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Overload of the Day

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,250
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Are all manner of Gator Backs and full tread roll offs on the highways around here, have seen a few smaller tires COMPLETE with a rim in the ditches but luckily no larger units yet.

Reminds me of a time 20 years ago where my lady at the time and I were heading from Dallas back to Birmingham on I-20 on the east side of Texas. She was driving my 250 as I had a little too much fun the night before. Trucking along and a little Honda car in front hits a Gator and somehow sends it flying straight towards the passenger side of my truck.

She only had time to hit the brakes, stay straight and brace for impact. Lady friend held the course and the Gator shattered the windshield and ripped the passenger mirror completely off. It could've been much worse however we did have to ride the rest of the way home with all the tiny glass slivers in the front seats. The windshield didn't completely come out thank God, that would've been a very sucky 5 hour drive.:confused:
 
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BigWrench55

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
1,176
Location
Somewhere
Since I am in field service I do a lot of driving around Texas. And I am astonished from the amount of brake shoes I see on the highway. Once I even seen a dual leaning against the k-rail with brake drum still attached. Around here there are a ton of independent trucks that have been converted to dump trucks and rock haulers. These trucks are a d.o.t. inspectors wet dream. The problem is that no one is getting these trucks off the road. Maybe it's the mechanic in me. But I can't stand seeing things in disrepair especially safety items. My family and your family are driving on these roads and it pisses me off seeing unsafe trucks, trailers and poorly secured loads.
 

Raildudes dad

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
411
Location
Grand Rapids MI
My uncle was fond of telling the story about driving his 2 sons' company truck down the local freeway and thinking to himself (He was a retired Teamster truck driver) haha someone lost a tire & wheel as the tire and wheel passed him. Just about that time he realized it was his tire :). Said he just followed it until it flopped over on the shoulder, pulled up behind it and waited for road service to come get him.
My windshield story involved a big Canadian goose sitting on the opposite shoulder near a lake and swamp at 55 mph with a car coming toward me. He spooked it first and it took off into my lane. I saw he was going to impact my windshield so I braked as hard as i dared, closed my eyes, held steady on the wheel and waited for the impact. I hit it, opened my eyes (fortunately I wear glasses) to a completely shattered windshield with my clothes, my lap and front seat full of crumbled safety glass. Got stopped on the shoulder and called the police. I lucked out, no damage to the sheet metal, just the windshield. Drove it about a half mile to a restaurant parking lot and asked to leave it overnight. Met the mobile glass guy there the next day. Found glass crumbles for months.
 

Camshawn

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
585
Location
Langley BC
Occupation
retired
Last new service van I got, 1/2 moved in to it and taking it home for the first time, picked up a rock thrown from the tires of a tandem gravel truck. Just had time to close my eyes. Rock blew shards of glass off the inside of the windshield. Didn’t even have time to dirty my shorts. I was finding glass for the next several months. Cam
 

Monkeywithawrench

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Messages
281
Location
New Hampshire
I always wondered why the truck stops had the breakaway thing on all the hoses until I seen one broken off, I guess it's cheap insurance to protect them from dumba$$es.

I worked at a gas station/ FULL SERVE back in the early 80's while going to high school and college. "What can I get you??" "Fill it up w/ the Ultra." Insert nozzle, start filling car, on to the next one........it was busy, right off a highway.......They would see you leave their car, and THINK OH I MUST BE DONE, HE LEFT...........and they haven't paid yet.......and drive off!! Watched that a few times!! LOL Also learned about the deadman valves under the pumps after a pickup w/ no bed came flying into the station and smacked right dead center into the pumps on a snowy evening. Didn't knock it over, just pushed it up a bit..........Econonmy, regular, and Ultra spraying everywhere. And thinking of it now.........hmmm, no bollards in front of the pumps. They are everywhere now.
 

mks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2020
Messages
201
Location
Southwest Cook County Illinois
Occupation
None currently
The best thing anyone can do is stay away from semi's on the freeway. Don't hang
around them either pass or stay back.
Dad drove for thirty years. I learned somethings. I have attempted to drill this into my family’s head. When I’m riding shotgun and remind them it doesn’t always seem appreciated. Maybe it’s my abrasive delivery.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,467
Location
washington
I had a good moment with my wife today @mks
She did that thing, slowly creeping into the left turn lane at a light and this car behind us blasted the horn. I tried to not be abrasive but let her know that is how rear enders happen, and to swoop in there and get out of the way quickly. I told her it scares the hell out of me when driving the truck when a car just basically plugs the road unexpectedly.
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
It just baffles me how oblivious people are to theirs surroundings while driving. I swear some people purposely drive right at the tracks when i'm moving my hoe, I don't get it. I don't care how good you clean everything off, there is going to be some debris on the tracks and with the roads here, some of it's coming off at some point. But I do prefer those idiots to the one's who cut you off. Their mentally seems to be "if I get in front of you, it's your job to stop and not hit me".

There was a trailer here last fall that lost a set of duals, bounced up onto roof of truck and pushed it in pretty good, driver ducked and was fine. There was also a convertor dolly that disconnected from tractor and crossed center line into a minivan and killed a lady.

