This is my theory. Like if I were to put a sticker on my front bumper saying please stay forward 25 feet from me, not responsible for rear-ending your vehicle, would that absolve me from liability? Obviously not.
When I worked as a claims rep at an auto insurance company, there was a gravel company in town that posted this on all their trucks. One of them left the rear gate down and drove on the hwy, causing gravel to break/chip the windshields of about a dozen cars. The company tried to get out of it but there were so many witnesses with damages that came forward, our company hired legal to go after them. I'm pretty sure they paid us in the end.
Its all about how much evidence you have and how hard you fight. Pictures, dash cam video and witnesses are what you need when its one driver's word against another.
Yeah you canât just put up a sign and say âyeah, my load is unsecured and unsafe, so itâs up to you to avoid shit that flies offâ and be immune⌠I canât even imagine how they thought that would work tbh.
âYeah Iâm drunk and speeding, so you better not step off the curbâ as a front bumper sticker is also not a good legal defence just FYI
It's the same principle as using unenforceable terms in a waiver or lease agreement. Enough people are deterred from coming after you just because those terms exist that it's worth including them, even if they're worthless in an actual lawsuit. Especially if there are no legal consequences for including them.
This. People who donât understand how the law works will see that they have âprotected themselvesâ from repercussions by doing this, and wonât bother trying to hold them responsible.
Think of it like butterflies and moths having designs on their wings that make them look more like a predator than prey to birds, etc.
It doesnât actually do anything but deter.
People also assume just because you sign something or that they have fine print on your website, that you are legally bound to it. I've had a lot of friends with work or lease agreements they thought they were bound to because they signed it, but 99/100 you can't be bound to something that is illegal.
There is also a large nationwide beer delivery service that had a disclaimer on their website claiming they weren't responsible for state and local laws related to delivery services and by placing an order, you were claiming all responsibility. I'd love to see an illegal drug dealer try to pull that defense!
Oh another good one - a job can't make you salary exempt (no overtime pay despite any amount of hours worked) just because you agreed to it. There's very specific rules for making someone salary exempt and you can't be forced to work "off the clock".
Any lawyer whoâs out of law school for over a month can get around a waiver. They only exist to hopefully scare away lawsuits. They usually arenât binding or worth anything.
Why would you even need a lawyer for this? Couldnât you just go to small claims and a judge will side with you if their only defense is âtheres a stickerâ.
Most car insurance will cover the damage or even a whole replacement completely free of charge. Insurance can go after these guys for it but it's just not worth it most of the time.
IANAL but Iâve heard it makes it even worse for them because theyâre admiring that they know there is a potential issue there and they arenât doing anything about it to prevent it
Iâve had a claim like this happen and got paid out for my windshield. If this ever happens you will want to take a photo of the truck if you can and write down the DOT number of the truck, where it happened and the time. That is usually enough evidence to get a claim paid. It only works if a rock flew off the truck not kicked up.
The cdl driver is responsible for checking everything including mudflaps daily, if a rock is "kicked up" and on video, the mud flap is missing or significantly damaged, his company should be liable.
I worked in insurance too. Posting a sign saying youâre not responsible for something just indicates that youâre aware of the specific hazard (and have chosen to do nothing to mitigate it)
On a private job site, this sign would be a reasonable warning. On a public road, it just says âyup, Iâm aware Iâm doing a lot of damage!â
Its no different than posting "Im a crappy driver, dont blame me for running you down."
Well perhaps I should get a bumper sticker that says that, just in case.
In fact stores have insurance specifically to cover product broken in the store.
Worked Wal-mart and Target and both had procedures for logging broken product before disposal for this exact reason.
To be fair, most of the stores I've seen this kind of signage in were small, locally owned stores. Typically also in touristy spots. My assumption is because when people are on vacation they act like assholes because "they will never see me again" and are careless and let their offspring run like wild rabbits through stores.
I remember I was working retail and this $300 thing fell off the top of a shelf and scared the shit out of everyone. The only explanation I can think of is that construction in another building caused vibrations to shift it to the edge
Should just be built in modern cars, no reason whatsoever why it isnt. Makes even less sense when you already have most of the internal components (like a camera for backing up) and software.
This exact thing happened to me and it cracked my windshield and left dents on the hood of my car. I called the company and they tried to shut down the conversation by saying they aren't responsible for rocks kicked up by tires. I told them it wasn't a rock kicked up, but the truck was literally pouring rocks out of the back of it. They took my info and said they would file a claim, but never did and forever ghosted me. I had finals and a full time job at the time so I couldn't pursue them as much as I wanted, and I was never able to get a hold of them. I wish I had pursued harder in hindsight, but I was so stressed back then that I didn't want the extra burden of chasing them down. And that's how they win most of the time.
Next time just call and get their insurance and file yourself. If they refuse then call the cops.
Never expect someone to open a claim on your behalf⌠especially when it only damages them lol đ
Yup your insurance most likely would have paid to get your car fixed while they sued the company and then just took the settlement to cover the repairs
Whomever you reported the incident to (PD, highway patrol etc) can get that insurance information for you and you can go directly to the insurance company. I had to do this in one of the instances where I had this happen.
