Forum Discussion

ALBQ's avatar
ALBQ
Explorer
Aug 28, 2013

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

Last weekend while out on a campout we were going along I-40 in our toad just east of Albuquerque. When we pulled up behind a semi I started smelling burning rubber. A bit further down the road smoke started coming out behind the trailer. At first I thought about going around the truck and have the wife signal the driver but with my luck the tire would blow as I was passing so I backed off and watched. Sure enough BOOM!!! The tire blew and rubber flew. (We were doing 75mph) Less than a mile later the Gator came flying out, flying up in the air and down the interstate. Thankfully no one was around the rig as it could cause some major damage. The semi never even slowed down.
Seeking Advice
  • Johno02's avatar
    Johno02
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    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.
  • beckid's avatar
    beckid
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    My very first time towing my little pop-up, many years ago, I was bringing her home from the dealer and encountered a "gator" in the middle of my lane on the fwy. With nowhere to go I had to run over it. It tore up the fiberglass undercarriage of my Durango pretty bad and scared the H*77 outta me! If I hadn't been following a semi as closely I would have seen it sooner and been able to avoid it.
  • Homer1's avatar
    Homer1
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    I have been the unfortunate person behind the semi when his tire went. It would turn into a tornado under my motor home, then come out the back side and just really plaster my toad. Fortunately my toad has a plastic front end and it only left huge black rubber smudges all over the car. They buffed out ok. The driver never knew it happened or if he did, he did not care. There should be some laws on liability on these situations, but my insurance company tells me, for the most part there is not.
  • Francesca_Knowl's avatar
    Francesca_Knowl
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    downtheroad wrote:
    Trailer or motorhome?
    Trailer....75 mph..gators seem to prey on them more often..

    At least the way I read the O.P.'s opener, the gator came off the semi he was following...
  • sdianel_-acct_c's avatar
    sdianel_-acct_c
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    We saw one blow and fly up and hit the windshield of the car following the semi truck. Smashed their windshield. The truck never knew what happened. The car was near an exit and took it. We never follow a semi truck that closely!!
  • downtheroad's avatar
    downtheroad
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    Trailer or motorhome?
    Trailer....75 mph..gators seem to prey on them more often..
  • mlts22's avatar
    mlts22
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2013
    I'm amazed this doesn't happen more in Austin, but at 15-20mph (which is the normal speed from exit 229 to 255 due to poor transportation planning on part of the city), the gators don't fly that far.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Aug 28, 2013
    I was behind a big truck in Ca. when the same thing happened. I thought someone had fired off a shotgun!

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