How NOT to haul wood

Trent Mason · 11-09-2008, 10:57 AM

Thought I'd share a pretty funny (and embaressing) story with you all. For my new job, I spend a lot of time running materials around to different job sites, among other things. On Friday, I had just loaded about 15 to 20 sheets of plywood (various types) into the bed of the truck and found myself at the stop light of Eastwood Rd and Market St, in the center lane. By the next stop light, I needed to be in the right lane. So what is the obvious thing to do? Gun it.

Yep, you can probably picture the rest. All of the plywood landed gently in the middle of one of the biggest, bussiest, most dangerous intersections in town, on the middle of a Friday afternoon.

At first I didn't know what to do. I made an illegal u-turn and pulled my truck up on the median, but I wasn't ABOUT to run out into that intersection.

After a few minutes, a cop pulled over and another guy got out and helped me get it all back in the truck. Suprisingly enough, after being run over a few times, only one tiny corner was damaged out of all of it. Went NICE AND SLOW after that and delivered it to the job. Of course, now, I'll never hear the end of it from my co-workers.

Moral of the story? Keep your tailgate up/use straps/go slow. And now if I ever see that happen to someone else, I have to get out and help.

Just thought I'd share. Good for a laugh if nothing else. I'm sure most of you all probably know all of this already.

ScottM · 11-09-2008, 11:03 AM

Trent you did not mention a ticket

. If no ticket you should count it as a good experince and a lesson learned.

Thanks for sharing.

ptt49er · 11-09-2008, 11:05 AM

you sound like a the guy we helped after we left Lowes Friday night. He dumped 4 deck boards, 12 sheets of sheetrock and two dozen retaining wall blocks!

We helped him load it back up and he finally strapped it in.

DaveO · 11-09-2008, 11:07 AM

Trent now you know why I had soo many straps on that load I had in my truck. BTDT...bought lots of straps. I 100% agree with you about helping others. I had a large tree roll out of a truck and stop in the middle of an intersection. The tree has been loaded with a Bobcat and was going to take one to re-load it again. I didn't have one but another landscaper stopped, unloaded their machine and helped me re-load the tree. Still shut down traffic for about an hour

Dave

DaveO · 11-09-2008, 11:09 AM

From the title of this thread I thought it was going to head this way -

Real picture

Dave

TracyP · 11-09-2008, 11:10 AM

I don't think I would have told the co-workers about it

. You are right though, you will probably never live it down.

JimmyC · 11-09-2008, 12:29 PM

Trent,
Thanks for reaffirming my belief in always leaving my tailgate up. I know that would happen to me the first I didn't do it.

That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger,,, and sometimes smarter

.

Trent Mason · 11-09-2008, 12:34 PM

If no ticket you should count it as a good experince and a lesson learned.

Actually, the cop was pretty cool about it. I think he wanted to laugh, but instead just kind've smiled and shook his head as he threw on his vest and directed traffic.

you sound like a the guy we helped after we left Lowes Friday night. He dumped 4 deck boards, 12 sheets of sheetrock and two dozen retaining wall blocks!

WOW.

Now that is a lot to pick up. Thanks for stopping to help.

Man Dave, a tree?

Thank God that guy stopped and and helped. And the guy in that picture makes me feel like a genius.

Trent Mason · 11-09-2008, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by JimmyC

Trent,
Thanks for reaffirming my belief in always leaving my tailgate up. I know that would happen to me the first I didn't do it.

That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger,,, and sometimes smarter.

Jimmy,

It was the picture of your haul that got me thinking/smacking myself on the head

/laughing about what happened on Friday.

Definitely a good idea to have the tailgate up.

rcflyer23 · 11-09-2008, 01:27 PM

Ouch that is a tough intersection. I hated driving there. Actually I just tried to avoid market street if at all possible. Glad to hear there was no ticket involved and minimal damage to the plywood.

Mike Davis · 11-09-2008, 02:27 PM

A long time ago the was a full truck with 40 foot trailer loaded full of roll roofing that made too sharp a turn and lost his load. I stopped to help and it took us three hours to handle almost 400 rolls of roofing. Got it all loaded and strapped down and he asked for my name so the company could write a check to pay for the labor.

I told him just to make a donation or help someone else. I never have hesitated to help anyone on the road, and I have always had help when I needed it.

Some things just equal out that way.

merrill77 · 11-09-2008, 02:45 PM

When I see a picture like that, I just can't believe it is real. Ok, the picture may be real, but it HAD to be staged. Nobody -- NOBODY -- could have possibly thought that was going to work! Could they?

Gotcha6 · 11-09-2008, 03:31 PM

That's why the BORGs don't help ya load - liability. That guy shoulda known to put some ice chests on the trunk so it'd ride level!

If I see someone doing that at the BORGS I usually ask for a 10 minute head start before leaving.

skeeter · 11-09-2008, 03:49 PM

Trent, I'm sorry I ran over your load, but traffic was pretty bad Friday. (Not really me, I would have helped, after laughing ,of course!)

DaveO · 11-09-2008, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by merrill77

When I see a picture like that, I just can't believe it is real. Ok, the picture may be real, but it HAD to be staged. Nobody -- NOBODY -- could have possibly thought that was going to work! Could they?

If you are referring to the one that I posted. Yes there is someone out there that is that stupid. When it was first released it was thought to be staged, but evidence has come forward to prove the validity of the situation

Dave

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