A professional driver hauling a heavy and dangerous load sure should do that.
Well, consider the source: the self-appointed arbiter of righteous behavior in the Pit.
This exact thing has happened in Birmingham, Alabama, at the junctions of Interstates 65 and 20/59 twice in the past ten years, as truckers tried to take the interchange, and wrecked, melting I-20/59 above. On both occasions, I believe, most people involved were killed by exploding gasoline/shrapnel/collapsing highway structure. Truckers simply take that interchange far too fast.
Ever driven a dynamite truck?
Shoot. When did facts ever stop that crowd? Highways have had their steel buckle from fires underneath them before this incident and that never stopped them.
/derail
Same thing happened in DC a few years ago. Just before rush hour. A great day to stay home from work it was.
Yup. Well, sorta. It was a Ford Bronco II with Jimmy Walker in the back.
It happened a few years ago here in Baton Rouge… well, in Port Allen, the town on the west bank of the Mississippi across from Baton Rouge. Tanker truck caught fire and burned through the on-ramp onto the bridge.
Dammit - I came in here just to joke about that only to find I’ve been beaten repeatedly already. I gotta check the Pit more often. :smack:
Speaking of which, for anyone who questions the value of the Pit, let me just say this. In two recent threads I found myself with wildly differing opinions from two other posters about entertainment topics. Before I had a chance to reflect on these differences with quiet introspection, I came to the Pit and found out they’re both raving morons (Quiddity Glomfuster and VCO3). Now I’m feeling much better! 
Thank you, Pit!
This was on 80 East to 580 East. 880 heads south about a mile prior to this.
My understanding is that the connector to I-880 was damaged/blocked/destroyed because of this fire. Ah, well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll simply duck all the freeways out there.
That didn’t take long. These people must be from another planet or something.
The truck was on the 80/880 connector when it overturned. It was the heat of the flames of the explosion traveling upwards that compromised the 580 section, causing it to collapse onto the connector. The connector is most definitely destroyed.
So if you want to get onto the 880 from the 80/580 southbound*, you’re screwed, and if you want to get on the 580/880 southbound* from San Francisco, you’re also screwed.
*technically eastbound, but same diff.
Din-o-mite!
Obviously, Airman, it’s a plot by George Bush and Karl Rove to even further deplete our reserves of oil, forcing us to drill in ANWR, so their oil buddies can get rich rich rich. They probably planted the explosives themselves to blow the overpass.
This just happened Friday in Houston, so add Luis Perez’s name to the list. Something like 4600 gallons of diesel and 3600 of gasoline. Pretty amazing video included. Major interchange to be closed for two freakin’ months.
The mental image of George Bush and Karl Rove skulking about under a bridge trying to wire it for explosives is continuing to make me giggle. It’s Snidely Whiplash meets The Three Stooges.
Wow. The destructive and disruptive capabilities of one high-powered idiot are amazing. (I don’t have a lot of sympathy for the driver, either - it was a totally avoidable incident, it looks like.)
The third picture down in the site linked by Lute is amazing - the melted freeway is draped over the other freeway.
I actually felt the Stupid invade my brain as I started to read that.
Aiii!!! I’ve been infected with teh Stuped!! Get it off git it awwfffff!!!
They don’t let George personally handle the explosives any more. Not since “the incident”.