Forrest Gump WAS right...Stupid is as Stupid does...

[Skywalker]

Yesterday I was headed west on 24 out of Chattanooga, and was climbing over Monteagle, and as I approached the westbound rest area....right about where there is a sign (one of several) announcing that the truck speed on the "downgrade" is 45 MPH, I slow down from 55 MPH and go into the left curve before the downgrade, and lo and behold....Mr. Junior Billy Big-rig in a Lester Coggins Truck (LCT) decides no-one is the "boss of him"... Well, he passes me and hauls ass down the hill, and I would guesstimate that he was doing probably around 65 when he reached the first curve and uses his brakes....but apparently after making it through the curve he lit it up again....and I did not see him again until I reached the bottom of the mountain..... But, in the meantime...I see in my mirror a car coming down the hill like a NASCAR Drive on fire with flashing alternating headlights.....and at that same moment...an O/O with Trans AM is passing me....I'm still easing down the mountain at 45.....and another guy in a Buress truck (I think) is also passing me....well they see him too....and jump back in front of me...and they get passed by.....Yep, a Tennessee State Trooper.

Well, I get to the bottom of the mountain, and there is LCT on the side of the road with the Trooper behind him....disco lights a flashing.....WHOOOPS!!

Well, whats important to remember here is that the down mountain speed for trucks is 45 MPH!! And to top it all off, this FOOL went down the mountain speeding probably at 65 or better with these on the side of his 53 van:



Can't swear that was the exact placard....but they were red, and he even had one turned on its side 90 degrees out of place.....

Now....I wonder how many points he got in one fell swoop? I'd be willing to bet at least 6, and I can't help but wonder....was it a "Stuff and Cuff"..... Just happy I'm not him. Man that ticket is gonna hurt, and it'll be a real drag paying the fines....especially if he gets canned for pure stupidity. If I had the guy's name and address....I would send him a t-shirt with this on the front and back:

People, there just isn't any excuse for that kind of stupid!! I'm really happy the idiot didn't roll the truck, which was highly possible, because I'd probably still be sitting on that mountain waiting for the fire to go out.

[Rev.Vassago]

Well, whats important to remember here is that the down mountain speed for trucks is 45 MPG!!

I want the truck that can do that!

[Skywalker]

I want the truck that can do that!

Whoooops....brainfart.... Fixed it.....

[Kevin0915]

People, there just isn't any excuse for that kind of stupid!! I'm really happy the idiot didn't roll the truck, which was highly possible, because I'd probably still be sitting on that mountain waiting for the fire to go out.

that should have made me laugh, but it did..... HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

LCT ...Damn that's pretty much the bottom of the barrel ...Where does a driver go after being fired from the bottom . Gainey is part owner of LCT .

[GMAN]

Monteagle can be very hazardous. There are a lot of drivers who under estimate the danger of that section of highway. If you are heavy and going a bit too fast down the mountain you could easily turn your truck over. Those posted speed limits are there for a reason. It is only a few miles and when you get to the bottom you can hammer down. At least you will get to your final destination if you slow down.

[Jumbo]

Maybe he was too busy texting to read the signs.

[jagerbomber3.0]

I live just a few short miles down from the bottom of Monteagle so i have been up and down that stretch of road regularly all of my life even before being a trucker and There is a very big ppol of drivers that just feel like they know that down grade like the back of their hand and will fly down it everytime, there are more that do that than you would believe. Whenever i would be headed for the house on the weekends I would come down right around the exact speed limit depending on how i was load and it would never fail that I would have a handfull of drivers pass me by before hitting the bottom......A lot of drivers fail to realize that west bound side has a pretty huge shoulder going down with a lot of hidden spots that the state troopers hide on and pick people off one by one on a lot of days. Drivers be crazy! The east bound side is more dangerous and you see the same thing just as much going down that side coming out of the inspection stop.....I have never once been down that side without seeing some smoked out brakes puffing white clouds everywhere. People dont respect that little hill near enough.

[ct77]

If that was in the afternoon on the 25th then I was right behind you because I saw one THP halfway down and another one at the bottom with a capture. Another one of their favorite tricks is on the easbound side you will get drivers calling out if it is clear at the bottom and you will hear an answer(Sure driver come on down) and there he is just like in the old song The White Knight.

Oh yeah Rev. if you want 45mpg truck all you have to do is georgia overdrive and turn off engine going downhill, might be even better than 45mpg since you wont be burning any at all. haha

[Skywalker]

I went thru there on the 24th....but I have a feeling that after they nailed the LCT that day, maybe they decided to put some enforcement on the hill. Who knows, maybe TN is like most of the states...hurting for money, so they will probably work a little harder catching speeders. I know I have seen several different states working harder....and amazingly enough the majority of vehicles I have seen stopped are 4 wheelers...

All the same folks, I would take an extra measure of care and caution when operating a CMV.

[Windwalker]

I know of about 4 places that troopers like to sit on the west bound side. You won't see them until you're right on top of them, and going down hill, just try to slow down. Gravity works in your favor for fuel economy on the way down, but against your brakes. It's a good place to get caught.

On the east bound side, there is really only one place at the bottom where they can hide, and west-bounders can see them. The ones they catch there, are the guys that must listen to their XM radios instead of the CB.

