Payloader gone wild

[Tig]

The operators might not of been the best but it was a snow emergency, the loader was jammed in there pretty good.

It wasn't jammed in there when they started.

YouTube - JCK42's Channel

 

[JB4310]

It wasn't jammed in there when they started.

YouTube - JCK42's Channel

99% of the comments on Youtube think they should be fired, It just doesn't get me that upset.

Sure maybe it could of been winched at a different angle from down the block, or from this video it looks like the wrecker could of just lifted the loader's rear off the ground, gotten more traction and possibly drove out with the loader pulled up tight to the tow rig???

But this is all hindsight, This was a blizzard, not a huge snow fall but the wind created 4 foot drifts, to be on the ground at that time, just 2 guys? in those conditions...... I just think no big deal. Because this was caught on film and had the color comentary from the director in the window it got blown way out of proportion IMO.

There were probably 1000 other vehicles damaged during that storm.

JB.

 

[chopped]

I think I found them back at the salt shed lol
YouTube - loader stoppie

 

[Greenmountain Farmer]

A couple of points

first: it looks like the loader is running barefoot, without chains it is useless in icy conditions

second: without a blade of some kind you can only push so much snow in front of you

third:if they had chained from the right side of loader it may not have sild loader into truck

Tom in Vermont

 

[crazyal]

A couple of points

first: it looks like the loader is running barefoot, without chains it is useless in icy conditions

second: without a blade of some kind you can only push so much snow in front of you

third:if they had chained from the right side of loader it may not have sild loader into truck

Tom in Vermont

I agree. In NY they use garbage trucks to plow, they just put blades on the front and off they go. I have a feeling that if they wanted to chain up they would probably be buying a lot of sets of chains that wouldn't get used very often. They couldn't leave them on for the winter so they would have to put them on and then take them off each time they wanted to use them. The chains for my Kubota weigh over 100lbs each, I can only guess how much they weigh for a loader.

 

[crazyal]

You'd have to be a complete moron to get that loader stuck on a flat paved street? MikeD74t

It looks like most of the plowing is done with trucks like garbage trucks and use loaders only in big snow falls. I'm guessing that they don't get much playtime in snow and just are sent out with the idea "how hard can it be to plow snow".

 

[johnrex62]

Have you ever had your car towed in NYC? It's rare to have your car towed and not get damaged.

Ok, that begs the question " Why are cars in NYC so much more fragile than cars everywhere else?" Is it the cars or the tow truck drivers?

I have had cars towed several times with absolutely NO damage whatsoever. I have seen the aftermath of my own car and coworkers cars in several cities around the country and they seldom have ANY damage on on rare occasions have suffered slight scratches on the bumpers or fenders when someone got careless. It is not all that difficult to tow a vehicle without damaging it once it is hooked up properly. I have even had my car towed by a minimum wage non-union worker in New Orleans that was able to accomplish it properly.

So, clue me in. Are the cars different in NYC or the tow truck operators? Please don't try to convince me that union workers are not able to learn as well as a high school dropout in the south.

 

[crazyal]

Ok, that begs the question " Why are cars in NYC so much more fragile than cars everywhere else?" Is it the cars or the tow truck drivers?

I have had cars towed several times with absolutely NO damage whatsoever. I have seen the aftermath of my own car and coworkers cars in several cities around the country and they seldom have ANY damage on on rare occasions have suffered slight scratches on the bumpers or fenders when someone got careless. It is not all that difficult to tow a vehicle without damaging it once it is hooked up properly. I have even had my car towed by a minimum wage non-union worker in New Orleans that was able to accomplish it properly.

So, clue me in. Are the cars different in NYC or the tow truck operators? Please don't try to convince me that union workers are not able to learn as well as a high school dropout in the south.

As far as I know the drivers are not union, they are private companies who are under contract by NYC to remove cars when called by the police to do so. It's been years since I stayed in NYC so maybe it's different now.

What I saw was drivers who were going to get paid no matter what and the sooner they could get the car to their yard the sooner they could tow the next one. They had zero incentive to not damage the cars while towing them and the people down there just accepted it as the norm. I think a good part of it was that if you went to the city to complain nothing would happen.

 

[MikeD74T]

I agree. In NY they use garbage trucks to plow, they just put blades on the front and off they go. I have a feeling that if they wanted to chain up they would probably be buying a lot of sets of chains that wouldn't get used very often. They couldn't leave them on for the winter so they would have to put them on and then take them off each time they wanted to use them. The chains for my Kubota weigh over 100lbs each, I can only guess how much they weigh for a loader.

