Modern technology is helpful, but in the trucking industry, it can sometimes lead one disastrously astray.
GPS modules are notorious for sending inexperienced truckers out of the way, on the wrong way, and even to dead-end destinations. Last week was an example of that for a trucker that was hauling 40 thousand pounds of iron oxide.
Iron oxide is often used in polishing compounds, pigments, and metallurgy. It can have an adverse affect on one’s breathing. For that reason, it is considered a hazardous substance.
Macon County native Morris Parks lives on Clampit Hollow Road in Lafayette, where last Tuesday’s accident occurred.
“The truck drove right past two signs (no through trucks),” said Morris. “This has happened three times in just the last few months. The driver of the truck said that he has been driving for five years and was out of Detroit (Michigan).”
It can be very difficult to remove the truck from its position. It is very time-consuming and costly. Ultimately, the responsibility lies on the trucking companies to pay for all costs.
Macon County Road Supervisor Audie Cook has witnessed those problems before.
“We’ve had two or three now that has done this,” said Cook. “We have two signs up. The driver just drove on by. He did see them.
“What bugs me about this is that when these drivers get there and see they can’t make it, instead of stopping right there, they drag on by, knowing what will happen, and then get stuck.”
Cook says that he’s been approached about doing other things to prevent it from happening again.
“I don’t know that there’s anything much more that we can do,” said Cook. “If we put up no trucks allowed signs, then I can’t get my trucks down there to work on the roads. I really don’t know what we can do.”
One possible thing that could be done is to put up signs with flashing lights, but Cook doesn’t know if that would be a worthwhile counter measure that would be worth the cost.
“I may bring up to the county (commission) the possibility of purchasing signs that have a light or a flashing light,” Cook said. “That would be something that might grab drivers attention a little more. I don’t know whether the county would want to buy those or not. I don’t know how much that would help, because from what I’ve been told, these drivers see the signs but refuse to obey them.”
At first, the trucker had no way of getting out as his company was refusing to pay to get the truck out.
“The company wouldn’t agree to pay to get the vehicle out and back onto the road,” said Cook. “The wreckers weren’t going to get him out until they knew they were getting paid. The driver finally gave them a credit card with $10,000 on it. There were three big wreckers down there, so it was costly.”
There are two signs on Clampit Hollow Road displaying ‘No thru trucks.’
