Subdeacon Joe Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 I've seen a California Highway Patrol car making a traffic break by making "S" turns over all lanes on the freeway, never seen this before: That's more than I thought those rear wheels could turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 The “hook and ladder” trucks can turn a short corner on two lane, two way residential streets!! I once saw a demonstration at an airport where the rear wheel section was almost even with the cab going down a runway!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 A former co-worker's dad was a fireman driving the back end of a hook and ladder truck when the main driver rounded a city corner too fast. The guy on the rear end couldn't round the corner in time an ended crashing into a corner building. Yeah, he was busted up pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawdog Dago Dom Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 The rear steer is done by a person called the "tillerman". The fire department I worked with in the early 80's had a new ladder, but kept it's 1928 American LaFrance ladder in working order, including the rear steer. Great to get around narrow streets, but you really had to get a feel for it to react or anticipate the driver's moves. And no power steering back then! Our tillerman was a former Marine and old school butcher who was an easy 6"6" and 250 pounds. He was about the only guy who could do it and make it look easy. Huge steering wheel that stayed parallel to the ground. There was a story in back in the day of some of the firemen taking the old ladder truck out for a joy ride after a beer or 10. In the wee hours the tillerman turned the wrong way. and they took out an entire row of hedges on a corner lot. The boys had it replaced by sunrise, the homeowner was happy and they never did it again. Here's the old girl. https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/fire-apparatus/heal-1928-american-lafrance-aerial/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Church Key, SASS # 33713 Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 I worked at Georgetown University in the middle 1960's. The campus was started 1n 1789 and consisted of a bunch of mainly old brick buildings and several 7-story brick dorms with very narrow alleyways. Anyhow, when a dorm fire happened, the DC fire department sent out all their hook and ladder trucks. They had no trouble entering, but took hours to extract them. Usual fire cause was oily rags in 60 year old elevator shafts. Caused big pucker factors on everyone's part. Was really entertaining to watch those firemen earn their pay (big time). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 my only experience with this is steerable semi trailer - hauling precast bridge sections , that is amazing , i see the logic , never imagined the need , but i live in flyover country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 6 hours ago, watab kid said: i see the logic , never imagined the need , but i live in flyover country Kentucky isn't exactly coastal elite territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 On 3/17/2021 at 7:04 AM, Subdeacon Joe said: Kentucky isn't exactly coastal elite territory. seemed like it to me when last i was there from these empty plains , seriously , i get that , yet yall got a lot more traffic than we do here [save the twin cities-where you can get big city riots] its been a couple years since i was out that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smuteye John SASS#24774 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Around here, a rolling road block is an old man in a Grand Marquis doing 35 in a 55 because he is 'only going a couple of miles down the road' and 'just doesn't feel like driving that fast'. The ones that will get you killed are the little old ladies in the Camrys that get on a 4 lane, controlled access highway with a 65mph speed limit and putter along at 40 on a bridge and think that it's OK because they just got on the road at the exit that ends at the foot of the bridge on one side and are getting off on the exit just over the river. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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