Loggers in your neighborhood chain & unchain a couple times a day all winter long. Winter's not so unusual in NYC that they shouldn't be able to put on chains. MikeD74T

 

[JB4310]

Loggers in your neighborhood chain & unchain a couple times a day all winter long. Winter's not so unusual in NYC that they shouldn't be able to put on chains. MikeD74T

Now that may be asking a bit much from the average sanitation worker, I know I struggle with mine.

It's rare that they need chains in the city, that's why they got caught with their pants down, it was an unusual event.
In Manhatten with those canyons of huge buildings and all the heat loss generated, it's a wonder any snow makes it to the ground.

JB.

 

[Renze]

YES, STUPID !!

Over here, all feed delivery trucks, milk trucks, other deliveries, carry a bag of crushed shell in their truck. The sharp edges give instant traction to any heavy truck, even a 50 ton bulk hauler with just one drive axle gets out of any slippery situation. Its so simple !!

 

[3238dpw]

You'd have to be a complete moron to get that loader stuck on a flat paved street? MikeD74t

Actually the road has a crown to it. If icy and that much tonnage without traction on ice it is a lot to move up even a slight incline.


Also a lot of people keep saying why didn't he push himself out? If you have ever gotten a wheel loader stuck you would know that the bucket doesn't dump as far as a tractor loader bucket does . In snow in particular it is very difficult to push your self backwards. You can only get a few inches at a time and it isn't far enough to overcome what ever is making you stuck. then you slide right back to where you were or worse, right up against a parked car:confused2:

 

[MikeD74T]

Actually the road has a crown to it. If icy and that much tonnage without traction on ice it is a lot to move up even a slight incline.


Also a lot of people keep saying why didn't he push himself out? If you have ever gotten a wheel loader stuck you would know that the bucket doesn't dump as far as a tractor loader bucket does . In snow in particular it is very difficult to push your self backwards. You can only get a few inches at a time and it isn't far enough to overcome what ever is making you stuck. then you slide right back to where you were or worse, right up against a parked car:confused2:

New Hampshire occasionally gets snow, I believe NH roads have a crown in them as well, & I have got an articulated loader stuck before. However harsh, I stand by my statement. I've seen many people stuck where someone showed up & drove right out. Tow truck drivers are another story all togeather. MikeD74T

 

[MossRoad]

Actually the road has a crown to it. If icy and that much tonnage without traction on ice it is a lot to move up even a slight incline.


Also a lot of people keep saying why didn't he push himself out? If you have ever gotten a wheel loader stuck you would know that the bucket doesn't dump as far as a tractor loader bucket does . In snow in particular it is very difficult to push your self backwards. You can only get a few inches at a time and it isn't far enough to overcome what ever is making you stuck. then you slide right back to where you were or worse, right up against a parked car:confused2:

I agree with you. I think everyone over in the Power Trac forum can empathize with the driver of the articulated vehicle, although they will most likely agree that he and the tow truck operator are idiots for causing so much damage to the parked vehicles. They should have given up and moved the parked cars.

The road is crowned pretty good.
The loader most likely has very hard industrial tires, which provide really really poor traction on pavement in snow.
When you spin the tires on an articulated vehicle while trying to move forwards or backward across a slope (or crown) you are going to crab down the slope. It is the nature of articulated machines.

The operator could have tried a few things, and maybe he did before the camera and tow truck arrived.

He could have angled the bucket to the LEFT, then used it to lift the front tires off the ground and steer to the right. Then lift the bucket. Repeat as necessary until the unit is facing away from the curb. He would have to watch his back end on the parked cars.

Or, he could have steered full right and placed the right front corner of the bucket against the curb and then spun the tires to swing his rear end out to the left. But again, there are cars parked across the street, so he would have to watch.

He may have been able to curl and dump the bucket with enough pressure on the FEL arms against the street to back himself out. On the other hand, he may have tried that and not been able to get a big enough bite on the pavement due to ice, rounded bucket edge, who knows.

Of, he may just have no business driving an articulated loader on city streets! :laughing:

But, we may never know because we weren't there in the seat before the camera started rolling.

 

[MossRoad]

New Hampshire occasionally gets snow, I believe NH roads have a crown in them as well, & I have got an articulated loader stuck before. However harsh, I stand by my statement. I've seen many people stuck where someone showed up & drove right out. Tow truck drivers are another story all togeather. MikeD74T

Yeah, but did you get it stuck on a paved crowned road between parked cars going the wrong way down a one way street? :laughing:

Go back and look at the videos. For all intents and purposes, he parallel parked the thing by sliding down the crown between the parked cars in front and behind him. There is now way out other than moving the cars.

