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A Truck Gets Stuck On Zoji La |
"Overloaded trucks on the dangerous Zoji La Pass..."
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Edging as close as I dared, poised at the edge, left foot firm, the truck passed, it’s rear wheel kissing my right side pannier, full-face black exhaust; tailgate chains slashing air.
You instinctively ride back to the middle - the inside rut, skirting mud only where firm at the outer edge. We rode down, two, three more corners, horns blaring, riding with caution. Round the next blind bend a line of jeeps, halted but heading down. The realisation was instant. What’s blocking the path?
An overloaded Tata ‘high sider’. Stacked to to the brim and more on the cab, the ‘Helper’ crouched behind the rear offside wheels. The rad’ cover propped wide open, the driver gunning the 1613 Turbo to charge his brakes, when he felt brave he 'dropped his clutch'.
The engine sagged, moaned and died and the truck lurched forward one small step. Before he could stand on his brakes, the truck had rolled back, two steps forwards, one step back. the Helper slipped in the rock, halting its downhill death-roll. Again the revs, engine roaring, recharge his brakes and creep an inch further... |
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Last Updated on Friday, 13 May 2011 04:21 |
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