# Chains dragging under school bus: why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415 "2009-10-03T00:39:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/21 "2009-10-05T02:28:36Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > [http://www.onspot.com/](http://www.onspot.com/) > They have a good video of how they work. I’d be more impressed if they didn’t offer a choice between _dialup_ and _broadband_. Looks like that webpage hasn’t been updated since 1991. _We use Frames_! Best viewed with Netscape 2.0! (I might be rather close. Their website was created with HoTMetaL Pro 3.0 which was released back in 1997.) ---
**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/22 "2009-10-05T04:06:06Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > I’d be more impressed if they didn’t offer a choice between _dialup_ and _broadband_. Looks like that webpage hasn’t been updated since 1991. > > _We use Frames_! Best viewed with Netscape 2.0! > > (I might be rather close. Their website was created with HoTMetaL Pro 3.0 which was released back in 1997.) They even have the visitor counter that was a prerequisite for any respectable site during the 90’s :). ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/23 "2009-10-05T10:43:57Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > I find it pretty hard to believe that chains dragging behind a train, with hooks on the ends of them, would not get snagged on something and pulled off of the train in very short order once it was in motion. This sounds scary but I think it was probably the invention of the author; I can’t find any references to this actually happening in real life. If I remember correctly the chains dangled just low enough to catch a person but not low enough to snag on things. FYI the author did do a lot of research for the book. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/24 "2009-10-05T11:53:53Z")
> [@Qwakkeddup](#): > > So far, as I have driven a school bus and been behind my fair share as I cruise down the road, I have never seen those. > > I have seen a few recently with chains dangling below across the rear axle, but those are just for preventing kicked up debris from hitting the car behind, especially since they don’t seem to keep mudflaps on buses around here. Where (generally) did you drive bus? If you drove in Florida, they may not be necessary. Yukon, quite possibly. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/25 "2009-10-05T18:16:22Z")
Why ordinary chains? I would think something with more texture or more bite would work a lot better. Or are chains just good enough and easy to replace? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/26 "2009-10-05T20:48:16Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Why ordinary chains? I would think something with more texture or more bite would work a lot better. Or are chains just good enough and easy to replace? It’s got to be a mix of giving good traction without eating up the tires or the road surface. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415/27 "2009-10-06T00:19:53Z")
I wonder if those things are legal where regular tire chains are not? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chains-dragging-under-school-bus-why/512415.md?page=1)