BERLIN (AP) — A man in Germany has discovered the hard way that it’s best to get a driving license first before trying to use it.

Police in Bergheim, near Cologne, said Tuesday that the 37-year-old drove himself to his driving test, parking an Opel Zafira outside the test center in front of an astonished examiner.

They said he told police officers who were called to the scene on Monday that he had only driven because he wanted to make sure to get to the driving test on time.

His test was immediately called off. The man now faces an investigation for driving without a license. Police also opened an investigation of the car’s owner.

It’s the infamous bridge that has become notorious for truck crashes, hoarded its own fan pages and developed into a longstanding – albeit affectionate – joke for Victorians.

The Montague St Bridge may as well hold a national record for the number of times it has been crashed into by trucks, buses and mini-vans, recording five crashes this year alone.

But it is another figure that has caused eyes to water, with revelations the collisions cost the economy an up to $900,000 each year.

“For every bridge strike that occurs, we estimate a cost of $100,000,” Victorian Public Transport Minister Ben Carol told 3AW radio.

“That is based on the 45-minute delay to traffic, including freight, but also to the impact it has on those public transport passengers that have often had to have their line cancelled above the bridge.

“That’s fairly conservative too because often we have to get the emergency services vehicles out and firefighters.”

Trucks have smashed into the bridge five times this year, and it has reportedly been struck at least 100 times since 2009.

In recent years, trucks have had their roofs, walls and doors ripped off or become completely stuck under the three-metre, low-level bridge, as overly-confident, or downright dim, drivers charge through without a care for the consequences.

The trend took a dark turn in early 2016 when a bus hit the structure and seriously injured six people....

Derbyshire Police's roads unit suggested he buy a lottery ticket.

I certainly would have.

Derbyshire Police's roads unit suggested he buy a lottery ticket.

Derbyshire Police's roads unit suggested he buy a lottery ticket.

Derbyshire Police's roads unit suggested he buy a lottery ticket.

I would say if he was a cat, he just used up 8 of his 9 lives.

What is the maximum weight a HGV can carry?
Vehicles are permitted to operate at weights above 44 tonnes in exceptional circumstances (such as when moving abnormal indivisible loads) but special provisions are in place to deal with such occasions, which can be found in the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003.

Serious question:

What is the energy content of 44 tonnes @ 100 kmh?

How much TNT is that equivalent to?


Stay safe folks!
Martin

So... What's the deal with the expensive dearth of drivers and drivers quitting the job for a better life?
Too many unpaid hours?...

The passenger, identified only as a 30-year-old man, exited the plane from a galley door at the back of the aircraft and briefly locked himself inside a fire station on the tarmac, according to FOX 10 in Phoenix.

The incident was the latest in a surge in unruly air passengers since the pandemic started.
Last summer, a passenger jumped out of a taxiing plane at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and last week a woman at LAX ran onto the tarmac attempting to wave down a plane.

Serious question:

What is the energy content of 44 tonnes @ 100 kmh?

[Truck crashes into the back of traffic, killing people...]

Unfortunately, that is a scenario that is forever repeated...

Can anything be done to avoid that other than taking freight off the general roads?...

[Truck crashes into the back of traffic, killing people...]

Unfortunately, that is a scenario that is forever repeated...

Can anything be done to avoid that other than taking freight off the general roads?...


Stay safe folks!
Martin