70 to 100 Car Accident!!! WARNING!!!!!

[Don M.]

These snow and ice storms will be around for the next few days. There will be many reports of major accidents and deaths on the highways for much of this week, and there will be major power outages as the ice and falling trees break down power lines. This is a real good time to just stay at home, if possible.

 

[ProTruckDriver]

I believe the quality of the new truck drivers is nothing like the old breed that were professional.

That is an Excellent True Statement and the main reason I quit truck driving. When driving my SUV now, I don't even want to be anywhere near a big truck. In fact I don't even like driving anymore. I'm glad I lost that "White Line Fever".

 

[jerry old]

Trax's post # 70., the transportation of cargo by train has to be much cheaper than trunking, but much slower-huh?

So what is the reason for all the trucks on the interstates, is it the demand for immediate arrival?

 

[FastTrax]

Trax's post # 70., the transportation of cargo by train has to be much cheaper than trunking, but much slower-huh?

So what is the reason for all the trucks on the interstates, is it the demand for immediate arrival?

Those Transcon stack trains average 60 to 70+ miles per hour authorized freight track speed being the norm. Some slower and maybe a few even faster. I posted a couple of threads around here addressing fast BNSF, UP, CSX and NS massive high speed stack trains. I'll dig them up.

 

[Jeni]

Trax's post # 70., the transportation of cargo by train has to be much cheaper than trunking, but much slower-huh?

So what is the reason for all the trucks on the interstates, is it the demand for immediate arrival?

the rail system would need to be greatly updated and modernized to work this out and for some places

there would still be many many trucks going to all spots without tracks
a couple of years ago in an effort to try to improve high speed train travel south of Seattle they did a poor job skipped safety warnings and on maiden run went off tracks killing people on train and fell onto a busy highway killing people below......

 

[Don M.]

When my family left the farm in the late 1940's, my old Dad became a truck driver....for Denver Chicago Trucking Company. He was sometimes gone for days as he drove all over the nation. He sometimes told of the "near misses" he had on the highways, but fortunately was never involved in one. I still have a trophy of his noting a million miles of accident free driving.

 

[FastTrax]

the rail system would need to be greatly updated and modernized to work this out and for some places

there would still be many many trucks going to all spots without tracks
a couple of years ago in an effort to try to improve high speed train travel south of Seattle they did a poor job skipped safety warnings and on maiden run went off tracks killing people on train and fell onto a busy highway killing people below......

I rememr that incident. The NTSB ruling was the existing tracks were not in optimal condition for medium much less high speed passenger service and the existing lineside signage was not in the correct places for safe passenger train operation at speed, the operating crew were way too fast tracked to qualify in the territory by the time of projected revenue service.

 

[Packerjohn]

Call me weird, strange or just another "old foggie" but when I drive on the perimeter or any other long road, I always put my cruise control on at 100 km/hr. which is the legal speed limit here. I must be the only one doing this because everyone else passes me; almost like I was standing still. Years ago, you tried not to speed because the police might be hiding just over the hill or behind some trees with that radar pointed right at your speeding car. Not these days, police are nowhere to be seen unless it is a major traffic accident. I guess all those people that want to defund the police are going to be happy but what about guys like me that would like some "law & order" on the highways & the streets of our cities. There used to be signs on the bumpers of cars when I traveled in the USA that said, "SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF." I don't know if anyone carries signs like that anymore. Sheriffs in the US & the RCMP in Canada are still around but they seem to be getting bad publicity. The media only covers bad news but ignores all the effort that the police services give us on a day to day basis. I tip my hat to them for a job well done!

 

[ProTruckDriver]

Those Transcon stack trains average 60 to 70+ miles per hour authorized freight track speed being the norm. Some slower and maybe a few even faster. I posted a couple of threads around here addressing fast BNSF, UP, CSX and NS massive high speed stack trains.

