Years ago while I was in college (about 19 yrs old), I worked road construction in the summers. Worked for one guy who had a single axle dump that if you had a load of asphalt in it you had to stand on the brakes to get it to stop. Scared me every time it was on the road. Next, I worked for a major road builder who maintained their equipment very well. Was glad to work for a big outfit and never worried about driving their equipment.
One day I was driving a stake truck loaded with equipment, towing a trailer full of sand and cement and just exiting the expressway, probably doing 60 or better. I touched the brakes to slow down as I hit the ramp and I heard a loud bang, the front of the truck dipped and I saw the right front tire going like a bat out of h--- down the ramp. I had a heck of a time keeping it straight and out of the ditch, managed to get it stopped on the shoulder. Got out and found the right front corner a mess. Walked down the ramp and found the wheel had gone through a fence into a motel parking lot and smashed smack dab into the rear of a car. Put a nice big "V" in the rear bumper. (This was back in the day with REAL chrome bumpers).
Went into the lobby and called dispatch (this was back before cell phones also). First thing they asked was "did anybody see it?" I thought that was the craziest question because this was broad daylight in a metropolitan area and who knows how many people were on the road watching a truck and trailer careening down the ramp and a tire flying out ahead of it. I rolled the tire back to the truck and waited for the tow truck. Took both of us to lift the tire onto the stake truck and we went back to the yard.
Forgot all about the car in the motel lot until later when I was telling my boss about it. I can imagine some guy coming out to his car and wondering what the heck happened. This was 40+ years ago but things like that you remember.
To this day, I am wary about being around trucks on the expressway, especially if they're behind me on an exit ramp. :wink:
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
2022 John Deere 5045E, 4wd, front end loader and 3rd function with grapple. 120 hrs, 55k new, must sell
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
