Truck Driver Falls Asleep - Plows Through KFC

[matcom]

<snip>

WASCO, Calif. --A drowsy big rig driver may have taken a KFC "drive thru" sign too literally. The truck barreled through the fast-food restaurant around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, after the driver fell asleep at the wheel, authorities said. The restaurant was closed at the time, and no one was seriously injured.

The produce-carrying big rig was going east on Highway 46, when it veered off the road, jumped the curb, knocked over a metal pole, plowed through the KFC, missed a house by several feet, demolished a shed and crashed through a brick wall before coming to a stop in the backyard of another house.

"We feel very, very fortunate that no one was hurt," said Bill Frederick, who rushed home to console his wife and assess the damage to his backyard after the crash. "If it wasn't for the reinforcement and the rebar and the neighbor's chain link fence, it would have been in the house with us."

Gonzalo Varela, the manager of the KFC, said the business would try to transfer the restaurant's 11 employees to other area KFCs, while the Wasco location was rebuilt.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation, and no arrests were made.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/01/04/drowsy_big_rig_driver_plows_through_kfc?mode=PF

[BikeWriter]

1. We were traveling to California years ago. One town smelled...

strongly of onions. We mentioned it to kin and heard one of Mom's brothers brakes failed coming down out of the mountains and he jack-knifed his rig rather than go into town at that speed.

[underpants]

2. 30 second meals with Gonzalo Varela

Rachel Ray is OVER!

[matcom]

6. this story would have been MUCH better if it had been an Olive Garden

:bounce:

[underpants]

9. Cici's Pizza

I know a guy who was having lunch at a Cici's Pizza (bad pizza chain all you can eat type place) when an old lady put it in drive (not revers) and went right into the place. Straight throught one of the brick posts in the middle of the front wall. He literally leapt up and had the tables and car hood come underneath of him, he landed and then slid off onto his feet.

Cheap SOB reached back to get his pizza.

True story.

[BreweryYardRat]

19. "Cheap SOB reached back to get his pizza."

Hell, I'd have done the same thing...well, maybe not for a Cici's. That stuff's not too good. Most other pizza, though...

[johnnie]

3. This would have been much better..

..had he been hauling Corn Flakes.

[billyskank]

4. No arrests were made?

Is driving a truck through KFC legal in California?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Arrested for criminal fatigue?

No need for an arrest. He'll get some kind of ticket, after the cops sort it all out. His insurance will buy a new KFC building. Nobody's hurt.

At least it wasn't a high-end gourmet restaurant, like an Olive Garden.

[billyskank]

8. Wow

In Britain a truck driver who fell asleep at the wheel would go to jail for sure.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. You guys are strict!

Here, he'll get a ticket, probably have to go to a "remedial driver's training" class, and he'll be back on the road.

He wiped out a KFC. It's not like he did anything wrong ...
:rofl:

[billyskank]

13. Actually we really are strict with truck drivers

All over the continent and in Britain they have to abide by tough rules. They aren't allowed to drive for more than a certain number of hours a day. Truckers can't compete with each other by driving for longer and faster than each other. Their activity is monitored by a tachograph that has to be fitted to each truck. Tampering with it sends you to jail if you get caught. Trucks also have to be fitted with speed limiters which prevent them from exceeding 55mph.

[Lars39]

12. Here we have laws that let employers have truck drivers

on the roads passed the point of safely driving. :(

[ContraBass Black]

17. I didn't think anyone could get away with it in the US either.

I know that if I admitted to falling asleep and causing significant damage, the local officials would not allow me to leave the scene without a pair of handcuffs.

Failure to maintain control of a moving vehicle is a crime.

[MorningGlow]

5. Slid right through on the grease and kep' on goin'...n/t

[Little Wing]

11. Yes, but he won THAT game of chicken

[billyskank]

14. Next time it might be a steak house

[Swede]

15. Would you like fries with your order,sir?

Have a good day,please come again.

[RetroLounge]

16. Video here

http://www.bakersfield.com/multimedia/

RL

[ironflange]

18. Can he expect a thank-you note from Pam Anderson?