Truck retreads on the highway

[JHZR2]

Twice in 2013 now I've run over a truck retread in the road. Both times the belly pan of the car has been cracked.

In my 16 or so years of driving, over 300k miles, other than a dog that ran out in front of me (very sad), I've not run over anything or hit anything (fortunately, knock on wood). Super clean driving record, no tickets, no accidents (though I was rear ended on an interstate when I was stopped in traffic). I'm a very careful driver, don't out drive my lights/visibility. Very safe.

And twice now, actually twice in three months, two different states (GA and NJ), truck retreads have been flung in such a situation and scenario that I had to go over them. Not good.

I also see a lot more of them on the road, and a lot more of them in traffic.

A trucker knows when he throws a tread, and should be held responsible and liable for it. Unacceptable.

 

[ChrisW]

One time I was traveling the freeway and a CHP officer actually stopped traffic. two-lanes worth, during rush hour, to move the 'gator (as we call them) to the shoulder. I've never had one go beside me, but I too have seen plenty of them on the freeways here in California and fortunately have not had to run one over yet. And I too feel that just as a driver is responsible for securing their load (tarps come to mind when I see people making dump-runs), they should be responsible for their 'gators.

 

[Gabe]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
A trucker knows when he throws a tread, and should be held responsible and liable for it. Unacceptable.


Next you will be complaining about running over a truck driver who is in the middle of the interstate collecting debris...

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Gabe
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
A trucker knows when he throws a tread, and should be held responsible and liable for it. Unacceptable.


Next you will be complaining about running over a truck driver who is in the middle of the interstate collecting debris...


Doubt it. We have a responsive state police, the trucker could dial sp or 911 t report and it would be moved before the driver even gets his rig rolling again.

 

[CarbonSteel]

There are literally tons of it on the sides of the roads in Texas, especially during the summer (which is when the majority are "flung" due to the heat on the highway). I believe they should be restricted from use in the summer months which could help reduce this from happening. I once saw an entire retread hit a Toyota in the windshield and had there been a passenger, they would have been severely (if not critically) injured.

I am not sure they always know when they throw one--particularly when it is on an inside tire, but I know what you mean about liability.

 

[antiqueshell]

I've been directly behind a semi that had one of those [censored] retreads EXPLODE sending shrapnel flying into the air and hitting our car, I quickly drove towards the shoulder of the road to avoid having something come through the windshied, luckily no damage was done.

This has become a progressively bigger problem as the folks that own these rigs try and scrimp and save money on tires. I know that this does cause injuries, accidents and death.

 

[Quest]

I guess it's also partly depends on the state (how wealthy they are). In the case of WA where the state coffer is at the brink of being broke: road debris are everywhere including, but not limiting to trunk rethreads.

My fit's front valence actually hit one of those rethreads a few years back: a pickup with a trailer towed behind kicked up a pc of rethread that was sitting close to the slow lane, and that piece flew right at my front bumper, hit the valence, slipped underneath my car and went out on my driver side rear .... I had to pull off the highway into a commuter bus parkade to inspect everything in fear of damaging my condenser, or rip my brake hose off....fortunately, everything seems to be holding up well.

While I'm still not happy about the black gash on the bottom part of my front bumper valence, I opt not to do any repair at this moment just to save $$, citing that anytime I travel up and down WA state highway, something's gonna hit my bumper again, sooner or later.

Q-TD

 

[renegade_987]

I was around 150 yards behind a semi when he had one blow at 70 on the highway. Scared me a little, but just slowed down and changed lanes. They are all over the highways here as well

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
There are literally tons of it on the sides of the roads in Texas, especially during the summer (which is when the majority are "flung" due to the heat on the highway). I believe they should be restricted from use in the summer months which could help reduce this from happening. I once saw an entire retread hit a Toyota in the windshield and had there been a passenger, they would have been severely (if not critically) injured.

I am not sure they always know when they throw one--particularly when it is on an inside tire, but I know what you mean about liability.


I got hit by a several foot long section of a semi-tire tread while on my motorcycle. Tore the faceshield off my Swiss made Kiwi K20 helmet and crushed a section of the EPS liner. Wrenched my neck pretty bad too.

I saw the tire and thought I would be safe going around it 3 lanes over. Centrifugal force would cause it to fly off on a radius. I was wrong. I only had time to duck down enough to cause it to be a glancing blow on the right side of my helmet and over my eye. If I hadn't been wearing a helmet I could have been dead wrong.

Several drivers stopped while I tried to focus and clear out the blurriness and tunnel vision of a likely concussion. The truck driver did not stop.

 

[tom slick]

Contrary to popular belief, retreaded tires are not significantly more likely to come apart. Maintenance (i.e. improper pressure), overloading, and road debris are more likely to cause damage and separation. If they were more likely to come apart they would not be legal for highway use.

The alligators on the road are from virgin and retreaded tires.

Here's some homework:
http://www.umtri.umich.edu/content/rr40_3.pdf

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/663...nthesis9309.pdf

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/61517/102117.pdf?sequence=1

 

[KD0AXS]

I was in the lane right next to a belly dump trailer with my window rolled down when it blew a tire. Sounded like a bomb going off.

I don't worry so much about retreads as I do about all the [censored] people lose all over the freeway because they don't know what ratchet straps are.

 

[tomcat27]

a friend of mine on a motorcycle tangled with one also. not a fun experience.

 

[97f150]

I only ever ran over one in an unavoidable situation. It took out my tire that ran it over as well. I have also noticed over the last few weeks that the sheer number that you even see has increased.
We are just coming into summer months, and the heat here kills tires, maybe that's why. Maybe they were always that many and I haven't noticed, I doubt it though. There just seems to be an obscene amount this year.

 

[Chris142]

Truck tires lose treads when they are run low on air. He may have picked up a nail 3 states away and the tire may have been leaking air until it finally overheated and blew up. Retread tires do not blow up any more than new tires do. although most drivers assume it was a retread or a recap that blew up

 

[bvance554]

I was behind a car that ran over one once. Landed on my hood and windshield. Scared the censorship out of me.

 

[Shannow]

Plenty of Gators on Oz roads, and having one go off next to me was like standing next to my .44 lever action, except I wasn't suspecting it.

Bandag built a 12 second drag truck, and burnout machine to show how well retreads could handle harsh conditions...



The bridgestone steer tyres see 300km/hr in the standing kilometer too...

 

[rjundi]

Our friends got a brand new CMAX totalled at 55mph by a retread exploding on a truck behind getting hurt from flying glass etc. It set off all the air bags in the vehicle. They did catch up to the truck.

 

[Fleetmon]

tom slick and Chris142 have it correct....most times the 'gators are from virgin tires that have been damaged in some manner....road hazard, run low on air, curbed, etc. Recaps typically come apart in small sections.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Fleetmon
tom slick and Chris142 have it correct....most times the 'gators are from virgin tires that have been damaged in some manner....road hazard, run low on air, curbed, etc. Recaps typically come apart in small sections.


Not an excuse. Truckers know when a tire goes out, and should be on the hook for getting it out of the roadway.

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted By: renegade_987
I was around 150 yards behind a semi when he had one blow at 70 on the highway. Scared me a little, but just slowed down and changed lanes. They are all over the highways here as well


Try having one explode right next to you when your on a motorcycle! talked about scared $%@&less!!!