Posted on 02/07/2018 6:21:14 AM PST by Pappy Smear
Here is the video--6 minutes long of a 50-70 car pileup on I-35 near Ames, Iowa. First minute is a little slow. At about 4:30 in, it starts getting "wow".
I got about 3 miles down the highway when I called it quits and got off the freeway and headed home via surface streets........
Having spent a lifetime of winters here in Michigan, I'm smart enough to know when to drive 25 or stay off the roads.......
It's always a judgement call.
And I agree, if the judgement is to leave the vehicle, get the heck off the roadway and well to the side.
I was in the 117 car pile up on 1-95 South in VA and this brings back some scary memories. The truck drivers simply drive way too fast.
...but we can still do 75 in the clear lane, right?
“Be one of the ones getting away from the stopped cars and way off to the side.”
Yes, great lesson. And stay in your car. Your car may still get crushed by a semi, but there’s a better chance you’ll get squashed by a car if you get out.
The people driving off to the side were smart. If my family were with me I would have driven through that fence and well into the field.
I spoke with a trucker at Rural King two days ago. He said ‘Sadly, truckers are using their hand held phones and spending hours talking but not listening. No more CBs for information. They all have GPS.”
Franking, I think truckers should be mandated to keep their CBs on the CH 17 or 19 at all times. They are our first line of defense in situations just like the one we just watched. I think 4wheelers learn how simple it is to use a CB. Pile ups like this might not happen.
Though I drive a 4-wheeler I have driven coast to coast probably 12-15 times alone or with kids. I cannot even begin to express my appreciation for the truckers who talked with me...directions, places to eat, good places to rest and sleep, safe places to take kids. I would give them accolades until I was hoarse. I never met a bad one though I know there are those out there.
I forgot to add: occasionally I would see a driver weaving from side to side. I would get on my CB, call him by truck name or whatever I had and tell him he should get some sleep as he was “weaving”. Every single one thanked me and if they saw me at a truck stop further up the road they’d buy my lunch or dinner. Hey, you can’t survive out there on these super fast freeways without all kinds of eyes watching out for you.
That's an understatement. The amount of stupid in that video is off the charts. You would think people in Iowa would know how to drive in a snowstorm.
Saw it. I grew up in what used to be the sticks west of Philly. We always had big American cars—Chryslers, Pontiacs, Cadillacs, and a Farm Truck. ‘58 Dodge 3/4 ton that I learned to drive at 11. The snow tires went on two of the cars after Thanksgiving. In 1961, my father bought a new International Scout with 4WD and a Meyers blade. But nothing was good on ice until we discovered studded snow tires. Later on I had a ‘66 GTO convertible that we put studded snow tires on. It was an absolute blast to drive on snow and ice. It had a Powerglide two speed auto so I just left it in low gear which was good for around 85 fully wound out.
I had a family car, 1965 4 door Impala with a 283 and the same tranny. Studded retread tires south of the Burg were a blast as I could push through snow during massive storms with ease.
The tour bus that went left just squeaked it. Bad driving, buses go too fast a LOT.
Right! But if you do have to get out due to fire or other possible calamity, get FAR away from the road.
Note the trucks cleaning out the sidelines!
A very young girl was killed in Cincinnati a couple of years ago in a similar pileup. She and her babysitter got out and sat on a cable guardrail. A following crasher hit a wooden post holding the cable. The cable snapped and sprung into the girl like a rubber band.
She sustained fatal head injuries.
Stay in the car if you can. If you can’t, get far away!!!
Whoa. There were some lucky people, and some not-so-lucky people...and some real idiots.
I spent about ten days at Christmas up in your area going between two kids south of Grand Rapids. Three storms but every third hour another lake-effect band — wow.
Sure glad I retired in the Phoenix vallery.
It is truly amazing how many suburbanites drive these SUV crossovers and think that somehow helps their stopping ability.
Tire, tires, tires and technique are the only things that really matter when it comes to stopping if you are going too fast. Despite many years of four wheel drive ladder frame vehicles, I do all my winter driving right now in a two wheel drive high clearance vehicle. Is is, however, shod with KO2 tires which are Mountain Alpine rated and make all the difference in the world.
Yep, the west side of the state is bad news. Even worse up around the Gaylord area.....
“...it would likely be best to continue walking/running forward to get the maximum number of vehicles behind you.”
My first instinct would be to quickly exit the vehicle and run off the road, outer curbside, and keep going just in case a semi came barreling thru.
But your idea of walking/running forward is excellent. I never considered that. Just hope I remember that if I’m ever in that kind of mess
I was doing maybe 20 MPH when some dumb chick came up behind me and started tailgating me, evidently she thought she would speed me up. She finally gave up and decided she was going to pass me. I'm watching her in my rear view mirror as she attempted to pull into the lane on the left. No sooner did she make her move when she did a complete 360 spin and ended going up the steep embankment on our right.........
That was the funniest sight that I will never forget..........
"...exit the vehicle..."
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