Trying to come here, a few days ago, I typed in my search as 'Hitting the web with the Allman Brother's Band'
By leaving in the 'y' I didn't get to where I wanted to go,.... but assorted other links came up.
One, to Snoops.com which supposedly has a dead-on-accurate reputation for debunking published inaccuracies on different subjects,.....
Here's what they had to say on the subject of Duane's accident :
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Candace followed Duane down Pio Nono Avenue until they turned right onto Hillcrest Avenue, the shortcut to west Macon. Berry was a horrible driver and, typically, he missed the turn and had to take a longer route over to Duane’s house. Duane guided the big Harley chopper down Hillcrest, a flat stretch of road with big trees hanging over the street. The speed limit was thirty-five but Duane ignored it. When he came up behind a slow car, he simply shot around it.
Duane eased the bike on a little faster when the street began to crawl down a sharp hill. He zipped under the flashing yellow light at the intersection of Inverness Avenue. There was a bump in the road — a sudden dip like a roller coaster — and with a little speed, it gave the illusion of free-falling.
He must have been doing forty-five, maybe fifty. (((( Police told me, at the station in downtown Macon, where I had gone with my husband later that same evening , that the speed limit for that road was 35 MPH and that Duane had been going "in excess of 55 MPH" when his bike left the pavement and became air-born because of the ramp effect of the road, and his own speed preventing his bike from staying in contact with the pavement )))) Duane was in a hurry; always a hurry.
Candace was probably four or five car lengths behind him by now. From the hill, she could see Duane approach the intersection of Bartlett Avenue. A Chevy flatbed truck that was coming toward them slowed down and began crawling into a left turn in front of Duane. (((((( The flat-bed was not 'crawling' it was making a normal turn,.... the driver behind Chuck's truck told the police that " the driver of the flatbed truck had waited until that hill was 'absolutely clear, before making his turn" )))) It had a yellow crane boom on the back for unloading lumber. ((((( Not lumber,.... heavy pipe for road work,.... Chuck himself would almost fall victim to being crushed by a load of pipe off that very truck when one day at the shop, he had complained to his boss that he WOULD NOT drive that truck, with the way it was loaded,... that the chains holding the pipe in place were inadequate,... and he refused to drive that truck off the shop lot, until the load was better secured,... His boss had argued with him,... but Chuck stood firm,.... and was walking around the side of the truck were it was parked along side a Very High, chain-link fence,... examining the chains,....when he suddenly heard one of the chains "SNAP!!!" and reflex he leapt sideways and up,... reaching for the highest his 6 foot athletic frame (and desperation) could to grasp that fence and pull himself away from the side of the truck and the tons of huge pipe rolling down from the truck, towards the fence,..... Chuck's left arm trailed behind him as he pulled himself upwards and the pipe hit his wrist, shattering it,.... he was taken to the ER and the following day was back at work, arm in a cast,... but his watch had also shattered, so he replaced it with a pocket watch and never went back to a wrist watch. Anyway,... the truck was primarily used to transport and unload into position, HEAVY water pipes)))) Duane gently ((((( How))))((((( He could turn the direction of the wheel, but by the time he saw the truck, he was already launched into the air, and split seconds were happening,.... you cannot direct the bike when there is no pavement in contact with it's wheels. 