It's come to this: Mass. made a PSA to prevent Storrowing

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is getting creative in reminding newcomers to keep their moving trucks off of Storrow Drive this September move-in season.

The agency posted an Instagram video reminiscent of an early-aughts Sarah McLachlan ASPCA ad asking people to "save a rented moving truck" by avoiding the roadway notorious for decapitating vehicles with its low-clearance bridges.

Storrow Drive has a 10-foot height limit throughout the parkway. Those that drive too-tall trucks on Storrow often hit the bridges that cross over the road, causing damage to their rented vehicles and snarling traffic.

For years, locals have called the avoidable (yet somehow inevitable) phenomenon"Storrowing," which has its own Urban Dictionary definition.

There are signs posted at entrances to Storrow reminding drivers of the height limit, but that hasn't stopped people from tearing up their trucks.

"We put signs up everywhere. Please, look for them," said DCR's Digital Media Strategist Ryan Hutton in the video as McLachlan's "Angel" plays softly in the background. "Together, we can not hit a bridge with a truck. The bridges and the trucks will thank you."

If you're not sure just how tall your moving truck is, Hutton notes that companies include that information on the body of the vehicle.

Jeff Parenti, deputy chief engineer at the DCR, said the video was meant to grab attention as a way of reminding people to pay attention to low-clearance or "no truck" signs when renting a moving truck.

“You don't need a commercial driver's license to rent a moving van, but it does carry extra responsibility,” said Parenti.

Figuring out how to navigate the city without using Storrow can be challenging, especially when relying on a GPS app that doesn't take into account which roads prohibit trucks. But Parenti noted that it is possible to avoid the parkway.

"One of the nice things about Boston is that it may be a little longer, but there's always an alternate route to get where you're going," said Parenti.

Want to know more about this annual headache for Massachusetts officials? Take a look at our deep dive into Storrowing.