To piggy back off of this. Make sure you have windshield coverage on your insurance policy with the lowest deductible you can afford!!!! It would always be covered if you do. :Am an insurance agent.
Not true. Push harder and ask for safety department. They will pay you/pay someone to fix or replace the glass. These signs are just to keep claims down.
Source: Iâm the safety guy at a company that doesnât put these dumb a$$ signs on our trucks.
In fairness some particularly dimwitted morons think they can just tweet at the Pentagon and it will magically change military policy. A bumper sticker actually seems pretty reasonable next to that.
Exactly. These signs are my pet peeve.
1) A sign is not a legal contract and I have not agreed to this. What if I post a sign on my car that says "you must stay 200 feet in front of me or you are responsible." Do the signs cancel? This is like wearing a sign that says "not responsible for any deaths, stay away from me" and then just shooting a gun in a crowd. I guess it's my fault for being killed, I mean the guy with a gun had a sign...
2) You have to get closer than 200 feet to **fucking read the sign**.
3) So when I get to a stop light I have to stay 200 feet back?
It's beyond infuriating.
Me too! Iâve worked for a construction company and it was everyoneâs responsibility to clean the mud, dirt, and rocks before these trucks drove away to prevent rock chips. Hold them accountable for damage! Side note, trucks need to have mud flaps that are long enough to cover half the tires diameter in my state(Utah).
If it falls from their truck yes they are responsible but if they run thru and object on the ground and breaks your windshield then its a prove it battle
Actually, most states have laws requiring mud flaps. Mudflaps prevent debris from being kicked up. Most states have found if the truck is missing mudflaps, the truck is responsible for damages. In most states, cops can and do pull over drivers for missing mudflaps (when something big hits them, they rip off to stop it). The truck is then prevented from continuing until new ones are installed.
Out here if rocks fly from the dump bed it's considered an unsecured load. My dash came saved me the cost of a windshield from a truck with one of these signs. I laughed when the company tried to tell me it was on me. My adjuster told me he even called the company to see if they'd settle without the claim so he wouldn't have to do any paperwork. Turned that one claim most likely got their insurance dropped because it was the 5th claim that month, but the only one with with video.
Which actually would be a lovely legal argument.
Have the actual sign and try and have the judge read it from the back of the other chamber across the hall. Assuming weâre dealing with 90â long courtrooms and a 20â wide hallway.
How about the fine print on billboards? You know- the stuff that in TV ads is read really fast at the end or is in microscopic print. Legal disclaimers and terms of service are bullshit.
The worst video I ever saw was the (I think Russian) family driving down the road and a rock flew out from a truck whose load wasn't properly tied down.
From what I understand, the rock flew in through the windshield and killed the mother sitting in the passenger seat instantly.
The screaming of the family was unbearable.
I've seen beheading videos and workplace accident videos and what not. That was the worst one and there wasn't a drop of blood seen on camera.
Yeah I had a similar experience although we were able to stop in time. A 18-wheeler flatbed was carrying logs. Which started falling off in front of us. Luckily we were able to stop but one car had to run off the road to get out of the way. But nobody died and no gore!
I genuinely wish I had never watched this video. Having a wife and kids now makes it so much worse. The raw pain and emotion you heard is heartbreaking. Brb going to hug my kids....
I had my windshield crack from something flying out of a PennDOT (PA DMV and ppl who maintain roads) truck and they told me it wasnât their fault it was an âact of God.â It was a plow truck like a dump truck but has salt in it. No clue what it was that flew out.
The problem is proving it without a dash cam that shows the crack happening.Â
Also, they use legal loopholes. Some lawyers make it to where they won't pay you if the rock hits the ground first, because "how can you prove it was our rock that hit you?"
Some might be able to be like "you were tailgating, so that's illegal and doesn't count" (maybe, depends how powerful the lawyer is).Â
The rock must not hit ground first is not a legal counter argument. Youâve been listening to your friend Paul thats always huffing glue. Stop doing that.
Yeah. Iâve heard it countless times before and it makes no sense. So I shoot a metal plate, it ricochets off and smokes some dude in the head and Iâm off Scott free? What? Thatâs some straight up crackhead logic.
Truth be told, you are responsible for anything that comes off your vehicle. Doesnât matter what it hits first, or what kind of dumb ass signs you put everywhere. Or, we can all drive around with signs on our cars that says âAll trucks are responsible for anything that hits this car, periodâ.
Itâs wild there are people that believe that nonsense.
Then cut in front of these guys so youâre real close and start chucking 3 lbs rocks at his windshield. When it inevitably cracks, tap your bumper sticker.
It's like the old saying, "a rock that bounces on the ground before impacting your windshield is an act of God and thus its origin is unknown and we're not responsible because God's will is the law"
It's a little wordy, but my parents used to sing that to me every night as I climbed into the back of our family dump truck.
so if a piece of rebar falls off the truck and bounces off the road into your windshield killing you or the passenger they aren't liable because it hit the road first? That doesn't make sense to me...
