Posted on 08/21/2006 6:50:52 PM PDT by SJackson
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation trumpeted it as good news.
Accidents involving big trucks on our state's roads and highways declined in 2005.
In fact, the State Patrol's Bureau of Transportation Safety said that the 7,762 truck crashes during the last year represented the lowest number in 16 years. Just 10 years ago, large truck crashes totaled more than 9,400, it said.
The number of people killed in crashes involving semis and other large trucks in 2005 was 94, the fewest since 1992, when 90 people perished in such collisions.
State Patrol Capt. Chuck Teasdale credited the better numbers to the patrol's "extensive safety inspections" and "close monitoring of drivers."
"Traffic law enforcement is another key component because it focuses on truck drivers' decisions and behaviors that often cause crashes," he said. "We also are working with trucking companies and organizations to educate drivers about safety issues."
Frankly, we could all use some good news about the growing dangerous mix of passenger cars and ever-more-powerful semis on the roads. Only a few days ago, another tractor-trailer rammed into the rear of stopped traffic on the Beltline, the driver unable to bring its heavy load to a stop. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, although traffic was stopped dead on the busy Beltline for most of the morning.
Drivers on the Jersey Turnpike last week weren't as fortunate. Four people were killed and four more injured when a flatbed truck loaded with bricks slammed into stopped traffic. The truck wasn't able to stop. It pushed one car under the trailer of another truck, killing three of the four people in it. It then careered over a guard rail and overturned, spilling the bricks onto a second car, killing the woman who was driving it.
Now it's true that trucks don't always run into the rear of passenger cars and it's also true that many of the accidents are more the fault of the car drivers than of the truck drivers. Trouble is, the car drivers don't stand much of a chance in an encounter between the two.
And it's also true that the lethal mix of the two is becoming more volatile as the increase in the number of cars and the growth of the trucking industry continue unabated. We may have had a good year in 2005, but that's bound to change as the unhealthy mix of the two gets more severe.
The time will come when passenger cars and trucks will have to be separated, either through a redesign of our national highway system or encouraging even more use of railroad rights of way.
Congratulations to the State Patrol for a good year, but don't hold your breath for the future.
There's a lot of manufacturing in that stretch, and most of those trucks are doing short runs sometimes within the city. I agree - a rough stretch.
Add another "yea" to the pile.
From Winchester VA to Chambersburg PA is a waking nightmare.
The area near the I-70/I-81 interchange in Hagerstown is the worst section.
*Nobody* yields to anybody, ever.
Hills are the only places where I have a problem with trucks. Between us and Phoenix, there are two steep hills on I-17. Despite plenty of signage warning trucks to stay in the right lane for their uphill 30-mph crawl, some hotshot able to grind out 31 will try to pass the 30-mph parade, slowing everyone else down in the process. Lets add a truck lane on those uphill stretches, and fence it off with Jersey barriers from the other traffic.
"We also are working with trucking companies and organizations to educate drivers about safety issues."
Nothing but truck drivers going well over the speed limit.
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Really? Not one single car? Odd. You'ld think there would be a car or maybe two. But I'd bet if there where, those cars would be driving no faster than 55. Right?
Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?
In Chi-town, on a 4 lane wide road, from right to left it works like this. 55,65,75,85+. Trucks are confined to the two right lanes. But you will see trucks AND cars doing 75-85+ in ALL the lanes.
My point is this. What's more dangerous. A truck doing 75 who slams on his brakes or a car doing 75 who slams on his brakes. Most people will say the truck. That's why when referring to the speeding issue in this thread, the emphasis is on trucks speeding not cars (as your post followed suit)
But think carefully about the scenario. What happens when that truck slams his brakes and what happens when that car slams his brakes.
The truck, if he stays straight, will come to a screechng halt in about 100-200 yrds. If his trailer rear swings out and jack-knifes, he will stop in a shorter distance due to the extra resistance. If the speed at the time of jack-knife is still pretty fast he may flip thus providing more resistance.
