Only in Pennsylvania would an overturned 18-wheeler leave a truck driver facing a whopping $37,554.54 traffic violation fine.
According to The Associated Press, the driver and owner failed to get the proper "super load" designation for the vehicle in order to legally haul its cargo.
The truck, which was carrying a 213,000-pound steel cylinder (where on earth was that going, anyway?), tipped over in Bethlehem, Pa., on March 12. It wasn't removed until April 1 because a new route, proper permits and a police escort took so long for officials to plan, according to the AP.
One of the most interesting parts of this story, to me at least, was the town from which the trucker himself hailed. He's a resident of Middletown, Ohio, the very same ex-steel-town where most of my mom's side of the family lives. It's not a surprise, either -- if you think trucks are a common sight on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, you should see the highways around Middletown.
But the real moral of the story is: Don't complain about your $300 speeding ticket, because it could be a lot worse.
- Leslie