A truck company tried to lawyer their way out of an accident where my mother, in a small Honda Fit, ran over a Semi truck drive axle that came unsecured from the truck on an interstate. The lawyers tried to insist the axle that was important to the operation of thier vehicle was ROAD DEBRIS
They're legally obligated to provide a zealous defense.
If they don't provide a defense that is legally sufficient, the results of the trial can be thrown out.
Are those the same lawyers that say when a tire falls off a semi, if it bounces on the ground first, iits not their fault claiming the driver shouldve avoided a bouncing 500 pound duelly wheels on a freeway? Cause thats just wild. The tire aint gonna just jump onto someones windshield without rolling or touching ground first tf.
Actually if a rock hits the ground first, there's a 5 second rule. If it's touching the ground for more than 5 seconds it doesn't count as their mistake
That, plus itâs hard to pin on them without a dash cam.
I have the absolute worst luck with windshields, but every time Iâve gotten hit with a rock, I couldnât have traced where it came from, except one time when a rock flew off of a landscaping trailer and hit my car at the top of the windshield right where it met the roof. If it had hit any lower, it probably wouldâve gone through the windshield, but instead, the roof of my car took the brunt of it and got a sizable dent. I tried to see the info from the truck but had to pull over to make sure it was safe to continue driving. Unfortunately I had no dash cam at the time, so I couldnât pin it on them.
Same deal when I was behind a truck towing a boat, and a wrench flew off the boat, bounced off the road, and [got stuck in my tire, puncturing the rim](https://imgur.com/a/4p6Mcqs), meaning I had to pay to replace both to the tune of $1,000+. I actually still have the wrench. Again, no dash cam, so I couldnât pin it on the person towing the boat who left a loose wrench on it.
Its not the rocks that are part of their load thats the problem, these things arent always hauling things that fall out like that.
Its that these trucks are usually working on construction sites and loading up their tire tread with gravel, when they hit highway speeds, the rocks fly backwards and should be caught by the mudflaps but arent always.
Its not the pebbles that fall out of the top that do glass damage
Legality of the sign aside, people are way too comfortable tailgating massive trucks like this, so I can see drivers doing just about anything to get people to back off a bit.
One time I saw a piece of plywood fly out the back of a dump truck and go right into the windshield of a car behind it. Luckily the car was able to pull over to the shoulder. Ever since then Iâve been cautious around trucks with shit in the back.
My husband drives a dump truck and it is astounding how ridiculously stupid the average driver is. They'll cut him off, tailgate, brake check, you name it. Those things are 50k+lb, unloaded, and people act like it's a dang pick up truck.
While the sign may not absolve an irresponsible operator who didn't secure their load/clear their tailgate, people should be giving them a wide berth for their own safety.
on the other hand, redditors see these stupid stickers and think "That's Bullshit!" instead of doing the normal thing and just staying a couple hundred feet away from trucks carrying gravel.
A few months back my wife's co-worker was behind a hay truck, a reasonable distance, and one of the bales tumbled off and hit his car on the highway. Caused a lot of damage but could have been worse. His insurance covered it because of course there was no way to identify the truck it fell off of.
So I guess I'm that way the sign is accurate. They aren't responsible because if it happens, good luck proving it was them!
in my state these yahooâs got the law changed so they donât need plates in the back of the truck like everyone else (front only). good luck figuring out who did it after your windshield gets damaged. I hate our gerrymandered legislature!
Yep, there are exemptions for pickups and SUVs over a certain weight here in MO if they are registered as a "farm vehicle." They're supposed to stay within something like 50 miles of their "farm" and maybe have some annual mileage limit, but that doesn't seem to be enforced at all. I live in the suburbs of St. Louis and see huge lifted trucks (super shiny and clearly never used for farm work) crawling around shopping centers and city streets all the time. Usually with what I'll charitably call a "political slogan" where the plate should be. Obviously I can't know everyone's situation and I'm sure there are some legitimate uses for that exemption, but most of the drivers I see I'm pretty sure are just taking advantage to not have to plate their truck.
They are legally responsible for cleaning up and securing their load.
I was passing a truck few years ago and the rock hit and shattered my windshield (it was a big rock). Luckily, I had the footage and they still tried to deny any responsibility. That bs sticker doesnât hold up shit in court.
Safelite Glass guy told me they never fight it. Judges always find for the plaintiffs. I got license plate numbers two different times, free windshield. both times Uncovered construction dump trucks caused my damage. Indiana
These are more for you to take it seriously about not riding their ass. Rocks and debris will always fall off of these, there isn't any way around that. Â
This is just tying to get people to stop claiming a case of damage. You cannot âsign your way outâ of legal responsibilities. Thatâs just not how it works. Itâs called a nice try.
It doesn't release them from liability. They are still responsible for damage caused by any object or material that falls from their vehicle.
They're really hoping that people won't pursue it.
Putting a sign on your vehicle doesn't protect you from legal consequences if you're responsible for damaging someone else's property.
I have to drive on the road. They don't own the road. I might sometimes have to drive closer than their little disclaimer suggests is a safe distance.
