21: Real-Life Mario Kart Banana Accident
In the Mario Kart racing video games, players often see the banana peel used as a weapon. But there’s at least one example where a trucker almost hit an actual field of bananas head-on. “I was a young truck driver tooling down a long hill near Scranton, hauling 30,000 pounds of bananas. Missed a sign that I should have read to shift to a lower gear when I lost my breaks and flew down the hill. I sideswiped 19 parked cars, clipped 13 telephone poles, hit two houses, bruised 8 trees, and crashed, spilling the 30,000 lbs of bananas all over the road.” – via Money Awaits
Trucking driving is a risky proposition because you are transporting such a heavy-weight trailer. Even the smallest road hazard could be catastrophic for an inexperienced truck driver. Likewise, a 30,000-pound haul of bananas hitting the road is just as bad. You never know what type of hazards will be on the road and it’s more important for a trucker to pay attention.