Short version: someone tried to haul an entire camp on top of a compact car — roof piled with tarps and mattresses, a huge strapped bundle hanging off the hitch — and the r/burningman crowd had thoughts.
What we saw
A Reddit user posted a photo of a small sedan absolutely overloaded for the playa run: a massive, tarp-wrapped stack on the roof, extra gear lashed to a rear rack, and straps everywhere. One commenter summed it up nicely: “Gate Road Special.” Another pointed out the obvious risk — “that thing is barely clearing the ass end.” Someone said the driver got pulled over for an “unsafe” load.
Top reactions from the thread
– rynoxmj: “Gate Road Special”
– BeegBunga: “DAMN that thing is barely clearing the ass end.”
– Denebola5: “Far exceeded tongue weight… bent hitch and/or frame dragging — he’s cooked.”
– Bitter_Currency_6714: “U-Haul was out of box trucks.”
– Imthatsick: jokingly asked about the car’s gas mileage.
Why folks were worried (and why you should be too)
– Weight distribution and tongue weight: Overloading the roof and rear hitch can exceed the vehicle’s rated capacities, bending hitches, damaging frames, and making steering and braking unpredictable.
– Stability: A huge load up high raises the center of gravity — that’s a rollover risk when you’re dodging traffic or blowing through a dust storm.
– Dragging and sparks: Straps, bent metal, or an overloaded hitch can drag and create sparks — hazardous on the open road and absolutely not great on playa where fires and emergency response are real concerns.
– Legal exposure: Getting pulled over for an unsafe load can mean fines or being forced to offload — not a good start to a festival run.
Quick safety checklist (if you’re hauling big camp gear)
– If in doubt, rent a box truck or cargo van — it’s worth it.
– Know your vehicle’s roof, hitch, and payload ratings and don’t exceed them.
– Use rated racks and hitches; distribute weight low and centered when possible.
– Secure everything with multiple proper tie-downs and check them periodically.
– Flag and light oversized loads; obey local laws and speed limits.
If you’ve got a Gate Road Special story (or photo), drop it in the comments — we’ve all seen questionable packing decisions on the way to playa. Stay safe out there and pack smart.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/BurningMan/comments/1rdvz2x/anyone_gonna_own_up_to_this/