Roofing Nails on HWY 39 - Road Sabotage or just unlucky?

briangroh · Post by **briangroh** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 12:46 pm

A prior forum post alerted me to a caution that it appeared SOMEONE has been throwing roofing nails (or nails with fixed washers so they land pointy-side up) on HWY 2 and HWY 39 in retaliation for ???? (motorcycles, anti-forestry, whatever?)

I believe I have fallen victim as last night (Sunday 8/24) coming back from Crystal Lake, somewhere between Coldbrook Campground and West Fork.

It sounded like I hit some gravel, but then the tell-tale sound of metal slapping pavement to the beat of my front tire rotation speed.

It was dark and late out so I waited till I hit street lights and sure enough - A Roofing Nail was stuck in my front tire and by morning another tire was flat.

I'm not a statistician but I figure the odds are pretty low some carpenter lost some roofing nails on that section of HWY 39.

I alerted the ranger station at Santa Anita and they informed me they've never heard of such a thing and seemed reluctant to log anything suggesting I should cal Cal-Trans.

Anyway - keep an eye out while driving those roads and report it if you see it in the hopes that IF someone is sabotaging the mountain roads it can be brought to the attention of authorities or someone who can possibly do something about it.

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 12:53 pm

briangroh wrote: ↑ I alerted the ranger station at Santa Anita and they informed me they've never heard of such a thing and seemed reluctant to log anything suggesting I should cal Cal-Trans.

I've seen plenty of posts about this, and yes it is absolutely sabotage. Shame on the ranger station for not being better informed. From oil slicks to screws someone is definitely targeting 39. I am not a motorcyclist, and I often think they drive to fast and dangerously but this tactic is not acceptable.

Report to CalTrans and keep calling until someone gives you proper attention.

atomicoyote · Post by **atomicoyote** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 5:56 pm

Highway 39 is a state highway, so report it to the CHP. You may be able to go online and file a report, and give them as much detail as possible. Whiel they and other LEO's are having staffing problems, so they do keep track of these things to help them use their limited resources to target problem areas/events like this to try and catch the perps. Notifying Caltrans would be secondary, and the NFS is probably just an 'FYI'. And if the area is not too far above the flatlands (City of Azusa or other) you might want to notify their police dept as a courtesy, too.

Post by **Taco** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:53 pm

I've had the same problem before on GMR. There's been a problem in the past with someone dumping gallons of oil on turns on GMR. Pretty cool, huh?

SGBob · Post by **SGBob** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:33 am

Anyone who has driven GMR at night knows that there are a lot of crazy and dangerous drivers on that road at night. It is a popular route for motorcycles and people who imagine themselves as "drifters" to race up and down, sometimes in convoys of a half-dozen or more vehicles crossing the centerline. Having been in several near head-on collisions on that road, I can understand the impulse to pour oil on the roadway. I couldn't do it, though. I'd be way too afraid that some innocent family would be hurt or killed.

Post by **Taco** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:25 am

There is a huge rift in understanding between regular people like you guys and driving enthusiasts, and a big difference between guys like me and kids who crash and endanger other people's lives. The oil dumping threatens everyone, not just the folks some people wish to target when they 'sabotage' the road. A topic for another day, I suppose.

AW~ · Post by **AW~** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:54 pm

Citation for littering?

They recently announced an involuntary manslaughter while intoxicated plea.....32 days in jail for Ian James Pike. Thats the penalty for being sloshed on a slippery muddy road and killing another person.
http://scvnews.com/2015/01/22/driver-in ... slaughter/
http://www.dwihitparade.com/2015/01/21/ ... line-cork/

EBruddah · Post by **EBruddah** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:18 pm

Taco wrote: ↑There is a huge rift in understanding between regular people like you guys and driving enthusiasts, and a big difference between guys like me and kids who crash and endanger other people's lives. The oil dumping threatens everyone, not just the folks some people wish to target when they 'sabotage' the road. A topic for another day, I suppose.

Some of the oil may have been form a blown motor or cracked oil pan. Those imports ride low and nails could have fallen out of someone's work truck. I've seen a lot imports crack oil pans on turns since their suspension couldn't compensate for the angle of the curve there by causing them to bottom out. I wouldn't go as far as thinking someone's deliberately sabotaging the road. I've been going up and down 39 for the last 35+years. I've seen some crazy things on the road. Once I saw a shattered crate on the by Morris Dam. Inside it was a huge albino python! So before we get all paranoid and think it's sabotage let's think of what else it could be. A lot of stuff just happens.....

EBruddah · Post by **EBruddah** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:21 pm

AW wrote: ↑Citation for littering?

They recently announced an involuntary manslaughter while intoxicated plea.....32 days in jail for Ian James Pike. Thats the penalty for being sloshed on a slippery muddy road and killing another person.
http://scvnews.com/2015/01/22/driver-in ... slaughter/
http://www.dwihitparade.com/2015/01/21/ ... line-cork/

Too many of these guys in the OHV... Surprised not more of this happens. Sad story about a schmuck.

scottawr · Post by **scottawr** » Sat Sep 05, 2015 12:19 am

I came across a flipped over car on the 39 tonight. I was on my way back from hiking islip and saw flashing lights and a flipped over sedan. The driver looked shaken up but ok, anf fire trucks had just arrived looked like it had just happened around 9. Then I passed a dui checkpoint shortly after right as you enter back into asuza on the 39. The crazys are out there this weekend.

Post by **Taco** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 11:08 am

It's sabotage, guaranteed. Someone has been dumping gallons (not quarts, way more than many engines worth) mid-corner on turns and also at Horse Canyon Saddle. LOTS of it for a while now. We may know who it is now.

Those imports you're talking about are the stance crowd. People who lower their cars too much and give them lots of negative camber cause other people think it looks cool. We usually end up helping them change tires after they've rubbed a hole in it with their fender.

Shangri-LA · Post by **Shangri-LA** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 3:04 pm

There has been sabotage with nails on hwy2 also. My friend totaled his porsche and got a concussion. Found nails in his tire. Cops told him they are aware of it and are trying to stop it.

BrownMtnBob · Post by **BrownMtnBob** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 11:12 am

The truth is this- I think much of this should be blamed on the CHP. Why? Because they have been warned and warned and warned.....they have been told and told and pleaded with to do something about the car and croth-rocket TERRORISTS endangering the public and ruining everyone's good time in the OUR mountains (both the 39 and more so the 2). They ride up everyone's a**. They pass on the double-yellow. They almost kill people coming the other way. They go 70-100 mph in the mtns.. What has CHP done? Well, I used to spend 5 days a week up in the mtns via the 2; and I've NEVER ONCE seen anyone pulled over. I have however seen probably 1,000 out of control idiots wrecking the place. So.....I guess some people have decided to handle the problem themselves. VERY dumb as it hurts everyone though. Hey CHP, how about spending a little time writing tickets, arresting people and confiscating cars and bikes on the weekends?

If they claim they are trying to do something about it, then show me how many tickets and arrests have been made in the past 5 years? Answer- essentially zero