If a car going that fast slams on the brakes and stays straight, not a big deal. 50-100 yrds maybe? But since cars are lighter and more suceptable to the airflow under and around the car, very rarely will they stay straight. They will have a greater chance to flip AND THEN GO AIRBORN! OUCH!
I also know Milwaukee traffic pales in comparison to what goes on in Chicago. But I get a litle nervous when I see flatbed semi carying a full load going over 70MPH.
You go guy. In all my years of driving, I have seen one nut-job trucker and a few make questionable lane changes and such. In the same time I cannot even begin to count the number of car drivers who drive, drunk, tired, arguing with others and generally not having a clue about momemntum, braking distances, merging or courtesy. There ought to be a High School program where new drivers get to drive a hundred miles with a trucker... It would really open their eyes. Truckers are professionals and, dare I say, have a higher proportion of good drivers then the law profession has of good lawyers, for instance. Keep the shiny side up.
Him doing 70 with a full load is not the problem.
What darts out in front of him is the problem.
BTW. Flatbeds have a lower center of gravity since they don't have trailer walls and roofs. The only thing you have to worry about is how strong is the weakest link in the chains holding that steel coil to the bed. Then look how its loaded. If they break, which is not that often, which way is the steel positioned to roll off the bed. Avoid driving in those areas.
Use the Smith system and you'll be fine. Defensive driving is the key.
Aim high in steering
Get the big picture
Keep your eyes moving
Leave yourself an out
Make sure they see you
http://www.smith-system.com/
Truckers are professionals and, dare I say, have a higher proportion of good drivers then the law profession has of good lawyers
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Me crapping a nine inch turd after 500 miles has a greater chance of happening than finding a good lawyer.
California has had some truck only freeways for about 30 years. The grapevine grade is one of note. I-5 north out of LA and south too.
http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/us_pix/99_pics/grapevine_descent_w_truck-1934.jpg
"...My girlfriend was flashed by a pervert trucker and she had her kids with her. However she got the license# and company name and when she got home she told her hubby and he called the company and read them the riot act and the trucker got fired..."
Well that serves her right for cheating on her spouse. Her poor husband is busy making angry calls to trucking companies about alleged perverts and meanwhile she is straying into the arms of another man. She has a lot of nerve.
How was she flashed by a guy driving a truck that is likely six or eight feet higher than her vehicle? One has to literally crane their neck in order to look upward at a trucker in a full-size rig. Did she mention she was horrified for several hours over the course of hundreds of miles?
Lastly, don't bet the farm that the trucker was terminated from his job. It was a simple "she said" and "he said" situation. Not that your girlfriend embellished the story, but I wouldn't be surprised if trucking companies receive LOTS of "reports" from disgruntled motorists who experienced some road rage because they were delayed for ten seconds while rushing to Starbucks for their venti, half-foam, half-soy, vanilla/caramel espresso frappuccino. It is very easy for the trucking company to simply tell the person on the other end of the telephone that the driver was fired to make them go away.
~ Blue Jays ~
Then if, as you say, one train is equal to 150 semis, there's 150 jobs lost as a result. Now what? And that's provided they are all solo drivers and not team drivers.
We would discover lots more jobs for people associated with freight trains, including people from long-haul trucking who could make the switch. We would also have a good excuse to upgrade our railroad infrastructure to handle greater loads and higher speeds.
~ Blue Jays ~
My wife and I were just talking about this very same solution while driving to Milwaukee on I-90-94 this last weekend. She observed about the great amount of semis on the road even on a weekend. Obviously the businesses who use semis have to make money. Are we going to arrive at eight lane highways or even separate highways for heavy haulers? Maybe. I also advocate special toll highways for the fools who want to drive twenty - thirty miles over the speed limit...maybe even no speed limit.
I've thought for years that one way to minimize traffic congestion at rush hour is to just prohibit the movement of semis in urban areas from 6:00 to 8:00 AM, and from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. They take up enormous amounts of room, and they're slow to accelerate and get traffic moving again. They are undoubtedly a major contributor to traffic jams.
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