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Don’t Be That Guy Holding a Mattress to Your Roof

There is nothing quite like tooling down the road and pulling in behind somebody driving a car with a mattress on the roof. Transporting mattresses is sketchy enough. But when you discover that the guy in front of you is holding his down with his hand, you suddenly have a big problem. You need to get around that guy as quickly as possible.

If you are that guy, stop being him. Holding onto a mattress while you’re driving down the road at any rate of speed is foolish. And if you are bold enough to do 40 mph or faster, you’re asking for trouble. Do yourself and every other driver on the road a solid and tie down that mattress with a cam strap or two.

The Law Requires It

In this country, cargo securement is regulated at both the federal and state levels. State laws pertain to both non-commercial and commercial vehicles that don’t transport goods across state lines. So that guy holding the mattress to his roof in Florida is probably violating Florida law.

Every state in the union has cargo securement laws on the books. Though they differ in the details, there is one constant, common to them all: drivers are required to properly secure any cargo not fully contained within their vehicles. This covers cargo in the back of a pickup truck, on a trailer, carried on the roof of a car, etc.

So Easy to Do

The funny thing about mattress guy is that securing his cargo is so easy to do. All he needs is a couple of Rollercam cam buckle straps and a few minutes of spare time. Tying down a mattress isn’t rocket science. Likewise for his buddies who feel it necessary to carry all sorts of unsecured stuff in the backs of the pickup trucks. A tarp and a couple of cam straps would take care of things. Even bungee cords are better than nothing.

So why do so many drivers not make the effort to secure their cargo? Some of them may be genuinely ignorant. They are not aware of the law or the basic principles of physics. They could stand to be educated in both.

Some drivers don’t have bungee cords or cam straps at their disposal. Furthermore, they are not motivated enough to get some. They just throw their cargo on and hope for the best. And of course, there is that crowd that loves to take chances. Carelessness is in their blood. The last thing they should be doing is taking mattresses home on their cars rather than opting for free delivery.

Commercial Cargo Securement

As a side note, securing commercial cargo becomes a matter of federal law when vehicles cross state lines. For example, trucking companies operating in multiple states are required to follow very strict rules. A flatbed trucker must be incredibly careful about securing cargo with a range of ratchet straps, chains, and tarps.

Even dump truck operators are subject to strict rules. Any loose materials in the back of a dump truck need to be restrained with a tarping system. Pieces of stone, gravel, etc. cannot be allowed to fly out during transport. It is a safety thing for cars traveling behind a truck.

The lesson in all of this is simple: don’t be that guy who tries to carry a mattress on top of the car by holding it down with his hand. Do not try to transport any cargo you cannot properly secure. You owe it to the other drivers on the road, at the very least. Be nice to them.

James Morkel

Tech website author with a passion for all things technology. Expert in various tech domains, including software, gadgets, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. Dedicated to simplifying complex topics and providing informative and engaging content to readers. Stay updated with the latest tech trends and industry news through their insightful articles.

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