'Gently' implies 'time' to do something,... who-ever authored these words clearly thought all was happening in slow-motion and there was 'time',... which Duane did not have the luxury of)))))) pushed the bike to his left, ((((((You can't 'push' what's already air-born))))) toward the centerline, so he could swing around the truck. (((((( The police said that HAD Duane been going the speed limit,... the truck would have had Plenty of time to clear the intersection,... before Duane got to it,... IF his bike had been going the posted speed))))) (((((( They also said that there was plenty of room around the rear of the truck for the bike to get around it, without going into the on-coming lane,.... IF,.... he had stayed in contact with the road, to steer around,.... they said a car, would probably Not have had enough room without going into the other lane,.... but Duane's bike ? Yes,.. Plenty of room... )))))) Then the truck did the unexpected: halfway through the turn it stopped dead in the road, blocking Duane’s entire lane. (((((((( It did not 'do the unexpected' It was simply making a legal left turn and ...... Chuck did not stop that truck until he heard the crash behind him,... THEN he brought the truck to a completer stop,..... He told me that he wondered for a moment it someone had hit the truck,... but he'd felt no impact,... so he stopped the truck where it was,... to be able to hurry back and see what had happened, ? see if he could help in any way,.... My husband was not perfect, by Any means,.. but he had a good heart to him and never passed a driver broken down on the road, without turning around and going back to see if he could help in some way,.... either mechanically, or getting someone to a safe place or home,.... he absolutely GLOWED when he would tell me of helping this or that motorist and how grateful they had been at his offered help. He'd stopped to go back to help,... but he did not 'stop' until AFTER the crash))))))) Duane pushed the bike farther toward the middle (((((how ? he had no traction )))) of the street. He was only a few feet away from the truck now,((((((And the writer knows all this, how ????))))) and it was still stopped in front of him.((((( it was not stopped yet))))) Duane had two options: he could lay the bike down, or he could try to veer around the truck. He had an instant to make the decision. ((((( no comment))))
For a moment, it looked as it Duane was going to be able to finesse his way through. ((((( again,... how could the writer POSSIBLY KNOW what was going through Duane's mind ??? ) ))))) Then Candace and Dixie watched in horror as he came off the bike.(((((( THIS, I don't know))))) He had hit something, (((((( He'd come off his bike and hit the pavement ONLY,.... the police told me/us, that they went over that truck with a fine-tooth comb, and found ZERO evidence that Duane or his bike had made ANY contact with it)))))))the cable hanging from the crane or a big weight ball dangling on the cable or maybe the rear corner of the truck. (((what I just said))))) His helmet flew off ((((( I talked to a man at the lumber yard at the intersection,..... he said a buddy of his worked at a bike shop and had recently sold Duane a bike helmet, but before Duane left the building, he stopped, pulled out a pocket knife (apparently) and promptly cut the straps from the helmet saying he "didn't like them" This no doubt is the helmet Duane was wearing, so of course it came off on impact))))) and the bike bounced up in the air, landing on top of him and driving him hard into the pavement. The bike skidded ninety feet, leaving three gouge marks in the pavement, then slammed into the curb. It slid along the edge of the street a few more feet and came to rest between the curb and the right tire of an oncoming car. The bike’s engine was revved up at full blast. It was screaming. The truck driver climbed out of the cab. ((((((( Chuck said he went back to the road and looked around,.... but spotted the bike before he saw the rider,.... he said "The bike was 'racing like crazy' so I turned it off, and went looking for the rider,... when I found him, he'd lost his helmet))))) He checked the boy lying in the road. Then he walked over to the motorcycle and shut it off. It was 5:44 in the afternoon.
