Want to see what Pam sees every day?

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

They claim they're trying to stop cops getting hit but the reality is if you do hit them they have something else to charge you with.

Fixed it.

Yeah, I think on all interstates you're required to pull into the next lane, at the least.

IF YOU CAN SAFELY.

[glatt]

The rule in VA is that you have to change lanes if safe, and if it's not safe you have to slow down by 10 or maybe 15 miles an hour. Seems kind of pointless slowing down on RT 81 where the speed limit is 70. Getting hit at 60 is still gonna do a number on them.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by fargon

That video was shot in Pennsylvania. I can tell by the road signs.

The Keystone State

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

Seems kind of pointless slowing down on RT 81 where the speed limit is 70.

Slowing down means each driver has more time to see the problem and find a solution. Furthermore, slowing down by only 10 MPH means almost 40% of energy is removed from the vehicle. That means brakes work that much better (if necessary).

Many states require vehicles to pas all bicycles, pedestrians and 'stopped on the shoulder cars' with at least 4 feet (1.3 meters) separation.

So why was a first truck on the shoulder before a second truck veered off the road?

[BigV]

At what speed does a ten mph reduction represent a 40 percent reduction "in energy"?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce
They claim they're trying to stop cops getting hit but the reality is if you do hit them they have something else to charge you with.

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Fixed it.

Why? What are they going to charge you with ?

Yeah, I think on all interstates you're required to pull into the next lane, at the least.

IF YOU CAN SAFELY.

And if you can't, then slow down to a crawl.

[tw]

Originally Posted by BigV

At what speed does a ten mph reduction represent a 40 percent reduction "in energy"?

Difference between 60 mh and 70 MPH is 36% more energy.

Energy at 55 MPH is increased by almost 40% at 70 MPH.

Doing only 55 or 60 is a major reduction in the energy that brakes must consume / dissipate.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Why? What are they going to charge you with ?

Vehicular manslaughter, interfering w/police officer, murder, assault of a police officer, reckless driving, take your pick. I'm sure there's more one could conceivably be charged with.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Won't stick without witnesses and proof of intent, as long as he stops. Good idea to move to another state though.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Won't stick without witnesses and proof of intent, as long as he stops.

Give it a shot. Let me know how it works out.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I've seen it happen over and over. When people are driving and focused on something beside the road like a stationary car or flashing lights, they unconsciously drift toward it. It's just an accident, and when the pissed off cops are done writing a bucket of tickets for anything they can think of, the courts take over with a more rational look at what happened and proof of the charges. It just takes time and money. This law makes it easy to prove.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Won't see this very often...

[Carruthers]

Given the ease with which the trailer topples in the high wind, it's probably safe to assume that it isn't loaded.
However, once the vehicle is on its side it takes a frighteningly long time to come to rest.
I don't think that the wind had a part to play in that but the kinetic energy involved must have been substantial.

[BigV]

yes, the kinetic energy at play is definitely evident, but I think a lot of the seemingly long time spent skidding to a halt is extended by the kinetic energy of the wind. that rig is still being blown along by the same wind that tipped it over in the first place.

a following sea can be helpful, as long as you want to go where the sea's going. When you try to deviate, the resulting quartering sea can be very dangerous, as the big red sailcraft in the video demonstrates

[Pamela]

And the sad part is that the driver of that rig will be hit with a preventable crash, fired and blacklisted.

The powers that be will say he should not have been driving in known high winds with a light load. At the same moment, that driver will be hearing his dispatcher reminding him that he is on a "hot" load that absolutely MUST deliver on time.

Can't win either way. I've been in that situation myself. I just refuse to drive and lay down the safety card. Most dispatchers won't try to fight that and just reschedule that hot load. I just came up Fancy Gap two days ago in high winds, but I had over 41,000 lbs in the box and was pretty safe from a blow-over but a Fed Ex driver in WV wasn't so lucky and he lost his rear trailer and plugged up the WV Turnpike for quite a while while the wreckers unscrambled that mess.

Blow Overs are more common in Wyoming around Elk Mountain and Laramie where wind gusts over 70 mph are not uncommon. I've been shut down there waiting for the wind to lessen enough to roll out along with lots of other light loads and empties. I recall one time where even parked, my trailer was rocking so badly that it was knocking against the trailer next to me. That driver and I just kinda shrugged and dropped our landing gear as best we could to try to mitigate the banging and resultant trailer damage. Hell of a dangerous thing, high winds.