Those containers have to be delivered to the shipper to be loaded by a Truck Driver. After loading the Truck Driver has to take the loaded container to the rail yard sometimes waiting in long lines. The container then is stored in a place to be loaded on the train. After the train is loaded, the train is sent to the State where the Receiver is located. Now the Truck Driver goes to the rail yard to pick up the loaded container, sometimes waiting in long lines. The rail yard could be around the corner or hundreds of miles away from the receiver. After the container is given to the Truck Driver, the Truck Driver then delivers to good which could be hundreds of miles away.
It's not as easy as some people think using the rail yard. Travel (Pick up and Delivery) is most of the time slower on the rail, I don't care how fast the train can go.
Good example:
I had to pick up a load of plants at the Norfolk Virginia Rail Yard to deliver in Chesapeake Virginia. Total miles about 30. The load came from California. It took 8 days to get to Norfolk. When I delivered the load 70% of the load had to be discarded because they were near dead. With a Truck Driving team driving the load cross country in an 18 wheeler it would have taken 3 days.
So you see, traveling goods on the rail isn't a bing, bang, boom it's there.

 

[Jeni]

I rememr that incident. The NTSB ruling was the existing tracks were not in optimale condition for medium much less high speed passenger service and the existing lineside signage was not in the correct places for safe passenger train operation at speed, the operating crew were way too fast tracked to qualify in the territory by the time of projected revenue service.

this is how many projects in that area seem to be rushed and No one knows where all the improvement money for the whole thing went.....
The project manager would have had to instruct where to place signs etc and should have been held responsible ...YES , crew was not prepared . .........
Reminds me of the saying "it was the lowest bid ... for a reason"

 

[Keesha]

Here in Sweden we are required by law to fit special winter tires on our cars either with or without studs during the cold months. The rubber compound in summer tires is not suitable for driving in cold weather on icy and snowy roads as the tires become hard and have poor grip. That doesn't of course mean that you can drive as if it was still summer you always have to adapt your driving to weather conditions

Which is why I don't drive on ice. People around here never got the memo about slow down and leave space between yourself and other traffic.

There just aren't any places worth risking my life trying to get to.

That law of having to have winter tires should be law in any areas that get snow. Many people get lazy or use the excuse that they can’t afford them. Then don’t drive. Take the bus .

Drivers should leave the proper amount of space between cars but you always have those who think they can bully you by riding on your backend. If you suddenly have to slam on your breaks and they end up smashing into you, it’s their insurance that has to pay. Road rage doesn’t pay. Be smart and back off.

 

[Keesha]

Same problem here in Canada. A couple of years ago, a driver that immigrated from Indian ran a red light with his 18-wheeler & killed a bus load of hockey players. A couple of days ago I saw a huge truck run a red light on the perimeter of our city. I believe the quality of the new truck drivers is nothing like the old breed that were professional. Now, it seems to be about how to make more money but driving faster and making more deliveries. Sad how our country is going down the drain!

One year I was driving with my dogs to go to their favourite place to walk. On the way there we got a heavy case of snow squalls. The wind picked up and the weather was bad.

While driving down a single no passing lane I had to make a left hand turn into the park. While turning I had two double transport trucks plough into the side of my vehicle, spinning us off the road. They had decided to pass all the cars who had slowed down due to the bad weather and pass on a double line.

The dogs appeared to be fine. The police took my dogs home and I went to hospital and what upset me most is that they tried to pin this accident on me. These guys were lucky I’m as forgiving as I am.

Note: That’s not to say there aren’t some great truck drivers because there are. I think some try to make up for the bad ones.

 

[FastTrax]

You may have been a trucker but I was a hogger for 50+ years on Penn-Central freight in the Atlantic Region and West Hudson Sub, Conrail freight in the Metropolitan and Northeast Regions then AMTRAK from the NYP mail slot to WUS on the Fast Mail trick. Class 1's 2's and even the regionals didn't need trucks for the most part they had their own road transport systems. The trucking industry sought the rail systems to combine their stand alone assets to raise the trucking companies profit margins while substantially lowering the cost of fuel, become eco friendly, stabilizing wages, wear and tear on their equipment and accident liabilty. Bing bang boom or not AAR, FRA, the Class 1, Class 2, and Regional freight railroads, the trucking industry and their consignees all agreed that the existing and successful intermodal trailer and single and double stack rail concept is a win win for the parties that sought the ongoing successful project, well maybe not the truckers themselves. take care.

