A truck carrying heated drive way sealant had a leaking valve and dumped 4000 gallons of the sealant on the east bound road surface for 40 miles on the Turnpike, from Newcastle exit to Allegheny Valley exit. Different estimates abound, from 100 to 300 cars were stranded by tar build up on their tires. This occurred after dark and in the rain. The motorist had no idea they were driving through liquid tar. Most thought they getting a flat tire and pulled over to the side of the road. Fortunately there were no accidents or injuries.
TribLive News, Driveway sealant gums up Pennsylvania Turnpike
You can see additional photos here: WTAE.Com, News, Slideshow
About 10 years ago my wife and I were on vacation and driving through Stevensville Maryland on US 50. We passed a trailer truck that was spraying some substance from the side of the trailer. Trapped in traffic the right side of our mini-van was doused with some gooey substance. The stuff obliterated the windshield on the right side. The wipers just smeared it around. Fortunately the left side of the windshield was clear. This was back before either of us had cell phones and we didn't get any identification on the truck. We got back to our motel in Annapolis and the right side of our car was covered with some smelly, sticky, slippery shit that struck me as rancid chicken fat. The stuff had a foul smell that just turned our stomachs. Thank God we had the windows closed and the air conditioner on, my wife would have been splattered with that crap. I spent $20 in quarters at a high pressure spray car wash trying to get that shit off the car and I was pissed. I can't imagine being hundreds of miles from home and having your car rendered inoperable by tar. Ironically the truck that dumped the sealant last night was from Stevensville Maryland.
More holiday good cheer...with the 2 inches of rain we had, there is a flood watch on rivers for today through Friday. Fortunately the rain is clearing out. Well I hope your Thanksgiving goes better than these unfortunate travelers.
IMAGE CREDIT: TribLive News, Driveway sealant gums up Pennsylvania Turnpike
I suppose you should just stay home. We are expecting more gray skies.
ReplyDeleteI imagine those stranded with tarred tires will be compensated.
From the WTAE News article:
ReplyDelete"People whose cars were damaged should call Travelers Insurance at 800-842-9897 and ask for the auto department. Capone said anybody who experiences a problem with the insurance company should call the turnpike commission at 800-331-3414 and they will intervene if necessary.
The truck that leaked the fluid belongs to Marino Transportation Service in Stevensville, Md."
Read more: http://www.wtae.com/news/29837601/detail.html#ixzz1eXs5wqKG
There was some discussion about that last night on the news. The Turnpike Commission stated that the trucking company was responsible. It will be expensive. There is a lot of commentary about tires and wheels, but I would also be very concerned about the brakes, discs, pads and calipers. How much of that crap got up into the engine compartment would be another concern as well as contact with the constant velocity joint boots. If the boots become embrittled and break leakage can cause premature failure of the CV joints. It is a very nasty mess, and a very expensive mess. I would imagine the Turnpike will be assessing clean and repair charges as well.
Thanks for the info on the SAD lights. My problem is a little more complex. I am bi-polar and I have no health insurance. I have been having "symptoms" ..... tiny little clues ..... since last spring. The gray skies don't help, but I think my dosage is no longer effective on my Effexor. I have an appointment at a general health clinic next week. I am hoping to change to a cheaper drug in the same class. Even the generic is over $100 a month. If they increase it to double, the price will double, too. Added stress.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was at the very least bi-polar, and it is genetic. All my children are, too. We hope that it will be diluted by each generation. We all laugh about our common illness. My daughter has a SAD light in her computer room. I sit in there when I visit, but couldn't really say if it makes a significant difference in my mood. I am always with the grandchildren there, so I am on top of the world.
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteYou probably know more about SAD than I do. I am very sorry to hear about your problem. Complex indeed, and it is terrible that you don't have health insurance. Well I hope they can get your dosage straightened out with something more affordable and effective.
While I have been extremely fortunate, I do have MS and suffer from minor depression and emotional problems from it. I am blessed that I don't need to medicate it, but I do understand your situation, depression really hurts. Our minds are wonderfully complex, but they certainly can be troublesome. Again I hope they can get your meds fixed up.
I have not seen these kinds of damage to a car...but I live in warmer weather.
ReplyDeleteKim
ReplyDeleteIt was unusually warm that night, almost 60 F, which I think contributed to the problem. The sealant was hot in the truck and it hit relatively warm pavement. If we had our usual evening temperatures of 25 to 40 degrees for this time of year, I think the sealant would have solidified quicker and, at least, affected fewer vehicles. What a mess!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Hope your cold is better.
"About 10 years ago my wife and I were on vacation and driving through Stevensville Maryland on US 50. We passed a trailer truck that was spraying some substance from the side of the trailer. Trapped in traffic the right side of our mini-van was doused with some gooey substance. The stuff obliterated the windshield on the right side. The wipers just smeared it around. Fortunately the left side of the windshield was clear. This was back before either of us had cell phones and we didn't get any identification on the truck. We got back to our motel in Annapolis and the right side of our car was covered with some smelly, sticky, slippery shit that struck me as rancid chicken fat. "
ReplyDeleteDown in Florida that's this crap they put to stop mosquitoes and thus whatever mosquitoes carry. I don't totally get why but it gets sprayed all over-and as I recall from trucks.
Any possibility this was for say West Nile?
I know you don't believe me.
But I think it's what you ran into.
Dad and the neighbors hid the cars so they wouldn't be ruined.
Nothing like summers as a kid in st. Petersburg, Fla. where strange stuff like that went on and you had no idea what was up.
Sarah,
DeleteThe truck was box truck and the substance was blowing out a pipe at the front of the trailer. It seem that something for mosquitos would use a tank truck with a rear mounted sprayer. But who knows, that might be it. I spent a good bit of time in Annapolis over the years working down there and I never seen another truck like that.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.