Got done showing a place yesterday evening near Luckenbach ( Willie, Waylon and the boys were not there ) And headed home. Got home and wife is on the couch, all the kids are gone so we start making dinner plans. She had a long day, she hosted a ice cream float table at the elementary school for all the teachers that day so she was best. Ended up ordering chili’s curbside.

At the last minute she wants to ride with me so we hop in her vehicle and head for chili’s. I hit the neighborhood gate a mile up the road and notice I’m breathing really heavy. Cursing my lack of cardio fitness, make plans to start running when I got home. Hit the end of the access road and I’m still breathing heavy. She makes a comment about how it’s hard for her to breathe, maybe because it was hot in the car when we got in. I mention the A/C has been on full blast since we left and it’s 70 inside the car.

Then it hits me like a ton of bricks.....in the rear is an ice chest from her event that day. I ask her if the ice cream is still in it, she confirmed it was.....being kept cold by several blocks of dry ice!

We almost suffocated ourselves with carbon dioxide

Holy crap! Glad you're both okay. She went to a lot of trouble to keep that ice cream cold. Probably the reason she was so tired too. Wow.

Dang. That's kinda scary.

Wow did not know dry ice put off Carbon Monoxide. Glad everyone is okay!

Look in the memorial section. A THFer died of carbon dioxide.

Pretty classy William

Pretty sure it’s CO2 (The dioxide) instead of CO (the monoxide), but in an enclosed space it could likely still suffocate you by displacing oxygen.

yep that stuff can kill ya in a closed space

we used to use dry ice all the time in the food sales business for carrying samples. One guy about died while driving to Longview

yep that stuff can kill ya in a closed space

we used to use dry ice all the time in the food sales business for carrying samples. One guy about died while driving to Longview

Wow. Good thinking. I read up on this and knew it displaces oxygen. Here's a good read on this subject. It explains the deep breathing.

https://www.ivhhn.org/information/information-different-volcanic-gases/carbon-dioxide

They were written to be read.

WoW!!

Correct. Carbon dioxide not monoxide

Maybe that could be a side gig for you....reading obituaries over the local radio stations

Now you got me wondering what Bills radio voice would sound like.

I worked an accident a few years ago where the husband didn’t put the lid on and spilled a little gasoline in the trunk with his mower. They both passed out and hit a brick wall.
I’ve done this and seen this done a bunch. I’ll never put gas cans in my car again un less in the back or well ventilated

They lived

Dang, that could've been really bad. I would bet that's something most people wouldn't think about.

Man that's scary buisness.

You two are lucky that you reacted quickly! I question whether I would have figured it out quickly, even though I am well aware of it.

Interesting to note: Excess CO2 in your bloodstream is what triggers the "I can't breathe reflex", as opposed to a lack of O2. Our brains have no mechanism to warn us of low O2 - it relies on excess CO2 to demand more breathing.

That’s what the beds are for. I sure hope you don’t put gas inside the truck sir

Close call for sure.

Glad your story ended well. Have to be careful around Dry Ice (CO2) and Liquid Nitrogen (Used for emergency refrigeration and super cooling). They are inert gases and will not support life. Builds up CO2 and puts you to sleep.

I would not have thought twice about putting it in the car with the lid sealed. I learned something just now. I guess this goes to show. Glad you guys are OK txtrophy. Something really bad could have happened.

Nailed it. Love happy endings.