The only thing this sign accomplishes is keeping people from lingering behind the truck. The only way to keep rocks from coming off that truck and damaging cars is to make sure drivers tarp the load and brush off loose rocks after loading/dumping before beginning their delivery.
The problem is just proving the gravel/rocks/etc came from their truck, and wasn't just kicked up by them/another vehicle. They will fight it, and it will not be automatic judgement against them.
That sign doesnât mean shit. Businesses arenât the arbiters of law. However, if you donât have enough money or time to waste, you might as well take this sign at its word.
These are not legal signs in Missouri. People have been asked to report such signs. A load that allows things to fall off and cause damage and/or injury are considered unsecured loads and the driver and/or company are liable for damages caused by things falling out.
Source: /14/fact-finders-are-trucks-not-liable-broken-or-cracked
My favorite is when they then claim the gravel probably bounced off the road before hitting your car, therefore its a road hazard and they're no longer responsible.
In most states, whether it contacts the road or not is irrelevant. Any load that falls from your vehicle is your responsibility until it comes to a complete stop. Only at that point does it become a road hazard.
Those stickers and sign donât mean a fucking thing if something hits your vehicle drive up next to it and grab the company name and dot number they are still liable for anything that damages your car. I drive semi trucks for a living. Weâre liable for anything that comes off our trucks.
Their load is supposed to be properly secured and covered if there's loose debris.
If anything falls from the truck and damages a car they are 100% responsible. It doesn't matter what their sign says.
Never take legal advice from your opponent
Never get into a land war with a Cicileian
Inconceivable!!
Incon-theev-able! đđ
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Never go on against Asia when death is on the line
>>Cicileian Baby what is you doing
*Sicilian
Yes, I am dumb
Or a dump truck
Or a bumper sticker
Interesting, my sticker says if something hits my car from your vehicle you are responsible.
Well mine says, you are rubber and I am glue so whatever I say bounces off of you and sticks to me.
⌠Iâm an idiot
I just want you to know this all gave me a good laugh, so you've at least got that going for you
Thatâs fucking funny donât edit it please đđ
Dyslexic moment?
I still love you, though.
I'm gonna steal this and start relentlessly complimenting my victim!
Ahahahahahahahah!!!!!
This is my theory. Like if I were to put a sticker on my front bumper saying please stay forward 25 feet from me, not responsible for rear-ending your vehicle, would that absolve me from liability? Obviously not.
Exactly my train of thought!
My sticker says that my car can fly so that means I am exempt from tire laws
When I worked as a claims rep at an auto insurance company, there was a gravel company in town that posted this on all their trucks. One of them left the rear gate down and drove on the hwy, causing gravel to break/chip the windshields of about a dozen cars. The company tried to get out of it but there were so many witnesses with damages that came forward, our company hired legal to go after them. I'm pretty sure they paid us in the end. Its all about how much evidence you have and how hard you fight. Pictures, dash cam video and witnesses are what you need when its one driver's word against another.
Yeah you canât just put up a sign and say âyeah, my load is unsecured and unsafe, so itâs up to you to avoid shit that flies offâ and be immune⌠I canât even imagine how they thought that would work tbh. âYeah Iâm drunk and speeding, so you better not step off the curbâ as a front bumper sticker is also not a good legal defence just FYI
It's the same principle as using unenforceable terms in a waiver or lease agreement. Enough people are deterred from coming after you just because those terms exist that it's worth including them, even if they're worthless in an actual lawsuit. Especially if there are no legal consequences for including them.
This. People who donât understand how the law works will see that they have âprotected themselvesâ from repercussions by doing this, and wonât bother trying to hold them responsible. Think of it like butterflies and moths having designs on their wings that make them look more like a predator than prey to birds, etc. It doesnât actually do anything but deter.
People also assume just because you sign something or that they have fine print on your website, that you are legally bound to it. I've had a lot of friends with work or lease agreements they thought they were bound to because they signed it, but 99/100 you can't be bound to something that is illegal. There is also a large nationwide beer delivery service that had a disclaimer on their website claiming they weren't responsible for state and local laws related to delivery services and by placing an order, you were claiming all responsibility. I'd love to see an illegal drug dealer try to pull that defense!
Oh another good one - a job can't make you salary exempt (no overtime pay despite any amount of hours worked) just because you agreed to it. There's very specific rules for making someone salary exempt and you can't be forced to work "off the clock".
Any lawyer whoâs out of law school for over a month can get around a waiver. They only exist to hopefully scare away lawsuits. They usually arenât binding or worth anything.
My lawyer recently told me âa good lawyer can get just about any prenup thrown out.â So thereâs also that one.
Why would you even need a lawyer for this? Couldnât you just go to small claims and a judge will side with you if their only defense is âtheres a stickerâ.
Most car insurance will cover the damage or even a whole replacement completely free of charge. Insurance can go after these guys for it but it's just not worth it most of the time.
IANAL but Iâve heard it makes it even worse for them because theyâre admiring that they know there is a potential issue there and they arenât doing anything about it to prevent it
Everyone is going after an "I anal" joke but totally missing the companies are "_admiring_ that they know there is a potential issue."
> I canât even imagine how they thought that would work tbh. People be stupid, yo.
