I'm fully convinced to never go to Texas after watching this video.

 

A ways to go for the record of 216 vehicles in California. (No fatalities in that on).

It looks like visibility was good. With low temperatures you'd think people would be thinking about ice. Glad I wasn't there.

 

I've seen that same video almost on a constant loop here in Ohio over the national networks----its confusing as hell HOW the big trucks were caught up in this mess. With their fairly sophisticated GPS systems most drivers install along with the electronic log books so much weather information should have been available.

It's quite a shock seeing vehicles plowing into already-stopped traffic----brake lights and assured clear distance anyone?

 

Nope - Texans don't think about ice. Grew up in Texas and lived in the DFW area for 30 years. Full speed ahead and F**K the weather. Usually it's the lifted 4X4s you see in the ditches after a weather event. Just because you can go better doesn't mean you can stop any better than anyone else on the road. If you watch the videos, everyone was going 60-70 miles an hour before they realized then needed to stop and by then they were on the ice.

 

Local so my scoop.
That entire area of the highway was redone recently and you still see the orange signs in places.
Yes there are ID10's (idiots) on the road and I avoid that area because they made a bad are of highway worse. You have a bridge over the Trinity River (read as Big City Canal) that blinds you to the area ahead even though it is mostly flat. Before the river you have an exit, after the river you have an exit and then two lane removals within about 3/4 mile, then you neck down again to two lanes that zig zag under the an overpass then you get a lane added on the left, then adjacent to that two exits to the right within a few hundred feet with the second being an onramp as well. It is a horrible mess and the engineers that designed that area should be keel hauled.
Everyone in that area has the right of way in their mind. Drivers run down the right side and force entry from the closed lane and repeat each time the lane forces exit of the highway.

Not saying that is what happened and I will wait for the report to come out but with icy areas possible and stupid drivers it is hard to not expect something like that to happen there.

Just because you can get your vehicle moving does not mean you can control it. Slow down, do you really need to make that run, is their a better rout?

Not making light of the situation yesterday but it could have been prevented. Most drivers do not give themselves a way out....

 

Just imagine if a fire broke out in that mess. There would be dozens more dead.

 

I don't know about your GPS and ELOG but none of mine show that.
It may pop up on my phone but the government tells us as truck drivers we CAN NOT use phones. No its not like you car drivers where local gov tells you this is FED GOV!
I am lucky that I drive for a smaller trucking company and if the weather is bad where we may have to drive they will either tell us to park or if we fell it is not safe to drive to park and let dispatch know.
Right now most of us are moving 10,000 gallons of propane and with out propane people don't have heat or can cook.
Yes last week I had to drive in snow, I was out when it came down before I could get back. 30 -35 MPH on the high way of 70 MPH that was as fast as I would go but there was maybe 3 other cars out with me.

So true on going & stopping.
As for making that run or a different rout. As truck driver they may not have a choice as they are told how they HAVE to run the rout and if you dont!!!

I should also point out I grew up in New England from 1960 to 2015 so I also know how to drive in snow / ice and when I should park!
Dave =----

 

it is not limited to southern states.
thursday morning 7 tractor trailers and a bunch of cars played demo derby on rt 78 in Hillside NJ too

 

I thought there might be a huge unknown issue with the roadway affected so thanks for clearing that up. We have a few stretches of federal and state highways that are under very long term construction renovation and they too would be difficult for someone not familiar with all the pitfalls you can find way too easily. One section is called the "mega fix" and I've lost track of when its supposed to be completed. It'll be a nice highway in some unknown time.



All very true comments, especially about giving yourself a way out. I am not a perfect driver by any means but I'm constantly looking in my rear view mirrors, the rear-ward looking dash cam on the right side and imagining where I'll go if something directly in front of me becomes a problem.

I don't allow anyone or anything to distract me---cell phones ringing, girlfriend or passengers chatting or trying to show me some BS on their "smart phone" The girlfriend--who rides along on some of my jobs--has learned me NOT making eye contact as we're talking and driving is safe and not an insult to her.

I don't have GPS and not a commercial driver so was only speculating that those devices included some sort of weather or highway updates. Most GPS units I've looked into had weather updates perhaps as an optional service---if I'm way off base there sorry 'bout that.

This has been a crazy weather season so far, can't be safe enough when the adverse conditions hit us locally.

 

I may have been a little short on my answer but as far as mine, Rand McNally, I don't think it has weather.
I do try and watch the news for weather and listen to the radio for the same. Besides its winter you know there will be ice & snow in places when the temps drop low.

The NC & Va boarder they are talking a winter mix yesterday till Monday so drivers heading that way should take note.
They also say we may get some of that here in Raleigh, just rain yesterday & today so far. When I went to work at 1am today the temp was 33*f so you know there could be some icing on bridges.
A tanker came in to load LP when I was loading covered in ice, don't know where he came from but if it was iced up the roads could be also.

People just need to slow down and use their head when the weather gets cold and wet.
Dave ----

 

my GPS does not have weather alerts either. but i rarely use it because i usually know where i am going.
i look at the weather before i go out , but it usually does not change the way i drive.
my top speed empty is 55MPH.
loaded i only do 45, unless i am on superhighways. then i do 50.

 

Well dammit now ya'll got me second guessing myself---I'll have to dig back through my files and searches to find if I'm crazy or there is a GPS with weather alerts!

But I hear ya on just being a smarter more attentive driver---and preparing for a trip when its not 100% local. The girlfriend and I visit Cleveland Ohio and Independence KY from time-to-time so regardless the season I'll check hourly weather for as far out as 36 hours. Most times its uneventful but just good knowing if we need pay closer attention.

On the road is another story, also regardless the weather. We just can't look around and pay enough attention these days.

 

i hear that!!
constantly on the cb i will be asked "did you see that" ?
nope, i pay attention to what is in front of me, not what is on the side of the road.
51 years driving and only one chargeable accident back in 74 when i hit black ice at 10 mph and slid off the road.

and the police car responding to my accident hit the same patch of black ice sliding off the road rite into the back of my car.

 

Well updating my own bit about weather alerts through a GPS unit----seems I was mistaken they do not have built-in or include weather alerts. Some will pair with a "smart phone" which can utilize an application for weather updates.

I must have been speed reading the parts where a "smart phone" is required---sorry about my gaffe!

 

tis ok.


everyone is allowed to have a "senior moment" now and then.