Could a cell phone really trigger an explosion on Hwy 43?
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PORTLAND, Ore. - Crews working on the Sellwood Bridge project will begin blasting rocks Wednesday night and that might jolt some folks who live nearby.
For drivers approaching the bridge, an orange sign might catch your attention. It reads: “Turn off 2-way radio and cell phone.”
That had us here at KATU scratching our heads. Could a cell phone accidentally trigger an explosion?
Turns out no, it can’t. County spokesman Mike Pullen said there is no risk that a cell phone or two-way radio could set off an explosion. Still, he said the signs are required under an antiquated state law that has not been updated to keep pace with safety advances.
At one time in the past there was slight concern the electric blasting caps might be triggered by a cell signal, but new microprocessor technology has all but eliminated that chance, Pullen said.
The blasting is part of the process to excavate the hill on the west side of Highway 43. Project managers say blasting is the only safe way to remove the rocks that are underground.
"They drill through dirt and then into the rock," said Pullen. "So there's not a whole lot of debris that we expect to be flying onto the highway. But we do close the highway and bridge for five to 20 minutes at the time of the blast."
You can expect two or three explosions a night (between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.), three nights a week for the next month.
Why is this being done at night? The answer is simple - so it won't impact daytime traffic.
Crews will sound a siren leading up to each blast and the noise from that will be louder than the actual explosion.
Seem these signs around since I was a kid, my father w ho has worked with explosives see this sign, reached and turned off his CB raidio, I WILL TURN OFF my cell and CB when I see these signs.. And they don't need stray signals setting off the explosives. When it comes to remote detonation, Nothing is left to chance... and if you think this is freaking funny , you power up your cell and make a call and cause a blast to go off prematurely, well then I hope to God the fry ya.
heck why not, they have been causing car accidents for 20 years!
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@the good dr. ok people with cell phones while driving cause accidents! so there now you have it!
I have always thought these signs were a joke, by the time you see them its illegal to pick up your phone and shut it off
That's where a lot of people are confused. it is not illegal to shut off your phone while driving, or turn it on, answer it, hang it up, use it as a music player, or a GPS. It only crosses the line of the law when it is used as a 'two-way communication device' (ver batim ORS).
And now there are hundreds of teenage boys using thier phones in the area.
@Peregrine And that gets you going because????????
working in the oil field when ever they were running wireline and perforating the well they made everyone turn off cell phones as to not accidentally set off a charge.  Never really knew if it could happen.  I just didn't want to be "that guy".
Be careful when you drive in that area. Hope they will not cause any problem to Riverview Cemetery on the hill that overlook Sellwood Bridge since there is people who are buried there.
@Sunny Gosh we did not know that wow what insight...sunny yet not so bright.??
Oh and All charges are by law hard wired only terrorists and fake FBI terrorists use cell phones..
The big give away is they use T-mobile sad I know but.....funny still the same...Â
Crap, I was hoping my police radio would trigger some real chaos so there would be more overtime...
In other words, "Shut up and drive!" Pay attention in the construction zone.Â
It's okay Oregon, the FAA still thinks a cell phone can bring down a 747 as well.
"... but new microprocessor technology has all but eliminated that chance, Pullen said...", so theres a 1% chance?
I say, if leaving total cataclysmic proportions up to the general public to determine success or failure...there are severe safety checks bypassed to assume we will obide. Â
@papadiddy You mean like voting republican.???
Yea I think you do.....
Good luck with that. Â People won't even stop texting on their phones while driving much less turn the thing off and it's even illegal. Â Think they'll give a rat's patootie if you ask nicely? Â Â
@negativerep Not even. I love watching folks texting in their car(s) behind me and fail to pay attention to jack-poop even with kids in the car...
I wonder how many people will turn off the road and end up in the ditch. LOL
I wouldn't be surprised to see Police citing people for not turning off their phones, and if they do turn off their phones for using a cell phone while driving and then double the fines of course for safety zones.
Yay, I get to hear Sirens and Explosions... If I suffered from PTSD I would be getting a hotel as far away as I could from the sellwood bridge
This looks like a job for the Mythbusters. Â They've already proven you can't blow up a gas station with a cell phone.
Shhhhhhhhhh! Don't let Mohammed M know about this!
No cell phones ....
Good luck with that.
New microprocessor technology has ALL BUT eliminated that chance.
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@Welfair Chick @oldcouvguyÂ
Not likely to set off, I agree, but one more reason for ditching your electronic pacifier.
No one turns off their cell phones when they see signs like this. A total waste of signage. Few will even read it due to sign overload.
@RalphCramden Or they cause an accident reaching for their phone which fell to the floor under the seat... Â
@RalphCramden Plus the fact it isn't written in Spinach
@Cosmo8U @RalphCramden Â
 Yeah...nobody pays attention to signs and Popeye only pays attention to signs written in spinach.Â
@Agness P Weatherby @Cosmo8U @RalphCramden Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh
Just like there's no way a stray CB radio signal can trigger a bomb that exploded while that dummy from the OSP bomb squad was prying it open in Woodburn a couple years back.
@NGerblansky There's a huge difference from an explosive that requires a wired detonator, and some crude home-made bomb.
@axpmanThere's a big difference between a stray CB signal and a stupid OSP bomb squad member beating and prying on a "fake" bomb too.
Dang, this made me laugh...hard. Sucks for the local residents.
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@TheUglyTruth Gunshots every night under the bridge connecting Sellwood & Dunthorpe? Â
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@Dr. Rawdog @TheUglyTruth   I thought the siren was to wake up the residents so they could enjoy each and every blast....nine times a week for a month between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.  Â
That sounds really awesome.Â
Hey KATU, it might not hurt to remind pet owners in the area who keep their pets outside to bring them in at night while this is going on,...just a thought
@danoseknows So I should bring the kids in at night? Wouldn't want them to get scared wondering around.
...And, those who keep pets outside should not have pets in the first place as an outside pet is not really a pet at all.
@UselessOpinion
Ok so my dog has his own bed next to ours (I refused to let him sleep ON the bed, it was my line).Â
 But dogs are dogs. Doe people have their sheep and goats in the house (I mean in first world countries, we ALL used to sleep with the sheep and goats thatâs why we have measles and mumps)? What's wrong with a good dog house and a fenced in yard?
@pdxd With .?????
dirty deeds done with sheep?
@Repoman Um, only in instances where the wife caught the farmer with the sheep and left him
@UselessOpinion
Note to self:
Stay out of threads where bestiality could be construed from your comment.Â
Thank you
-Myself.Â
@The_AnnaCannard @Sundowner @Repoman @UselessOpinion @Dr. Rawdog Â
What do you mean, sweetie, that's like a new record in decorum 'round these parts.  Ever'body getin' freaky with the beastie 'round about here!
@Sundowner @Repoman @UselessOpinion @Dr. Rawdog Well, this conversation went downhill fast. Went from road construction to bestiality in less than an hour.
@Dr. Rawdog @Repoman @UselessOpinion Nnaaaaaaaaa. That's just a Baaaaaaaaaad joke.
@Repoman @UselessOpinion @Dr. Rawdog Actually, on one of the reservations in Montana the cattle sleep in the 'newer' house, the family still lives in the old shabby single-wide (I've seen it).  I understand in the Coos Bay area, there are many who "sleep" with their goats. Â
@Dr. Rawdog Please tell me that's all they're doing,.....lie to me.