HOW TO DRIVE THE BACK WHEELS OF A FIRE TRUCK
@PopularMechanics _ March 2019 81IL
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Retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson wrote a new book,
the Deadly Skills Puzzle and Activity Book, to help people
practice their observation and analysis skills. The 181
mind benders and games all use real-world scenarios that
athletes, military personnel, and first responders might
encounter. Here’s a fun puzzle from the book.SOME FIRE TRUCKS are
so long that they would
have a very hard time
turning corners. For
those trucks, the back
wheels are controlled by a
separate driver, who has
his own steering wheel.
Here’s how they work.- Before climbing in,
drivers make sure the
front and rear wheels
are pointed the same
direction. - They press the safety
button, usually a lever
the size of a hockey puck
at their feet, then honk
the horn (they have their
own horn!) to tell the
driver they’re ready.
3. For most turns on
big streets, the steer-
ing wheel doesn’t need
to be moved much. The
rear section follows the
front of the fire truck
the same way the back
of an 18-wheeler on the
highway follows its cab.
4. At a sharp corner,
however, the driver of
the rear wheels turns
them in the opposite
direction of the front
wheels. That keeps the
back of the truck from
hitting the curb. When
the front of the truck
is around the turn, the
driver steers the back
wheels in the same
direction, then straight-
ens the wheels to keep
the truck from driving
off the road.DIRECTIONS: Every tree has one tent
either above, below, or beside it. No tent
can be in a square touching another tent
(even diagonally). The numbers beside
each row and column tell you how many
tents are in that row or column. Can you
find all the tents? Find the answer key at
popularmechanics.com/deadly-skills-book.