(((((( Chuck said he was standing next to the rider trying to figure out what ? if anything, he could do to help him,... "when this car came over the hill, and a girl jumped out of it, and came running towards me, screaming "You killed my husband !!!! You killed my Husband !!!!" """ )))))) (((((( but when she later tried to bring a lawsuit against Chuck/the construction company,.. Duane's ex-wife came forward to declare that the girl had never been legally wed to Duane and didn't deserve any money from a lawsuit,.... but her own daughter, Duane's child, did,... The other girl's case was thrown out as she apparently could provide no proof of any marriage,.... and Duane's EX. Could prove her own,..... even though the police had told Chuck that with witness testimony and all facts,... they said he was in NO way at fault for the accident,.. that he had simply "Been in the wrong place at the wrong time" But for what-ever reason, The company ended up paying a 100,000 $ payment on a 3 Mil. lawsuit made in Duane's daughter's name ))))))
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At the time of all this,... I was 7 months pregnant (a difficult pregnancy in any case,... I'd been exposed to German Measles and had already nearly lost the baby several times,... a few years ago, we learned he WAS born with a birth defect from my exposure to the measles,... a Dr. informed him he had only 1 kidney) with mine and Chuck's first child together,.. a son who was later born on Dec. 25th, the first baby born in Macon, Ga. Christmas Day of 1971
Let me post this and then post history.com's version of this story
And here's History.com 's take on the accident,.. also inaccurate :
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On the afternoon of his accident, Duane Allman was speeding along Hillcrest Avenue on his Harley-Davidson Sportster when he slowed ((((((( He did not 'slow' by the time he saw the truck, it was apparently already too late to take any actions))))) to let a flatbed truck carrying a huge crane boom make a left-hand turn in front of him. Allman pulled his bike toward the center of the road so he could swing around the outside of the truck, ((((( see above/first posting on Snoops.com story))))))) but in the middle of its turn the flatbed suddenly rumbled to a stop. (((((( I wonder which writer borrowed this from the other,...))))) Unable to maneuver around or under the giant obstacle, Allman ran right into it. (((( see the first post))))))) The crane’s weight ball knocked him off his Harley, (((((( if he never hit the truck,.... or any part of it,... HOW did the ball knock him off the bike???? ))))) which bounced up in the air and off of Allman’s chest before skidding to a stop along the curb. The guitarist was not killed instantly—in fact, he had no visible injuries except some bumps and scrapes—but died in surgery later that evening.
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These are too similar on certain points, for one, not to have been the seed for the other,...
My point is (one of several, primarily that both these sites are considered reputable,... and yet,... how could they be so majorly wrong ???)
IF Chuck stopped in the middle of the intersection, causing the accident,... WHY WASN'T HE ARRESTED for making an illegal turn, and then stopping in the middle of a turn,...... ???? Unless he stopped AFTER he became aware of the accident. The law seems pretty clear that if you're possibly involved in Any kind of accident,... that you do NOT move your vehicle,... Chuck had stopped, After,.. not before. Neither of these 'reports' mentions the male-driver-witness who had sat behind Chuck's truck, waiting for him to determine it was safe to make his turn.
The police allowed Chuck to go home after they took his and the witness' statements.
Chuck was married with a baby on the way,.... he owned a home in the city,... he was Not 'going-anywhere'. They Knew where to find him. They told him to come back to the station after a certain time and they would tell him of their findings,....
He came home,... told me, and then we gathered my little boy by an earlier marriage and left for the police station which was upstairs (winding metal) of what I seem to recollect was a firehouse ?
I climbed the stairs ahead of Chuck because he was a mother-hen regarding my pregnancy (he desperately wanted a baby girl,.... the baby was due near Christmas,... he'd already bought a tiny gold locket and 2 lacy pairs of satin baby shoes for 'his daughter' one pair white, the other pink,... I don't know for sure if I still have the locket, but I Do still have the two dainty pairs of satin shoes) 
He loved the female race,.. ANY AGE,.... he so wanted a double pony-tailed and ribboned toddler in a 'Daddy's Girl' T-shirt to run squealing for the door when he came in each evening,... to fling herself into his arms,.... He waited on me hand and foot during that pregnancy,.... and he insisted I go ahead of him up those curling stairs so in case I stumbled,... he make sure I didn't fall,..... so as I emerged through the hole in the floor into the police station upper floor, all conversations stopped and all eyes turned my way,... and when I climbed high enough to see my pregnancy,. the uniformed men fell all over their Southern Gentlemen selves trying to offer me a chair,... but were puzzled at my being there until Chuck emerged from behind me,... and then the investigating officers recognized him and began filling us in on what they had learned.
Just in-case anyone is wondering if I have tried to contact Snoops.com and/or History.com ?
I have tried.
They both have a [contact] button to supposedly report any inadequacies to their stories,... but these are shams.
They merely take you to a site (History one does) to other things they offer.
Snoops allows you to actually write to them, but then they reply (?) with a vague thing that has zero to do with what I'd written them about. Just more directions to places on their site, things to see/read. No real person reply. Just another form of sales pitch.
