Mudslides might not sound as terrifying as floods, hurricanes, or tsunamis, but they can still be incredibly dangerous if you are caught in one. Most people know better than to get too close when the ground is unstable or when heavy rains have triggered a slide. But sometimes the desire to protect material things, like a car or home, clouds judgment and leads to risky decisions. That was the case for one California man who found himself in a dangerous situation because he didn’t want to lose his truck.
In a video shared on Reddit, viewers can see the heart-stopping moment unfold in Oak Glen, California. The man walks straight toward his truck, which was parked frighteningly close to a mudslide already moving down the hillside. The person filming the video can be heard shouting warnings, telling him to watch out and stay back. Despite the warnings, the man ignored them and climbed into his vehicle, determined to get it out of the way.
At first, he managed to back the truck slightly, trying to maneuver it away from the moving wall of mud. But then another surge of mudslide came rushing down, striking the truck head-on. The force dragged the vehicle several feet before it finally came to a stop, lodged in the thick debris. Fortunately, it appears the man himself was not swept away, but his truck ended up hopelessly stuck in the muck. The video cuts off with the vehicle half-buried, and it remains unclear whether the man was able to safely exit or what happened afterward.
Internet users were quick to react to the clip, and most were not impressed with the California man’s decision-making. Many called his actions reckless and unnecessary. “And that’s how you get fossilized, kids,” one commenter joked, mocking the risky choice. Others criticized his driving, suggesting that he actually made the situation worse. “He definitely cut the wheels the wrong way. He was trying to back up so he could pull forward out of the mud instead of backing up out of the mud. Poor choice,” one user wrote. Another added, “This dude is clearly not smart. Takes the entire holy sabbath to start the truck, then attempts a three point move instead of just cranking the steering wheel hard right and backing straight into the higher ground.”
Plenty of commenters pointed out that the man should have prioritized his own safety over the truck. Even if the mudslide destroyed the vehicle, a replacement car would always be easier to get than risking serious injury or death. One redditor even shared a tragic personal story: “Had a friend in HS die while out camping because he tried to save his truck from a flash flood/mudslide. Def not worth it.”
