The story of how a line of pale people saved my life

It might be hard to believe now, but the trucking industry in the Showa era was a complete 'hotbed of exploitation'.
There was no time to rest; for example, it was common to be sent out on another long-distance trip the very same day you returned from one.
It was an era where people would seriously say things like, 'Driving time is your break time,' as if it were a joke.
Goodness, thinking back on it now, I wonder how I even survived.
I'd like to tell you a slightly mysterious story from those grueling trucking days.

A coastal national highway, a battle against drowsiness

A pitch-black road with no streetlights and not a single soul around.
All I could hear was the sound of the tires and the waves crashing in the distance.
To my left was the ocean, and it was a thrilling road where I had to rely on the guardrail to keep from falling off.
My eyes were bleary, and I was gripping the steering wheel while fighting off sleep.

What appeared were 'people with pale faces'

Then, I happened to glance to my left,
and there was a long line of people with pale faces standing there.
I was driving while thinking, 'It would be bad if I hit these people,' when suddenly I thought, 'Whoa, I'm going to hit them!'
The moment I thought that and gripped the steering wheel again, I woke up.
Yes, I had been completely asleep at the wheel.
And those people were an illusion.
Perhaps it was a 'life-saving brake' brought on by my sleep deprivation.
Even though over 40 years have passed, I remember this incident vividly.

As someone who lived through that era

If it hadn't been for that hallucination, I would have undoubtedly fallen into the ocean with my truck.
I might not be alive today.
Even now, it sends a chill down my spine when I think about it.
The Showa era was neither convenient nor safe.
But there were many people working at the risk of their lives on that razor's edge.
This is my 'real experience' that happened in a corner of the Showa era.

To everyone who lived through the Showa era

Those of you who drove trucks, those who worked in the transport industry,
or those whose parents worked in such jobs,
please tell me if you have any memories of the 'harshness' or 'unreasonableness' of those days.
I look forward to your comments.