Tractor shuts down federal buildings in DC

[WVBill]

OK, I don't know if you've seen this on your local news but there's this guy who drove his tractor into one of the ponds near the monuments here in DC yesterday afternoon.

The police have about a mile of Constitution Ave. shut down which brought traffic in DC to a virtual standstill last night. He's been there all night claiming to have amonium nitrate and so today there are three federal buildings shut down!

Local TV Coverage

The news says he pulled the tractor into the pond on a flatbed trailer with a jeep then drove the tractor off the trailer. You think a jeep could pull that tractor on a trailer?

 

[MDNick]

I heard this morning on the traffic report that Const. Ave. was shut down, but not why. I have driven those roads several times, walked around that pond (and the goose crap around the pond). I just have to wonder, how do you get that large of a tractor down there and into the pond? To say that it is congested is a massive understatement. No, the tractor could not have come in on any trailer being towed by a jeep. Maybe the tractor could tow the jeep in there, but, I'd have thought he would need an accomplice. It is several miles of congestion, bridges, etc. to get to the mall. I give the guy credit for pulling it off and getting where he is at. Can't give him much credit for anything else. Pretty cool watching him drive around in the pond. Nice grapple he has on that FEL.

 

[WVBill]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I just have to wonder, how do you get that large of a tractor down there and into the pond? )</font>

Yeah, my point exacxtly. You mean to tell me that some police agency didn't notice somebody pulling a huge John Deere Tractor on a trailer (or driving it) across the Memorial (or whatever) bridge and think "Hey, this doesn't look right! I don't remember any fields that needed plowing in downtown DC. Maybe I'd better stop this guy and ask some questions."

So much for alert condition yellow or orange or whatever.

I was lucky. I work here in DC and Constitution Ave is my normal route into and out of town. I leave for home about 2:30PM which is before most everyone else. So yesterday I was able to quickly jump down across the 14th street bridge and head out the GW Parkway. Didn't cost me any time at all - but those leaving work after 3:00 were STUCK. I'm guessing it's a nightmare this morning by now but when I came in at 6:00 there was no backup on the GW/14th route at all.

Just cannot believe that all the amassed brain power of our anti-terrorism experts couldn't figure out how to get one guy out of a tractor in a pond in the middle of the night last night. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[riptides]

The park service uses a lot of Green Branded machines. I can see overlooking this guy from a distance.

The jeep and trailor contraptions that also ended up in the pond would have raised my eyebrows a little.

The area he ended up in is quite quiet in the early morning hours, which probably led him to pass with ease.

FYI, I work in that area and have been at home the last couple of days. Thank goodness for that.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[gmason]

Sounds like a mission for 007 /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Or a Team of Navy Seals... Swim up to the tractor, drian the oil and the hydro fluid then pipe some snooze gas into that beautiful cab.

Heck the guy should be arrested for driving that great looking Green machine into a puddle and not doing any work with it while he's in there... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Well, I do hope it ends well for everyone and that includes the tractor.
gary

 

[Steven]

And just how do they think "homeland security" is going to work if they did not even see this coming? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[JATO_RaT]

Where do you suppose the supposed explosives are hidden? Just how much can he fit on that tractor and is the tractor even paid off? Will insurance cover it if it did blow? Does a John Deere have a john on board, all important questions.
My thoughts, I think the folks over there have a little more heads up about this fella then meets the eye. He might want to enjoy what little seat time he has left, the next few months or years are going to be a bit different. Rat...

 

[loner]

Boy O boy,He made a statement fer sure! But Im thinkin this fella is in deep do do that good lookin J.D. cant even clean up! He is most likely gonna miss spring planting!

 

[WVBill]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( this fella is in deep do do )</font>

At this point he will be much better off in the hands of the authorities than he would be in the hands of most of the people who work in DC and have their commutes to work doubled or trippled by his "statement".

He's now well into day 3 of his adventure.... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Mosey]

This is a tricky situation. The authorities must proceed with extreme caution. There is a grave danger that something bad could happen - to the tractor I mean! That would be terrible!