About to Launch semi truck tire tread left on hwy..

I almost know how you feel! I was driving down highway at 65 mph and heard a loud POW!
A second later the tire tread off a wheeler came spiraling out the side of the trailer. It was like a rattling snake only looked taller than Prius. I managed to swerve and drive along shoulder as I drove past it. Was absolutely eye opening and nerve wrecking all in one. Thankful I could swerve!
Parts readily available and can be replaced quite easily.

 

This is exactly why I try to NEVER follow a semi.....at any distance less than half a mile.
And when it's time to pass one, gas it and GO; get around as fast as possible.

It is also testimony for not following other CARS too closely.
I bet the guy behind you wishes that he had left a bit more space.

 

this is why i refuse to drive at night.

 

And I thought it was fear of vampires . . . .

I know some on the forum advise camping behind trucks, trailers, etc., for gas mileage. That's just testing karma and poor advice. I'm in OKC and in "warm" weather have seen trucks come through on I-40 or I-35 that have massive sheets of ice come flying off the tops of the trailers onto the road/vehicles behind them because they were parked over night a few hundred miles away, and were covered in a layer of ice or snow, and it took that much distance for it to warm up enough to loosen a 200 lb sheet and fly off. You can't see it coming until it pops off. I've seen hand trucks fall off of soda/beer company trucks in the middle of traffic, etc., etc. Talk about damage. One of the biggest factors in road hazards is poorly secured loads on public and commercial vehicles.

I don't purposely follow any vehicle with the intent of drafting for gas mileage. When I do wind up behind one, I find a way to not stay there. On NAFTA highways (I-35), that can be tough.

Sorry you had that sphincter tightening moment with the tread. I've only had that happen once, but I was in my 4Runner and cleared it. It was still shocking.

 

i have been (way) behind a number of trucks on our annual florida trek. seen the lose tires, lose cargo, even flip over. not worth the potential tragedy to follow close or blindly at night.
u.s. trucking regulations have all gone by the board. cops pay no attention. once in awhile, you'll see a weigh station open. they don't check the load for security though, how many hours the driver has been on the road, etc.

 

Similar here. My next door neighbor is a retired highway patrol officer. He was on the rolling truck enforcement team. His stories are hair raising on what he found and what's on the road. No way to catch it all.

 

agreed, but they could be more vigilant on the routes i travel. seems even the speed limit for auto's is out the window and everyone is flying.

 

Abso-damn-lutely! Due to the low oil prices, our state is in budget crisis. They decided the highway patrol was out of cash so they limited each trooper to 100 miles per day, max. If they went over, they had to sit in the office the next day. Give me a break. They lifted it after a few months, but dang. Dark ages here.

 

the least they could have done was sit on the side of the highway and raised some revenue.

 

Here in UK the highway police have some ex-truckers in uniform driving unmarked truck cabs on the motorways. They know so all the tricks and catch culprits on hand-held video for any number of violations... Including, using a cell phone while driving. They showed a TV program about it, very entertaining!

 

That's an excellent way to do it.

 

With a Cd of 0.26 who the hell needs to draft, anyway?

 

Take a look here, I had a game rooster take out my grill, parts got here fast.

08 2008 Toyota Prius Bumper Grille - Body Mechanical & Trim - Action Crash, Front - PartsGeek

 

Agreed.