DON'T drive in high water

LDB · Aug 17, 2007

Just because trucks have 22.5's on them and double the ground clearance of a car doesn't mean you can drive through high water. If you can't see the road surface the water is too high to drive through. We had a major tropical storm through here today. A driver was going through a parking lot at a plant. The water was high enough you couldn't see the road surface. The driver went past the pavement and dropped into a retention pond. A little while ago when the water receded they found the tractor and the drowned driver.

No matter who you are, no matter how great your equipment, now matter how lucky you've been so far, no matter how "super trucker" your ego foolishly guides you, if you can't see what you are driving on you are just as likely to wind up dead as this guy did. None of us are immortal. None of us are omnipotent, even though some think they are. There's a family that will never see this driver again. This could have been easily avoided by pulling that yellow handle on the dash. If you think you're smart and you think you're good you drive on through. If you truly are smart and good you pull the yellow knob when that's the intelligent thing to do.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
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Turtle · Aug 17, 2007

Uh, oh. I don't have a yellow knob. I'm screwwwwed.

With the sad shape of the nation's infrastructure, water that has covered a roadway stands a very good chance of having washed that road away. Please keep that in mind.

Slow and steady, even in expediting, wins the race - Aesop

TeamCaffee · Aug 17, 2007

LDB, this is a great reminder. We are so often in foreign places and we do not know what direction the road is supposed to go.
I had a small wake up call about this last year. I was turning around in a parking lot and saw a large puddle of water. I thought nothing of putting the front tire into that water to turn and it was actually the edge of the parking lot. Was a pretty good drop off of several inches. I was lucky I did not damage to the truck but it sure scared me.

markafd · Aug 17, 2007

"Go around don't Drown"

dieseldiva · Aug 17, 2007

We were in TX last month during the heavy rain that they are again being blessed with. It just amazes me to watch people take the chances that they do, especially in some of those little cars.

LDB · Aug 17, 2007

So far 3 people are dead due to the flooding, one being the truck driver who didn't stop, missed the turn of the driveway and drove into a retention pond. Even if you regularly drive somewhere when the water is many inches deep you can't tell where you are and can easily miss a turn just like this guy did.

Being reported as late on delivery time is far better than being reported "late" in the newspaper.

p.s. If you don't have a yellow handle on the dash then use the leftmost pedal underfoot if you have 2 pedals and the center one if you have 3.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
OOIDA Life Member 677319, JOIN NOW
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.