# Invisable Telephone Pole



## SnowGodFather (Aug 1, 2001)

Well the inevitable happened, backed into that invisabe tele pole.

Shove the spreader up to the front of the bed and almost ripped the entire chute off the spreader. Bent the spinner shaft.

Luckily it was an easy no cost fix. Used some body pannel washers and tack welded them on to fix, ground the bent part of the shaft so it tould fit back on the gear box.

Glad it happened on the last pass of salt on the last account, but had to remove and dump a 3/4 load of salt before could fix it.

Only visable damage is a dent where the pole contacted the spreader engine cover.

Watch out after working for 24 hours straight. Damn refreezing.


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## paul soccodato (Nov 9, 2002)

you gotta hate those invisible poles! i backed into a invisible building one time, after a "few" hours in the truck.

glad you did'nt screw up the salter too bad


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## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

I hit one too a long time ago it's amazzing how they just jump out in the way.lol Did no damage to pole just bent the rim on the machine a little but it was the concrete surounding the pole that i hit.They get right in the blind spot.


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## SnowGodFather (Aug 1, 2001)

> _Originally posted by paul soccodato _
> *you gotta hate those invisible poles! i backed into a invisible building one time, after a "few" hours in the trucik.
> 
> glad you did'nt screw up the salter too bad *


LMAO this post made my day, thanks.


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## Pelican (Nov 16, 2001)

I had an oak tree grow behind me on steroids or something after I had made a pass late Christmas Day. Wasn't there when I plowed through, backed up, BAM!


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## speedracer241 (Oct 13, 2001)

My partner clipped an invisible 4 hole roadside mail box on the last snow. 
He backed across the road to make 1 last pass and backed a little too far.
Bent the tailgate of his old Blazer into kinda a horseshoe shape.
Luckily he had another gate lying around and changed it before I saw it.
 
I didn't even give him too much crap,
Mark K


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## Rooster (Dec 13, 1999)

SGF,

Hope you are alright, sorry to hear about the pole getting in your way.

Maybe you tought the pole a lesson?

Rick


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Sorry to hear about the damage, but glad to hear that invisible telephone poles aren't unique to this area. I backed into one in a customer driveway after I'd looked behind me and was watching out the rear view mirrors. Going real slow so didn't damage the pole or the rear bumper, but felt like an idiot. Worst part was the customer's father was watching. He looked at me like - "What the h--- are you doing?". So I looked at him like "I meant to do that".


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## digger242j (Nov 22, 2001)

Don't go blaming the pole. They're all *perfectly* visible, until you close the eyes in the back of your head....


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## snowflake (Jan 16, 2003)

damn hate that when that happpins been there done it tooo. it reallty sucks when you back into the same darn pole more than once in the same nite yet.

 


:realmad:


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## BRL (Dec 21, 1999)

I don't know which is worse, hitting the object; or when you've stopped or already started pulling away & see something in the one mirror you didn't look in & see something that you have no idea how you missed it. I hate that 16 or so heart beats during the period that only 1 or 2 should have happened. Just as good as a cup of coffee though  

Now at least you guys have good excuses for these little bumps in this thread, you know, you were up all night, you were working... The other day I was backing into my driveway, worked my way around the other plow & truck looking at the passeneger side rear view mirror to make sure I get to the spot I want to be, inching along CRUNCH. Oh yea, forgot my wife had parked her car the last time about 5 or 6" over from usual & at an angle. Ooops. This was the 4th time that day that I had manuevered around the crookedly parked car, and it hasn't snowed or iced for several days, but I failed  . I was pretty tired though if that counts. Several neighbors happened to be out at the time so that made it worse LOL Good thing was my wife had no idea when I got in the house. "What noise" "Nothing dear, pretend I didn't just ask."

That incident reminded me of the time we were living in an upstairs apartment with a big wide driveway & plenty of parking spaces. I get up to go plowing at 4:00 AM & completely forget her car is parked behind me (its a celica, you know about 2 feet high & maybe 4 feet wide & maybe 6 feet long, you just can't see it in these big trucks IMO). This time SLAM + LOUD ALARM!! Did I mention it was 4:00 AM?? LOL LOL 

Digger242,
Unfortunately I got those eyes from the Union Shop & they never tell me when they're on their court ordered breaks, just take off for coffee & donuts without a word.... CRASH!


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## pjslawncare (Jan 17, 2003)

Dont feel too bad Snow godfather. Last Thursday I was picking up the kiddos from school in my plow truck when I had to make a U turn rite out front of the pick-up area. Sure as heck, I had to make a three point turn because narrow street and three cars suddenly came up. BAM!! probably that same pole you hit poped up rite behind me. Only diffenence was I had an audience 
Salt spreader was OK but ego sure hurt.


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## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

My old boss backed into a large metal light pole in a Wegmans (supermarket) parking lot. Knocked the thing clean over onto some parked customers cars. Lets just say that was the last year he had that contract.


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## SnowGodFather (Aug 1, 2001)

Oh yeah BRL, I remember many "how did I miss that's"!!!!!!

And the "that wasn't there when I backed up's"!!!!!

Looks like inches and the heart starts a beatin faster.

Glad I am not alone.


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## Mr_Roboto (Dec 21, 2002)

I found an invisible boulder last night, fortunately I built a bumper guard that goes in my receiver, bent the heck out of that, but didn't touch my pretty chrome bumper.


