# What was that Truck Carrying? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544 "2012-06-18T17:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shosy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Shosy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shosy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/21 "2012-06-18T21:53:11Z")
Now that I think about it, these days I see more and more support columns for overhead signs, when they are supported on one side only rather than a truss running across the highway, which have 30 degree-ish “fins” at their base to reinforce them. I guess they would look like a missile in the trailer before they get delivered. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/22 "2012-06-18T22:44:19Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > The fins kind of confuse me, but new traffic lights in Washington State (at least in some areas) are being built on a single huge steel tube running diagonally across the road. [You can see one in this Street View photo running across the top of Highway 9](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Clearview,+WA&hl=en&ll=47.804912,-122.14328&spn=0.000583,0.000905&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.793449,59.326172&oq=clearview+wa&t=h&hnear=Clearview,+Snohomish,+Washington&z=20&layer=c&cbll=47.804829,-122.143268&panoid=p7YnQn5_YjSGj3xeE2ADQg&cbp=12,269.69,,0,-2). It was delivered in huge sections on the back of a truck, like you’re describing, and is about the same size. > > The only problem is there’s no “fins”. Maybe the “fins” are attachment points for traffic lights? That’s funny…I was just at that intersection a couple weeks ago and noticed that big tube/beam/whatever. Those sections do look like the thing I saw. The thing did look like it was covered, so maybe the fins weren’t actually part of it, but appeared that way due to being covered. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/23 "2012-06-18T22:51:57Z")
Sounds like the fleshlight I ordered finally shipped. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/24 "2012-06-19T00:15:19Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Look out the Canadian Navy is at the ready > > [http://www.motifake.com/3296](http://www.motifake.com/3296) :eek: > > **CAPT** I know it’s intended as a joke, and I smirked too, but for the population of Canada we have a pretty decent Navy. Sure it could be bigger, and we recently announced a new ship-building project. > [@Fubaya](#): > > Sounds like the fleshlight I ordered finally shipped. This was funny! ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/25 "2012-06-19T01:33:44Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Joke all you want, but I think there are Pig War reenactors. Including the pig? ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/26 "2012-06-19T01:36:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I know it’s intended as a joke, and I smirked too, but for the population of Canada we have a pretty decent Navy. Sure it could be bigger, and we recently announced a new ship-building project. > > This was funny! I love Canada but you know sometimes you just have to roll with it, no offence intended, hope none taken **CAPT** ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/27 "2012-06-19T01:48:50Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > I love Canada but you know sometimes you just have to roll with it, no offence intended, hope none taken > > **CAPT** No offense taken. I understand the humour and smirked too, like I said. We’ve supported you guys in a number of missions, Afghanistan and Libya being the latest. Your military demands respect, and so does ours. That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/28 "2012-06-19T02:40:49Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > No offense taken. I understand the humour and smirked too, like I said. We’ve supported you guys in a number of missions, Afghanistan and Libya being the latest. > > Your military demands respect, and so does ours. That’s all. But how do your military vehicles move well? I think the square wheels would be a problem, eh’ 😃 “As is tradition” **CAPT** ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/29 "2012-06-19T03:06:57Z")
The pipes sound like they’re about the right dimensions to be drill pipe. Drill pipe is usually just ordinary-looking steel pipe, but there are some exotic varieties used in directional drilling that have fin-like features at various points. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/30 "2012-06-19T03:13:16Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Sounds like the fleshlight I ordered finally shipped. Dream on, Big Man! > [@GreasyJack](#): > > The pipes sound like they’re about the right dimensions to be drill pipe. Drill pipe is usually just ordinary-looking steel pipe, but there are some exotic varieties used in directional drilling that have fin-like features at various points. **GreasyJack,** meet **Fubaya.** ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/31 "2012-06-19T03:41:58Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > The fins kind of confuse me, but new traffic lights in Washington State (at least in some areas) are being built on a single huge steel tube running diagonally across the road. [You can see one in this Street View photo running across the top of Highway 9](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Clearview,+WA&hl=en&ll=47.804912,-122.14328&spn=0.000583,0.000905&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.793449,59.326172&oq=clearview+wa&t=h&hnear=Clearview,+Snohomish,+Washington&z=20&layer=c&cbll=47.804829,-122.143268&panoid=p7YnQn5_YjSGj3xeE2ADQg&cbp=12,269.69,,0,-2). It was delivered in huge sections on the back of a truck, like you’re describing, and is about the same size. > > The only problem is there’s no “fins”. Maybe the “fins” are attachment points for traffic lights? Hijack - Jesus. That’s HUGE. Hard to believe it’s a cost-effective replacement for individual lights. Wow. - Hijack off ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/32 "2012-06-19T11:57:22Z")