I've also seen trucks rolled over going both ways. One, several years ago, was very lucky he didn't go down over the edge. I have a feeling that would have hurt all the way down.

[Malaki86]

Reminds me of Cheat Mountain on I-68 just outside of Morgantown, WV. Our terminal is about 20-25 miles from there, so I cross that hill/mountain quite a bit. I also know the history of wrecks that happen at the bottom of the hill with the sharp turn.

Anyway, I was coming west one day and went through the brake check area. I was running light that day, knew that my truck and trailer both had new brakes, so I just rolled through the brake check area. Someone gets on the radio and tells me that I'm supposed to actually stop and check my brakes. I explain to him that I know the hill, my weight, etc. He continues running his mouth.

I get back on the interstate and do the posted 50mph. My truck is in 9th, engine brake is on high and is holding me perfectly at that speed. The guy who is yelling at me from the brake check area comes flying past me, probably doing 70mph. I figure that he's missed the signs that says trucks have a 50mph speed limit, so I remind him. He yells back "I've got good brakes. I just stopped and checked them." Ok - whatever.

When I get to the bottom of the mountain and cross the bridge over the lake, he's sitting on the shoulder of the bridge with every axle on his truck smoking like crazy. I feel obliged to get on the cb and tell him "You *HAD* good brakes."

[Orangetxguy]

Reminds me of Cheat Mountain on I-68 just outside of Morgantown, WV. Our terminal is about 20-25 miles from there, so I cross that hill/mountain quite a bit. I also know the history of wrecks that happen at the bottom of the hill with the sharp turn.

Anyway, I was coming west one day and went through the brake check area. I was running light that day, knew that my truck and trailer both had new brakes, so I just rolled through the brake check area. Someone gets on the radio and tells me that I'm supposed to actually stop and check my brakes. I explain to him that I know the hill, my weight, etc. He continues running his mouth.

I get back on the interstate and do the posted 50mph. My truck is in 9th, engine brake is on high and is holding me perfectly at that speed. The guy who is yelling at me from the brake check area comes flying past me, probably doing 70mph. I figure that he's missed the signs that says trucks have a 50mph speed limit, so I remind him. He yells back "I've got good brakes. I just stopped and checked them." Ok - whatever.

When I get to the bottom of the mountain and cross the bridge over the lake, he's sitting on the shoulder of the bridge with every axle on his truck smoking like crazy. I feel obliged to get on the cb and tell him "You *HAD* good brakes."

Hey....I heard a conversation like that, when I was sitting at that same spot! Some guy's just gotta be yakkin.

[Windwalker]

Reminds me of Cheat Mountain on I-68 just outside of Morgantown, WV. Our terminal is about 20-25 miles from there, so I cross that hill/mountain quite a bit. I also know the history of wrecks that happen at the bottom of the hill with the sharp turn.

Anyway, I was coming west one day and went through the brake check area. I was running light that day, knew that my truck and trailer both had new brakes, so I just rolled through the brake check area. Someone gets on the radio and tells me that I'm supposed to actually stop and check my brakes. I explain to him that I know the hill, my weight, etc. He continues running his mouth.

I get back on the interstate and do the posted 50mph. My truck is in 9th, engine brake is on high and is holding me perfectly at that speed. The guy who is yelling at me from the brake check area comes flying past me, probably doing 70mph. I figure that he's missed the signs that says trucks have a 50mph speed limit, so I remind him. He yells back "I've got good brakes. I just stopped and checked them." Ok - whatever.

When I get to the bottom of the mountain and cross the bridge over the lake, he's sitting on the shoulder of the bridge with every axle on his truck smoking like crazy. I feel obliged to get on the cb and tell him "You *HAD* good brakes."

I was coming down that same hill, going westbound, and on the eastbound side, one truck rear-ended another. I have no idea how fast either one was going when they hit, but the second one was in pretty bad shape. I don't think that hood or radiator was ever going to be repaired. (or maybe the lead truck was backing up/down... I don't know)

I had often heard other drivers talking about pushing each other up that hill. But, I never knew they needed to TAKE A RUN AT IT...

[BIGRNTN]

Monteagle can be very hazardous. There are a lot of drivers who under estimate the danger of that section of highway. If you are heavy and going a bit too fast down the mountain you could easily turn your truck over. Those posted speed limits are there for a reason. It is only a few miles and when you get to the bottom you can hammer down. At least you will get to your final destination if you slow down.

Yes, Monteagle is very dangerous and deceiveing! I seen a guy in about '04 with a load of carpet that rolled OVER the center barrier going West at the BAD curve. He wound up in the East bound ditch, went across the wall and 3 lanes of traffic!!! NEVER LOSE RESPECT FOR THE RESPONSIBILITIES that we are entrusted with!!

[possum]

You got to watch that thing. I live on top and have seen a number of trucks crash out. Something else people don't think about is rock slides. A mail truck got hit by a big rock last year. The thing came off the top and went over his truck and hit on the drivers side front fender and hood. First time I ever seen anything like that. A friend of mine towed it to his shop. It was a mess. Best thing to do is keep your speed down and your eyes open when you run around on the rock....