Semi Created Road Hazards

[Spider]

Thanks to truck tire "retreads" I now have two dents in my pickup and one side step that is gone. These things in the road are a real hazard and I was lucky that I didn't wreck. I never saw a thing in the dark and rain. These retreads should not be legal, you see the pieces all the time on roads and who knows how much damage they cause on other vehicles.
I'm a bit pissed off about it and the insurance company didn't help things any. That is considered by them, to be a collision style incident and thus the deductible applies. Sure, pay my $250 deductible, get two right side step that don't match the left side, get my two dents fixed, and then have to shell out more to buy steps for the left side so all are the same kind. To top that off, then your insurance rates may go up because you filed a collision claim! >

[mountaindewd]

Check with the department that maintains that road(city, county, state). If you hit a pothole and receive damage, they will usually pay for repairs. This might be different since it was a piece of debris but worth checking out.

Les

[Deleted]

When I used to drive tow truck the company I worked for was contracted with the state. We had rollback tow trucks and ran the interstate looking for disabled vehicles. We also were suppose to get all the road alligators (Blown retreads) off the traffic lanes. Most of the vehicles we handled was caused by retread scraps damaging them. We also had a form to give the party of the disabled vehicle to fill out and mail to the state. I don't know exactly what or how the forms were handled. The service was provided by the state and we got paid by the state for doing the service but we never charged the serviced customer for such service.

[ajy]

were you traveiling to fast for road conditions?

[Spider]

May 11, 2008 19:42:30 GMT -5 ajy said:

were you traveiling to fast for road conditions?

No, I wasn't traveling too fast. Circumstances made the tread all but perfectly camouflaged. Several others at work hit it also but I guess I just hit it the worse.
Oh well, such is my luck. Ordered new steps yesterday and will replace them myself. Going through the insurance will end up costing me way more money. The dents I'll just have to live with.

[455 Rocket]

May 12, 2008 2:22:32 GMT -5 Spider said:

May 11, 2008 19:42:30 GMT -5 ajy said:

were you traveiling to fast for road conditions?

No, I wasn't traveling too fast. Circumstances made the tread all but perfectly camouflaged. Several others at work hit it also but I guess I just hit it the worse.
Oh well, such is my luck. Ordered new steps yesterday and will replace them myself. Going through the insurance will end up costing me way more money. The dents I'll just have to live with.

You may try one of those dent repair companies. Our police department uses them for our patrol cars. You'd be amazed what they can do and usually for less than $100.

[sourkraut]

Sorry to hear about the damage to your vehicle!
While I do agree that "road gators" can be a problem. I must set the record straight on their relationship to recaps, according to studies done by state d.o.t. agencies, tire manufacturers, retread manufacturers and trucking industry groups 78% of those "retreads" on the roadways are in fact virgin tires (never capped)! Most tire failures are caused by under inflation or over loading (wrong tire for the application), under inflation and overloading will cause the layers of the tire to flex against each other (friction- heat). Eventually causing a casing failure. Next time you see a road gator, look to see if it has hair (cord or belt fiber). If it does, the casing failed. Not the tread or recap!
If you think the cost of everything is too high now? Outlaw recaps! The typical new truck tire costs between $300 and $400, with a recap costing around $150. Taking into consideration the 16 tires on a 18 wheeler that should be capped (fronts are legal on all but hazmat and passenger) the cost per mile to run a truck will skyrocket. That's not including the cost and ecologic issues surrounding the disposal of millions more tires each year.
No I don't work in the retread industry! I just get a little upset when opinions are formed due to mis-information.

[Spider]

May 12, 2008 21:28:03 GMT -5 sourkraut said:

Sorry to hear about the damage to your vehicle!
"No I don't work in the retread industry! I just get a little upset when opinions are formed due to mis-information."

Whatever. I just get upset when my truck gets damaged due to someone elses fault. After all, my truck cost me as much as I paid for my house.

[locoengr]

Just thinking out loud......I've never driven for a living but....if it's a tire on the trailer wouldn't you have to be looking in your mirror to notice right away that you lost a tire? Does the trailer sway or give any indication at this moment? Especially if it's dark out, you may, in all honesty not even know.
I've had a few problems with this hazard too but was lucky enough to not have any damage. So I sympathize with you on that!
I was also told by a freind of mine, a ND State Trooper..."we do not want 'you' on the roadway trying to pick up these type of things "IF" there is alot of traffic. Otherwise we will be called to pick up human body parts."
So it possibly could have been too much traffic to safely try to pick them off the road. In that case call State Radio and give them the location/mile marker. They will get someone out there.
Not giving you any flack on this, just my thoughts.
Bruce

[locoengr]

May 12, 2008 21:28:03 GMT -5 sourkraut said:

Sorry to hear about the damage to your vehicle!
While I do agree that "road gators" can be a problem. I must set the record straight on their relationship to recaps, according to studies done by state d.o.t. agencies, tire manufacturers, retread manufacturers and trucking industry groups 78% of those "retreads" on the roadways are in fact virgin tires (never capped)! Most tire failures are caused by under inflation or over loading (wrong tire for the application), under inflation and overloading will cause the layers of the tire to flex against each other (friction- heat). Eventually causing a casing failure. Next time you see a road gator, look to see if it has hair (cord or belt fiber). If it does, the casing failed. Not the tread or recap!
If you think the cost of everything is too high now? Outlaw recaps! The typical new truck tire costs between $300 and $400, with a recap costing around $150. Taking into consideration the 16 tires on a 18 wheeler that should be capped (fronts are legal on all but hazmat and passenger) the cost per mile to run a truck will skyrocket. That's not including the cost and ecologic issues surrounding the disposal of millions more tires each year.
No I don't work in the retread industry! I just get a little upset when opinions are formed due to mis-information.

Great information, I learned something new today already. Thank you!

[Bri]

What's even worse is when a trie blows apart while you're following the truck. I've had this happen twice. The first time it took out my grille and dented my hood. the second time the gator landed on my windshield and busted it. Both times I got lucky. It's just a hazard of the road and that's all i chalk it up to. I guess because I've been a truck driver and I have had it happen to me before.