Our load was 27 feet wide.  That means that on a typical two lane road, the load hung over each shoulder.  We ran with four escorts-two up front and two in the back.  The lead escort was out forward about 1/2 mile, while I ran about 200 yards directly in front of the load.  The other two escorts trailed the load, holding off traffic when we were approaching narrow sections, skinny bridges and the like, and advising the driver when traffic got too backed up.

Being the second front escort in a situation like this is VERY stressful.  As vehicles would approach, I weaved into the oncoming lane of traffic to get their attention and then moved back into our lane of travel.  As the vehicles got closer, I waved a bright orange flag out the driver’s door window and waved them to the shoulder.  Some of the bridges we crossed were so tight that there couldn’t have been more than one foot on either side of the load.  In those cases, I raced ahead and then pulled completely into the oncoming lane of traffic and stopped traffic or attempted to do so.

Occasionally, vehicles would go around me but very quickly came to a stop once they saw the load.  In one case, I could see that the woman driver was going to try to go around me, so I inched forward and forced her to stop.  Let’s just say she was QUITE demonstrative in her unhappiness with me, until her daughter pointed out that our load covered the entire bridge.  As I passed her, she was smiling at me and saying “thank you”.

We had one incident in which a little blue haired lady was on her cell phone as she passed me.  She actually drove UNDER the load.  I am not sure she ever saw it.  If her car had been just four inches higher, it would have become and instant convertible.

Then, there are the folks who absolutely hate escorts and oversize loads.  One guy flipped off every escort and the truck driver.  Several miles down the road, we were stopped by a highway patrol officer who said they had reports that our load was travelling without escorts or a permit.  It actually helped us because he provided us with police escort the last 30 miles of the trip and arranged for city/county escort through a couple of small towns along the way.

Three years ago, this same colleague escorted a truck from this regional trucking company when the driver struck an overhead sign.  The two escorts insisted that they warned the driver of this sign, but the driver said they did not.  The trucking company filed a claim against the pilot car company for $40,000 in damage to the load and the sign.

In consulting with an attorney, the pilot car operator learned that this particular trucking company has a reputation for suing pilot car companies…A LOT!!

I have escorted OD loads for this company myself.  On EVERY load that I’ve been on with them, the drivers force their high pole to race about 85 miles per hour, just to stay far enough out front to be useful.  Once when I was in the chase position, I watched a driver go around a 90 degree curve at about 60 mph!  I actually saw the right rear tandems come off the ground.  These guys are mavericks in every sense of the word.  They tend to want to go their own way, regardless of the permit (if they actually HAVE one).  They are a danger on the highway in my opinion.

And yet, here is this pilot car operator continuing to do business with them AND writing a “book” survey.  In my opinion, it is utter folly.  I told my colleague that…but he was not deterred,  All I can say is that I hope the pilot car operator is well insured!

 I plan to see some escorts along the way.