How stupid is stupid? When does expediency cross the line into idiocy?
Many things are asked of trucks and truck owners. Even your best friends sometimes see us solely as a means to an end if a task is too overwhelming for their wimpy vehicles.
"Help me move."
"Can you pick up [something big] for me?"
"Are you using your truck this weekend?"
Drivers using their personal vehicles for work may also hear it from their bosses -- "Haul these two diesel generators to site five. You have to have 'em there in 20 minutes," or "Bob's sick, you need to take his, and your, load of sheetrock over to the tract."
Owners, as well, can overtax the capabilities of their trucks for their own purposes -- and often do. One of our staffers tells horror stories about customers overloading their vehicles at the local "Big Box" home-improvement store.
Moving a house full of belongings is usually a painful experience, the frustration of which can affect a person's common sense. There was a case here in Southern California, where an improperly restrained sofa fell from an overburdened pickup onto the freeway, resulting in the death of an innocent commuter. It happens enough that I've watched as a sofa slipped off a pickup directly in front of me. Luckily, my passenger and I were on a motorcycle with the ability to avoid it. Did the truck driver stop? No. I can't believe he didn't know what happened. I'm absolutely convinced he didn't want to face it. If you can't stand by what you're doing, DON'T DO IT.
Why risk accident, injury, or legal action for expediency? The truck pictured above is a perfect example of what not to do. What was this guy thinking? Note how a bungie cord, twine, and plastic warning tape are used to help cinch-down the load. When I snapped this photo, the driver was jabbering into his cell-phone. I hoped he was calling for assistance because he could barely maneuver his Ram through the rush-hour traffic. Look at the rear tires. They're bulging under the load. The front end is dangerously buoyant. The front tire patch would shrink from palm-size to thumbprint size after every rise in the asphalt. That, pretty much, negates the effectiveness of the brakes.
Driving a vehicle in this condition, especially in traffic, is just plain stupid -- and illegal in most of the U.S. Perhaps you have done things like this without hurting anyone or getting hurt. But, c'mon, it's time to grow up. Trucks already have a negative image to a lot of people. Don’t let stupid human tricks add to the momentum.