caseythompson•1d agoProlific Poster

Back in 2010 I thought those new load moment indicators were just a crutch

I came up on old cranes where you felt everything in the seat and watched the cable. When the company put a new LMI system on our Manitowoc 2250, I thought it was just a fancy beeper for guys who couldn't pay attention. Then we had a job lifting a big HVAC unit onto a hospital roof in Seattle. The wind was gusting, and I was focused on the swing. The LMI started flashing and giving a soft alarm before I even felt the load shift. It caught a tiny change in the angle that I missed. That one moment showed me it wasn't a crutch, it was a second set of eyes. Now I wouldn't run a crane without a solid system. Anyone else have a piece of tech they hated at first but now rely on?

3 comments

3 Comments

brianreed1d ago

Yeah that "second set of eyes" thing is dead on. I felt the same about backup cameras on delivery trucks. Thought it was for people who couldn't turn their heads. Then I had a kid's bike come out of nowhere behind me in a driveway. The camera caught it in the corner of the screen before I saw anything in the mirrors. Now I check that screen every single time I put it in reverse. It just gives you that extra bit of warning you sometimes need.

christopherw341d ago

Brian makes a good point about that extra warning, but cameras can also make drivers lazy about actually looking around. I've seen people just stare at the screen while backing up without checking their mirrors or blind spots at all. Irisowens is right to ask about side cameras, but more tech isn't always the fix. It's still on the driver to use all the tools and not just rely on one screen.

irisowens1d ago

So when do we get those side cameras too?