[Crackaces]

Well Yesterday a car hauler doing 65 MPH tooled along I95 in Southern North Carolina "like [he] did many times" but this time was different. He was loaded on top with a Cadillac SUV and a large Ford Excursion. As he passed under the bridge on exit 58 .. I would assume by the wreckage that these vehicles are larger and taller than some of the other vehicles this driver had previously hauled on this route ...

Both SUV's got a "haircut." The debris hit another Mercedes Benz S500 causing "substantial damage". Two other cars of unreported type were also "severely damaged."

The Cadillac and Ford were totaled.

The Driver was cited for Over-height Violation without proper permits and failure to secure and check his load properly.

Why I posted this in the newbie section is just because you are on the interstate and/or have always been able to get under a bridge does not mean that this time you are not Over-height. Companies have 14 foot trailers that make it sometimes too far east, flatbedders know how loads get over-height, and this car hauler was not thinking "Big Cars on top .."

You all be safe now.

BTW) Just one mile where I am at right now .. they are cleaning up chickens from a driver losing it and overcorrecting. Spilling live chickens everywhere. Maybe there is a God after all.

[GMAN]

The bigger vehicles are usually put on top. I will bet he made a lot of people very unhappy. He must have really been high to have hit a bridge through that area. We always tried to be at or below 13'8" except running into New England. You need to be at or below 13'6" in that area.

[Useless]

This is the way we quit the job,
Quit the job, quit the job!!

This is the way we quit the job,
So early in the morning!!

[yoopr]

Ouch
When I saw your thread talking about Underpasses I thought it was going to be about Chicago

Those sticks to measure how high you are cost almost $200 bucks. You can buy a fiberglass branch trimmer for much less at Home Depot. Take off the saw blade and put a piece of wood on then mark the rod with a magic marker to indicate height. I think they 10' long and extend to 20' and cost under $75.00.

[Crackaces]

Originally Posted by yoopr

Ouch
When I saw your thread talking about Underpasses I thought it was going to be about Chicago

Kind of my point Yoopr. I am thinking that the newbie might be more on guard in Chicago or New York city, but think .. "OK, Interstate I am safe" There are no pictures in the paper how much over-height he was but it only takes a millimeter to damage the load.

There are two overpasses on I95 that are right at minimum height. (I do not have my atlas with me to quote the height) The NC20 overpass and exit 58. There are warning signs as far as 10 miles ahead.

[inmate1577]

Car hauler dude sounds like another member of the "I've done it million times" club.

Like the guys who go flying down Monteagle...."Hell with the brake check, I've done it hundreds of times"

If I had that kind of intuition that everything was going to be just fine, hell I'd play the lottery more.

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by SteveBooth

Those sticks to measure how high you are cost almost $200 bucks. You can buy a fiberglass branch trimmer for much less at Home Depot. Take off the saw blade and put a piece of wood on then mark the rod with a magic marker to indicate height. I think they 10' long and extend to 20' and cost under $75.00.

I made one out of pvc pipe one time. It worked fairly well, but wasn't as compact as the ones you buy that collapse. You can sometimes find the measuring sticks at the truck shows or on sale for about $139.

[Crackaces]

Originally Posted by GMAN

I made one out of pvc pipe one time. It worked fairly well, but wasn't as compact as the ones you buy that collapse. You can sometimes find the measuring sticks at the truck shows or on sale for about $139.

Great Advice SteveBooth and GMAN!! Having never been involved with car hauling besides an informal conversation at the truck stop ... I did not know that the big cars normally go on top. Just more reason to check. I have been told that these guys crank down the chains until the tires are almost flat. This was not the case here.

As for the driver .. certainly this is a DOT reportable incedent :P

[Crackaces]

BTW) I thought you all would get a laugh from the "Chicken Run" incident. Live Chickens survived the night are still hanging around the swamp. I hope they do not organize and seek revenge. (a funny from WKRP)

A bulldozer is cleaning up the debris and dead chickens this morning.