Interesting accident today

General Lee 01 · October 29, 2002

Mother and I were driving down a highway today.

We come up this hill where it's about to crest and they have these construction signs that say right shoulder closed ahead.

We get over the top of the hill, there's all these emergency vehicles and tow trucks surrounding this Semi-Truck & Trailer.

We get closer, we seee that the front end of the trailer doesn't look right. (####, from our angle, getting closer, we were afraid what the truuck was gonna look like!).

And we get there, and my jaw dropped when I realized what happened.

A point on the trailer just behind where the support legs (What the front of the trailer sits on when they disconnect the truck & Trailer) on the Trailer "Buckled", and collapsed to the ground, making the trailer look like a big check mark. I was surprised to see the truck looked noone the worse for the wear.

Wish I could have gotten some pics for you guys.

The trailer was one of those types they fill up with mulch or wood chips and haul somewhere (I presume a mulch packaging plant or somewhere like that).

I have questions for those who are familiar with the Trucking industry.

Does this type of thing happen often?

Could the weather have played a part in this? (It was raining cats and Dogs all day today)

Jpshostr · October 29, 2002

Improper loading, such as in this one. These trailers aren't meant to haul loads such as grain, this is the result.

Or, in the case of this truck, but not in the case you saw, problems while unloading, all this came flying back and shifted the weight too fast for the frame to handle.

General Lee 01 · October 29, 2002

Improper loading, such as in this one. These trailers aren't meant to haul loads such as grain, this is the result.

This is almost identical to what I saw, except the stuff inside (remarkably) stayed inside the trailer i saw.

And that's the same type of trailer too.

99Silver6.0 · October 29, 2002

Improper loading, such as in this one. These trailers aren't meant to haul loads such as grain, this is the result.

JP,

That trailer isnt even a grain hopper. Its a plain old dry van trailer. I think the owner/driver of that setup ranks up there with the retard that cant spell Chevrolet!

99Silver6.0 · October 29, 2002

We had a driver at work that decided he didnt want to make sure he was hooked to his trailer. Needless to say as he was flying across the parking lot to leave, he lost his trailer loaded with 35000 lbs worth of meat. It folded the dolly legs under the trailer, tore off a bunch of crossmembers and smashed the reefer fuel tank. So much for a brand new trailer!

The way it shouldnt look....

The way it should look!!

99Silver6.0 · October 29, 2002

Some people should NOT have a CDL!

Shadowfax · October 30, 2002

Did it look like a well built aluminum chip van trailer? Or did it look like somoen gutted out an old refrigerated trailer and threw a gate on the back? Some guys do that down here for cheap sugarcane trailers, but the trailers can't handle the load. Need a good chip van, or walking floor trailer to handle that kinda stuff. My father does contract hauling for Martco, and we have a 23 ton minimum on Chip mulch or chips for loads. I've seen a couple of other trucking companys use cheapo trailers with the same results.

General Lee 01 · October 31, 2002

It looked like a well built Chip Trailer to me. It just looked like it was well used.

hogger999 · October 31, 2002

We had a driver at work that decided he didnt want to make sure he was hooked to his trailer. Needless to say as he was flying across the parking lot to leave, he lost his trailer loaded with 35000 lbs worth of meat. It folded the dolly legs under the trailer, tore off a bunch of crossmembers and smashed the reefer fuel tank. So much for a brand new trailer!

99Silver5.3 I didn't know you where with Trans Am. You guys have some great looking equip. and I'm sure they're set up to run. I came real close to putting my app. in down there in Springfield before I quit driving full time.

I've seen a lot of that kinda stuff happen As soon as I get a scanner I'll show you guy's a pic of a who was working as a "spotter" at this company I drove for. He flipped a pnuematic trailer over full of crushed limestone on a flat concrete parking lot. Tractor and all

99Silver6.0 · October 31, 2002

Theres another genius at work!

Everything is nice but the old high-mile Freightliner Century's. They are turning into some oil leaking bastards! Do you live in Missouri??

hogger999 · November 7, 2002

Theres another genius at work! Everything is nice but the old high-mile Freightliner Century's. They are turning into some oil leaking bastards! Do you live in Missouri??

No. West Central Il. I guess you could say the intersection of I72 and HWY 107. Griggsville.