Bridge 1 Hoe 0

[awlchu]

Construction accident on I-70

see attached pic

 

[ronjhall]

We had a similar accident on I-96 here in Michigan a few years ago. They had to replace the whole bridge. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Hope no one was injured.

 

[Gatorboy]

I bet there is an ex-truck driver now looking for a new job.

 

[RonR]

I didn't read all the details, but think it was on the open road, so he was COOKING.

And the big factor was he was over width and height (duh) and DIDN'T HAVE ANY PERMITS. Had he tried for permits, they wouldn't have allowed him on that road.

If it was an independent, he's done and all his stuff will be owned by the state. If it was a company, it's probably done also.

Insurance companies have an easy out, when you are operating illegally. They'll point to a few paragraghs in the policy's fine print and say "You probably should get a good lawyer, cuz we don't cover you for illegal operations, and you are own your own with this. By the way, here's your official cancellation notice, dated TODAY!"

A trucker friend of mine pointed this out to me a long time ago. Said he knew some truckers who drove around a ROAD CLOSED sign, then had a wreck. Insurance Co followed the above scenario.

ron

 

[SkyPup]

We had the same thing happen on I-75 a few years ago, closed down the entier Northbound side for months while they reparied the bridge.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Ron that excavator was very much permitable. They just hauled it wrong first mistake made was they had it facing forward. Thats No No number one. second like most bridge strikes that had the boom at a work style positsion with the bucket flat onj the trailer. to be safe you always haul boom facing backwards and knuckled under. Not even when I haul my mini do I haul it boom forward. In time we did haul my brothers 28,000 pound 120 Hitatchi forward but it was to get the weight right for the truck and trailer. Plus it was on that trailer only 10.5 tall. In most cases if the bridge is low by even a foot and the boom is up but its facing backwards It might wedge the machine but most times it bottoms out the trailer and it slides under with minimal dammage to the boom and bridge both. Facing forward however the croud arm is a blunt stop that tends to dig in.
We had a friend that also a contractor have the same thing happen to his machine. He had a 490JD and had loned it to another contractor that had his down in a creek with both tracks walked off. They tore his door off of it and then loaded onto their trailer and got on HWY 45 in Corinth and was shooting back in under the Harper Road over pass. It was facing forward and boom in the working position when the guy that loaded it and bound it mentioned do you think it fit. Too late It sheared the pin fromthe boom to the stick with al most a saw finish. THis is a hard 3 inch diameter pin. The forged Yoke that theis pin and stick run through was bent this is inch and a half steel. My good friend William davis repaired it all for them. THe bridge still has a beach ball sized chunk out of it. The owners of the truck that loaded the machine after borrowing it arent paying nor is their insurance. Lamars insurance is footing part of the bill to.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( HWY 45 in Corinth )</font>

Hey, I live in Corinth (Texas, that is) and something similar happened to the Corinth Parkway bridge over I-35E in early December, fortunately not that severe, but the bridge was shut down for almost 2 months and it's normally one I use every day. The actual repairs only took 5 nights. They shut down the Interstate and routed traffic onto the service roads from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night that week.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Bridge 1 Hoe 0)</font>

I think the bridge AND the hoe lost on that one. I think 0-0

Cliff

 

[Cord]

I captured these off another site I frequent.

 

[RonR]

Taylor,

You are likely right, I just passed along what the press said, and you know how they are. Maybe they meant that the way he had it loaded (overheight), it couldn't go on that road.

I'd never considered loading them so they could wedge under, but it makes sense.

In our major city, there is an OLD very low railroad underpass, maybe 12ft, and tractor trailers are ALWAYS getting stuck there. They have flashing lights and other obstacles further back to hang up on the truck, but there is probably one truck / month that gets to the bottom and sticks! Generally, since it's 30mph, they can deflate the tires and back 'em out.

ron

 

[JSUnlimited]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In our major city, there is an OLD very low railroad underpass, maybe 12ft, and tractor trailers are ALWAYS getting stuck there. They have flashing lights and other obstacles further back to hang up on the truck, but there is probably one truck / month that gets to the bottom and sticks! Generally, since it's 30mph, they can deflate the tires and back 'em out. )</font>

We've got one too, same deal. Just the other day believe it or not, a school bus was the latest victim. I heard it ripped the top clean off. Never heard about any injuries though. Aperently the signs, lights and sticks that hang down to hit the top did not wake anyone up to stop!

 

[Bird]

Ron, I worked an accident one night well after midnight in which a tractor trailer rig went under a railroad bridge fast enough to make it through; just tore the top right off the trailer. That truck and driver were making the same route he'd been making every night for a long time, so he knew it would fit under there. But that day, they had resurfaced the street by adding 2" of asphalt. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Jstpssng]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( they had resurfaced the street by adding 2" of asphalt. )</font>

I've heard that story before... it happened up here years ago when they resurfaced the interstate. All of a sudden those signs reading "bridge clearance 13"6" " were obsolete.

 

[Bird]

The one I actually got to see was on a city street in Dallas right where East Grand changes names to become Garland Road just below the dam at White Rock Lake. And I didn't actually "work" the accident myself; I was a lieutenant at the time and responded with one of my officers who had a question as to whether any charges should be filed against the driver. And of course I told him not to. But I don't doubt it's happened several places.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I run the landfill for Tiffin Motor Homes, They make the Allegra brand RV(Shamless Plug) and you wouldnt beleive the mauled tops we get or front caps fromlowbridgesand tunnels. You can tellthe bridge stikes as all the metalroof arches are all in one wad. All your CDL manuals state alway aproach a an over pass like the height isnt posted forthe same reason as road surfacing.

 

[Cord]

I have some more pics of the wreck that were taken at night. The hoe is totally destroyed. The dipper is folded back. The lift cylinders are ripped right off the arm. I wish I had a pic of the semi. I'd like to know what the 5th wheel looks like.

 

[Highbeam]

As far as insurance not covering you if you do something illegal... then what the heck is insurance for? If I run a stop sign and hit someone then my insurance pays. I was illegal since I ran the sign. How often are you at fault for a wreck without breaking any laws? How about drunk drivers? Does their insurance cover the wrecks?

 

[Taylortractornut]

I ve seen some wild recoveries of trucks and construction equipment before. More than liked the trailer took most of the impact the was its bogies are bent up. If the Carbode and final drives arent broken and the swing is intact it will be refurbished. One company I workd for had one fall hit a rocky outcropping when the lowboy wrecked. Destroyed the boom and cab and tor the bosses off the boom cylinder where they attach. and broke a final drive. THey replaced the final and goughed and aligned in a new boome cylinder boss and a month later I was loading trucks with it.

 

[755inNY]

Highbeam,

I think the "no coverage" applies only to the insured vehicle. The insurance would still pay (within policy limits) the liability to others.

Jeff

 

[gsganzer]

Here's another photo, from a different angle, of the same wreck at the beginning of the post.