# Are the M-1 tanks tearing up the streets of Baghdad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 5, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720 "2003-04-05T19:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/1 "2003-04-05T19:57:07Z")
Are the M-1 tanks tearing up the streets of Baghdad? Just curious about what these large tanks would do to urban asphalt roadways in warm weather. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/2 "2003-04-05T20:08:52Z")
Not sure, yet. Does Baghdad have mostly asphalt or mostly concrete roadways? The ground pressure for the heaviest M1A2 is around 15.4 pounds per square inch (and the earlier versions may be as light at 13 PSI), so the weight is probably not a huge factor, although the metal treads are likely to be rough on soft pavement. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/3 "2003-04-06T04:13:48Z")
T[sub]h[/sub]anks! ---
**Author:** ![Niggle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Niggle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niggle)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/4 "2003-04-06T05:05:13Z")
A point of interest… My father was a tank pilot in the Canadian militia stationed and trained in Calgary. When they drove their tanks through the streets of the city (moving them between their base and the training grounds, I guess) they had to put little rubber “booties” on the treads to prevent them from destroying the streets. What the streets were made of, I do not know… I also don’t know what types of tanks he drove. He said it was quite a kick having a big convoy going through the main streets - they’d have to shut them down and apparently they became spontaneous parades… 🙂 -n ---
**Author:** ![blasphmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@blasphmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blasphmer)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/5 "2003-04-06T05:34:44Z")
Well at the factory they concrete everywhere they expect the vehicle to drive, inside and out. They won’t instantly shred a road like a Chitown Politician but they’re not easy on the asphault either. If you continuously drove them, yes damage would occur. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/6 "2003-04-06T05:39:44Z")
I’ve personally followed an M1 _sans_ booties for about 4 miles on asphalt (it was being moved to a Nat Guard armory, for some reason or another). It tore the _ever-living shit_ out of the road, and the city got _really_ pissed about it (but ultimately just fixed it themselves). ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/7 "2003-04-06T05:41:50Z")
Not of a huge help, but… Whilst filming the tank chase in Goldeneye in St Petersburg, the film makers had to lay metal sheets down on the road so the tank didn’t destroy the sewers underneath the road. ---
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-m-1-tanks-tearing-up-the-streets-of-baghdad/166720/8 "2003-04-06T05:47:13Z")
Every year in my town, they have a parade, in which the local military takes part. Several years ago, they had a main battle tank go the parade route. It totally tore up the asphalt. Since then, no tanks have taken part in the parade.