Pick Ups spewing their loads onto the Freeway ...

[dogtag]

A news report about a ladder on the Freeway reminded me
that a years or so ago it seemed like every day found a
ladder littering the lanes, so to speak. One such report said
that a whole bedroom set was spread across lanes causing
a huge traffic backup. Reports like this I figured were
because, hoping to save on moving costs some unlucky home
owner trusted his expensive furniture to a couple of guys he'd
probably never seen before who had a truck. Either they had
no rope, no tailgate or they'd no idea who Murphy was let alone
his unforgiving law. Murphy and gravity have wrecked many a
home owner's day.

[dryheat]

When I see a smashed up wooden chair I always figure now they have a set of three.

[lyman]

having traveled some highways to gunshows, and years ago some to work, every time I thought I saw it all something else showed up,

hand trucks
coolers,
ladders,
trash bags,

watched a few cushions lift off a sofa once,



best was on a local main artery,
guy in a Dodge 1\2 ton pickup, had almost a pallet of dry wall in the bed,

one strap,
and going up hill,

apparently when he put foot in it when the light turned green, the strap gave out and entire load of dry wall slid out enough to stop him,
guessing he probably broke every sheet,

and betting he regreted not having it delivered

[Allen]

best was on a local main artery,
guy in a Dodge 1\2 ton pickup, had almost a pallet of dry wall in the bed,

one strap,
and going up hill,

apparently when he put foot in it when the light turned green, the strap gave out and entire load of dry wall slid out enough to stop him,
guessing he probably broke every sheet

Did that myself back in the mid 80's but it was plywood. About 8 sheets came off. Didn't hurt anything but made a mess in the middle to the highway at a 4-way stop. Luckily back then there was very little traffic.

Now days it would back traffic up for miles, make the 6:00pm news, and I would probably be arrested.

In my traveling to and from work on the interstate hyw I once saw a 26' boat on a tandem trailer going down the hwy and eventually going into a ditch until it hit a fence. Apparently it being a tandem trailer, the tongue weight was adjusted too light and the hitch was not secure (no safety chains either).

On another occasion (on the interstate) my wife and I encountered an old man driving the wrong way deliberately trying to hit other cars head on. We dodged him and as we continued to drive, saw several motorist pulled over checking out their car damage where the old man had side swiped them.

I'm glad most of my driving days are over.

[dryheat]

Saw the exact same thing. The guy in the pickup took off and plopped 7 or 8 sheets of plywood out on the road. Kind of looked like a cool card trick. He jumped out and put them all back in and did something I guess to keep them in place.
I was behind a truck with a sheet up ply in the back. When the light turned green he took off and it caught some wind and flew up in the air like a sheet of paper. There was a chance it was going to land on me, but since I always stay back from traffic it plopped on the road in front of me and I drove over it.

Was driving up to the mtns. in a uninhabited area and saw a boat off to the left. It had slide off the trailer and slide forty ft. in the grass and there it was. Either they guy didn't notice it was gone or he went for help to get it back on the trailer.

What did we learn Dorothy? Learn to tight knots. the Truckers Knot is really going to help. If you can't tie knots get some strapping; not the wimpy stuff, get the stuff you have to rachet. Big rachets. Double check it. Cordage can always work loose. All that sort of thing. Don't be the guy who dropped an ATV off his trailer and killed someone who crashed into it. Of course that wouldn't have been me because I know better than to tailgate a trailor. A suicidal old man, that's unexpected.

[Major Tom]

On an LA freeway, a 10 foot 2x6 flew off a pickup and impaled itself in the radiator of the car behind. Pickup did not, stop car did!

[Mark in Ottawa]

A few years ago, we were in North Carolina driving south on the I 95 on our way to Florida when I saw a rather large hot tub sitting in the median. A minute or two later, we saw the truck at the side of the road that had lost its load, with the driver standing there, obviously trying to figure out what to do next. The tub looked intact but I suspect that the driver's nerves were not.

[Phloating Phlasher]

A complete mobile home trailer!
Dismantled over about 1/4 mile with its contents spilled as the walls slowly disintegrated!
We were wondering what the "Grand Finale would be as we were about 3 miles behind the disintegration. The lighter debris first, then the fridge, sofa & heavier stuff. The actual skeleton was in the median inverted & there was pink insulation blowing everywhere!

[5thDragoons]

Not exactly a load, but an elderly fellow with a camper on his truck drove off, leaving wifey stranded in a rest area. This was in my State Patrol days, and I happened to see him 225 miles down I-80. "No - my wife's in the camper!" "Better take a look, sir!" Big oops! I imagine she had a strongly worded message for him!