It's frustrating ....... 🙁
Hi Windsinger... I wanted to show my support of your post. When you started the post, "The day Duane Died", it got lots of posts and I read through them all and started to look at the facts to see if I can figure out what had happened. Everything I saw points to Duane speeding over a hill, becoming airborne and, when his bike landed, flying over the handle bars. Here is why I say that:
1) Duane's injuries were a result of the bike slamming down on him after the bike bounced up into the air. The only way this could happen is if Duane flew over the handle bars and was in front of the bike as it bounced up. The bike would, then, be able to come down and land on him.
2) Duane's bike did leave the pavement. Duane loved speed. He must have gotten a real rush flying over the tops of those hills.
3) Duane never touched the truck. OK... The bike ended up 90 feet down the road against the curb. If Duane hit the truck, there would be no gouges in the road. The bike would have just fallen down without the force needed to create gouges. Plus, Duane would have been lying next to the truck and Chuck would not have to look for the rider. So, Duane must have been lying away from the truck.
4) If you look at the line the bike took, it is obvious that Duane never struck the. The bike came to rest 90 feet down the street on the opposite side. It is a straight line from where Duane came over the hill to where the bike came to rest. This could not have happened if Duane struck the truck.
5) The Macon Police did an investigation and found that Duane did not impact the truck in any manner. They determined that Chuck did nothing wrong.
6) Windsinger is the only one that spoke, in depth, with Chuck. She recalls everything that he told her and I have read a lot of Windsingers posts and I believe everything she says.
7) Dixie got out of her car yelling, "You killed my husband." I believe that, since Duane sped off ahead of the car, I don't think the car was close enough to see anything that happened. Getting out of the car at a time when Chuck was already out of the truck, looking to see what he could do means, to me, that the crash occurred well before the car that carried Candace and Dixie would be in a position for Dixie to have witnessed the crash. So, anything Dixie or Candace had to say about what happened could not be factual. Not Possible.
So, that is my view of this tragic event. I am here to support Windsinger and try to get people to put aside there admiration for Duane and see this as it was, Duane speeding down the road and getting airborne and losing control of his bike.
I forgot to address something you mentioned,.... That Chuck had had time to almost clear the intersection, before Duane came over the rise,... had time to stop his truck, walk/run back to the intersection,.. hear the bike 90 (?) feet away (BTW, from a photo I saw In Scott Freeman's book I think it was, the bike came to rest next to/near a fire hydrant on the opposite corner,.. and there was a dark fluid all around it,(the bike, not the hydrant) ... that seeing it in the dim light, Chuck had apparently mistaken it immediately for 'blood' as at home, later while telling me of the accident,... he was in-shock, and had quietly said simply "so much blood" it wasn't until I came here with my story that I learned there had actually been very Little blood,... so Chuck Had to have thought that's what he saw at the bike)
Anyway,... he had time to stop the truck, turn it off, get out, and walk to the back of the truck/intersection, walk the 90 feet to the bike, turn it off, and walk around looking for and finding/getting to the rider,... before that car ever came over the hill. HOW could "the girl" in the car,....have ever seen all the things attributed to her 'seeing' if Chuck had ALL that time to do all he did before she came screaming at him ???
The writers weave a good story, creating 'history' but they all seem to have interjected a lot of filler where they didn't know all the facts,.... creating thoughts and actions that don't hold up to the facts.
I'm still around.
I was 21 at the time of the accident.
I just turned 67 a couple of months ago.
I am like no 67 yr old you have ever met in your life,....
No gray-haired Little Old lady here,.....
I'm still a long-haired, Jeans and T-shirt, flip flops or boots, wearing tomboy, playing in my somewhat remote greenwoods with lumber, stone and tools and enjoying my simple life to the fullest.
My son by Chuck and his wife live up the road. They come to see me, more than I ever stop, there.
As long as I'm still around and kicking, I will continue trying to set the record straight regarding my laughing/teasing Illinois Country-boy/best friend, who the history writers persist in blaming for being in the wrong place,..... pointing their fingers of blame ......
