🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <58787@mimsy.umd.edu>, gdrew@cs.umd.edu (Greg Drew) writes:
|> I'll reiterate the previous comment on retreds.  They are Dangerous!   I 
|> was in a car which got hit by a retred which disintegrated.  We almost had a
|> serious accident, and the front grill and a headlight were destroyed.  I have
|> done a fair amount of highway driving and have had to dodge several retreds
|> as they flew apart, not to mention having to manuver around the "leftovers"
|> of disintegrated retreds.  I have witnessed several close calls caused by
|> these things.  I wonder, do you really care more about the environment than
|> about the safety of the other people on the road?
|> 					-- GDD
|> 
|> -- 
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> Greg Drew                          | Watch for coming attractions 
|> gdrew@trellis.cs.umd.edu           |
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree about the danger.  There are several not well know facts about
retreads.  1) They last a LOT longer at 55 than at 70. (When was the last
time you saw a truck other than UPS doing the limit?)  2)  Even though
the retread is legal, the trucker (or company) can still be held liable
for any damage caused by the retread.  If you see the truck, get the license
and report it as a traffic accident to the Highway patrol. 3) Truckers can 
inspect their tires and determine when the retread is shot.

Granted, if you didn't see it come off a truck and you ran over it, there isn't
much you can do.  I swerved to miss a piece on I95 and almost bumped another
car.  One day later I had to run directly over an entire peice of retread.  It 
damaged the exhaust system and threw the front end out of align.

It's time we stopped putting up with this crap.  They pay road tax but nothing
near their fair share when you consider the fact that heavy trucks do 98% of
the highway damage and are involved in 50% of the fatalities.

Let's get the freight back on the rails where it belongs.

	---Russ