Sparks from semi-truck trailer's landing gear started grass fire in eastern Colorado

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https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/wildfire/semi-truck-sparked-grass-fire/73-95bd5512-b4be-4b60-8c9c-25b4ac28aa23

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So many questions, is it even possible that after hooking up the trailer, the driver failed to retract the landing gear and then drive off without noticing that?

Is it possible that the internal mechanism on the landing gear failed and allowed the pads to drop and scrape on the road way?

Does the driver even have a CDL (valid, legal, etc…) and if not maybe the driver did not know that the landing gear had to be retracted and did not know how the vehicle is handles…

Inquiring Minds Want to Know…

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Suspect that the landingear failed and dropped.
If left down, would it not grab bumps and pavement which would be noticed by the driver?

Many drivers are from south of the border, I am told.
“CDL? We don’ need no stinkin’ CDL.”

It could be someone distracted and making a simple mistake and forgeting.

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40 year in trucking, never saw a leg on the landing gear fall down. In my early days I did see a driver hired for the day through the union hall without raising the landing wheels ( before the pads they used steel wheels) ,but that was when you only needed a chauffeurs license which was good for a cab or limo to a bus or truck or tractor trailer and it was a written test only. Mine cost 25 cents.

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You are too forgiving, “It could be someone distracted and making a simple mistake and forgetting”

Yeah, like this “distracted driver” who was so distracted as he is completely unaware that he is traveling with his Dump Body fully extended. And then, after ripping the overhead highway sign down, he probably said, “I wonder what that was??? Probably nothing…” and continues on his way…

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I do not have a CDL nor have I ever driven a Tractor Trailer Rig, but I have watched various videos of drivers who drive with such finesse that they can swing their rig around and back into an alley with only inches to spare; I do not understand driving and dragging the landing gear and not noticing something, even on the relative smoothness of some superhighway, there must be some indication…

But here is a case where a Tractor Trailer driver picked up a car jammed under his trailer and dragged it for miles until the police were able to catch up and stop him… It’s in the video… :grin:

https://fox4kc.com/video/kc-scout-car-dragged-underneath-semi/8337991

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