Posted on 03/31/2013 7:21:38 PM PDT by goldstategop
They said there were 17 separate crashes within a distance of one mile (1.6km) on Interstate 77 near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain.
The accidents began shortly after 13:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Sunday, when there was heavy fog in the area.
It was reportedly the most deadly of several similar pile-ups since 1997.
Queues of traffic in southbound lanes near the scene of the crashes stretched for eight miles, police said.
"This mountain is notorious for fog banks," said Glen Sage of the American Red Cross office in the town of Galax.
"They have advance signs warning people. But the problem is, people are seeing well and suddenly they're in a fog bank."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Location of crash site is Fancy Gap Mountain
I’ve seen fog like this before in the SWVA mountains-—you literally can’t see your hand if you hold it up in front of your face.
Ban fog.
Is this the area where the interstate enters a series of tunnels or is that further north?
Been there. Haven't done that.
But it's easy to understand why it happened.
Interstate 77 in Carroll County. 95 vehicles involved.
I’ve been through there myself, you got to be careful there.
In pre interstate days, I was traveling in the W.Va. mountains when I was passed by a speeding car on one of those unimaginably twisty roads.
Within minutes I came upon the same car that had met a semi head on. Being first on the scene I went to the car to see if I could render aid, the driver of the truck had gotten out and was sitting on the side of the road sobbing but seemingly unhurt....... too late, the torso of a woman was behind the wheel of the smashed in car and her head was lying on the back seat.
Too bad one cannot “unsee” something. That was almost 50 years ago and I still will have the occasional night mare where I see that detached head.
On a freeway, every one travels at high speed - when the lead car has to slow down due to heavy fog, other drivers behind the lead car may not see the slow down in time and they crash leading to a chain of car crashes.
Police and insurance companies generally hold a pileup created due to sudden fog an act caused by God since there is no way to determine legal fault.
We were driving across Texas and a car passed us at a high rate of speed. A few minutes later we came over a little rise and they had crashed and one of their heads was in the middle of the highway.
Thankfully there were pwople already stopped but my sister went bonkers and couldn’t drive anymore for a few days.
Further north. The tunnels are close to the Virginia state line.
The tunnels are north of Interstate 81 just below Bluefield, WV.
The accident took place just north of the NC line.
Judging by past experience, I think it is about a 9% grade for maybe 10 miles or so.
I have driven it hundreds of times, about half of the downhill times were late at night.
The downhill part starts about 10 or 15 miles north of the NC line. The road is very good. Four lane, smooth, curves are easily made at 70 MPH.
Traffic moves at 60 MPH or better regardless of the weather. I have gone down the mountain when I had to stretch my neck to keep the fog line in sight because vision ahead of the vehicle was only 20 ft. or so at best and less most of the time.
Why drive 60 MPH in weather like that? Because if you don’t some guy behind you will rear end you.
At that, I have had big trucks pass me.
In bad weather, that is one very very dangerous stretch of road.
Correction: Two lanes going down hill.
Ping
Ban cars, they are dangerous.
I’ve driven that stretch a half-dozen or more times.
There are some serious changes in elevation, slope, topography, in-and-out of tunnels, and view distractions.
Some of it will give you a case of the willies even in good weather.
Whenever you are driving on an interstate,
and you get into a situation where you feel you need to slow down for safety,
you never know what might be coming up behind you.
CC
“...they had crashed and one of their heads was in the middle of the highway.”
Look up ahead in the road.
Look up, a head in the road.
It’s all in the the details.
My God, what a horrible sense of humour.
But to help you make your point, I had an experience many years ago that also makes your point.
An acquaintance and I were in a very heated discussion.
I said “Damn, you listen to me.”
He thought I was saying “Damn you, listen to me.”
He never got over that. Mad at me for 30 years or so. Probably still is, but we have gone different ways.
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