Is there any chance it could have been a pair of wind turbine blades, like [this?](http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/23/windmillontrucksmall.jpg) With the light and angle just right, it could look very much like what you described. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/33 "2012-06-19T12:58:47Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Look out the Canadian Navy is at the ready [CANADIAN WARSHIP SEIZES TANKER IN… WAIT…CANADA HAS A WARSHIP? Oh Right, and Switzerland Has Nuclear Weapons](http://www.satirewire.com/news/feb02/warship.shtml) > [@](#): > > Canadian television reported Friday that a Canadian warship in the Arabian Sea had seized a tanker suspected of smuggling oil from Iraq, leading many to suspect that the report was a hoax. > > “You’re kidding, right? Canada has a warship?” asked U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "Like for war? > > “Does Canada know?” he added. > > “Nobody was more stunned than we were,” said Kali Omari, first mate of the seized vessel. “We saw this frigate steaming toward us, and we were worried, but then we saw the maple leaf on the flag, and we thought, ‘Oh, Canadians. What the hell do they want?’” > … > “They were armed. With guns,” said Omari. “Canadians. With guns. And a warship. What is this world coming to?” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/34 "2012-06-19T14:04:36Z")
Just in case…you do know that the Canadian Warship story is a satire, eh? But I wonder… ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/35 "2012-06-19T18:25:56Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > That’s funny…I was just at that intersection a couple weeks ago and noticed that big tube/beam/whatever. > > Those sections do look like the thing I saw. The thing did look like it was covered, so maybe the fins weren’t actually part of it, but appeared that way due to being covered. Well without a photo that’s the best I can do. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/36 "2012-06-19T20:57:33Z")
> [@StrangerThanFiction](#): > > Is there any chance it could have been a pair of wind turbine blades, like [this?](http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/23/windmillontrucksmall.jpg) With the light and angle just right, it could look very much like what you described. That is about a 96% match to what I saw, but from the angle I was at (drivers side, going opposite direction) it looked to be 1 item. The round end is a little different in that there was a lip where the bolts/bolt holes were. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/37 "2012-06-19T21:57:52Z")
30-40 feet would be pretty small for windmill blades. According to one site, 30-40 meters is most common, with some newer ones up to 60 meters. Was it on a normal trailer? A normal enclosed transfer truck trailer is 53 feet long and I assume a flatbed is about to the same. Any old truck and trailer could haul a 40ft object. But a windmill trailer is on it’s own would probably leave an impression because they’re [super long](http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/files/2009/07/windturbinetrans004_blog.jpg). Of course, you can have any size windmill you want, but it sounds too small for a modern top-of-the-mountain alternative energy type windmill. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/38 "2012-06-19T23:23:06Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > 30-40 feet would be pretty small for windmill blades. According to one site, 30-40 meters is most common, with some newer ones up to 60 meters. Was it on a normal trailer? A normal enclosed transfer truck trailer is 53 feet long and I assume a flatbed is about to the same. Any old truck and trailer could haul a 40ft object. > > But a windmill trailer is on it’s own would probably leave an impression because they’re [super long](http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/files/2009/07/windturbinetrans004_blog.jpg). > > Of course, you can have any size windmill you want, but it sounds too small for a modern top-of-the-mountain alternative energy type windmill. It seemed like it was the full length of a normal flatbed trailer. My 30’ to 40’ guess was due to not knowing how long those trailers are normally. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/39 "2012-06-20T14:50:14Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Just in case…you do know that the Canadian Warship story is a satire, eh? > > But I wonder… Considering it comes from a website called Satirewire, I’d say that’s a given. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544/40 "2012-06-20T14:54:21Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > It seemed like it was the full length of a normal flatbed trailer. My 30’ to 40’ guess was due to not knowing how long those trailers are normally. Flatbed semi trailers can vary anywhere from about 45 to 53 feet. Depending on state laws, anything over that usually has to have a special permit and would be marked as a long load. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-truck-carrying/625544.md?page=1)