Man obliterates fire hydrant

[thomas-dash]

I heard the sounds of skidding tires and a crash. Saw the guy run off the road and water spraying into the air from my rear view mirror. The driver was rubbing his head and his airbag was deployed.

 

[NARider]

I heard the sounds of skidding tires and a crash. Saw the guy run off the road and water spraying into the air from my rear view mirror. The driver was rubbing his head and his airbag was deployed.

Based on the speed limit sign (25 mph) and the signs with yellow/black arrows, I'd say this is a sharp curve that people have had trouble with in the past. The video from your rear cam looked like the guy was going faster than 25 mph, couldn't make the curve and went off the road. Unfortunately, there was a fire hydrant in his way. I've seen similar situations with a house on the outside of the curve where the homeowner got tired of people plowing onto their property from taking the curve too fast, so they built a concrete or rock wall or installed steel/concrete posts. Reckless drivers wouldn't fare very well hitting these, but at least the people in the house wouldn't get killed by a car coming through their front door.

 

[Nigel]

The video from your rear cam looked like the guy was going faster than 25 mph,

About 35 mph? On a corner that you should be able to get around at 50 mph?
Doesn't look fast enough to skid the tyres, especially on a modern car with ABS and stability control?
And he manages to stop fairly fast on the grass without doing any obvious damage, except to the hydrant that someone put in a stupid place!

 

[thomas-dash]

He knocked over a sign too. I’m sure the curb he hopped and the fire hydrant he hit helped contribute to him slowing down.

I’m guessing wither on phone, speeding, or both. Suppose it could be a medical issue too.

 

[mentadent]

I’m guessing wither on phone, speeding, or both. Suppose it could be a medical issue too.

Definitely guessing.

 

[kamkar]

It is quite funny, i have seen this happen in hundreds of movies and as this in online videos.
BUT ! i cant recall a single case of seeing that or even hearing about that happening here, but it got to have happened of course.

 

[Nigel]

BUT ! i cant recall a single case of seeing that or even hearing about that happening here,

It never happens here, because the fire hydrants are below the surface, with a grid over the top. People do drive over them, but it not a problem.

We do have marker posts for the hydrants, and they do get damaged, but you never get a fountain.

I’m guessing wither on phone,

Seems the most likely, he appears to hit the curb before the sharper part of the corner, but that doesn't explain the squealing tyres.

 

[Dashmellow]

It never happens here, because the fire hydrants are below the surface, with a grid over the top. People do drive over them, but it not a problem.

We do have marker posts for the hydrants, and they do get damaged, but you never get a fountain.

What happens when you have a hefty snowstorm or a coating of ice over the hydrant; or if there is enough rain to cause flash flooding? This seems like it could cause significant delays in locating the hydrant cover and then having to dig through potentially deep snow or have flood water running into the water hook-up hole before the fire crew could screw in the tap so they can attach their hoses. Moments count in fighting fires as lives are at stake!

I grew up on NYC and it was exceedingly rare to ever have a fire hydrant damaged badly enough to cause a geyser like column of water.

On the other hand, here in the USA fire hydrants provide rapid access to the water main in all kinds of weather conditions and during very hot summer days in urban areas fire departments will often install temporary sprinkler heads on the hydrants for kids to play in, have fun and cool off.

 

[Nigel]

What happens when you have a hefty snowstorm or a coating of ice over the hydrant;

Since the hydrant is below ground, it doesn't freeze and burst, as it would with an above ground pipe.
How do yours prevent freeze bursts in cold weather?

The hydrants are normally under the road, and so the snow and ice is cleared by the snow ploughs and gritters.

or if there is enough rain to cause flash flooding?

Never heard of a problem, but I guess if there was that much flood water then they would pump the flood water. Here they do sometimes pump river or pond water for fires, and they also have the job of pumping flood water to remove it from where it is unwanted.

or have flood water running into the water hook-up hole before the fire crew could screw in the tap so they can attach their hoses.

It is fairly normal for the hole to be full of water, and if it isn't when they start, it will be by the time they have finished!
We have a thing called a standpipe that goes down the hole, then they connect to the top which is easy to get to. The tap is already in the hole, turned on with a long key, you don't need to be able to see down the hole, just know where it is and the rest can be done by feel.

Single Fire Hydrant Standpipe

Our fire hydrant standpipe is made from quality aluminium alloy and is a simple solution to bringing water above ground from a mains underground hydrant. With a single standard UK 2.5" instantaneous outlet onto, you can securely connect the layflat fire hose.The fire hydrant standpipe itself...

www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk

There is one seen in use here, although that one turned out not to be in the road, should still be gritted though.

 

[Dashmellow]

Since the hydrant is below ground, it doesn't freeze and burst, as it would with an above ground pipe.
How do yours prevent freeze bursts in cold weather?

The hydrants are normally under the road, and so the snow and ice is cleared by the snow ploughs and gritters.


Never heard of a problem, but I guess if there was that much flood water then they would pump the flood water. Here they do sometimes pump river or pond water for fires, and they also have the job of pumping flood water to remove it from where it is unwanted.


It is fairly normal for the hole to be full of water, and if it isn't when they start, it will be by the time they have finished!
We have a thing called a standpipe that goes down the hole, then they connect to the top which is easy to get to. The tap is already in the hole, turned on with a long key, you don't need to be able to see down the hole, just know where it is and the rest can be done by feel.

Single Fire Hydrant Standpipe

Our fire hydrant standpipe is made from quality aluminium alloy and is a simple solution to bringing water above ground from a mains underground hydrant. With a single standard UK 2.5" instantaneous outlet onto, you can securely connect the layflat fire hose.The fire hydrant standpipe itself...

www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk

There is one seen in use here, although that one turned out not to be in the road, should still be gritted though.

Yes, I know what a standpipe is, Nigel. That is exactly what I was referring to when I mentioned how firefighters "screw in the tap so they can attach their hoses".

I wasn't suggesting that your water mains freeze up but even with snow plowing, ice forms over manhole covers and access grates. One way or another, the whole approach seems like it is far more time consuming to hook up a fire hose in the UK than with a standing hydrant. Anything that requires more steps, even under optimal conditions will delay getting fire hoses up and running. Perhaps you just don't get the kind of conditions we experience here, especially in the Northeast but just removing a grate that is frozen into place can't exactly speed this process up. I've never seen a frozen fire hydrant, as the cut-off valve is below grade where the water main pipe is even if the hydrant isn't.

As for water flooding into the hole, this too would obviously make it difficult and more time consuming to seat the standpipe threads and get the thing attached because of water pressure of an ongoing flood and not being able to see the pipe threads. This is a problem that is likely to increase with climate change induced downpours.



Basically, as with all things British, you present them as being somehow superior to others when obviously they are not.

 

[Auld Reekie]

I heard the sounds of skidding tires and a crash. Saw the guy run off the road and water spraying into the air from my rear view mirror. The driver was rubbing his head and his airbag was deployed.

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