It's a what?

My dad worked for my uncle John Leonard of Leonard's Truck line here in Watkins Glen on 2nd street.

One day when my dad and uncle John were coning home after delivering freight. They were driving south on 14 and were just about where the Seneca Harbor Station is coming down that s curve that leads to town.

Suddenly Uncle John shifts all the way down jolting my father into the windshield. 

"What the hell!", dad yelled.

Uncle John turned to dad with a funny look on his face.

Then handed dad the steering wheel.

A forty foot trailer doesn't stop on a dime.

With no breaks and no steering wheel the truck was grinding its gears following the road.

My dad looked up from the steering wheel and uncle John was already out the drivers side door.

"Jump you idiot!"

And dad did! Just as the truck was grinding its self into the sidewalk!

There was a loud crunch as it hit the garbage dumpster at what was then a gas station.

Luckily no-one was hurt and the truck grinding low gear only did minor damage.