Gator Attack- Never seen one before:::::

We have paid out several deductibles because of Gators. I've witnessed several wrecks from Exploding Gators and from big Gators just lying in the road. Hard to avoid a big black gator when the truck, in front of you just rolled over it, at night. I've seen three three wreck resulting in deaths from Gators.
This really needs attention by Legislators but the American Trucking Association etc won't let them hear it.
All those defective recap tires on very heavy trucks especially at high speed and in hot temperatures are bombs waiting to go off and they do.
It costs us money and higher insurance rates and injuries and lives.

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path1 wrote:

wny_pat wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Most of the drivers know when a tire blows up and throws a gator, but are instructed by their companies to keep going and get away as fast as they can. Hoping noone gets an id or plate number. Trailer plate numbers don't make much difference, and id of the tractor is questionable. Hopefully there aren't any pictures to show in court.

None of the companies I worked for ever told me that. And my last 20 years driving was in petroleum transportation where it is against the law to move if you have a blown out or flat tire. And the company I retired from was a stickler for obeying the laws. Drivers who couldn't were fired quickly.

X2
well maybe exceptions of their "fair haired boy", you know the guy that brings in the donuts for his dispatchers, every place has atleast one. Cuts a u-turn in a convenience store parking lot, has to snake around another rig, drives into tall grass and bushes on perimeter of lot , plows down a fire hydrant he didn't see (it doesn't leak) drives away, calls dispatch and waits on hold for his favorite dispatcher. Dispatch friend says "well if it's not leaking drive away, drive away quick". But the convenience store owner sees what happened, calls fire department next day and asks to test fire hydrant. Fire dept gives big bill to company. Company says it did not do it, not paying. Fire Depart breaks out convenience store camera footage. Dispatcher fired (12 years), driver fired (16 years)

In cold country - hydrants are "dry-barrel".

In warm country - hydrants are "wet-barrel".

Knock off a wet barrel and you have "Old Faithful" - and everybody
immediately knows who and what caused it, ROTFL.

Back to the truckers......
it *is* possible for a driver *not* to know (immediately) a tire blew on his trailer. A lot depends on circumstances, background noise, etc.

Read the many threads of RV railer owners who didn't know a tire blew on their trailer - until alerted to same by a passing motorist.

BTW - "we knew", LOL!
while making a (fortunately) slow turn from a side-street onto a major blvd, the weld on a steel wheel let go on a front "steer" tire/wheel on our ladder truck (an 85' snorkel "quint" = *Heavy*).

Tremendous *BOOM*!!
One of the guys in a jump seat was sitting right over it..:E
No rig damage or injuries - but IMO the F/F needed a change of underwear!.:W

~

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downtheroad wrote:
Trailer or motorhome?
Trailer....75 mph..gators seem to prey on them more often..

I think you need to go back and reread what was written. I don't know how much more simply it could have been written. Note the key words
"semi" then "trailer" No where was motorhome mentioned. :S

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Most of the drivers know when a tire blows up and throws a gator, but are instructed by their companies to keep going and get away as fast as they can.

:h

Call me naive, but it's hard for me to believe that this could possibly be "instructions" issued by trucking companies.

Well, I must admit that there are companies out there who tell their drivers to lie on their log books and sneak around the scales. And some have names I'm sure you would recognize. In fact, my son just started with a new car hauling outfit, and was told to lie on his log book the second week! It is a dog eat dog industry and there are some very un-scrupulous, crooked, people involved in it. And I am not talking about the drivers.

Johno02 wrote:
Most of the drivers know when a tire blows up and throws a gator, but are instructed by their companies to keep going and get away as fast as they can. Hoping noone gets an id or plate number. Trailer plate numbers don't make much difference, and id of the tractor is questionable. Hopefully there aren't any pictures to show in court.

None of the companies I worked for ever told me that. And my last 20 years driving was in petroleum transportation where it is against the law to move if you have a blown out or flat tire. And the company I retired from was a stickler for obeying the laws. Drivers who couldn't were fired quickly.

Johno02 wrote:
Most of the drivers know when a tire blows up and throws a gator, but are instructed by their companies to keep going and get away as fast as they can. Hoping noone gets an id or plate number. Trailer plate numbers don't make much difference, and id of the tractor is questionable. Hopefully there aren't any pictures to show in court.

Maybe a one-truck gypo somewhere, but I never received orders like that as a driver, nor gave them as a boss........

Johno02 wrote:
Most of the drivers know when a tire blows up and throws a gator, but are instructed by their companies to keep going and get away as fast as they can.

:h

Call me naive, but it's hard for me to believe that this could possibly be "instructions" issued by trucking companies.

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