I-10 tale goes from bovine to blazes — not as grabbing a headline as “Flying cow leaves two police cars in flames,” certainly, but much more accurate.
Basically — cows fall out, cause wrecks. I-10 gets closed. Truck — reported as having been stolen in Houston — drives through the closed stretch of freeway, almost hitting a state trooper directing traffic. It’s pursued, and Seguin police join the pursuit. Truck stopped, occupants — illegal immigrants, apparently — chased on foot. But the Seguin cops made the mistake of parking in tall, dry grass, which the hot engines ignited…
So the cows only caused the police cars to burn for a sort of James Burke value of “caused” (“This is where that drought I mentioned comes back into the picture — remember, the reason the cows were being taken to the market earlier than normal?…”)
ObInstafilk: Cows didn’t start the fires
They were only burning ’cause the engine’s turning
Cows didn’t start the fires
No, they didn’t light ’em but it’s fun to cite ’em
There was a time some years ago here in Massachusetts when someone hijacked an eighteen wheeler. It was carrying marijuana. The rig’s driver ran it off the road (the Mass. Pike) after a while. Everybody was arrested, and you could see the path it plowed into the woods for a few years after. No fire, though. 🙁
Sounds at least vaguely similar to the time I was stuck in a traffic jam for several hours on I-80 in eastern Nevada (pause for a moment to let people try to visualize that) because there was a herd of angry pigs on the road. I understand that part of the delay was due to the lack of experience in the average highway patrol officers in herding pigs. On a personal level, the most annoying thing about being stranded for two hours on I-80 in eastern Nevada (pause for a moment to let people re-visualize the geography and flora of eastern Nevada) was the impossibility of finding a place to pee that wasn’t in full view of several dozen big-rig truckers.
otherdeb
It *would* happen in Texas, wouldn’t it?
And the article is equally weird.
aerinea
Yes, and not well written either.
faxpaladin
Yeah. I never did figure out the causal link between the cow and the fire. “The hot grass”?
msminlr
Yes but wouldn’t you give a tooth or two to have the chance to write a headline like that? I thought of you instantly when I saw Rob’s post.
faxpaladin
OK — here’s a clearer story of what happened:
I-10 tale goes from bovine to blazes — not as grabbing a headline as “Flying cow leaves two police cars in flames,” certainly, but much more accurate.
Basically — cows fall out, cause wrecks. I-10 gets closed. Truck — reported as having been stolen in Houston — drives through the closed stretch of freeway, almost hitting a state trooper directing traffic. It’s pursued, and Seguin police join the pursuit. Truck stopped, occupants — illegal immigrants, apparently — chased on foot. But the Seguin cops made the mistake of parking in tall, dry grass, which the hot engines ignited…
So the cows only caused the police cars to burn for a sort of James Burke value of “caused” (“This is where that drought I mentioned comes back into the picture — remember, the reason the cows were being taken to the market earlier than normal?…”)
ObInstafilk: Cows didn’t start the fires
They were only burning ’cause the engine’s turning
Cows didn’t start the fires
No, they didn’t light ’em but it’s fun to cite ’em
braider
I was actually rather disappointed that the story behind it was so straightforward.
annonynous
There was a time some years ago here in Massachusetts when someone hijacked an eighteen wheeler. It was carrying marijuana. The rig’s driver ran it off the road (the Mass. Pike) after a while. Everybody was arrested, and you could see the path it plowed into the woods for a few years after. No fire, though. 🙁
Ann O.
hrj
Sounds at least vaguely similar to the time I was stuck in a traffic jam for several hours on I-80 in eastern Nevada (pause for a moment to let people try to visualize that) because there was a herd of angry pigs on the road. I understand that part of the delay was due to the lack of experience in the average highway patrol officers in herding pigs. On a personal level, the most annoying thing about being stranded for two hours on I-80 in eastern Nevada (pause for a moment to let people re-visualize the geography and flora of eastern Nevada) was the impossibility of finding a place to pee that wasn’t in full view of several dozen big-rig truckers.
But “flying cow” is hard to match for imagery.
nelladarren
No one ever listens to me. Flying cows are a pattern! I’ve been saying so for years.
:o)
annonynous
Dated March 17? Oooo-kay. One cow killed. Corned beef, anyone? Or maybe just hamburger.
Ann O.