TROY – Somehow, an oversized load got stuck in the downtown square last week – and it didn’t make the news. A truck transporting an entire house tried to fit through the teeny-tiny traffic loop, but completely botched the job and got stuck on the square. Did you know about this? Neither did we! Until now.

Apparently, the truck made it around the first loop – but was stopped in its tracks when it approached the poorly-placed plant pots, which sit smack dab in the middle of the street. Who decided that was a good idea?

The city’s little birds whisper conspiracies that the city tried to cover up the incident, as the “Downtown Live Webcam” mysteriously blacked out for “technical difficulties” during the accident, and no news outlets covered the story. But guess what: the Miami County Bugle Caller found out, and we’re not going to let this one slide. 

For the past 2 years, disgruntled Facebook users have vented their frustrations about recent updates to the downtown square. The changes removed traffic lights and replaced them with signs that give pedestrians the right of way. Of course, they also put those damn plant pots smack dab in the middle of the street. Now, there have been some consequences – and nobody has spoken up.

Obviously, this incident is a complete embarrassment for the driver, but it’s a much larger mistake on the city’s part. Oversized loads matter, and should have the freedom to weave through any traffic circle they encounter. The lack of consideration has offended oversized load truckers for decades, who are starting to speak up about their lack of representation.

“We deserve a right to all roads and intersections, and cannot do our jobs without complete accessibility,” said Bernie Spellman, a spokesperson from the Oversized Load Truckers’ Association (OLTA). “We also want to take our massive vehicles into fast food lanes and drive-thru beer caves. These are just the first steps to true equality.”

Until their demands are met, all members of OLTA are steering clear of Troy and its abundance of roundabouts. Stay tuned for all updates on Troy’s downtown square by subscribing to the Miami County Bugle Caller.