Humor Random Comments Thread

[Andy44]

I would guess, that is why videos of the same crash from different camera perspectives can be seen on Youtube. I just miss a chase cam.

Business opportunity: start a shop in that town that specializes in fixing truck roofs.

 

[Urwumpe]

Business opportunity: start a shop in that town that specializes in fixing truck roofs.

Just wait until you see my Kenworth W900 lowrider....

BTW: I just drove the Autobahn A2 westward, when I overtook a Kenworth W900 IN GERMANY! I was really surprised, sadly I was unable to take a picture while driving. Those long nose trucks are extremely uncommon here, because the European regulations have a maximum length of truck and trailer, which makes cab-over-engine the choice here.

 

[Quick_Nick]

Those long nose trucks are extremely uncommon here, because the European regulations have a maximum length of truck and trailer, which makes cab-over-engine the choice here.

Somehow I never really considered a REASON for European trucks to be consistently different in design from American trucks.

 

[Urwumpe]

Somehow I never really considered a REASON for European trucks to be consistently different in design from American trucks.

Actually, you have to blame the first German minister of traffic there, he decided that no truck should be longer than 16 meters or weight more than 32 tons. (To give the national railway a competive advantage, the trucks had been more efficient at that time). This decision made him so unpopular, that he had to get to public events through the backdoor.

And since Germany is the European traffic hub #1, you had to fit into the 16 meters for getting through Europe....

Later, there had been some evolution in different directions. In the USA, the trucks became a home on wheels with their huge cabins, while in Europe, the shorter trucks had been more maneuverable and allowed a much better view (But required the truck driver to clean his cabin before accessing the engine)

 

[Andy44]

Just wait until you see my Kenworth W900 lowrider....

BTW: I just drove the Autobahn A2 westward, when I overtook a Kenworth W900 IN GERMANY! I was really surprised, sadly I was unable to take a picture while driving. Those long nose trucks are extremely uncommon here, because the European regulations have a maximum length of truck and trailer, which makes cab-over-engine the choice here.

Cab-overs used to be more common in the US, but I haven't seen many in recent years. I heard they are a rough ride due the driver being over the front axle (verified by me as I used to ride as a passenger in one for a job I had in college), and also kind of a pain to get at the engine.

I've always been a fan of the classic Peterbilt long nose trucks. As long as they aren't overdone with redneck decorations they are classy looking, especially when maintained and kept shiny. Their radiator grills are reminiscent of the earliest automobiles.

It's weird; I have driven across the continent a few times and on those long drives you really start to notice things like that. Also, certain diesel engines and their turbochargers just have a really cool sound while others, not so much.

 

[Fabri91]

They (cab-overs) barely fit in some of out silly small streets when the driver follows his navigation system without question as it is, though.

American (or even Australian) trucks would be hilarious.

 

[Urwumpe]

It's weird; I have driven across the continent a few times and on those long drives you really start to notice things like that. Also, certain diesel engines and their turbochargers just have a really cool sound while others, not so much.

Yeah, nothing beats the sound of a Volvo truck here. The truck I saw looked similar to your picture, simple black paint job, some lot of chrome.

There seem to be some German companies who use american trucks here for special payloads and routes. One example made 2,4 million kilometers in Germany and was still driving well. They are pretty useless for normal tours, but if you are hauling gas bottles from factory to factory, they seem to be pretty attractive for the drivers.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

I can see the appeal of the bunks in the back of the cab in the U.S. I mean, it's a several day drive across the U.S. if you're obeying driver rest laws. Why pay for a hotel room when you can take it with you?

 

[Andy44]

I can see the appeal of the bunks in the back of the cab in the U.S. I mean, it's a several day drive across the U.S. if you're obeying driver rest laws. Why pay for a hotel room when you can take it with you?

Some of the bigger sleeper cabs are like mobile homes inside. Lots of truck drivers own their own tractors and are incorporated businesses, so those trucks are literally homes away from home. Those guys spends most of their time on the road.

---------- Post added at 09:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 PM ----------

Oroville Dam spillway in California is in danger of failing and an evacuation is under way.

The spillway was used the other day and a giant hole eroded through the surface.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-oroville-update-20170212-story.html?14869507475252

 

[MaverickSawyer]

As someone who grew up near there, and has family and friends still nearby, allow me to clarify.

The Auxiliary, or Emergency, spillway is at risk of failing due to extreme erosion. If it does, fail, it will open a 30 foot high breach that will allow tens of thousands of acre-feet of water to flow out of one of the largest reservoirs in California.
This emergency spillway has NEVER been used in the entire history of the dam, and they were unsure of exactly how it would behave, as this dam FAR predates computer modelling of fluids.

That said, the dam's operators have opened the damaged primary spillway to allow 100,000 cubic feet of water to flow out every second in an effort to lower water levels enough to stop flow over the emergency spillway. As of 7:32 PM PST, this has been successful, and they have lowered the lake level by more than a foot, and are expecting flows across the emergency spillway to cease within the hour. However, this is placing a lot of pressure on the levees downstream, which have not had a stellar record when dealing with flows of this magnitude.

