What do you think of this??

[Bill Johnson]

First, let me apologize if this has already shown up on the forum before, I did a quick search and didn't find it but that doesn't mean anything.

My understanding is this was taken from a State Troopers dash camera.  As they say a picture is worth a 1000 words.

[JimY]

Personally, I think:


[size=22]LOOK OUT  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [/size]

[Jeff]

OOps! Sorry Bill, I posted the same thing on another thread after you. The picture must be making a rapid spread through forestry and DNR mail circles. :D

I replaced your photo with a smaller version. The web address pringted on that first photo was a mexican softcore porn site.

[Jeff]

I'll delete the thead I started.

[Bill Johnson]

Tis not a problem you know what they say "Great Minds Think Alike" :D

[etat]

I guess that's probably not the norm but ain't nuthing around here I'm afraid to follow worse than a logging truck.  Especially out on the country roads or rural highways.  They're always flying wide open and will pass you in the wink of an eye and them logs that just sorta look like they'e just piled up there just plain scares me.  I know time is money but the way some of em drive around here is just plain ridiculous.

[WV_hillbilly]

  I would agree with Jim   and get on the binders real hard  .

  CK  
    There is only two   things  I  worry more about than logging trucks around here . It's coal buckets and steel coil haulers  . Most of the time they are running way overloaded and traveling too fast . The DMV has caught some tractor trailer dumps that weighed in at around 160,00 lbs. It is almost a daily thing for one to be going too fast and tip over , spilling coal or steel  all over the road. The coal is one thing but trying to dodge a 30 ton steel coil rolling down the road at 50 - 80 mph is pretty unnerving  .

[Jeff]

Log trucks around here are pretty safe as to loads being secured. No wood stakes are allowed, lengthwise logs must use cross chains, lots of regulations that keep our loads secure. I would worry more about tromping on the brakes in front of one, maybe because of the heavy loads and longer stopping distances more then anything, but that goes with most of our trucks. Liberal weight limits of 165,000 I think is what it is.  The trucks I hate are the DanG gravel trains. The durn window bustin beggers...

[WV_hillbilly]

  I seen enough of those gravel haulers when I was working around Detroit a few years ago . I stayed away from them as much as possible .

Down here I think the limit is 80,000lbs without a very expensive permit . I have only seen two logs come off a truck around here . The dumby had them  piled too high and went  under a train viaduct . There were 2 nice 28 - 30 "  X 12' black cherries layin in the middle of the road , just like someone had set them in the lane .  They had a darned time trying to get the lane cleared before evening rush hour .

[ARKANSAWYER]

Well I have been needing logs, so I could set Wanda up in the ditch and saw them up for them.  The lumber will be easier to keep on the truck.
  Here we are getting away from chains and binders because they can shake loose when the load settles.  We use wide straps and crank them down.  If you hook the end right they will stay on even when loose and keep your load on the trailer.  Also the side stakes must be metal.
 
ARKANSAWYER

[Norm]

I asked my buddy Dave who drives a logging truck if he'd ever lost a log off his semi. He said in the twenty years he's been doing it only once. The load had settled and when he was coming into town across a set of rough railroad tracks one bounced off the pup. He never even knew it but his cb came alive with others telling him. Turned around set the outriggers and picked it back up, nobody hit as this is a real small town and most folks have trouble getting their cars over 20 mph. :D

[EdK]

Is that a real picture? Meaning the whole scene makes sense except the bouncing log with its' butt 6-8' off the windshield. Was there perhaps any "creativity" involved?

[hosslog]

Ed, Haven't you ever heard the term "spring pole"? ;D

[MULE_MAN]

I was kind of thinking that spot on the window , was a piece of mud !!  You can see mud or some kind of debris on the road.  ???

[Bill Johnson]

Mud would definitely be better than the butt end of log , but regardless it does cause one to pause and think  don't it?

Though logs falling off of trucks is not a common occurrence up here, there have been a couple of incidents in the last 5-10 years that have usually resulted in either servere damage to the following vehicle or death.

[Timber_Framer]

I hope that trooper was alright
And that he had a spare set a drawers with him ;D

[Murf]

North of here in the lake country where my summer place is the log trucks have a heck of a time keeping anything tight, cable, chain or fabric binders. The roads are so rough that settling is a guaranteed thing.

The trucks all have lots of very substantial steel bunks, then they cable them down, then they drop the open clam grapple of the loader down over top of everything just for extra safety.

The only problem we have is that the drivers have learned that they make more money if they end up with some firewood to sell. As a result they haul every bit of wood they can and then make up a couple loads a week with just the tops back to their own yards.

As a result, if they think they can get away with it they think nothing of heading down the road with a couple of long peices on top. It's not uncommon to see the top row sticking out 25' beyond the back of the truck.

Recently they had a little problem with one of those poles, a highway construction flagman stopped a log truck to allow some equipment top cross the road, a pickup truck behind him didn't notice the extra length top row, which was drooping down from the weight. It cost the driver a new fiberglass topper for the pickup truck.

Both drivers were real lucky that's all the damage it caused.

[Kevin_H.]

I dont beleive the pic is real, If I remember it is from the movie "final destination 2".

I dont want to spoil the movie for anyone, but the trooper does take the butt end of the log right in the kisser...

[Ianab]

Logs dont have to fall off the truck to make a mess

http://www.strangedangers.com/content/item/5593.html

This is a set of pics from NZ, the trucks are running on private roads so the loading doesn't have to be up to normal road standard. The clowns in the car were going to hit the truck anyway

Ian

[rebocardo]

Lanab,

That picture is unreal, I would say the logs saved their lives in this case. Imagine how hard they would have hit the back of the truck if the logs did not slow the car down!

[WV_hillbilly]

  

WOW  . That looks like it should have been tragic . It didn't say in the story if they had new underwear  to put on afterwards . I'll bet they needed them .

[Bill Johnson]

I think that says it all!! :

[Phorester]

I'm surprised that some of you have problems with log trucks in your localities.  In the 30 years in my job in Virginia, I've never heard of this problem anywhere in the State.  Log trucks are safe.  I know in my area I've seen drivers take pains to walk around the truck a couple times, checking the straps repeatedly (I don't think anybody uses chains and binders anymore), taking a chainsaw and cutting off the wayward branch or two that sticks out.  One driver also evened up the ends of the pulp sticks hanging out the back with the saw.  He felt he would get less complaints if the load looked neat, instead of branches hanging out the sides, dragging the pavement out back, etc.

There have been a couple loggers killed as the truck was being loaded and they were walking too close to the truck on the other side from the loader and a log rolled off as it was being loaded. But no problems with trucks on the road in VA.

[Ianab]

NZ has had a lot of instances of log trucks rolling over and dumping logs onto unfortunate passerbys. Speed on tight corners is usually to blame. Unfortunately we have a lot of hills with tight corners on them :(
Govt has since changed the trailer regulations, allowing log trucks to be longer and carry 2 bunks of logs on the trailer instead of one tall topheavy stack. (same total weight) The new trailers are also designed to carry the load lower to decrease the chance of a roll over.

Ian

[Minnesota_boy]

We've had a few loads of aspen dumped up here in the winter.  Picture a load of icicles.  Picture them loaded crossways on a long trailer, with cables or chains with binders holding them.  Picture a sharp turn.  See the icicles spread all across the other lane?