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## Lawn Lad (Feb 4, 2002)

Had a close call yesterday plowing an entrance to a busy grocery store on Superbowl Sunday. I was plowing into the lot - so I stopped and looked before I backed into oncoming traffic (passenger side of truck)- there was none, so I proceeded. Next thing I hear is a horn, wheel screech and I see a car in my driver's side mirror of a car that swerved into the oncoming traffic lane to avoid hitting me. Didn't see her at all. I didn't think I was tired - maybe just in a daze - or she was in that blind spot. Wow was I lucky. I think I added a year's wear and tear on my heart. 

I love plowing - but I hate the close calls where your heart jumps. That's THE worst feeling. You only get lucky so many times.


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## Arc Burn (Oct 21, 2002)

Well it sure wasn't invisible cause i could see it gettin bigger and bigger in my rear view as i slid off a hill straight into "the old oak tree"sander hit dead nuts center!cost $200 in parts and about $1000 in pride,i had just finished "preaching" how i never hit anything,never say never


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## pats plowing (Nov 27, 2001)

I know hitting the invisible poles is bad. I saw a guy in a brand new Nissan Maxima on a sunny day in the fall slam into a handicap sign in a CVS parking lot. He got in his car and moved about 3ft forward and took out the whole pole. It pretty much tore his car to peices. I have found that invisible yellow pole once never again.


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## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

I almost crapped my self last night out plowing.
Drive goes behind house & opens up to 3 garages & a few spots.
getting between grage & car parked next to house, I thought I was fine next to the car untill *SLAM* & my heart missed a few beats. I actually got out & checked the car relized I was 2-3ft away & the edge just cought a seam in the cement. Lights went on in the house & everything... 
I hate mild heart attacks...


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## Pelican (Nov 16, 2001)

> I hate mild heart attacks...


As opposed to massive?


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## DanG (May 20, 2000)

I was riding with my brother in law one night and he backed into a basketball post and bent the thing so it was laying almost on the ground. the same night he put his pintle hook through a garage door too.
The one (and only) time he was helping me out when I first started plowing he backed into a carport wall along a garage and broke the joints loose.Which cost me $200 to fix in the spring.

I've backed up into a few things myself but unluckily there were all in my yard. 
Which makes it even worse when your wife sees you do it.
I ran over my walk behind spreader and smashed one of my snow blowers into a little pile of scrap.

Dan


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## fordman (Oct 31, 2001)

I found an invisible concrete pillars today, well atleast my drivers side mirror did. Didn't really do any damage, just gave me a wake up call.


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## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

How about invisible shopping carts? I found one of them today just driving thru a lot.


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## JohnnyU (Nov 21, 2002)

How about an invisible, well maybe not 'invisible', more like 'moving', evergreen tree. I pulled into a drive that i have plowed for three years, nex thing i knew a branch had slapped my mirror all the way foreward and had come in the window. after spitting out the mouthful of snow and re-adjusting my mirror, i made a mental note of the branches being slightly longer than last year...

It happens to the best of us, and then it even happens to me, lol have a good rest of the year guys, and be careful for those 'moving' trees!

John


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## BRL (Dec 21, 1999)

Snowybowtie,
LOL I've had to spit a mouthfull of snow out that got there from an evergreen branch too! Know exactly what you went through. That's an account where I plow only & someone else does the grounds maintenance. So With the bill for that storm I sent a note telling them that area & 2 others with overgrown trees could not be plowed to the curb because of the obstacles preventing it. Sent an extimate with it to prune those areas also. That was 2 years ago & they still haven't pruned those areas. So its funny to see the whole lot plowed nice except those few areas. The thing that upsets me is one of the areas has a fire hydrant, so I do sneak my way into there and clear that.

So my wife parked about 5-6" over from the correct location again last night, and since I was real tired from being up the night before salting, I told her there was probably only a 15 - 20% chance I was going to miss it because I was leaving to go to the store then. She brought up an apparent 3rd time that I drove into her car besides the 2 that I mentioned in my other post here.  Apparently she said one time (not plow related, so maybe that's why I didn't remember ??) I was backing around it, but turned the wheel too soon & crunched it good LOL Oh well.


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## SnowGodFather (Aug 1, 2001)

> _Originally posted by BRL _
> *She brought up an apparent 3rd time that I drove into her car besides the 2 that I mentioned in my other post here.  Apparently she said one time (not plow related, so maybe that's why I didn't remember ??) I was backing around it, but turned the wheel too soon & crunched it good LOL Oh well. *


Is 3rd time the charm for this one?

Evergreens, say no more....................yucky


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Those :realmad: evergreens seem to have a way of reaching in and smacking you.


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## BRL (Dec 21, 1999)

LGF, 
Nah, I'm sure I'll tag it again some day


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## JohnnyU (Nov 21, 2002)

Hey BRL, 

I managed to forget about the tree branch again. However this time I had the window up, no snow in my face , but i heard the branches screeching on the side of the truck. I stopped right away and got out and shovelled up against the tree. The hard part with this drive is that I have to plow between the tree and a car on the other side, so its a bit tight. This time I wrote a note on my route sheet, my mental notes are obviously recorded on a dry erase board....


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## snowflake (Jan 16, 2003)

know what you mean on them evergreens :realmad: maple tree branchs willl defently give you a wake up call and more too.


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