Man, @Ryan you've got the right perspective on life. It'd be all too easy to be ticked off at the kid for not paying attention. With all the negative crap flying around these days it's great to hear how well you handled this. I hope that you're able to get some ETs back on the truck one day as they just made it, but I can totally appreciate doing what you have to and keeping it on the road.
Ohhh... I'd totally be like that. But, uh... Odds are this kid is a much better kid than I was at his age. I was so bad at his age, that it would be totally hypocritical of me to yell at him for "not paying attention." Besides, I feel like it's our responsibility as car guys to take care of the younger crew man. A lot of old guys just sit around and make fun of how the younger crew is doing it wrong. I think that's complete and total Bullshit. If it weren't for the old farts being nice to me and taking time to relate to me back in the day, there's no telling where I'd be now. Of course, this is all easy for me to say... My truck was fine.
Great story Ryan and it's all well and good as long as the young fella learned a lesson. If there was a cell phone involved I would be a lot less forgiving. You were fortunate, you were in a truck. Unfortunately had you been sitting on a motorcycle things could be much different. Even driving a small roadster the situation could have been bad.
Reminded me of a horrible error in judgement from my own youth. I was that kid, only my car was a '69 Javelin SST and I ran into the back of a chick's car. Chick had a harelip. Worse yet, we had dated for awhile previous to this incident. I started to watch where I was going after that.
The truck looks good with the steelies on it. Great approach with the young fella, cuz we've all been there. Us old car guys need as many young car guy allies as we can get.
congrats on positive results of the tire quest. any type of accident is tough. young guy fortunate that you were on the receiving end. others likely would have had more negative results. back in the "olden " days when people used to go to video stores I drove my '41 Chevy sedan into driveway of store to drop off videos into box outside. but, a car was backing out of a parking spot blocking access. so, checked rearview mirrors-saw nothing behind me- started to very slowly back up-then felt that something was stopping me from doing that-turns out that the slight driveway incline blocked my view of a small car coming in directly behind me- absolutely nothing damaged on Chevy - but, did $1500 worth of damage to other car. love real steel.
I had a chick drive right up the tailpipe of my 55 1st Series at a stop light once. She jammed the brakes so hard that her car dove right under my bumper and picked the ol' truck right off the ground. The traffic light had only been in operation for a few days, and she spaced out and drove right into the back of me. It tore the shit out of her car and did not put a scratch on the Chevy. She was young and kinda hot, and my truck was fine, so I let her off with a warning.
Yes, it is indeed easy for you because your truck is fine. Are you sure it's fine? No tweeks in that straight frame under there? Doesn't "dogtrack" now? You know your shit enough to sort that out. I hope the kid turns out to be worth the effort. After more than a decade of helping youngsters I've found that few are worth it. We become enablers or further their feelings of entitlement. I could bore you and the members to tears with the stories and examples, but the one that turns out to be a happy ending, well he works for me here in my latest venture. I could put 4 just like him to work full time in under 30 days so they're not all a total loss. Your truck, looks just right and I'm not so sure it even needs the 5 spokes. I get it, the look of the wheel and the vibe it creates, etc. At the end of the day it's a truck and the steel wheel deal has the real feel. I know, poetry sucks and it wasn't intended. Well as far as you all know...
Good on you, Ryan. I'm pretty sure if Jesus was a car guy, He'd have responded the way you did. That's walking the talk, Sir!
Frankly, I like the truck with the steelies but I'm a steelie/ small cap kind of guy. You're a stand-up guy to be as concerned about the young lad and I give you a lot of credit for it. I remember older guys helping me out along the way. Not that I ran into their cars though.
Truck looks great, but it sounds like there is more to this post than the tires. I'm with Blue One, you got the lucky end of this deal. I'm all for giving a hand out to the youngsters(if they deserve it). The whole debate lately about distracted driving finally landed in my yard Saturday. I'm not sure about this; but I think this young girl was doing the cel phone deal while driving and had to take evasive action when she had not noticed someone had stopped in front of my house. She was a bit shaken up from this and I could have easily made her day much worse than it already was. I doubt she will become a hot rodder(I won't hold that against her), but she deserved a break, she honestly seemed sorry. Like you Ryan, I had a few "mishaps" in my youth and was probably given more breaks than I deserved. BTW, she missed my mail box by about three inches and I had gotten my mail no more than five minutes prior to this.
Actually Ryan I think the wheels and tires you picked out look much better than others. Take this from a pickup guy. Glad to hear no one was hurt.
Very cool Ryan When I was a younger man I hit the back of a minivan and the guy driving it let me pull the plastic bumper off and my buddy that paints semi's fixed it up and I riveted back on. Forgiveness is getting harder to find these days. I also had a ot pickup get rear-ended by a young girl going to a job interview in a honda civic screwed up the front end and my trailer hitch put a hole in her radiator I jumped out said I late for work because of the traffic jam. I told her not to drive the car because she would trash the motor and ther was no harm done to my truck so I sorry for the shitty day and left.
you did the right thing, just make sure the bed didn't hit the back of the cab, they usually do in those types of hits. i still vote for a set of full caps. yes.........but he would drive a chevy.
Ryan, your truck looks just right to me! Thanks for your story about the young man. After working with middle school kids for more than 30 years, I truly believe that all many lack is a good role model. Many parents are just TOO busy..........glad to see YOU took the time.
Good job in dealing with this. You might just be one of few positive influences in that kid's life that he needs.
I was just thinking about this the other day. It really took the wind right out of my sails when I would tell my dad about an idea I had to mod a car and his response was "Why the hell would you want to do that for?" Similarly, I still get raised eyebrows from time to time from the older crowd. Because of this, I have resolved to do whatever I can to fan the flame, not pour water on it, unless of course there is a safety issue.
Okay, I'll be contradictory and say that I LOVE those Ford 'flipper' caps you're running. But then I've long been a caps-and-steelies kind of guy.
"I reluctantly put disc brakes" See? What trouble was caused by this decision? Radial tires (gasp) and a car accident
For the ring leader of a web site that caters to the hoodlum in all of us,you sure have a big heart and have set a fine example of how a adult should act in a situation like this . HRP
Big of you to recall being young enough once to have made similar errors... If you had taken the 'low road', (and word got out) your character might be at stake. But you walked back, observed the kid's dismay (and damage) and immediately chose to take the 'high road'. Reminds me... "When you drive into certain peril, either gas it hard and take it on the high side, regardless ...Or take it on the low side, and sit with the women..."
Truck is fine, but how are you? After getting rear ended like that many moons ago the doctor said "...you will feel worse tomorrow." -Dave