It's not all the cars though either. I had a close call when I started driving with a oversize load and pilot trucks. They were coming onto the highway at the bottom of the hill, coming out from behind trees onto a 100 km highway, with a massive tractor trailer and 3 pilot cars, no one was smart enough to figure "hey let's send one up the road to warn people coming this way". As I crested the hill I saw the first pilot truck pull out and was full on the brakes, it was the old 89 international at that time that wouldn't exactly stop great loaded on a steep decline. Tractor trailer follows, as well as both pilot cars they weren't even smart enough at the end to think "man that dump truck is coming pretty fast, maybe I shouldn't pull out? I couldn't even see the box on the last pilot vehicle by the end I was that close to them and was another truck that nearly rear ended me. Just absolute stupidity.
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
I don't have much faith or respect for most DOT here. It's nothing but a show and money grab. After each checkstop there's headlines like "100 unsafe trucks off the road" what they fail to mention is a truck with 1 tire at 89 psi is one of those "unsafe trucks" because it's an out of service. Sure they get some unsafe trucks off the road, but the bulk of it is stupid crap like a dump truck with a grain of sand in the sideboard, tire a hair low, or god forbid you have pre-trips in your truck that are too old and weren't turned in yet, etc. Very few of them know anything about trucks, many of the "mechanics" wouldn't be trusted by most to grease a dahm truck, let alone tell if it's safe. Also pisses me off they don't go after personal/recreational vehicles. Got a pickup and skidsteer? Getting pulled over. Pickup and RV no matter how sketchy it looks? Have a nice day, not going to bother you.
 

sillej

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
67
Location
SW Washington
Occupation
Computer Geek
I was on I-84 Westbound out of the Dallas to Portland passing a dump truck and pup load with what looked like 3” or 4” rock. Saw one roll off the back, hit the road and bounce up. I had no where to go on a holiday weekend with both lanes full so somehow managed to modulate the throttle and have the rock land between the windshield and sunroof in my little Subaru. That car had a nasty little dent there for as long as I owned it. Could have taken out my future wife.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Funny is STILL Funny, where several years back, watched one of these Lane Blockers pull out to pass a semi on my way into work on I-70, long straight stretch and she just hanging at the L Rr corner then slowly started to ease forward around the Cattle Rack and then it happened. I see a Javelin of Sh!t blow out thru one of the side holes, either calf or young cow had gotten backed up to the side vent holes and either had scour or just upset but a full bucket load launched and hit her(KNOW was a Her as Car Top was DOWN) Windshield, Sh!t everywhere, off on the inside shoulder, swerving in the lane, Brake Lights, and me laughing while trying collision avoidance. She got off the highway to the outside shoulder and I drove Right on by!!!!
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,040
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I had a good moment with my wife today @mks
She did that thing, slowly creeping into the left turn lane at a light and this car behind us blasted the horn. I tried to not be abrasive but let her know that is how rear enders happen, and to swoop in there and get out of the way quickly. I told her it scares the hell out of me when driving the truck when a car just basically plugs the road unexpectedly.
People, usually Subaru drivers, or very old people in Ford LTDs drive me crazy drifting to a stop ever so gradually, then turning across the turn lane stopped with their ass still in the thru lane. When I'm behind, they get the horn!
Drivers turning right who come to a complete stop before turning are another particular irritant.
Come to think of it,......almost every inconsiderate driver pi$$es me off, especially if they drive a Subaru. Here, about 20% of total vehicles are Subaru. More like 50% of irritating, thoughtless drivers drive Subaru.

Nearest city, Rutland has a stretch of US Route 7 that leads to the western end of Route 103. Invariably there are people driving in both lanes side by side at 40 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, Dozens of cars pile up behind. I want a rocket launcher to obliterate them!
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,040
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
Funny is STILL Funny, where several years back, watched one of these Lane Blockers pull out to pass a semi on my way into work on I-70, long straight stretch and she just hanging at the L Rr corner then slowly started to ease forward around the Cattle Rack and then it happened. I see a Javelin of Sh!t blow out thru one of the side holes, either calf or young cow had gotten backed up to the side vent holes and either had scour or just upset but a full bucket load launched and hit her(KNOW was a Her as Car Top was DOWN) Windshield, Sh!t everywhere, off on the inside shoulder, swerving in the lane, Brake Lights, and me laughing while trying collision avoidance. She got off the highway to the outside shoulder and I drove Right on by!!!!
No creature is faster than a cow $hitting. If you don't believe me, drop a screwdriver behind one. No person in the world is quick enough to pick it up without getting $hit on.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,467
Location
washington
yeah that's a pretty easy habit to break :)
The thing my wife did we were doing 40 when she did it, it was dangerous.
She wants to help me drive the truck and trailer and I have to keep telling her no I'm fine I'm good. She does okay but she still is unaware of what's going on behind her and that's not cool.
I think that's the single biggest problem is people are just not in their mirrors.
 

Tarhe Driver

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Messages
241
Location
Savannah, GA
Occupation
Comm. Real Est Appraiser-Retired cargo/helo pilot
One I'm proud of: Our youngest son travels internationally in his work, with a good bit of time spent in less-developed areas in Africa. His employer put him through a defensive driving school, including being in a car while it was rolled over by the instructor. His recent comment to me about my driving: "Dad, your bubble (area of situational awareness around the car,) is a lot bigger than most people's."
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
My 'Bubble Area' encompasses up to 1/2 mile ahead in daylight, what can see in mirrors in daylight and all the lanes activities going on anywhere near to me. At night I do not fixate but monitor headlamps and tail lamps around me, watching for signal lamps. Wife is always asking why I slow down when nothing immediately around us, then she will spot the incident occurring not far down the road and go 'Oh'.
 
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