Slight Detour – May 2025
There are all sorts of hazards out there on the road. Some are avoidable and some are not. One trucker recently encountered the avoidable kind and unfortunately did not avoid it – much to the dismay of a nearly 300-pound landscaping boulder.
Police in Colorado Springs recently responded to a traffic incident where a large landscaping boulder somehow made its way onto the roadway. According to officials, this occurred after a tractor-trailer ran over three large rocks while making a turn – resulting in one of the stones becoming lodged in the semi’s tires.
Unaware of the sedimentary stowaway, the driver continued on his course, dragging the boulder roughly 2 miles through the city.
Police said they located the driver who gave the stone a free ride-along. Fortunately, his vehicle was not damaged, and no injuries were reported.
The landscaping boulder was returned to its home and reunited with its friends – with the amazing story of its journey to share. You have to love a happy ending.
The stones on these two
Sticking with the theme of rocks and the police, a pair of teens were recently arrested in Tennessee for throwing rocks at multiple tractor-trailers from an overpass.
The first incident occurred around 4:30 a.m., when a trucker reported the windshield of his truck was shattered after being struck by an object. At that time, Knoxville police were unable to locate any suspects.
The next day, at around 2:30 a.m., officers returned to the same location after receiving multiple calls about objects being thrown from the overpass and striking several tractor-trailers. This time around, Tennessee Department of Transportation traffic cams showed a pair of young men walking along the railroad overpass. Officials detained the two teens, who would eventually confess to chucking the rocks.
Fortunately, nobody was injured by their actions. The teens were charged with reckless endangerment and taken to a juvenile detention facility, where they hopefully will look to turn over a new stone.
Rocks aren’t the only thing to reportedly chucked at oncoming semis. Since starting this column, I have seen reports of pumpkins and a gallon of milk thrown at trucks too. So remember to keep your head on a swivel, because it’s coming from all directions.
Aim higher
While our next story takes a turn away from the rock theme, it does involve the police and people doing something stupid – and this time, law enforcement got in on the stupidity too.
A Boston man recently pleaded guilty for his role in an extortion conspiracy involving multiple Massachusetts State Police troopers. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the man conspired with troopers to provide false passing scores for CDL applicants in exchange for bribes.
Naturally, one would wonder what could be so alluring that these troopers would be willing to risk their jobs. Perhaps a big ol’ pile of cash? Nope … It was bottled water and other beverages.
Yep, you read that correctly. The man, who worked for a water company, was bribing the troopers with bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, along with cases of bottled Arizona Iced Tea and other coffee and tea products.
Despite the hilarity of someone being willing to risk their livelihood over canned sweet tea – which has managed to maintain a very reasonable price point even with inflation impacting everything else – this is a very real concern when it comes to safety.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, troopers in charge of administering the CDL test described one of the company’s applicants as “an idiot” who had “no idea what he’s doing” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” Prosecutors said that the applicant was allegedly given a passing score, which is a terrifying thought.
The man who pleaded guilty is now awaiting sentencing and is facing up to 20 years in prison for his crimes.
I know we can all get a little bent out of shape with our jobs from time to time – and that the job of a state trooper can be grueling – but this is just plain ridiculous. It would take a lot more than some fancy repackaged tap water to make me risk losing my job.
Out with the old
I hear from drivers a lot about how things just aren’t what they used to be when it comes to the world of trucking.
One of the things that’s been lost to the winds of change is the mom-and-pop truck stop. Those left standing are relics of the past – a monument to simpler times when you could fill your tank and get a hearty meal in one stop.
Perhaps it’s the scarcity of these roadside gems that makes it particularly upsetting when one of them closes up shop. And over the past few months, a number have reached the end of the line.
We first mourn the loss of R-Place in Morris, Ill., which served truckers for nearly 60 years. Known for their signature desserts, the diner located at the TA truck stop served up breakfast, lunch, and dinner – along with a 4-pound cheeseburger that earned Wall of Fame honors and a free meal for anyone hungry enough to tackle the massive mound of meat.
As if the loss of a place with a gigantic cheeseburger wasn’t enough, we also recently lost Johnson’s Corner restaurant in Johnstown, Col., home of the 4-pound cinnamon roll.
This iconic pitstop served patrons these “world famous” cinnamon rolls for over 70 years.
Fortunately, in the case of Johnson’s Corner, its gas station and convenience store will remain open and will continue to sell those allegedly famous cinnamon rolls – although you’ll have to buy them in normal-sized servings.
Both of the restaurants, which are owned by Travel Centers of America, are being replaced with Black Bear Diners. The truck stop giant currently operates 10 of the bear-themed restaurants in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico and Texas.
To be fair, Black Bear Diner seems to be run by decent folks. It has 162 locations in 14 states and supports local charities in those communities. Plus, its pancakes are pretty delicious. But the cessation of 4-pound burgers and cinnamon rolls is a real loss for the trucking industry.
The closing of these two iconic roadside eateries – along with the oldest truck stop in Colorado burning to the ground – are truly a sign of the times. Guess I’ll have to find another place to indulge in my craving for 4-pound food items. LL