[Edited on 10/16/2017 by windsinger]
[Edited on 10/16/2017 by windsinger]
I already bought my peach pie last week. Just couldn't wait.
Windsinger, I have been aware of your story for quite a while as well and would gladly 'amen' paulw718's excellent reply.
It's the 21st Century and the internet is what it is. We could wish for truth and reason to prevail but all we can do is share what we can. As to Snopes being all that, I'll let others decide for themselves. I never use them to fact-check anything and probably never will.
I can sympathize with your frustration about this but would share a couple of thoughts, hoping they might help you feel better:
1) People who really dig Duane and his music are likely to be aware of THIS excellent site and have access to your story. People less involved will likely pick up their info somewhere else. But (and here I take a risk...) I ask, "so what?" What I mean is this: their level of curiosity is not likely to lead them to be interested in any more details about the driver of the truck. That means that, although they may believe that Chuck was "the bad guy" they don't know a doggone thing about him. Most likely including his name. In other words, to them it's not at all personal. I know it hurts to think they "know" something incorrect, but it's not worth thinking about too much. Chuck is remembered and loved by those who really did know him. And his involvement with Duane is not the important thing about him to those who care.
2) The chances of ever getting this fixed on the www are slim. Years ago, on a Gretsch guitar forum, I read of Deed Eddy's struggles with Wikipedia re inaccuracies they had on their site about Duane Eddy. Deed has been married to Duane for decades and is well acquainted with the details of her LIVING husband's life! She would post changes only to have someone who "knew better" post over them and restore the untruths. Hard to win this battle. Seems the world is full of 'experts' who hate to admit they're mistaken.
In the end, it's not worth too much emotional investment, if it means attaching your peace of mind to getting this resolved. If you want to invest the time, that's up to you -- of course! You may feel compelled to do so and I could well understand that. I'd just urge you to not let it all get to you. We love you here -- you're family!
And, though I never met Chuck, I feel like I know him because of your lovingly sharing your memories here.
[Edited on 10/24/2017 by chucknc]
Windsinger, I have been aware of your story for quite a while as well and would gladly 'amen' paulw718's excellent reply.
It's the 21st Century and the internet is what it is. We could wish for truth and reason to prevail but all we can do is share what we can. As to Snopes being all that, I'll let others decide for themselves. I never use them to fact-check anything and probably never will.
I can sympathize with your frustration about this but would share a couple of thoughts, hoping they might help you feel better:
1) People who really dig Duane and his music are likely to be aware of THIS excellent site and have access to your story. People less involved will likely pick up their info somewhere else. But (and here I take a risk...) I ask, "so what?" What I mean is this: their level of curiosity is not likely to lead them to be interested in any more details about the driver of the truck. That means that, although they may believe that Chuck was "the bad guy" they don't know a doggone thing about him. Most likely including his name. In other words, to them it's not at all personal. I know it hurts to think they "know" something incorrect, but it's not worth thinking about too much. Chuck is remembered and loved by those who really did know him. And his involvement with Duane is not the important thing about him to those who care.
2) The chances of ever getting this fixed on the www are slim. Years ago, on a Gretsch guitar forum, I read of Deed Eddy's struggles with Wikipedia re inaccuracies they had on their site about Duane Eddy. Deed has been married to Duane for decades and is well acquainted with the details of her LIVING husband's life! She would post changes only to have someone who "knew better" post over them and restore the untruths. Hard to win this battle. Seems the world is full of 'experts' who hate to admit they're mistaken.
In the end, it's not worth too much emotional investment, if it means attaching your peace of mind to getting this resolved. If you want to invest the time, that's up to you -- of course! You may feel compelled to do so and I could well understand that. I'd just urge you to not let it all get to you. We love you here -- you're family!
And, though I never met Chuck, I feel like I know him because of your lovingly sharing your memories here.
[Edited on 10/24/2017 by chucknc]
I didn't think it possible,......... but you've made me cry.
Thank you
