[ds968]

I see this so often it drives me nuts, particularly since I lost three different windshields to flying debris . The DOT needs to prohibit ( and impose severe fines on ) any and all trucks carrying any type of cargo which is prone to getting loose and becoming projectiles headed toward cars driving behind them, unless that cargo is properly secured by a full cover . At highway speeds it does not really matter how far behind them you are or in which lane, trying to avoid things that suddenly spill and ricochet off the pavement witn insufficient time for you and other cars to react is not just annoying but extremely dangerous . Arrgh !

Here's a photo of one a-hole trucker in front of me during my morning commute - he was going about 65-70 mph. In case the photo is not very clear, the cargo area is packed ( overpacked, actually ) with iron scrap pieces, metal sheets shavings, and similar hard, sharp objects that look like are just ready to fly off any second and aim for the cars driving behind it . Arrrrggh , I was going to report the idiot , but look at the license plate : completely obscured by dirt, you can't even tell a single number on it, nor were there any other identifying logos on the truck

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What's more, it's driving while tipped over, LMAO - no wonder things are spilling out of it - Sorry, no idea why the photo ended up this way, and I can't seem to be able to rotate it , but just tilt your heads and you'll get the idea...

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[Ernie]

Rite?! They don't give a crap! Not only could our beloved cars get dinged, worse yet, somebody could get seriously hurt! Why doesn't "the man" care more about this type of behaior, than your euro front license plate???

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[flash]

actually, we do have laws requiring that the cargo be covered on vehicles like that.  it's a pretty steep fine too.  you can call it in.

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[unknown4u]

In Holland and the rest if europe it is law that you have secure/closed the open containers filled with scrap. with a cargo net.

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[flash]

yup - same here in california.  we have a rolling one installed on the company trash trailer

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[Grandpa#3]

Same here in Georgia. All cargo must be covered. I've seen many trucks pulled over on Interstate I-75.

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[ds968]

Glad to hear there are laws and steep fines for ignoring them . Now, if the authorities would only enforce those with as much vigor as they do violations of lame vehicle codes . Although I have seen only a few uncovered trucks overfilled with the kind of cargo as in the photo I posted , I see numerous trucks on a weekly basis , which carry gravel without any covers on them . They must be exempt because the assumption is that gravel weighs itself down and that's good enough, but the fact is that very small rocks always find their way out of the cargo bins through the gate seams , or over the edge, or whatnot , and small as they may be, at highway speeds they'll definitely leave marks on your car .

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[flash]

i had a rock from a concrete mixer take out a windshield.  i got the plate, called it in, and gave it to my insurance company.  free windshield.

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[968Syncro]

It is actually serious infraction.  FSL  -- "Failure to Secure Load. "  Just search on this, and you'll see all the tragic stories. 

 

I don't mind so much the big dump trucks, because somehow my subconscious detects them and surfaces an alert and I switch lanes or back off.

 

It's the pickup trucks that are the real problem.  Not sure how many hundreds I've viewed while "big gulp" cups, tradesman supplies, and other crap comes flying out of them at 65-70 mph.  I still have some paint drips on my Van because some idiot hit a bump and a can of paint came flying out of his pickup, and I wasn't quick enough to avoid the whole patch of wet paint on the road.

 

How many mattresses, fiberglass insulation, chairs (usually on Saturday, moving day), lumber, ladders, other junk on the side of the road are we supposed to endure -- because of stupid and thoughtless pickup truck drivers?  I don't see cars or professional truck drivers throwing things out, maybe the overall majority of all that roadside debris comes from idiot pickup trucks?

 

About 20 years ago, I was driving along in the dark in my 911.  Suddenly a palette (skid) comes flying out from under the car in front of me.    Yeah, some pickup in front of him lost part of the load, car in front of me ran square over it, and did some damage to my car as well.   Dummy me, I made a private deal with the pickup owner:  "hey man, I am broke, I have kids and a family to feed, i was just doing some work, I'll pay for your damages, please don't call the cops".   I got one payment of $50.00 out of several hundred and the looser flake lowlife disappeared.

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[ds968]

How many mattresses, fiberglass insulation, chairs (usually on Saturday, moving day), lumber, ladders, other junk on the side of the road are we supposed to endure -- .

Oh yeah, I was also going to mention that - not a week goes by without one of those things in the middle of the freeway lanes ( until the CHP shows up and moves it to the shoulder or hauls it away ) and in the meantime cars either run over the stuff because the SUV or pickup or van in front of them takes an evasive maneuver at the last second.. Even when no one runs over it it causes traffic havoc on these busy freeways .

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