that pasture and we did not have a piece of equipment sitting by the fence worth a ton of money. The wire and posts have been paid for by the poor man's company -- and money to hire help getting the fence repaired. Plus, the ground is soft due to the wonderful mud producing weather we are so fortunate to have been given! All clouds, or most anyway, have a silver lining!
Bill is the pen name of the Gravette area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 03/25/2020