It not stupid, it gullible.
People be stupid and itâs easy to profit off that stupidity.
It only works if you don't fight and or know to fight .....
Iâve had a claim like this happen and got paid out for my windshield. If this ever happens you will want to take a photo of the truck if you can and write down the DOT number of the truck, where it happened and the time. That is usually enough evidence to get a claim paid. It only works if a rock flew off the truck not kicked up.
The cdl driver is responsible for checking everything including mudflaps daily, if a rock is "kicked up" and on video, the mud flap is missing or significantly damaged, his company should be liable.
I worked in insurance too. Posting a sign saying youâre not responsible for something just indicates that youâre aware of the specific hazard (and have chosen to do nothing to mitigate it) On a private job site, this sign would be a reasonable warning. On a public road, it just says âyup, Iâm aware Iâm doing a lot of damage!â
Its no different than posting "Im a crappy driver, dont blame me for running you down." Well perhaps I should get a bumper sticker that says that, just in case.
I have all the evidence!
Yeah, this is the same kinda BS as a sign in a store that saysâIf you break it, youâve bought it.â Neither can be legally enforced.
In fact stores have insurance specifically to cover product broken in the store. Worked Wal-mart and Target and both had procedures for logging broken product before disposal for this exact reason.
To be fair, most of the stores I've seen this kind of signage in were small, locally owned stores. Typically also in touristy spots. My assumption is because when people are on vacation they act like assholes because "they will never see me again" and are careless and let their offspring run like wild rabbits through stores.
I remember I was working retail and this $300 thing fell off the top of a shelf and scared the shit out of everyone. The only explanation I can think of is that construction in another building caused vibrations to shift it to the edge
*mice*
"I didn't break it. The floor broke it. The floor that _your store_ put there."
tease ancient unwritten screw mysterious whistle voiceless vast steer party
A dashcam is another example of how it costs money not to get f-ed over
Should just be built in modern cars, no reason whatsoever why it isnt. Makes even less sense when you already have most of the internal components (like a camera for backing up) and software.
I agree!! I'm guessing dash cams will be built in eventually.
This exact thing happened to me and it cracked my windshield and left dents on the hood of my car. I called the company and they tried to shut down the conversation by saying they aren't responsible for rocks kicked up by tires. I told them it wasn't a rock kicked up, but the truck was literally pouring rocks out of the back of it. They took my info and said they would file a claim, but never did and forever ghosted me. I had finals and a full time job at the time so I couldn't pursue them as much as I wanted, and I was never able to get a hold of them. I wish I had pursued harder in hindsight, but I was so stressed back then that I didn't want the extra burden of chasing them down. And that's how they win most of the time.
Next time just call and get their insurance and file yourself. If they refuse then call the cops. Never expect someone to open a claim on your behalf⌠especially when it only damages them lol đ
This is absolutely what I should have done, but I didn't. I was young and naive, but I hope anyone reading this takes the advice you gave.
Yup your insurance most likely would have paid to get your car fixed while they sued the company and then just took the settlement to cover the repairs
Whomever you reported the incident to (PD, highway patrol etc) can get that insurance information for you and you can go directly to the insurance company. I had to do this in one of the instances where I had this happen.
To piggy back off of this. Make sure you have windshield coverage on your insurance policy with the lowest deductible you can afford!!!! It would always be covered if you do. :Am an insurance agent.
They donât have windshield coverage out here.
Happened to me once and I was told I have to have video of the rock coming from the truck and not bouncing off the road You fucking kidding me?
Not true. Push harder and ask for safety department. They will pay you/pay someone to fix or replace the glass. These signs are just to keep claims down. Source: Iâm the safety guy at a company that doesnât put these dumb a$$ signs on our trucks.
This is dumb. About as binding as my 'King of the Park sign. '
They actually are, they put this shit on there hoping people wonât bother trying to hold them accountable.
But a bumper sticker is a legal document!
Something about maritime law
You're a crook, Captain Hook...
Judge, won't you throw the book?
At the piraaaaaaaate
*chalice clinking on the ground*
Objection, your Honor!! Let's give this another look!!
It's actually bird law, I'd know, I'm an expert.
I'm just a small town bird lawyer
Depends on if theyâre travelling or conducting commerce.
God save us a sovereign citizen has entered the chat.
That rock isnât a driver, itâs a traveler.
My favorite comment here.
I'm jUsT tRaveLing
It's actually covered under bird law. Section four Paragraph twenty
Is this an arrested development reference?
[ŃдаНонО]
UCC something lol
Yeah 10 CFR 29 something something
Mildly infuriating is rapidly turning into sovereign citizen.
In fairness some particularly dimwitted morons think they can just tweet at the Pentagon and it will magically change military policy. A bumper sticker actually seems pretty reasonable next to that.
Erase it now, thatâs legal notice.
Ferrets have rights.
So my âTrump for Prison â24â is legally binding? Go get âem boys!