Please note, the dam proper is NOT IN ANY DANGER. It remains in good shape and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The pictures that Andy posted are of the main spillway, and the damage suffered to it is the entire reason for the situation getting as critical as it has.

---------- Post added at 20:19 ---------- Previous post was at 19:33 ----------

Live news and reporting feed from a news station nearby (Sacramento, CA, which is a few hours downstream from the dam...)

http://www.facebook.com/GoodDaySacramento/videos/10154634310433005/

Press conference scheduled for 9:00 PM PST. As I type this, it's currently 8:18 PM PST.

As of 8:00 PM PST, lake level stands at 901.02' above sea level, which halts flow across the Aux/Emerg spillway.

 

[Andy44]

The erosion of the ground downstream of the emergency spillway looks a bit alarming to me. Irregular patterns of ditches being gouged out of the hillside; doesn't look like the engineers really had any idea how that would play out in the event the spillway was used.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

It was really meant to be (pardon the potential pun) a last-ditch resort. The entire situation was caused by the damage to the primary spillway, which would normally be run at fairly high levels to prevent the emergency spillway from ever having to be used. Regardless of what happens, this will most likely become a literal textbook example for civil engineering and hydrology classes for generations to come.

Evacuation orders currently are affecting more than 130,000 people, and the main evacuation routes are currently little more than parking lots.

---------- Post added at 22:00 ---------- Previous post was at 20:31 ----------

Press conference has been pushed back, and current reports have Cal Fire and other civilian helicopters long-lining bags of "rip rap" erosion control rocks into the damaged area.

Waiting for more info at this time.

---------- Post added at 22:17 ---------- Previous post was at 22:00 ----------

UPDATE:
-100kcfs flows being maintained until the lake drops 50 feet, which is well below the emergency spillway's lower edge.
-Lake is currently at 900.34 feet and falling.
-Issue with the Emergency spillway is erosion of the hillside undermining the foundation of the concrete portion of the emergency spillway.
-Evacuation remains steady, if slow. Law enforcement reports minimal issues other than vehicle issues. Despite any rumors or reports, there has NOT been any looting or rioting in the areas under evacuation. Police continue to patrol these areas to ensure security and to catch any stragglers and ensure they evacuate.

I've got an early start tomorrow, so I'm going to call it a night. Hopefully no unexpected surprises crop up while things are still on edge right now.

 

[Urwumpe]

Have seen some drone images of the damage, looks pretty dramatic to me - the hole in the primary spillway is one bad issue, but the emergency spillway looks worse now. Should the concrete lip of the emergency spillway fail, the dam itself won't collapse and a large amount of water will suddenly rush down the spillway. But also, erosion could further damage the rest of the dam then.

 

[n122vu]

From what I've read earlier today, they've got a couple of days to get the water level down as low as possible before a couple more days of rain could add back to the stress on the lip of the spillway. Here's hoping the evacuations continue in an orderly fashion and no one gets left behind should the worst outcome end up being the case.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

:blink:
Wow. That is some serious damage. No sign of the bags of riprap they airlifted in last night, but they could be out of frame.

I strongly suspect that this will lead to a large series of inspections of all other spillways throughout the state, both main and emergency.

---------- Post added at 17:32 ---------- Previous post was at 17:30 ----------

http://www.kcra.com/article/water-stops-spilling-over-oroville-auxiliary-spillway/8736758
Great aerial footage from the local NBC affiliate.

 

[Andy44]

Those are the gouges in the landscape I mentioned earlier. That is bad news. Even without more overflow that may erode further when the next heavy rains hit.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

More great footage, courtesy of The Sacramento Bee:
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article132550654.html

Also, keep in mind that they're dumping the entire contents of an Olympic swimming pool out the primary spillway in less than a second. If there's anything left of the lower 2/3rds of the spillway after this is done, I think we need to find the engineers who designed it and buy them a round.

 

[Quick_Nick]

 

[tl8]

:blink:
Wow. That is some serious damage. No sign of the bags of riprap they airlifted in last night, but they could be out of frame.

I strongly suspect that this will lead to a large series of inspections of all other spillways throughout the state, both main and emergency.

---------- Post added at 17:32 ---------- Previous post was at 17:30 ----------

http://www.kcra.com/article/water-stops-spilling-over-oroville-auxiliary-spillway/8736758
Great aerial footage from the local NBC affiliate.

While the large gouges to the right of the picture look bad, that is expected.

The bit that they are worried about is right the base of the spillway. That is where the concern is (You can see the gravel that they added right at the base). If you look at google earth, the section toward the top is intended to be like that.

 

[Urwumpe]

While the large gouges to the right of the picture look bad, that is expected.

Actually, so expected that it was suggested in 2005 to pave the top part of the emergency spillway with concrete. But this was rejected. Too expensive.