Posted on 06/03/2007 6:47:41 AM PDT by csvset
NEW YORK - A truck driver whose rig was 6 inches too tall for the Lincoln Tunnel drove its entire 1.5-mile length, peeling the trailers roof completely and ripping off decorative ceiling tiles.
Flashing signs and officers using a loudspeaker had warned the driver, and it was unclear why he didnt heed them, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the tunnel.
He misjudged the height of the tunnel, and once he was inside it he didnt realize the damage he was doing, said Roy Guzman, the safety director of the truckers employer, U.S.A. Logistics Carriers of McAllen, Texas.
The driver, from Texas, was charged with nine misdemeanor moving violations.
The central tube of three in the tunnel heading into Manhattan was closed for about 90 minutes after the accident early Thursday, but reopened just before the morning rush hour.
On the rare occasions when other trucks have scraped the tunnels ceiling, the drivers have stopped, Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman said. Police then let air out of the trucks tires, so the rigs can be backed out.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Ok, the driver was " from Texas ". I'll bet the guy "No hable Englais " .
I've never understood how truckers can ram into bridges and tunnels. They sell atlases specifically for truckers. They give you height restrictions for major bridges and tunnels. Plus many of said tunnels have systems installed , flashing lights, hugh signs, etc , warning you well in advance of such restrictions.
As noted, this " super trucker " proceeded anyways, ignoring attempts to stop his dumbass.
Ok, the driver was “ from Texas “. I’ll bet the guy “No hable Englais “ .
My first reaction as well
Decorative ceiling tiles in a car tunnell?????????
I get it now, the driver was admiring the ceiling and didn't see the sign that said his trailer was too high.........That's to be expected.
Maybe they think it isn’t actually as low as posted and they have a few inches of wiggle room. Who knows.
He'd been driving for at least four years before the incident, and had a spotless safety record up to that point. Maybe he had never driven through a tunnel before.
there are SIGNS telling you the height limit and he SHOULD KNOW THE HEIGHT OF HIS TRUCK!!! it's arithmetic.
no haabala is my guess too...
Years ago I worked at a cold storage warehouse in Los Angeles, and more than one driver told me about hating to get into certain parts of the Chicago warehouse district....seems some bridges had low clearance, and some rigs would have to do the tire deflating thing to get in and out.
Have you ever driven a rig like that in the Big Apple?
The sign says "Welcome to Manhattan", but the truck is empty. Did the cargo escape on foot?
Great minds and all that. I'll be the first to apologize if his name is Smith.
Low clearance maps are not always accurate. Viaduct at 115th and Cottage Grove is listed as 13'6'' or better on the Low Clearance map for Chicago. The bridge is actually 12'8". Unless you drive here all the time you wouldn't know that.
Sometimes a viaduct is marked 13'6", then they repave the road and forget to remeasure and change the sign. Or an inch of compacted snow at the entrance to the viaduct can turn a 13'6" into a 13'5".
Bottom line though, the driver is responsible for every bridge he attempts to go under. G.O.A.L. Get Out And Look. No matter how many four wheelers you tick off.
But remember drivers, when asked by someone when you get stuck if you are stuck, just say, "Stuck? Heck no, I'm delivering a bridge".
Look closely, the cargo is visible. Just not up to the full inside height.
I see a pallet in there.
Have your eyesight checked Monday. There’s something inside the trailer.
And our president wants to open our borders to Mexican truckers.
Yours is the voice of experience. I drive big rigs in and around the Big Apple. Plenty of surprises, even for the experienced driver.
Heading east on 495, modern highway, all the bridges at 13-6 plus. Suddenly there is a little sign on one of them: “Clearance 12-8”. Nice!
If the shlub’s only been in the country for two months he’s probably still on the metric system, and doesn’t even know what the signs that give the height of the tunnel/underpass/bridge/whatever mean, much less how they apply to the truck he's driving.
The photo may be a comment about Mayor Bloomberg’s Presidential chances.
Not in NYC proper, no, I skirted it a few times in my short driving career.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.