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Driver dies after truck plummets from Bay Bridge at S-curve
San Francisco Chronicle ^
| 11/9/9
| Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Posted on 11/09/2009 7:36:46 AM PST by SmithL
Edited on 11/09/2009 8:21:14 AM PST by Admin Moderator.
[history]
A truck driver died early today after losing control on the Bay Bridge S-curve at high speed and plummeting 200 feet below to Yerba Buena Island, the most serious collision yet since the new detour was installed, the California Highway Patrol said.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: bay; baybridge; bridge; driver; plummets; scurve; truck
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To: beaversmom
years ago (early 80’s) I hauled fabricated steel for the tunnels that run under the bay and we were made to drive into the tunnels to unload.
My mother is the only thing (person) in my life that I truly feared but the thought of being under that much water made me nervous...
41
posted on
11/09/2009 8:19:50 AM PST
by
Pete-R-Bilt
(To gain a real gage on the economy, watch to see how many MT flatbeds go down the road...)
To: jessduntno
LOL Here's the perfect pic:
To: Logic n' Reason
but a drop of 20 feet (@ 32 ft/sec/sec) would take less than .55 of a second. 20 feet would take 1.12 seconds.
200 feet would take 3.53 seconds.
43
posted on
11/09/2009 8:21:50 AM PST
by
Sloth
(For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of the International Olympic Committee.)
To: jessduntno
Awesome...just awesome...:)
44
posted on
11/09/2009 8:22:22 AM PST
by
rlmorel
(Obama, The Flatulence of One Thousand Black Dogs After Eating Boiled Eggs Be Upon Him...)
To: Pete-R-Bilt
Drowning and falling to my deah—definitely not two of my favorites :)
To: equalitybeforethelaw
I have even thought of designing some glasses with blinders to help me cross such bridges.
That is not hard to do. Get some thick opaque plastic sheeting, cut a rectangle, punch two holes in it in line and thread it on the earpiece of your eyeglasses. One rectangle on each side.
it works!
Or you can get some welder’s safety glasses with dark side shields.
That works also.
46
posted on
11/09/2009 8:23:17 AM PST
by
Ruy Dias de Bivar
(The sword does not kill. It is a tool in the killer's hand.---Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
To: equalitybeforethelaw
***As time has gone by, I find I cannot drive over these types of bridges unless I am in the inside lane. ... Dont know what causes this fear, but it is real. *** You're not alone.
I grew up in Chicago and we have a lot of bridges that cross the Chicago River. They're not long or high but I never 'liked' crossing them. And when the 'Chicago Skyway' was built I freaked crossing that thing as a kid -- it is high, long and 'open'.
But yet, I have (or had) no problem going up 500ft in a Construction 'Man Hoist' (wire cage elevator) on the outside of a building. Or going to the edge of a floor slab 40 stories up, only 'protected from falling' by a wire attached between to columns. (now the barriers are much better)
There's prolly some fancy name for 'fear of bridges', but like you say, its real. Go figure ?!? :-)
Oh and then when I had Motorcycles I really hated crossing them as the bridge decks are all metal grating and the bike's tires would wiggle...... arrrgh!
47
posted on
11/09/2009 8:26:56 AM PST
by
Condor51
(The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits)
To: no-s
Maybe it's just the video angle, but the impact point is not consistent with the truck departing the roadway at 50mph. Looks more like 35mph per distance from the exit point.
Seems that Caltrans closed the lane again and took some aerial photos. Perhaps they also note some inconsistency...
48
posted on
11/09/2009 8:27:01 AM PST
by
no-s
(B.L.O.A.T. everyday...because someday soon they won't be making any more...for you.)
To: Ruy Dias de Bivar; NormsRevenge; tubebender
in Cal. they view through their bellybuttons
it’s the most popular method there that I have noticed...
49
posted on
11/09/2009 8:27:38 AM PST
by
Pete-R-Bilt
(To gain a real gage on the economy, watch to see how many MT flatbeds go down the road...)
To: All
<"...200 feet would take 3.53 seconds..."
I don't want to make light of the poor man's fate, because I don't mean this as such, but remember that everything slows to a crawl in times like that.
To me, 3.53 seconds of full enlightenment, knowing full well the end is approaching, is a lifetime.
50
posted on
11/09/2009 8:27:45 AM PST
by
rlmorel
(Obama, The Flatulence of One Thousand Black Dogs After Eating Boiled Eggs Be Upon Him...)
To: Flash Bazbeaux
>>theres nothing to keep it on the road surface.<<
Actually, there is:
51
posted on
11/09/2009 8:28:46 AM PST
by
RobRoy
(The US today: Revelation 18:4)
To: ltc8k6
"
Lotta crashes since they stuck that S curve in there..." Yep! - About 1/3 of Bay Area drivers have their hands full with just going straight. (hard to read paper, apply make-up and lipstick in the curves)
52
posted on
11/09/2009 8:30:29 AM PST
by
editor-surveyor
(The beginning of the O'Bomb-a administration looks a lot like the end of the Nixon administration)
To: beaversmom
To: beaversmom
I`ve been over that one in Colorado on our Gold Wing bike.
Scary as the dickens,but so are many other spots in beautiful
Colorado.Riding through the RMNP almost getting blown off
the road comes to mind.
The bridge that scared me the most tho is that Mackinac Bridge in Mi.
54
posted on
11/09/2009 8:34:58 AM PST
by
Harold Shea
(RVN `70 - `71)
To: Natural Law
"
but you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the Caltrans engineering organization that could explain it in English" That's a fact! - Most incompetent bunch of buffoons on Earth. Can't even pave a flat straight piece of freeway.
55
posted on
11/09/2009 8:36:15 AM PST
by
editor-surveyor
(The beginning of the O'Bomb-a administration looks a lot like the end of the Nixon administration)
To: NativeNewYorker
My experience in NY (and I don't drive all that much) is that such problem areas here tend to have 24/7 police presence with flashing lights and glowering men in blue, pulling folks over. I rode in a NYC taxicab one time from the airport to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and I saw my life flash in front of my eyes the whole way. NASCAR didn't have anything on that guy!
56
posted on
11/09/2009 8:36:15 AM PST
by
OB1kNOb
(As government grows, corruption flows.)
To: editor-surveyor
Caltrans is about as bad as they get.
57
posted on
11/09/2009 8:38:43 AM PST
by
Travis T. OJustice
(I can spell just fine, thanks, it's my typing that sucks.)
To: Logic n' Reason
"...but a drop of 20 feet (@ 32 ft/sec/sec) would take less than .55 of a second. "I don't believe that. You drop 16 feet in the first second.
58
posted on
11/09/2009 8:44:36 AM PST
by
OldEagle
To: Pete-R-Bilt; equalitybeforethelaw
Here's a truck driver going down the Mokee Dugway near Mexican Hat, Utah. Coming out of Glen Canyon, we got close to this area, but after seeing the sign that said it was a scary road, I had my husband just go onto Monticello, UT instead. We will have to see Monument Valley some other day:
Truck going down The Mokee Dugway
To: Frantzie
The Florida Sunshine Skyway Bridge is better now, but still scary for those with acrophobia.
60
posted on
11/09/2009 8:48:56 AM PST
by
varina davis
(Life is not a dress rehearsal)
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