YES, new cars are safer.

[tallyho8]

Have you ever asked the linemen what they make the poles out of down there? I wonder how long a rock maple pole would last in Drunkville? Normally the softwood poles rot more slowly but it looks like the pressure treatment hardly has time to dry down your way so maybe hardwood is the way to go??

The poles are all treated Southern Yellow Pine which is by far the cheapest down here. Our utility prices would skyrocket if we had to pay for maple hardwood poles.

 

[Dmace]

I can't believe how may accidents have occured in the same spot so often.
I wonder if the local PD could set up a few random sobriety check points on that road to catch these drunks before the pole does...

 

[mjarrels]

I have a pole that's been hit by lighting twice.

mark

 

[tallyho8]

It's been a month since a car knocked down the 4th pole in front of my house this year and this has been a record. Last night a car hit and broke the 5th pole in front of my house this year. This time it took out my lights and cable internet and I finally got back on line to report it.

This was the first driver this year who didn't appear to be drunk. He says he swerved when he saw another car cross the centerline.

It destroyed the pole and totaled his car and deployed his airbag but again, the driver walked away with no injuries. I can remember a lot of people getting killed in the 1950s and 1960s when hitting poles so I am quite sure that new cars are much safer. I can also remember many cars getting totaled and not knocking the pole down so I am also sure that the new poles are much weaker.

It is interesting that when they put a new pole down here now, after they place the pole in the ground, they pour foam in the hole to support the pole instead of backfilling the hole.

And I couldn't even make any coffee to offer the responders because I had no power. The power crew is getting very quick at changing these poles out along with all the high power lines, phone and cable lines, doing it all in about 4 hours but the cable company didn't show up till 12 hours later to repair the cable.

 

[shane]

This is almost unbelievable. But I happen to know of a back highway here in TN with a curve such as yours. However, many of the drivers are not usually as lucky as yours.

 

[mjarrels]

Love the antilock brakes... used them for the first time yesterday afternoon. Was heading west on a two lane road when someone east bound decided to make a left turn in front of me... raining, wet road... pushed the brakes to the floor and was able to steer around the front of the other car that was about four feet in my lane still trying to turn.

mark

 

[KubotainNH]

Maybe these poles should have concrete bases surrounding them like you see in parking lots. How long have you lived at this house?

 

[tallyho8]

Maybe these poles should have concrete bases surrounding them like you see in parking lots. How long have you lived at this house?

These poles are at the very edge of the ditch which would make it hard to install concrete bases. I like them the way they are because the poles break and the drivers are not injured but the drunks are removed from the highways. I am afraid the concrete would just kill the drivers.

I have only lived here 7 years and no one has had serious injuries yet but I have heard stories of people getting killed here many years ago.

 

[KubotainNH]

Seven years, that's awhile. I take it this past year has been a banner year for accidents. Maybe time for a generator?

 

[tallyho8]

Seven years, that's awhile. I take it this past year has been a banner year for accidents. Maybe time for a generator?

This is definitely a banner year for the telephone poles. 5 so far this year. No poles last year but they knocked out my mailbox 3 times. Year before last all they got was the fire hydrant. I wonder what they will be hitting next year?

I have a generator but since they usually restore our power within 4 hours I don't even bother with it.