Question for LEO's

[Mandelon]

You know those dirt hauling trucks that have the signs on the back stating "Do Not Follow" or "Not Responsible for Broken Windshields" " Stay Back 200 Feet"
Is that a legal deal? In Cali I believe its illegal to have anything come out of a moving vehicle that isn't water or chicken feathers. So how can putting up a sign absolve them of their responsibility? Or is it just a good try to get out of paying for glass chips?

[Ziggy]

I believe you're right Richard...hense all the tarps and covers they put on everything now, even the concrete mixers.........
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but the sign is good advise any way you look at it........I tend to not follow any trucks if I can help it.....wide berth.

[77charger]

how about the ones that say 300 ft away.Well if you have a problem and take it to court make a sign the same size letters with words you know then have a jury,judge and defendant try to read the sign at 300 ft and have them repeat it.LOL.
Most of them signs cant be read until it is too late

[uvindex]

Not a LEO, but still gonna answer: :)
The signs are also there to help remind people that big trucks kick up lots of rocks with their TIRES (independent of any load the truck is carrying).
And if the truck kicks up a rock and it breaks your windshield, we're talking civil liability, not criminal (in other words, even if someone can't get a ticket for it they can still be sued for it). So if you can prove that a truck kicked up a rock that broke your windshield you *should* be able to get the truck's owner to cough up money to fix it. (Following the advice of the signs is always a good idea, of course. :))

[PBOCOP]

Touching on Rather's post, kicking up a rock usually isn't going to make them liable. It has to be some fault of their own, rocks coming off the truck, dumping from under the truck, etc. Just normal driving that kicks something up on the road won't make them liable. That's like saying we are liable if we kick up a rock on the freeway in a car, won't happen.
I sued a company once about 10 years ago when their truck was dumping rocks from the load, so it was their ****up, and the owner paid me just before trial. But you have to remember they get sued alot for bullshit stuff, most of the time they will take it to court and fight it because you have to prove it was their load, their fault, not just normal traveling.
PBOCOP

[Boatcop]

Any load on a vehicle needs to be secured. Whether it's gravel, a load of pipe, a piano, tree branches or whatever.
The owner/driver or company is responsible for any damage from anything that comes off their vehicles.
Every state has some traffic law that covers unsecured loads.
As far as tires throwing rocks up, some have been successful in filing a claim with the locality responsible for the road, climing failure to maintain. (street sweeping)
Here in AZ, if you have collision/comprehensive coverage, windshield glass, rear safety glass, and headlights/signals/tail lights are all covered at 100%, no deductible, and no increase in premiums. State Insurance Law.

[THATJEFFGUY]

I just had my windshield broken a couple weeks ago on the 91 by a Robertsons Ready-Mix truck. It was a mixer truck and he was literally dumping rocks all over the freeway...I could hear the pebbles pinging against my hood from 2 lanes over. Several cars were blowing their horn and waving at the driver with one finger, including myself. I called the company with all the info and filed a claim, but I'll probably never hear back from them. This happened to me a couple years ago and of course, the company said "our truck was empty, sorry for your loss". Why should I have to go thru my insurance and pay the $100 deductible for someone elses igonrance ? I can't believe the damage these trucks do. My truck is less than a year old and the windshield is pitted so bad, mainly from these trucks on the freeway. I've also had to replace the windshield in the wifes Lexus 3 times already because of the same problem. Freeway driving in So CA sucks !!!!

[sorry dog]

Freeway driving in So CA sucks !!!!
Yall don't get enough rain to clean the road up. I'd guess most of the problem is from a few assholes that drop a few rocks and then every truck (and car) after that throws the 7 to 9 sized rocks up in the up until rolls off the road.