Dear cattle truck driver, you almost killed me

LETTER OF THE DAY: A Toowoomba truck driver relives a terrifying experience on our roads in which he believes he was almost killed.

TO THE driver in the white cattle truck heading towards Allora on January 15 at about 12.30pm, you nearly killed me.

You were already over the white line.

I also was driving a truck, on my way back to Toowoomba.

I had to move right over to the edge of the road to avoid being side swiped by you, but then, only about two to three truck lengths before we passed one another, the gate on the back of your truck, which was the full width of your truck, suddenly swung into oncoming traffic.

It would've come straight through the windscreen of my truck and killed me.

I was bracing myself for the impact and mentally saying goodbye to my wife, all while I moved off the road even further to avoid a full windscreen impact and hoping instead for the gate to hit the front, right hand corner of the bulbar, or cab. I ducked down to avoid head and facial injuries should I survive the impact.

The adrenaline was pumping as I braced for the impact. Nothing.

How the hell that gate didn't hit me, I don't have a clue. I guess it wasn't my time to go just yet.

But you were completely oblivious to the catastrophe unfolding. How many others did you almost kill that day?

Some advice mate. Put the hinges on the passenger side of the truck. That way you'll only kill posts, not people.

Or better yet, have a sliding gate on the truck.

• R DAWSON, Toowoomba South

Originally published as Dear cattle truck driver, you almost killed me