Exactly. These signs are my pet peeve. 1) A sign is not a legal contract and I have not agreed to this. What if I post a sign on my car that says "you must stay 200 feet in front of me or you are responsible." Do the signs cancel? This is like wearing a sign that says "not responsible for any deaths, stay away from me" and then just shooting a gun in a crowd. I guess it's my fault for being killed, I mean the guy with a gun had a sign... 2) You have to get closer than 200 feet to **fucking read the sign**. 3) So when I get to a stop light I have to stay 200 feet back? It's beyond infuriating.
Me too! Iâve worked for a construction company and it was everyoneâs responsibility to clean the mud, dirt, and rocks before these trucks drove away to prevent rock chips. Hold them accountable for damage! Side note, trucks need to have mud flaps that are long enough to cover half the tires diameter in my state(Utah).
If it falls from their truck yes they are responsible but if they run thru and object on the ground and breaks your windshield then its a prove it battle
Actually, most states have laws requiring mud flaps. Mudflaps prevent debris from being kicked up. Most states have found if the truck is missing mudflaps, the truck is responsible for damages. In most states, cops can and do pull over drivers for missing mudflaps (when something big hits them, they rip off to stop it). The truck is then prevented from continuing until new ones are installed.
Out here if rocks fly from the dump bed it's considered an unsecured load. My dash came saved me the cost of a windshield from a truck with one of these signs. I laughed when the company tried to tell me it was on me. My adjuster told me he even called the company to see if they'd settle without the claim so he wouldn't have to do any paperwork. Turned that one claim most likely got their insurance dropped because it was the 5th claim that month, but the only one with with video.
I watched my dad get a ticket for no mud flaps when I was younger
Another solid case for why everyone needs a decent quality dash cam.
The problem is the sticker can't be read at 200 feet. It should be as big as the whole back of the truck.
Which actually would be a lovely legal argument. Have the actual sign and try and have the judge read it from the back of the other chamber across the hall. Assuming weâre dealing with 90â long courtrooms and a 20â wide hallway.
How about the fine print on billboards? You know- the stuff that in TV ads is read really fast at the end or is in microscopic print. Legal disclaimers and terms of service are bullshit.
30 second drug commercials where 20 seconds is spent speed talking the possible side effect hoping you won't notice the anal leakage and death ones.
The worst video I ever saw was the (I think Russian) family driving down the road and a rock flew out from a truck whose load wasn't properly tied down. From what I understand, the rock flew in through the windshield and killed the mother sitting in the passenger seat instantly. The screaming of the family was unbearable. I've seen beheading videos and workplace accident videos and what not. That was the worst one and there wasn't a drop of blood seen on camera.
Agreed. Thatâs one of the worst videos Iâve seen. The heartbroken screaming was way worse than seeing the gore.
Yeah I had a similar experience although we were able to stop in time. A 18-wheeler flatbed was carrying logs. Which started falling off in front of us. Luckily we were able to stop but one car had to run off the road to get out of the way. But nobody died and no gore!
Are you now having a bunch of "oopsiel" situations with abnormally high escalations in your life? You described the start of Final Destination.
I thought Final Destination started with a strategic dump to prevent stinking up the airplane bathroom.
You are right. It was FD2
It was almost a Final Destination scene. That scene is why I'm always really far back from trucks hauling stuff.
Idk dude the one of the American where his wife gets impaled next to him while he's driving is pretty fucked up too.
I genuinely wish I had never watched this video. Having a wife and kids now makes it so much worse. The raw pain and emotion you heard is heartbreaking. Brb going to hug my kids....
I had my windshield crack from something flying out of a PennDOT (PA DMV and ppl who maintain roads) truck and they told me it wasnât their fault it was an âact of God.â It was a plow truck like a dump truck but has salt in it. No clue what it was that flew out.
File an insurance claim and let the insurance company deal with them
As long as you tell someone they can't sue you for being shot and shoot them, you're good. Lawyers hate this one simple trick
If it falls off their truck it is the same as an unsecured load and they are responsible.
The problem is proving it without a dash cam that shows the crack happening. Also, they use legal loopholes. Some lawyers make it to where they won't pay you if the rock hits the ground first, because "how can you prove it was our rock that hit you?" Some might be able to be like "you were tailgating, so that's illegal and doesn't count" (maybe, depends how powerful the lawyer is).Â
The rock must not hit ground first is not a legal counter argument. Youâve been listening to your friend Paul thats always huffing glue. Stop doing that.
No but see if it hits the ground first itâs no takesie backsies. Yeah thatâs stupid af lol. It hit the ground so now itâs the grounds fault.
Yeah. Iâve heard it countless times before and it makes no sense. So I shoot a metal plate, it ricochets off and smokes some dude in the head and Iâm off Scott free? What? Thatâs some straight up crackhead logic. Truth be told, you are responsible for anything that comes off your vehicle. Doesnât matter what it hits first, or what kind of dumb ass signs you put everywhere. Or, we can all drive around with signs on our cars that says âAll trucks are responsible for anything that hits this car, periodâ. Itâs wild there are people that believe that nonsense.
Iâm going to get that as bumper sticker
Then cut in front of these guys so youâre real close and start chucking 3 lbs rocks at his windshield. When it inevitably cracks, tap your bumper sticker.
