Inexperienced trucker drives into New York City, with frightening results

A trucker who had never driven in New York City before took his rig into Manhattan for the first time, and left with several traffic citations. The driver, who travels with his wife and dog, was just grateful that no one had been injured because of his lack of experience with New York streets that resulted in a truck crash.

He apparently missed the sign telling drivers that only passenger vehicles were allowed on the elevated part of Park Avenue, known as the Pershing Square Viaduct. If he had seen the sign and decided to proceed anyway, he would have quickly found out why the street was off-limits to vehicles such as tractor-trailers: There simply is not enough room.

The trucker, who hails from Delaware, also missed the sign advising drivers of the 15-ton weight restriction on the Viaduct, far less than the weight of a semi-truck. He said that he was concentrating on not hitting any cars and was not paying attention to the signs, which he called “tiny.” When trying to turn from Park Avenue and 41^st Street, he hit the retaining wall, which collapsed, showering concrete on the sidewalk below.

One witness, who works in a store under the Viaduct, noted that the store’s awning caught the falling chunks of concrete, giving pedestrians underneath a few extra seconds to scatter.

Forty-First Street was closed between Lexington and Park, causing lengthy traffic delays.

Source: 4NewYork, Concrete Rains Over Grand Central When Truck Hits Railing, Aug. 1, 2012.