Monday, January 13, 2014

Roadways II: Big Rigs

I. Are they wheeled-dinosaurs, tractor-trailers, semis, or all of the aforesaid? Do they scare you, do you drive one? What are the rules, and why do they so dominate the highways and freeways and interstates and byways early in this here 21st century, barely a hundred years after they first took to the roads? 

II. Here in Texas, there's definitely some pushback against gas trucks, the long weird-looking natural gas-bearing transports with rungs on the side and "SHALE" signs of some kind attached to their rears. Who exactly is pushing back I know not, but there are street signs mounted against them in certain places, possibly because of damage to roads, and overloading. A power struggle is developing, or so it would seem. Quite a fracas over fracking, complete with earthquakes and the relentless rumbling of those ubiquitous insectoid-shaped gas and fracky fluid transports. 
III. It's not 1914 but 2014, and big trucks are everywhere. Actually driving such massive vehicles must be hard and exhausting work. Driving among them in packs is certainly harrowing. Add dark skies or dicey weather and everyone's in for a hellish spectacle. Trucks in fog, trucks on ice, trucks in a lightning storm -- good times.

IV. Do thoughts of big rigs bring to your mind anything in particular? 

Today's Rune: Partnership. 

5 comments:

the walking man said...

Brings to mind that I loved driving them before I became insulin dependent.

There is a problem that is growing nation wide over fracking waste, soon it will be a fifty year fight like Yucca Mountain. Here now the plan is to transport the tar sands from Canada across the Great Lakes by barge. Personally I can't comment on the frucking chemical trucking but I think I'd rather see the tar sand delivered just about any other way than pipelines.

That liquid (almost) sandpaper just chews the hell out of the pipes. $ years later and they still haven't found a way to clean the bottom of the Kalamazoo river.

Until them who actually get the free lunch from the oil industry lobbyists the rest of us are simply going to have to drink a little methane or whatever. Imagine having a smoke and going off like a sky rocket.

Charles Gramlich said...

I had an uncle who drove them before power steering. He was a small guy but with a huge upper body and arms from the work.

Luma Rosa said...

Hi, Erik!
For our comfort, someone has to do the heavy lifting. Alternatives are certainly welcome! Who knows the man back to the time of the wagon? The man is a predator by nature and the earth began without man, will end without him. Everything that man creates, in a way to destroy it.
Beijus,

Luma Rosa said...

Hi, Erik!
For our comfort, someone has to do the heavy lifting. Alternatives are certainly welcome! Who knows the man back to the time of the wagon? The man is a predator by nature and the earth began without man, will end without him. Everything that man creates, in a way to destroy it.
Beijus,

jodi said...

Erik-I appreciate the trucks moving our stuff to where it needs to be, however, it scares the hell out of me when I get sandwiched between them on the eway!