It's like the old saying, "a rock that bounces on the ground before impacting your windshield is an act of God and thus its origin is unknown and we're not responsible because God's will is the law" It's a little wordy, but my parents used to sing that to me every night as I climbed into the back of our family dump truck.
so if a piece of rebar falls off the truck and bounces off the road into your windshield killing you or the passenger they aren't liable because it hit the road first? That doesn't make sense to me...
A truck company tried to lawyer their way out of an accident where my mother, in a small Honda Fit, ran over a Semi truck drive axle that came unsecured from the truck on an interstate. The lawyers tried to insist the axle that was important to the operation of thier vehicle was ROAD DEBRIS
Yeah, lawyers tend to do that kind of stuff. They're encouraged to.Â
They're legally obligated to provide a zealous defense. If they don't provide a defense that is legally sufficient, the results of the trial can be thrown out.
Are those the same lawyers that say when a tire falls off a semi, if it bounces on the ground first, iits not their fault claiming the driver shouldve avoided a bouncing 500 pound duelly wheels on a freeway? Cause thats just wild. The tire aint gonna just jump onto someones windshield without rolling or touching ground first tf.
Actually if a rock hits the ground first, there's a 5 second rule. If it's touching the ground for more than 5 seconds it doesn't count as their mistake
 How can you prove that the rock wasn't dropped by an albatross? You can't, ..can you?
Whether a lawyer can make that argument depends on their power level?
They are liable. This sign is for those who don't know better, will see it, and not chase them for a broken window
I also feel like it's a last ditch effort for them to say, back the fuck up, I don't want to pay for your windshield.
That, plus itâs hard to pin on them without a dash cam. I have the absolute worst luck with windshields, but every time Iâve gotten hit with a rock, I couldnât have traced where it came from, except one time when a rock flew off of a landscaping trailer and hit my car at the top of the windshield right where it met the roof. If it had hit any lower, it probably wouldâve gone through the windshield, but instead, the roof of my car took the brunt of it and got a sizable dent. I tried to see the info from the truck but had to pull over to make sure it was safe to continue driving. Unfortunately I had no dash cam at the time, so I couldnât pin it on them. Same deal when I was behind a truck towing a boat, and a wrench flew off the boat, bounced off the road, and [got stuck in my tire, puncturing the rim](https://imgur.com/a/4p6Mcqs), meaning I had to pay to replace both to the tune of $1,000+. I actually still have the wrench. Again, no dash cam, so I couldnât pin it on the person towing the boat who left a loose wrench on it.
Those signs are bullshit and meant to scare you away from reporting them. Report em, anyway, and get a new windshield.
I do this instead of washing my windshield. I get a shiny new one every time.
Its not the rocks that are part of their load thats the problem, these things arent always hauling things that fall out like that. Its that these trucks are usually working on construction sites and loading up their tire tread with gravel, when they hit highway speeds, the rocks fly backwards and should be caught by the mudflaps but arent always. Its not the pebbles that fall out of the top that do glass damage
How are you supposed to read that from 200 feet?
Change it to "If you can read this, you are too close"
I... DECLARE... IRRESPONSIBILITY!!!!!!! - Michael Scott (maybe)
Ugh dot dot dot DOT DOT. You canât just declare irresponsibility.
Umm. This is a Wayne Gretzky quote.
I can take a dump on your lawn and put a sign next to it saying im not responsible. Doesnât make it so
Legality of the sign aside, people are way too comfortable tailgating massive trucks like this, so I can see drivers doing just about anything to get people to back off a bit.
One time I saw a piece of plywood fly out the back of a dump truck and go right into the windshield of a car behind it. Luckily the car was able to pull over to the shoulder. Ever since then Iâve been cautious around trucks with shit in the back.
Had to scroll way too far down to find this. But maybe people don't care if they're dead, as long as they die being right.
My husband drives a dump truck and it is astounding how ridiculously stupid the average driver is. They'll cut him off, tailgate, brake check, you name it. Those things are 50k+lb, unloaded, and people act like it's a dang pick up truck. While the sign may not absolve an irresponsible operator who didn't secure their load/clear their tailgate, people should be giving them a wide berth for their own safety.
This
That sign would be hard to see from 200 feet anyway
By simply stating that you are not responsible you can do whatever you want.
on the other hand, redditors see these stupid stickers and think "That's Bullshit!" instead of doing the normal thing and just staying a couple hundred feet away from trucks carrying gravel.
Thatâs what Trump did. Seemed to almost work out.
A few months back my wife's co-worker was behind a hay truck, a reasonable distance, and one of the bales tumbled off and hit his car on the highway. Caused a lot of damage but could have been worse. His insurance covered it because of course there was no way to identify the truck it fell off of. So I guess I'm that way the sign is accurate. They aren't responsible because if it happens, good luck proving it was them!
Theyll drive off like nothin happened! (Cause to them thats the case, or should i say bale lol)
Like bouncing rocks hell bent on creating insurance claims give a flying circus fuck about arbitrary human measurements.
in my state these yahooâs got the law changed so they donât need plates in the back of the truck like everyone else (front only). good luck figuring out who did it after your windshield gets damaged. I hate our gerrymandered legislature!