Their method of moving them was kinda harsh. :laughing:

 

[JB4310]

I can't see how the crown in the road had that much to do with it, though I've never operated a loader in those exact conditions so I'll have to take you guys word for it.

The other thing we don't know for sure cause you can't tell from the angle of the filming is how much snow is there.

I picture this scenario, the guy is pushing heavy snow down a narrow path, he's building a massive pile in front of him to the point where he can't move forward anymore. He's trying to bale some off to the side where there was some free space and goes in to far through the snow he's helped pack in and gets stuck, spins his tires and articulates back and forth a little, now he's really stuck, in 4 packed ice pockets. I've done almost the same exact thing in my yard, got stuck yesterday with 4x4 and chains.

If that's the case and there was a 4 foot deep packed snow pile on his left side then winching from the better angle down the road would of probably still pushed him into the car.

The only sure thing would of been to move the parked cars, but to where? at what what cost in time?

I still say the damage to the vehicle was a small price to pay to get that loader back in service on the streets.

Wonder if there's any official report on the matter, it might be interesting to see what they concluded, or if any heads rolled.

JB.

 

[MossRoad]

I still say the damage to the vehicle was a small price to pay to get that loader back in service on the streets.

Bet you wouldn't sacrifice your personal vehicles (two were damaged) for the common good. :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

I can't see how the crown in the road had that much to do with it, though I've never operated a loader in those exact conditions so I'll have to take you guys word for it.

The other thing we don't know for sure cause you can't tell from the angle of the filming is how much snow is there.

I picture this scenario, the guy is pushing heavy snow down a narrow path, he's building a massive pile in front of him to the point where he can't move forward anymore. He's trying to bale some off to the side where there was some free space and goes in to far through the snow he's helped pack in and gets stuck, spins his tires and articulates back and forth a little, now he's really stuck, in 4 packed ice pockets. I've done almost the same exact thing in my yard, got stuck yesterday with 4x4 and chains.

If that's the case and there was a 4 foot deep packed snow pile on his left side then winching from the better angle down the road would of probably still pushed him into the car.

The only sure thing would of been to move the parked cars, but to where? at what what cost in time?

I still say the damage to the vehicle was a small price to pay to get that loader back in service on the streets.

Wonder if there's any official report on the matter, it might be interesting to see what they concluded, or if any heads rolled.

JB.

Should you ever get the opportunity to drive an articulated vehicle, take it. They are a hoot to operate. With no traction even the slightest side slope will send you crabbing sideways. Think about it. Lets say you are going across a side slope and you want to turn up the hill to your left. So, you turn your wheel to the left. On an articulated vehicle, that makes your rear wheels point to the right, down the hill. Now if your front tires lose traction gravity pulls the front of the tractor down the hill while your rear tires push you down the hill. To counter act it, you instinctively steer right and straighten it out to make yourself parallel to the slope again. But now you are close to the car in front of you, so you back up trying to make the rear end go up the hill, which requires you to steer left, which points the front tires down hill. Your rear wheels lose traction and down the slope you go some more. Repeat this action over and over and eventually you are parallel parked against the curb. There is not enough room to go forward and backward because you slid sideways into the parking space. Kinda like them old ladies downtown that bash their way into a parking space by beating the car bumpers back and forth between the parked cars. :laughing:

Tire chains, softer tires, better tread and/or not getting into the situation in the first place are the best bets. Operator experience helps at that point.

 

[Renze]

Also a lot of people keep saying why didn't he push himself out? If you have ever gotten a wheel loader stuck you would know that the bucket doesn't dump as far as a tractor loader bucket does .

There are at least two loader brands that are specifically designed to be able to push themself out. But all right, Z-bar lift frames dont have enough torque on the exterior positions, let alone enough stroke.

 

[3238dpw]

Don't get me wrong I think these guys could have done a better job but I don't think they are all evil as people try to make it seem.

I know after they got the loader out people scream at them why didn't you take your time so you wouldn't of damaged those cars and then they go 2 blocks over and for the next 2 hours everyone screams at them "why didn't you hurry up and get to my street faster". There is no winnning when you plow in a government position.

For example. when plowing in developments in particular. People call up and complain that you didn't plow close enough to the curb, because they don't want to shovel so much in front of their mailbox. Then on the same street you hear complaints that you plowed too close and plowed in there driveway or trying to get close you hit their mailbox:confused2:

You just are always told hurry up and slow down at the same time. Good private contractors don't get in these situations because they only take on what they can handle or get more equipment and man power. In government more is added weather you can handle it or not. Thank goodness for new houses not being built so fast anymore.