Posted on 01/05/2020 1:19:54 PM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
MT. PLEASANT, Pa. — The eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike are back open after a crash involving three tractor trailers, a tour bus and a car.
First responders were calling it a “mass casualty incident.” Emergency crews said five people were killed and roughly 60 people were taken to area hospitals with injuries.
25 people were taken to Excela Frick Hospital in Mount Pleasant ranging in age from 7 to 52-years-old. Nine of those patients were under the age of 18.
Officials said 11 patients were taken to Forbes hospital. Two of them were in critical condition. One patient was transferred to Allegheny General Hospital. The remainder of the patients at Forbes were listed in fair condition and ranged in age from 15 to 67.
UPMC reported they received 22 patients from the Turnpike crash. 18 were treated at UPMC Somerset and released. Three patients were taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital and one child was transported to UPMC Children’s.
(Excerpt) Read more at wpxi.com ...
That is true, for sure, having grown up in Upstate NY and being no stranger to winter weather.
However, the problem is, when you do that, some impatient, arrogant, moron uses that space to weave in and out of traffic, just to gain a couple more minutes in time.
Hence, it once again becomes unsafe, no matter what precautions you take.
There were literally hundreds of deer (roadkill) by side of road. This was evidently just before hunting season but proof that a hunting season is needed to keep their population under control.
Even if the salt melts the sleet/ice, the salt itself does not give the same traction as dry pavement.
“When my daughter had her permit, I gave her a lesson in stress driving. PA Turnpike, rush hour, full size van.
She handled it well and I never worried about her driving again.”
Wow, I wouldn’t even want to do that. LOL
But, good parenting!
I’ve done a lot of driving on the PA TP, most of it on the NE Ext and the eastern end between Valley Forge and the NJ TP exit, where it’s usually bumper-to-bumper at 75 MPH (except during rush hour when it’s either 80 MPH or a parking lot when there’s an accident).
So I’m impressed, not just by your daughter’s success, but also by your courage.
How long was it until your butt cheeks unclenched? :-)
It was just after dark when the truck started down the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania...
Especially Cyclops aka The Big Bus.
. Local to me.
3 am, tour bus, going to fast probably, may have fell asleep or was texting, truck drive said he saw the bus roll up on an embankment causing chair reaction
Any incompetence behind the wheel, regardless of vehicle, is a danger. Tractor trailers in and of themselves are not a problem, just as normal motor vehicles themselves are not a problem; it becomes a problem when over-confident, over-worked or overly-cautious people interject their stupidity into the equation.
Bit of a leap of faith but in glad you gave her a baptism by fire, no better way in most situations.
That practice, which I very much favor, has a name: shunpiking.
Letting your ego or your fear guide you on ANY road, much less bad weather roads like in PA, are equally fatal.
As far as traction goes, with almost 30 years of driving our highways as a professional, too many people make the mistake of follow-the-leader. On icy roads, do not track - look for the non-traveled snow-cover; when you have no traction, there is likely your only traction.
“That practice, which I very much favor, has a name: shunpiking.”
And that’s why I love FR. It’s not- learn something new every day, but every hour.
(Unlike the DUmp echo chamber.)
Hang out at FR. Learn at least one new thing each day :)
Nope. Other truck drivers there at the time said roads were wet but not icy.
Bet you were white knuckles all the way.
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