From: dilmore@cray.com (Robert J. Dilmore)
Subject: Re: Objects falling from vehicles
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 11 Sep 92 07:30:24 CDT

In article <1992Sep10.201703.19856@mmm.serc.3m.com> us267384@mmm.serc.3m.com (Steven M. Anastasi) writes:
>From article <18o4v9INN3ke@gilligan.East.Sun.COM>, by mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori):
>> In article <nauman.716147327@hq> nauman@Pt.hq.af.mil (Stratton D Nauman) writes:
>>>A few years ago, A dump truck traveling at about 45 MPH "dropped"
>>>a 5 foot diameter boulder out of its back end, which made mincemeat
>>>out of our tank Chevy Suburban traveling at 35 MPH in the opposite
>>>direction.
>>>
>>>I am Writing to tell about it, so thats good. :)
>>>

   I was traveling down the DC beltway 4 days ago and a truck carrying 
4 pallets of 2 inch thick construction foam/insulation. Two of the 
pallets of 4'x8' snapped loose and they shot up straight in the air. 
There musta' been 80 sheets of this shit up in the air. Here comes the 
fun part... It's RUSH HOUR! when the foam would settle down the cars 
would hit it and they would explode into a million parts! I hit one of the
buggers head on and it put blue streaks all over my car. No prob. it waxed
off.

Robert>> 
>> Man, I'd have had to clean out my drawers after that!
>>
DITTO! 
>> The worst thing I've ever seen fly off a truck was a
>> 2-foot section of a 2x4, while the truck it flew off
>> of and I were doing about 70 on I-20, east of Columbia,
>> S.C..
>> 
>> I'm damned glad there was nobody around me, because I
>> had a heck of a time dodging that thing as it fluttered
>> about in the air, and seemed to "follow" my every move.
>> 
>> It finally landed about 4 feet to the right of my car,
>> and I had to stop for a few seconds... Scared the s**t
>> out of me. All I could think of was being bludgeoned
>> by a flying 2x4 coming thru my windshield.
>>
>
>I was following my dad down the interstate in the rain.  
>He was pulling a trailer
>(flatbed) with a garden tractor on it.  Behind the rear wheels where
>wedges of oak trees (that we were cutting down).  One of the wedges
>shook loose and fell off the trailer.  When it hit the road, it started
>spinning wildly and quickly started rolling.  Since it wasn't round,
>it would jump up and then land roll a bit, jump up high, land roll a
>bit.  Of course, it was amusing watching this for only a moment until I
>soon realized that I was its target.  There was a car on my left so
>my only choice was the ditch yet I couldn't predict its path.  The wedge
>took a couple small jumps then lept into the air and descended directly
>toward my windshield.  I only had time to put my arm over my face and
>close my eyes.  THUD THUD ....... the windshield isn't even cracked.
>I pulled over (to inspect the car and clean my shorts).  The wedge hit
>the very front of the hood (denting it) and deflected hitting the 
>windshield wiper (that was now bent out and immobile halfway up
>the windshield).  I could not believe it.  The hood deflected it
>into the windshield wiper in motion absorbing enough energy to
>save the windshild and potentially my life.  Amazing, but true.
>
>-- 
>Steve Anastasi	
>smanastasi@mmm.com
>St. Paul, Minnesota