Apparently just having a sign labeled “radioactive” allows truckers to transport material that radiation on unsuspecting traffic as evidence in this video posted on YouTube.
While one would assume that truck is lined with a protective barrier made out of a material such as lead that prevents radiation from leaking from the truck and the radioactive sign on the truck is just a warning in the event of an accident or leakage that clearly is not the case.
As evidence below, the video shows an Inspector Geiger counter picking up Gamma radiation at levels up to .320 millirems per hour, or .320 microseiverts, per hour of radiation being emitted from a truck traveling down Interstate 270 through Saint Louis Missouri on July 1st.
The truck in question is operated by Associated Couriers, Inc. out of Saint Louis with the signage on the truck showing a phone number of 314-739-0400.
Radioactive Container Truck Spewing Gamma Rays Into Traffic on I-270 in Saint Louis, Missouri
We got stuck next to this truck during the 7pm July 1st holiday traffic on North bound I-270, after seeing the Radioactive warning placards we pulled out the Geiger Counter and Camera. Lesson learned, AVOID RADIOACTIVE TRUCKS!
The Geiger counter samples over a 30 second moving average, updated every 3 seconds. Notice how the reading on the Geiger Counter keeps moving upwards after we pass the truck; had we stayed next to the radioactive truck the readings would have went even higher.
Pray for the truck driver; the source of gamma rays appeared to be located almost directly behind the driver. One would think that these things would be much more heavily shielded, located further away from the driver, and that such materials would be transported when other people are not on the road.
The truck exited I-270 at Lilac Ave.
To be fair, according to those measurements after standing next to the truck for an entire year you would receive a dose a little under that of a dental x-ray or about a dose of 2.8 millsieverts. However ever that reading, according to person who shot the video was only the Gamma radiation count with alpha, beta and x-ray radiation not being accounted for.
The radiation reading was also taken from a vehicle quickly passing by at a distance of several feet away from the radioactive truck. While that may give a fair estimation of the gamma radiation dose afflicted on the average unsuspecting vehicle just passing by it does not account for vehicles who travel alongside the truck for an extended period of time.
In fact, as stated in the video’s description, the counter was calculating values based on a 30 second moving average and being updated every 3 seconds. That means to get an accurate reading the full Gamma Radiation being emitted, the Geiger counter would have needed to stay next to the truck for a full 30 seconds, which it was not.
That means that the true Gamma radiation reading was much higher that what was displayed on the screen. The value on the screen, being a 30 second moving average, was actually being under reported by an order of a magnitude at the least, because 30 seconds prior to the elevated readings we were seeing virtually no radiation being detected by the Geiger counter.
Source: Radioactive Container Truck Spews Gamma Rays On Unsuspecting Traffic On Interstate Highway ©
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