Bad Luck Has To End
 

So Friday morning I’m driving to work and I’m on the 400 S. I'm in the middle lane and a truck is about 50 feet in front of me on the left hand side.

A hook jumps off the truck (car transport rig) and bounces off the road. This hook (about the size of my hand) is coming straight for the windshield, on a straight path into my head. I slammed and breaks, the hook dropped and went right into the front grill and then it collided with my AC unit. My car is in smoke at 140km in the middle lane. I had to pull over. That’s another $1500 GONE for no reason at all. When will my bad luck end. This is CRAZY!!!!

I’m not going through insurance. I have the hook on my desk right now. I’m just thankful nobody got hurt. If that hook hit me. You’d view a pile up story on the evening news.


THESE TRUCKS NEED TO BE INSPECTED MORE OFTEN, AND FINES NEED TO BE INCREASED. About three weeks ago someone died with regards to debris flying off a truck on the hwy. How many people must die before anything is done.

What are your thoughts on transport laws?

Go buy a lottery ticket......just in case your bad luck ends NOW.

Glad u r ok.

I agree 100% with you.

The other day I saw a truck with cement chunks (some probably over 100lbs) and no back on the truck at all.
When he stopped at a light they shifted and one fell onto the road :eek:
I called the police and gave them the plate, but I doubt they did anything.

EEEEK! Sorry to hear about your bad luck! :(
I wish your 8 a speedy recovery!!! :D :D

Not only call the cops when it happens (FHP REALLY hates to pick up trash off the roads down here), but also try to get the trucks company number (usually printed on the door) and call them up to complain. I understand in your case there's no way to catch up to them after the car got damaged, but again, immediately call your local highway patrol or local cops and report it. If they do run into the driver they will stop him.

Glad you didn't get hurt. Now for a rant...

Trucks really need to be monitored much more closely with stricker laws on pollution and safety.

Retreaded tires?? This is nuts! We all have seen pieces of retreads on the roads. My wife had a retread smash into her windshield while she was driving 60 mph. Luckily it hit the empty passenger side and no one was hurt.

Can you say "pollution"?? Trucks pollute way more than cars and 2 strokes engines. 2 strokes (lawn mowers, PWC and such) are under the gun because of pollution while the trucks that drive hundreds of thousands of miles are not regulated that closely.

Safety? Why don't trucks have more technology in them? ABS, DSC or something to help prevent jack knifing. Ever been next to an 18 wheeler while it's locking up it's brakes? Scary as hell.

So did the truck stop? Sorry to hear about that. Just bad timing.

I often see dump trucks with rocks along the back edge, just waiting for a bump. Is it too much to ask the driver to dust off the back end?

thanks everyone .....

i couldn't get a plate becasue once the hook went through the front of my car.... it smoked up pretty bad. I just needed to pull over to avoid an accident behide me. The truck driver didn't stop, but then again I don't know if he even knew the hook came loose.

it's been a hard two weeks for me , first a hit and run, and now this, ohhh and someone stole my ipod . Been nothing but back luck this month

I agree they need to be more careful with cargo. But before you start going on about raising fines and all that, keep in mind part of our economy is based on these trucks transporting goods. Rasing their fines will only increase the cost of goods.

With that said, double checking your cargo doesn't cost a lot.

That would be the last straw! :mad:

i'm checking into the crazy house :) ..lol

Re: Bad Luck Has To End
 

Yikes! So sorry, fellow yellow Canuck. Glad you are okay. You are so right. Enforcement seems to be so lax..hit and miss... no pun intended. I always wonder about the Ontario Provincial Police spokesperson's 'head shaking' reports on driver lunacy and pervasive equipment 'dodginess' in the Star and Globe on Tuesday mornings following a long holiday weekend 'crackdown blitz.' That's all very well, and is good PR for the force, but in reality, it should be the custom 24/7/365, and not the exception.

My Miata is still sporting a significant scar on its hood.

A stake-body landscaping truck on the highway in front of me hit a bump and a piece of a cinderblock fell off.
When it hit the road, it shattered into several wildly spinning pieces, one of which bounced off the hood, went straight up in the air and landed on my passenger seat with a thud - spraying me with fragments.
It looked like an inbound mortar round. I nearly shat myself.

I feel bad for you but I think your luck is pretty good because if that thing would have hit you in the face it would be a lot more then 1500 you would be paying right now in the hospital.

I agree buy a Lottery Ticket!!

I would report the accident to the state or highway patrol. They may have cameras that can see the accident and get a vehicle description or license plate number. They are responsible for the accident and you can have them held liable. I would at least report it in case this same company has had incidents in the past.

And as far as my thoughts on vehicle safety and work vehicles go... hmmm... I have to admit that I am more than a little concerned that we are now allowing delivery vehicles to enter the US from Mexico. Not that I have anything against the country per se but anyone who's ever driven down there can attest to the fact that vehicle maintenance and driving styles differ widely from US standards. Not to mention who is going to cover the accidents? Will they have to show proof of insurance to get across the border? And even then how will it be known if the insurance documents aren't fake? Very scary IMHO.

What gets me is the signs these guys have on the backs of their trucks that say something like "stay back 100 feet, not responsible for flying debris". Bullshit. First of all, 100 feet isn't that far on a highway, and secondly, how the hell can you not be responsible if something flies off your truck and smashes into someone else? You're the ONLY one responsible for that. Can I put rear-facing, James Bond-style missiles on my car, along with a sign that says "stay off the road, not responsible for your car blowing up" and just blast the hell out of whoever I want? I wish there was a way to hold truckers accountable for the damage they cause, be it retread or other debris.

i have the hook ... i'll post a pic of it later . Thanks for all your advice everyone. I'm def gonna try and make a stink out of this.

Just wondering who i should call besides the opp ???

same thing happened to my friends mini in the 2nd month of ownership... wasnt a hook, it was something round and was bouncing... sad thing is something from the truck bounced from the middle lane, across the left/fast lane (missing every car there) and hit my friends mini in the hov lane (left of the fast lane)... it was like seeking out my friends new car in a swarm of cars... thats bad luck...

I sent 'webfeedback@tc.gc.ca' (road safety) 3 emails so far. No response yet ...

WTF

yeah a sign stating that there is no liability or someone saying that if they damage your (insert item) they arent responsible, is BS, this is an easy one to win in court. I once had to be pushed out of a garage by a AAA truck (car wouldnt start) and the guy said he may damage the bumper and he wouldnt be responsible....long story short he did damage the bumper and i yelled at AAA about it, and the next day they had me in to their shop not only to get a new paintjob, but a new bumper...the higher ups know when they are liable.

Pete:

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. These last couple years it seems have been worse around here for trucks throwing junk, and for finding damaging debris in general on the roads and shoulder. I notice it more when I'm riding my bicycle. (not on the freeways though, of course)

As far as trucks, it only took one gravel spewing bonehead on my way to work one morning to turn my almost flawless RX8 into a touch-up paint spotted not so flawless RX8.

What the hell, do these selfish idiots think the streets are just a big trash dump? Grrrr!