New DCR video mixes humor and horror in hopes of avoiding "Storrowing" in Boston
BOSTON - Moving season in Boston only means one thing: Trucks slamming into Storrow Drive overpasses, their roofs ripping off. It's an annual tradition that happens over and over and over again.
State releases comedic video to avoid "Storrowing"
The State Department of Conservation is pleading with the public to steer clear of Storrow and follow appropriate signage when renting moving trucks. That led the department to release a new video, mixing horror and humor in the hopes of saving people from an embarrassing roof-ripping moment.
"New arrivals to Boston are driving moving trucks under low clearance bridges, and they paid the price... Storrowed!" the video narration said.
Avoid the 😱! Keep your move in day a thriller, not a horror! Don't take oversized vehicles like box trucks 🚛 on the low-clearance Storrow Drive, Soldiers Field Road, or Memorial Drive when moving to the Boston area! Watch for the many warning signs & heed their advice! pic.twitter.com/Gr8T75ayWY
— MassDCR (@MassDCR) August 23, 2024
The video isn't just warning people about Storrow Drive, but two other low-clearance roadways as well, Soldiers Field Road and Memorial Drive.
One student enjoys watching the people get stuck on the roadway.
"We get to see that a lot, and it's pretty funny watching them get sardined," said MIT student Nicolas Valayannopoulas. He considers the crashes a bit of a Boston initiation, and it's free entertainment for his fraternity.
"We see it out of our back window 5,6,7, 8 times during the two move-in days and we sit and watch," said Valayannopoulas.
The engineering major hopes the video can reach new movers and students on social media.
"It depends how much reach it gets. If it gets reach it will help people will remember it," said Valayannopoulas.
No crashes last move-in day
Agencies that are responsible for the cleanup are hoping for the same thing.
The DCR really spearheads the initiative to reduce these crashes along Storrow Drive. Something they say they're proud of, last move-in day, there wasn't a single crash along the roadway. The goal is to repeat that because it does cause a lot of serious issues, including crashes and traffic.
How to avoid getting 'Storrowed' on moving day
The Massachusetts State Police are asking movers to make plans for move-in day and make sure their travel route can accommodate the truck's height.
"Storrowing is not only dangerous, it creates a major inconvenience for others, interrupts commerce, and is very costly," Colonel John Mawn says.
One moving company owner almost "Storrowed" himself recently. "That happened to us once with me. I was close," said Galaxy Moving Company owner Shota Birueli.
Birueli quickly learned his lesson that moving trucks cannot fit under the bridges on Storrow. "There's so many low bridges there. It's a big 26-foot truck. On Storrow it goes as low as 9 something or 10," said Bireuli
Now, he hopes to warn other people about the roadway.
"Never drive there," says Bireuli