I learned how to drive on tractors and dump trucks long before I was ever allowed to drive a pickup or car. My dad had a 57 Ford gravel truck w/292. First time out I could not get the tail gate to trip, I was pulling on the rope and the lever just would not come down, meanwhile the box was going into the air. When I looked forward all I could see was air! The front was off the ground by about 4 feet, my dad was along side laughing is rear end off. Gravel was spilling over the top of the gate and it slowly went back on all fours.
I hired on as a custom combine truck driver at 16 years old, went south with them. I had no drivers license. Drove a 2 ton 1966 Chevy with the 292 six in it. Never got caught as no one cared back then if anyone had a drivers license or not.
How I miss those days of simplicity and freedom!
I had that happen to me once, but we had the rock gate extensions on the gate so the end was open. I had a load of tree stumps, and when I dumped it they got hung up in a wad at the end of the bed and the whole thing went over center. I was backed up to a ravine, and fortunately I was far enough from the edge that it didn’t go over. As soon as I realized what was happening I had my hand on the door handle and was prepared to bail out of the thing and let it make that trip by it’s lonesome.