10/2/2003: Overloaded Somali truck

Continuing from yesterday in the "interesting transportation" department, and maintaining an IotD tradition of extremely overloaded vehicles. The official caption says this truck is loaded with corn, but the word "corn" in this case probably means whatever commonly-used grain they have in the area. It's certainly not Green Giant Sweet Corn. But then again, for better or for worse, it's probably not genetically modified either.

The caption notes the state of chaos in Somalia is so advanced that there is no longer an official side of the street for vehicles to drive on. And apparently livestock can get a free meal off overloaded stopped trucks.

Come to think of it, "interesting transportation" is the theme all week, but I don't have a suitable Friday image in that category...

I have to wonder

How did they get the truck loaded in the first place?

I know this is gonna sound silly, but the cargo looks like a single, enormous sheaf of grain plants...you know, like the Orowheat logo? It appears to be bundled about the center by wrapping of some sort, with the ends being much wider and more flared-out.

Re: I have to wonder

I don't the origin of this picture but between this one and the OP, being stuck behind a bus in traffic or sitting next to the fat guy on the train doesn't seem all that bad.

Ok - the first picture with the corn looks like a truck with a giant afro.

EdZ, that was the IotD for 9/23/2001!

It's corn. Not just the ears but the whole stalks. I saw something very similar in Lancaster County last night only it was a big wagon being pulled by mules on a Mennonite farm. The stalks can be used for animal feed (silage or ensilage) or processed to make corn syrup, molasses and the like.

Why not just make more than one trip?

Welcome to the Cellar, Phoenix. I'd say from the picture it's the wide open spaces so they're probably going a long way. That corn isn't as heavy as it looks plus fuel is expensive.

whoa

I'm with Degrees... how did they get it up there? I mean, it only looks like it's tied down in two places... I know corn (or whatever) doesn't grow 20 feet long, so that bundle looks like it would begin disintegrate as stalks came loose by the dozen...

I was wondering how much that ackward load weighed and if that has anything to do with it being run up on the sidewalk?

You know, I might of been wrong. That could be sugar cane.
It might be tied in bundles before it goes on the truck.

From SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker

This is just how they grow crops in Somalia - on the backs of trucks.







What, have you never heard of a truck farm?

Screw the load!!
Now that pink valence hanging in the cab, that's special.