COMING TO RESCUE YOU, SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

August 31, 2017 5:47 AM

Everything's big in Texas, including trucks, especially monster trucks, and when it floods, they come to the rescue of stranded flood victims. "That's a redneck rescue, I do believe," said one woman rescued in 2016 floods. The trucks are back in action in 2017 in the wake of Harvey. When asked why they do it, well, "I have to make my mom proud." See the "more inside" for more trucks in action.

"I just came to help." (more)
Footage from the WP.
Now that's a Texas Truck.
Military surplus vehicles are also handy if you don't happen to have a monster truck.
Also, Batman has a truck.
And it's not just a guy thing.

Nashville also gets in on the action.

posted by Muddler (14 comments total)

Sorry about Texas and all, but WE'RE TURNING THE METRODOME INTO A GIANT MUUUUUD PITTTTT.
posted by Sphinx at 5:56 AM on August 31, 2017 [7 favorites]

$20 per seat/rescue, BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED THE EDGE!@@!!@
posted by k5.user at 6:13 AM on August 31, 2017 [11 favorites]

Maybe they are being used and I just haven't noticed in the reports I have seen, but I'm surprised people aren't using more off-road haul trucks for the deep water rescues. They have six wheel drive and can handle deep water use, and every very big contractor and equipment rental outfit in the area has a fleet of them. (I also hope that all these people driving around in the water know to change out their differential oil afterwards; even minor water contamination isn't good.)

But it's great that people are using their trucks (and boats) like this, since the need is so vast.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:22 AM on August 31, 2017

There's undoubtedly inter-service rivalry with the Cajun Navy but it's good to see them working together.
posted by Artw at 6:30 AM on August 31, 2017 [5 favorites]

A+++ post title.

[Were variations of this same ad a thing across the entire country? If so, how did it become so ubiquitous?]
posted by schmod at 6:40 AM on August 31, 2017 [2 favorites]

Re: the differential oil: If you intend to go wading, you should really have a remote air intake for the diffs as well. Won't hurt to check on the oil afterwards, though.
posted by Harald74 at 7:12 AM on August 31, 2017 [1 favorite]

I was confused by this bit: "They had been worried about getting stuck in one of the prolific manholes whose covers had floated away..."

Are Texan manhole covers not several hundred pounds of cast iron and concrete? How does that float away?
posted by d. z. wang at 7:30 AM on August 31, 2017

As a Gerry Anderson and Robusters fan I would be excited to see Truckasaurus deployed for disaster relief.
posted by Artw at 7:46 AM on August 31, 2017

I think the pressure from water underneath pushes the manhole covers off.
posted by esker at 7:48 AM on August 31, 2017 [8 favorites]

Postscript on the SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! voice actor.
posted by Muddler at 8:10 AM on August 31, 2017 [2 favorites]

I think the pressure from water underneath pushes the manhole covers off.

I have witnessed manhole covers being lifted a few yards in the air and tossed aside by water pressure surges coming through storm sewer systems. And that was in far less substantial flooding. It is both impressive and a bit frightening.
posted by meinvt at 8:16 AM on August 31, 2017 [3 favorites]

Looks like the Marines (ok, reservists, but still USMC!) are showing up in LAVS; does that count?

https://www.facebook.com/fox26houston/videos/10156139262450348/
posted by wenestvedt at 1:25 PM on August 31, 2017

That's not a LAV, it's an AAV, although both are amphibious.

/pedant
posted by dazed_one at 5:29 PM on August 31, 2017 [1 favorite]

Ah, okay. Blown off by the rising water makes sense. I was just confused by the description of them floating. They're not buoyant.
posted by d. z. wang at 3:12 AM on September 1, 2017