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Storrowed truck backs up traffic
By adamg on Wed, 07/30/2014 - 11:34am
Roving UHub photographer Ryan Smith happened upon this freshly Storrowed truck at Silber Way sometime after 11 a.m. today.
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Since this happens 2xs per
Since this happens 2xs per month, perhaps we need to invest in a bigger sign? Or one that is visible at some point where a truck still has time to turn around?
Possibly some kind of EMP device
Too-tall truck hits trigger suspended over the road; device sends massive pulse of radio energy into truck. Probably wouldn't stop a diesel, but should get the driver's attention by making his CB scream.
It Could Be A Simple Mechanical Device ...
Make it a lever that when pushed up by a too-tall vehicle, raises tire-shredding teeth directly beneath the vehicle to flatten all of its tires.
I like it
That would work in the bike lane on Congress St., too!
I Know. I Know.
For all those delivery trucks making deliveries. They can just park on the side walk in front of the building.
What delivery trucks?
The deliveries in that stretch of Congress are on the side streets/alleyways at loading docks.
You are clearly unfamiliar with the area.
The Bike Lane Protectors Could Work In An Opposite Manner ...
... The heavy weight of any motor vehicle tire running across a spring-loaded plate buried in the bike lane, would cause the plate to descend to a level where spikes would penetrate into the tire.
What might also work
Turning it into a cycletrack - even a seasonal one with movable planters or bollards.
Spikes with a gap for the bikes and pedicabs to pass, but not a full width motor vehicle.
Given that Boston has had two years of complaints and no action, I'm sure we could get creative with something.
Accidental cinder block delivery?
Bump In The Night
I love those automated bollards that go up and down as needed. I wish we had those in Boston. But planters for some greenery would be nice too.
I can think of some streets that could use improvisational speed bumps too [a sack of flour on a rainy night].
Too Lenient
I vote we take out all the signs and devices since they apparently don't work anyhow. Let them eat cake [or bridge as it were].
Would make removal more of a problem
If the tires are all flat, it will be tough to drive or tow the thing away.
Maybe bright flashing blue lights and sirens, with a loud recording yelling STOP! STOP! YOUR TRUCK IS TOO TALL!
And yes, it would be better if the drivers were made aware that they are headed for trouble before they are actually in trouble.
For what it is worth
They did that at the Gregson Trestle in Durham, NC.
It cut the crash rate for a while ... but then it went back up (if you look at the rate of crashes for 2014).
http://11foot8.com/354/
They Tried It Here Too, But Some Drivers Will Ignore ANY Sign
There already are plenty
There already are plenty sufficient signs.
The problem is not a lack of signage. The problem is drivers who do not pay attention to their surroundings, preferring instead to blindly follow a GPS, and drivers who think the rules don't apply to them. These are the same drivers that frequently turn onto green line tracks, and the same drivers who cut around railroad crossing gates. No amount of signage is ever going to fix stupidity.
It used to be students with U-Hauls
Now it is "professional" drivers with non-commercial GPS.
Driving a truck used to be considered to be more of a trade. Given recent events, I suspect the professionalism declined with the drop in pay and decline in jobs where seniority, skill, and accident-free driving meant advancement.
In four words
Government deregulation of trucking.
It's not just about placing signs
It's about placing signs that are large enough to be easily and quickly read and understood, signs that effectively communicate the restrictions to drivers, signs that are properly placed so drivers can see them in time to avoid entering the restricted area, and signs that meet the commonly used standards that drivers are accustomed to seeing in other parts of the country.
"Low Clearance' signs that don't actually state the clearance don't qualify, signs that are placed so they are not noticable until AFTER drivers have committed to entering the highway don't qualify, and yellow on black "Cars Only" signs that look they were made by an eight year old don't qualify.
MUTCD signs needed
Sorry, we have this discussion a lot. Usually I am noting that the giant signs and items over the road the height of the bridges should be enough, while others concentrate on the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
The problem is back at Cambridge Street, with the odd configuration at the onramp. If you think about it enough, you get a bad headache.
If that truck had just gotten
If that truck had just gotten to know its bridges, instead of tattling on Citizens Connect, this never would have happ... Wait, that doesn't apply here, does it?
It might be getting old
But in this case, it is pretty funny.
I will note, that truck did get to know the overpass a bit too well.
(No subject)
Yep, that would work
real well in Boston on a typical Feburary afternoon.
I'm not sure it would ever work
...given the quality of the drainage at the bottom of some of those underpasses.
I just thought it was a cool
I just thought it was a cool technology. But if it were really installed, it would presumably only be triggered once a month, or whatever the frequency of these Storrowings is lately.