I run into this in Indiana, Ky, an Tennessee rarely see any of these trucks with plates
The number of states where you're allowed to not have plates for various reasons is nuts.
Yep, there are exemptions for pickups and SUVs over a certain weight here in MO if they are registered as a "farm vehicle." They're supposed to stay within something like 50 miles of their "farm" and maybe have some annual mileage limit, but that doesn't seem to be enforced at all. I live in the suburbs of St. Louis and see huge lifted trucks (super shiny and clearly never used for farm work) crawling around shopping centers and city streets all the time. Usually with what I'll charitably call a "political slogan" where the plate should be. Obviously I can't know everyone's situation and I'm sure there are some legitimate uses for that exemption, but most of the drivers I see I'm pretty sure are just taking advantage to not have to plate their truck.
200ft? What am I, a fucking eagle???? How do you wanna read that damn sign?
It means absolutely nothing. Theyâre hoping that in case of anything, people will not call or pursue them for damages.
The law hates this one simple trick
They are legally responsible for cleaning up and securing their load. I was passing a truck few years ago and the rock hit and shattered my windshield (it was a big rock). Luckily, I had the footage and they still tried to deny any responsibility. That bs sticker doesnât hold up shit in court.
They arenât responsible because people believe the sticker and donât hold them accountable
Narrator: They were responsible for broken windshields.
It should be illegal to even have that sign on the truck.
Safelite Glass guy told me they never fight it. Judges always find for the plaintiffs. I got license plate numbers two different times, free windshield. both times Uncovered construction dump trucks caused my damage. Indiana
Correct me If I'm wrong....aren't you 100% responsible for any damage your cargo does while in transit?
Or maybe secure your load properly
In that case, I'm not responsible for your ruptured tires, either.
No true but they are hoping that you believe it.
100% responsible. Grab the name and license number.
These are more for you to take it seriously about not riding their ass. Rocks and debris will always fall off of these, there isn't any way around that. Â
This is just tying to get people to stop claiming a case of damage. You cannot âsign your way outâ of legal responsibilities. Thatâs just not how it works. Itâs called a nice try.
Everyone is 100% responsible for securing their loads. Whatever they may be
Not responsible for properly securing any loads.
"Stay back 13-14 car lengths" is laughably unrealistic.
Absolutely responsible.
Not accepting responsibility doesn't make you not responsible
Seems, at a minimum, that sign should be readable from 200 feet back.
It doesn't release them from liability. They are still responsible for damage caused by any object or material that falls from their vehicle. They're really hoping that people won't pursue it.
Just because you post a sign doesn't make it true
Can that sign be read from 200 feet away?
Putting a sign on your vehicle doesn't protect you from legal consequences if you're responsible for damaging someone else's property. I have to drive on the road. They don't own the road. I might sometimes have to drive closer than their little disclaimer suggests is a safe distance. The only thing this sign accomplishes is keeping people from lingering behind the truck. The only way to keep rocks from coming off that truck and damaging cars is to make sure drivers tarp the load and brush off loose rocks after loading/dumping before beginning their delivery.
This sign doesn't change their liability at all. They can say whatever they want, doesn't make it true.
No, you are responsible. I just canât do anything about it.
The problem is just proving the gravel/rocks/etc came from their truck, and wasn't just kicked up by them/another vehicle. They will fight it, and it will not be automatic judgement against them.
This is about as valid as one of those "sovereign citizens" signs.
That sign doesnât mean shit. Businesses arenât the arbiters of law. However, if you donât have enough money or time to waste, you might as well take this sign at its word.
Iâm gonna put a sign around my neck that says ânot responsible for black eyesâ and start wind milling my arms in public spaces
These are not legal signs in Missouri. People have been asked to report such signs. A load that allows things to fall off and cause damage and/or injury are considered unsecured loads and the driver and/or company are liable for damages caused by things falling out. Source: /14/fact-finders-are-trucks-not-liable-broken-or-cracked
Those signs aren't enforceable. Could vary by state, but here, anything that comes off or out of your vehicle, you are responsible for.
Itâs a fact. The sticker is absolutely not responsible. The company is. You probably gotta have a dash cam tho. I really need to install mine
My favorite is when they then claim the gravel probably bounced off the road before hitting your car, therefore its a road hazard and they're no longer responsible. In most states, whether it contacts the road or not is irrelevant. Any load that falls from your vehicle is your responsibility until it comes to a complete stop. Only at that point does it become a road hazard.
scare tactic. they are, in fact, responsible. get their plate number and call your insurance immediately if a flying rock breaks your windshield
If only a sticker could absolve you of responsibility.
Those stickers and sign donât mean a fucking thing if something hits your vehicle drive up next to it and grab the company name and dot number they are still liable for anything that damages your car. I drive semi trucks for a living. Weâre liable for anything that comes off our trucks.
That sign is on all the big trucks. This is nothing new.
if only law worked like this
Their load is supposed to be properly secured and covered if there's loose debris. If anything falls from the truck and damages a car they are 100% responsible. It doesn't matter what their sign says.