No, my weekend wasn't all that bad.

I got a late start on Saturday; I had an early call in Fort Lauderdale, and just couldn't get out of the house. But it was a holiday weekend, and for once there was no construction on I-95, but I still had a half hour to make a 40 minute commute to make it to work.

I was stressing, not in a big way, but you know how it is. DANG! Caught the light!

As I'm sitting at the light, waiting to make my left turn, I notice the pickup truck stopped on the other side of the street. He's got his blinkers on, and he's standing on the sidewalk on his cell. I figure he's broke down, calling a tow truck. I follow his gaze beyond his truck, to the boat that was...almost...behind it. What the?!?

I finally pieced together what I was looking at; his boat and trailer had slipped off the ball hitch, jumped the curb and crashed into the bushes along State Road 84. And worse: the boat had slid off the front of the trailer a good five feet! And the trailer seemd to be gently twisted. What a mess! That's going to be some unpleasant work.

And just as I was thinking 'at least I'm having a better day than he is,' an oncoming pickup truck slammed on its brakes to avoid rear-ending the stopped truck. And he might have made it if the truck behind him hadn't plowed into him full-bore. Not only did the little black pickup get pushed into the back of the first truck, and not only did the impact crumple up the rear of that little truck and send it careening ten yards down the road into the median, the third truck plowed into the first stopped truck and bent its rear end almost as badly as the Ford had its front end twisted into a fun, new, un-truck-like shape.

Now he's REALLY having a bad day!!

I finally get to work, only to find that we're missing come critical gear. The vendor doesn't open for two more hours. Two hours of the client and crew asking if the gear is coming. Is it coming? When is it coming? Is it here?

Ten O'clock. They answer. Yes, they have it, no, they can't deliver it. So I jump in my car and drive across town to pick it up. The temperature gauge starts climbing and a red light comes on. CRAP! But once I pick up speed, the needle swings back and the light goes out. I think I'll make it.

I get the gear. I check under the hood while I'm parked; nothing is steaming, but I don't want to open the radiator while the car is hot. So I get in and drive. I'll shut down at traffic lights. I'll think cool thoughts. I'll make it, and after work I can top off the radiator.

So I'm still in a gently stressful way when I get stopped at a light. I shut down, and wait for the light to change. Waiting, stressing, tapping the wheel, waiting....and an oncoming SUV doesn't stop for the light and hits a car crossing the road broadside: WHOMP!!!!

OK, that doesn't do justice to the sound; it was a lot, well, bigger. If the Incredible Hulk had picked up an SUV and used it to swat a Hyundai out of the ballpark, this was what it would sound like. The entire side of the car, all its windows, the front end of the truck, and more airbags than I could count, all going off in a thunderclap of automotive violence.

He hit that car so hard that it actually did a 540 degree spin - that sedan spun one and a half times, and came to rest pointing the opposite direction! All the forward momentum of that SUV was transferred into that poor little car.

So I was running more or less late all day long, was missing equipment, and my car is overheating. But all things considered, I had a pretty good weekend.

It's against the law

Woman dies after falling from pickup on I-95

Another person is dead after riding in the back of a pickup truck.

The auto industry has spent billions of dollars making our vehicles safer; improved bumpers, cages built into the passenger cabin, seat belts, air-bags, and even side impact bags. All these features have made our vehicles tremendously safer.

But only if you're riding in the passenger compartment.

In this case, someone fell off the back of the truck; more often the truck is involved in a collision and the passengers in the truck bed are sent flying. Sometimes they survive. Sometimes they can even walk again, eventually. Sometimes.

It is illegal to ride in the bed of a pickup truck, or the back of a delivery truck. In fact it's illegal to ride anywhere on a vehicle not specifically designed to seat passengers.

This is illegal!!!


We see people riding in the backs of trucks ALL THE TIME. A family coming back from a fishing trip, or some gardeners riding in the back of a step-van with their lawn mowers. I've seen police cars and FHP cruisers sliding past these trucks without a flicker of interest.

Don't believe that it's against the law? Here's the relevant law:

316.2015 Unlawful for person to ride on exterior of vehicle.--
(1) It is unlawful for any operator of a passenger vehicle to permit any person to ride on the bumper, radiator, fender, hood, top, trunk, or running board of such vehicle when operated upon any street or highway which is maintained by the state, county, or municipality. Any person who violates thissubsection shall be cited for a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318.
(2)(a) No person shallride on any vehicle upon any portion thereof not designed or intendedfor the use of passengers. This paragraph does not apply to an employeeof a fire department, an employee of a governmentally operated solidwaste disposal department or a waste disposal service operatingpursuant to a contract with a governmental entity, or to a volunteerfirefighter when the employee or firefighter is engaged in thenecessary discharge of a duty, and does not apply to a person who isbeing transported in response to an emergency by a public agency orpursuant to the direction or authority of a public agency. This paragraph does not apply to an employee engaged in the necessarydischarge of a duty or to a person or persons riding within truckbodies in space intended for merchandise.

If you OWN a pickup, don't let people ride in the back, PARTICULARLY if you are heading out on the highway. And if you're a cop, pull the morons over and write'em a ticket. The law can't protect ANYONE if it's not being enforced.

Annals of Pointess Vehicles: Stretch Hummer

Saw this in Coral Gables, driving around Cartagena Plaza. You know what this reminds me of?

SEXY!!!