My son and I left the house a little after 8:00 AM to resume plowing the massive snow we got from the Blizzard. We did the local hotel and headed to Staten Island again. Except this time, everything that could go wrong, did.
As I turned to go up a steep hill into my final customer's housing sub-division, the truck lost traction and began sliding sideways. NOT fishtailing, sliding precisely leftward. The entire truck. I stopped. I resumed and the truck resumed sliding sideways. I ended up on the pile of frozen old snow, from the storm two weeks ago, and that lifted the wheels up. Only the driver side wheels touched. So I tried to go forward. Nothing. Tried to go backward and . . . . . .a loud grinding sound like BZZZZZZZZZ. The four-wheel drive went. It sounded like the transfer case ate itself up, or the actuator collar ground-up all its teeth. Now, I don't have four wheel drive AND I'm still stuck.
I called a tow truck but they weren't sure how long it would take to get there. We waited.
A local guy offered to pull me out with his GMC Sierra pick up truck. GREAT! Nope.
Instead of pulling me toward the west, he pulled from south to north. The truck slid left (east) - again - right into a stone wall. SMASH.
Then it continued to slide . . . . downhill. . . . right into HIS truck! SMASH.
Turns out, it isn't HIS truck, it's his boss's truck. Now, he wants to get everything fixed on the down-low. Real quiet, quiet. I can't do that. I'm not a body and fender auto repair guy, but knowing the truck, because I own a bigger, stronger model than his, there's several thousand dollars in repair costs. I have insurance. But HE wants the thing handled quietly. So this is going to be a problem.
In addition, how is it MY liability for him pulling my truck out? I guess it is, and I have to proceed from the view that I __am__ responsible. This sucks.
The tow truck arrives. He pulls me out. No four wheel drive. I can't plow.
Limped home with the driver side mirror ripped-off and hanging. Doors creased and dented, Driver side mirror ripped off, Bed Box crushed at the driver-side-front corner. 102" Whip antenna for the CB/HAM radio, ripped out.
We get home, I want to try to plow in front of the condo driveways to clear out what the city and county plows put there. Plow won't work. Look up front, leaking hydraulic fluid. Not sure if a hose got ripped off, or if a fitting cracked, or got ripped out.
Every cent I have earned snow plowing this year is now going to have to go out in repairs and damages. EVERY FRIGGIN CENT.
What a mess. I don't want to do this plowing anymore.
The photo atop this article is my backyard courtyard. There HAS to be three FEET of snow on the picnic table and chairs. That's how much snow we got from this single storm.
There is so much snow, this part of the country is, right now, PARALYZED. The snow removal crews and Contractors are all out and have been all out since yesterday. They are doing a good job given the stunning amount of snow we've received, but this region of the USA will remain paralyzed throughout today. I suspect the crews will have to work all night just for us to have a CHANCE at going to work or getting anything accomplished tomorrow.
Right now, New York City and New Jersey are CLOSED.
