Close Call on the way home

[jwstewar]

Had a close call last night on my way home. I was cruising down the highway last night. Came up on a shortbed pickup with a shell on it. It had probably a 25' extension ladder hanging out the back of it. that means with the shortbed it was probably sticking out 8 feet or so. He had some boxes in the bed so the ladder would lay flat across the top of the tailgate, except it wasn't laying flat. I could see the "front" of the ladder was up touching the top of the shell and the "back" of it was hanging down below the bumper. Thought to myself, something doesn't seem right here. I bet he didn't put it in there like that and I bet he didn't think it was going to tip. I thought I better hurry up get around this guy and warn him that something is wrong. Gave the car the gas and hurried up and got beside him. The driver wouldn't look over at me so I just gave it the gas and went on. No more got in front of him and he changed lanes over to be behind me in the left lane. Then all of a sudden I see cars going everywhere behind me. The ladder had slid out of the truck and down on to the highway and was "following" the truck. He looks like he noticed pretty quick and was stopping to go back and pick-up what was left of his ladder. Doesn't look like anybody hit it or anything or anyone else.

Just can't believe somebody would haul something like that and leave over half of it hanging out of the truck w/o anything attached to it - at least one of the cheap bungy straps to make it look like you made an effort. Of course I guess that compares to the guy towing a trailer a couple of weeks ago with a couple of pretty nice looking ZTR mowers. Each one only held by a single bungy strap. Man they were moving around pretty good.

I think there should be a stuipidity test before people get their driver's license - and it is a license - not a right.

Jim

 

[shado]

Oh, the thrill of trying to tell some idiot that they've got something not only loose on their back, but have some loose screws as well! Many years ago I took a trip to Atlantic City, NJ, to lose some money. On my way back down I-95 passing through some major city, a pickup with a load of interior trim was barreling down the multi-lane highway at 70+ MPH, two other guys with him, not paying any attention to the woodwork falling out piece-by-piece. I had to run up to 85 MPH to try & catch up to him, pointed to his backside after getting his attention, simple nod of thanks & he just slows down a little, but does not bother to secure anything more. He would have never been able to go back & get the trimwork either, all toothpicks by then.

 

[jhburke]

A few years ago I was taking some people to Chicago O'Hare. I was on I 94 in Chicago and in the middle lane when a wrecker pulling a single axle truck whipped on the road ahead. He had just got on when I saw something fall from the truck. It was the drive shaft. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif It gives you a very funny feeling knowing it could seriously hurt you, but you can't slow down without getting run over from the rear and you can't swerve either way because cars on both sides. Thankfully it went from the right lane to the middle lane to the edge of the road just as I got to it. Was running about 65 mph in a 10 passenger limo. Shaky time.

 

[sendero]

Here's a mea culpa.

A long time ago (about 22 years) I bought a nice 20' ladder at Wal-Mart. I had a simple trailer made from plywood, about 8' long and 30" high. My house was a quick 8 minute hop up I 75.

The ladder was longer than the trailer, so I left the bottom of the ladder at the back of the trailer - and the top poked out at the hitch end about 3 feet. This, as it turns out, was a big mistake - I should have let the back end hang out.

I did not tie it down. I didn't see how it could go anywhere.

I was about 2/3 way home and a wind gust lifted the top of the ladder and it flew out of my trailer. Luckily, there was very little traffic. I pulled over and started running back to get it.

About 1000' down the road was a semi. He was barrelling along at 70 as they do. I was sure he did not see the ladder. I tried to wave and point but by the time he was 200' away I knew my ladder was toast. He ran right over it, and just demolished it. Didn't seem to hurt him any, he just kept going /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I was so mad I could have chewed 10D nails. That $90 was a lot of money to me back then. But I knew that I'd gotten off easy - and I never, ever, ever haul anything without tieing it down properly.

I fetched the ladder and tossed it over the bridge into the brush. I turned around, and went and bought another ladder.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

When I was going to school, I worked weekends at a service station that was located near Lake Minnetonka (popular, rather large lake located near the Twin Cities). The road going by the station had a posted speed limit of 40. As I was walking outside I saw a truck going down the road and it was being followed by a boat on a trailer (however the trailer was not connected to the truck). As the truck slowed slightly, the boat and trailer somehow changed lanes and passed the guy in the truck. Even from a distance I could see the look on the guys face when he looked over and saw his boat passing him on the right heading for the ditch.

Bob

 

[mwechtal]

Jim,
I had a close call recently. A failly new stretch of 65mph highway runs past a nearby town. I didn't notice that the way sound walls, curves, and the center concrete divider are arranged, you can't see all that far ahead. I came around the curves at the speed of other traffic (70), and saw 15-20 vehicles stopped. I slammed on the binders until the tires were just squealing, but not sliding. It seemed like the correct amount for fastest stopping. I was stuck to the left of another vehicle, so I got a little further left, and tried to be small.

There was a woman chasing a mixed breed dog back and forth across the road while the rest of us waited for an 18 wheeler with a load of steel to come around the curve at 70.

The vehicles that were stopped at the head of the pack didn't move at all until she caught the dog. That probably took a minute, but it seemed like and hour. Then we had a dumpster truck and some slow pokes holding us up. I didn't feel comfortable until we were about a mile down the road, and still not up to speed.

People just don't think!
Mike