I got the impression that they were looking to get off the highway, but it’s unclear if they were leaving the area. Maybe just trying to get away from the mess?
As an Italian, I have a large array of gestures at my disposal, but “your dump bed is up” is unexplicably absent. Clearly it wasn’t a problem in Roman times.
7 Likes
Well, he crossed that one off his bucket list.
2 Likes
Yes and while we are on the subject, he should have known that gantry would come down. He nearly got written off by being too close.
1 Like
I remember seeing the aftermath of a double-decker bus that tried to drive underneath a single-decker pier one time. There weren’t enough police around to indicate that anyone had been hurt, but the crumpled, dented height restriction sign the top deck of the bus crushed would have been a great souvenir… I wonder if there’s a museum of ironic artifacts that would have liked it?
1 Like
There are a couple of spots in Melbourne where the tram lines drop a little bit to get under a low bridge. So this truck driver gets close to the bridge, realizes he is too high to get under it, and decides to do a U turn. Of course he brought down the tram lines, 1000 volts DC IIRC. He called his boss to explain the situation and got fired on the spot.
1 Like
that should buff right out.
5 Likes
Something similar happened in Rio de Janeiro three years ago, but it knocked down a pedestrian walkway. Five people died. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU3qcaz3rPg
1 Like
I’m near Philadelphia, where there are wires mounted overhead in intersections along the trolley tracks. One morning, I saw a truck do something similar to this, even though lots of drivers were honking their horns trying to get the driver’s attention. I was about four cars back, and decided to pull over when the truck went through a major intersection, tearing down wires until the drag made him stop. Those wires carry a charge, too. I’m sure there were lots of unhappy commuters that day.
3 Likes
If not, there should be!
Anyone remember this one? Pathologically low clearance underpass:
The one starting at 1:36 is a reward for the patient.
1 Like
probably loud enough already, what with the backup beeper and everything.
1 Like
That bridge is still undefeated!
1 Like
I understand the general reaction, people blaming the video guys for not handling the situation better, but then I think 1) the video doesn’t necessarily document everything that went on, and – if it did – there sure didn’t seem to be much time for the guy’s efforts to have an effect, 2) actually being there in the real-time drama is one thing, and having the luxury of simply having to watch the video and opine on what should have been done is another, and 3) I have a feeling that a truck driver who doesn’t notice that his bucket is up would be just as oblivious to ‘low-riding’ people trying to get his attention.
2 Likes
they don’t dump while backing up. They do tip the bed up as they roll forward, to lay a line of [whatever] instead of a pile of [whatever]. But never at any speed.
Why the heck can’t they limit forward movement to, say, 25kph with the bed up? I mean heck, my car yells at me if I try to drive away with my seatbelt off at that speed.
3 Likes
Alas, someone should make a citizens band plug-in for cell-phones.
Breaker One Niner, Semi-pro to Bucket Truck, your bucket is raised and you’re about to meet the claims adjuster. Over…
4 Likes
Happened in Hamilton a few years back. Truck driver driving one of those long highway gravel trucks decided to tie one on and sail down the Burlington Skyway with the bed up. Hit the scaffolding on the bridge and very nearly invalidated the entire bridge, which pretty effectively screwed up north-south traffic between the Niagara Peninsula and the rest of southern Ontario for the better part of a year.
1 Like
I found this youtube footage on how to operate a dumptruck. It might give some insight into how these things happen.
(he seems competent, but the control layout doesn’t seem like it has very many lockouts.)
2 Likes
You monster!
1 Like