 

[ProTruckDriver]

the trucking industry and their consignees all agreed that the existing and successful intermodal trailer and single and double stack rail concept is a win win for the parties that sought the ongoing successful project, well maybe not the truckers themselves.

Bingo! You hit the nail on the head! That's why we have what we have now driving trucks! No miles, No money. No Professionals.

 

[jerry old]

Pro Truck, never cared for the large number of trucks on interstate; now your telling me there driven by halfwits.
Go on, scare me some more.

 

[PamfromTx]

I guess the reason this topic hit a nerve with me is the fact that no matter how much we deliberate on this topic... it will not bring our loved ones back.

Many have been killed by bad weather conditions such as this. My brother was one.

My daddy was a truck driver who was involved in a horrific car accident which killed the other driver. Dad knew how to drive in these conditions. The other driver lost control and landed in the other lane, thus colliding with Dad's 18 wheeler.

Isn't it ironic that someone was responsible for my brother's death? That man got off scot free. Intoxicated at that.

It is heartbreaking to think of these accidents happening once too often.

 

[ProTruckDriver]

Pro Truck, never cared for the large number of trucks on interstate; now your telling me there driven by halfwits.
Go on, scare me some more.

Don't want to scare you but that's one of the main reasons I quit. Too many close calls with other big rigs. They want to drive like they are driving their cars. Big rigs don't handle like cars.

 

[PamfromTx]

The alternative roadways for transport trucks would be railways. Those aren’t inexpensive either.

The only way to avoid all the trucks on the freeways is to stay off them and that’s not an option for most. In Ontario, the 401 going north from Detroit is not a relaxing drive. We’re only on it during vacations so gladly take the option of going on the side roads.

Unfortunately, Canadians aren’t better drivers. There’re lots of idiots out there and it only takes one to set off that chain reaction. Every year there’re pileups and deaths when drivers are caught unaware or being aggressive on the highways in situations like in Texas.

So true. None of us are PERFECT.

 

[Jeni]

My daddy was a truck driver who was involved in a horrific car accident which killed the other driver. Dad knew how to drive in these conditions. The other driver lost control and landed in the other lane, thus colliding with Dad's 18 wheeler.

That is a great point and I often tell a person know ...."it is not all about your skill because if someone else loses it they can take you out with them."

The item is no one seems to admit their limitations anymore ..... I do not think it is all trucks but there has been a big difference in the quality of professional drivers out there.

By far the person without the experience in snow or ice should stay off the road..... like I said we went through a pass this weekend and the wrecks and there were a few.... looked like inexperienced drivers.....
a group in a van that skidded off the road .........they stood there as traffic passed in hoodies wearing Crocs or sandals in 10 inches of snow........ if that was their footwear choice .......... there is a serious disconnect with reality.

 

[Phoenix]

Brakes do no good at all in an ice storm. They make things worse. Staying home is the only effective solution. You can't stand on this, even if you are in the grass. Power lines, power poles, trees, roofs break. I tried to upload a picture of it without an extension, with a copy paste. If I upload the entire link, it will lose you. Oh, well, the ice is two inches thick.

 

[Butterfly]

Don't want to scare you but that's one of the main reasons I quit. Too many close calls with other big rigs. They want to drive like they are driving their cars. Big rigs don't handle like cars.

A dear friend who used to drive long haul always used to say that one of the things that drove him crazy was that cars (well, their drivers) had no respect at all for the distance that it takes for a big rig to stop, and would sometimes zip in and out of traffic ahead of him, causing a real danger to everybody on the road.

Another one of his big issues was that shippers would want him to take a load to a destination in less time than he was legally allowed to drive under DOT regulations. He ultimately quit driving trucks because he said it became too dangerous and even not really profitable any more without cutting corners, which he was not willing to do.