LIE Accident (dangerous, cars, paint)

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by captne76

In many cases lane disciplaine is more important than speed as to preventing accidents, yet lane discipline is totally ignored in many states including NY/LI.
Speed is easier to scapegoat and point a finger or write tickets for, yet with proper lane discipline, there would not have been any accident.
Europe enforces a high awareness on lane discipline.

I'm currently in a US state on business where the highways are posted 75 and single lane back roads 70mph, very very few accidents even though many of the trucks are doubles and triples much longer than you have in NY.

Really, anyone in the USA can just go out and drive on high speed highways whether they have any experience or just passed parallel parking yesterday. Realistically that won't change but experience and awareness is important to proper driving.

Too many people just think it's them on the road and the entire world will stop for them.

A gas truck fully laden is bearing down on a vehicle which has begun having trouble.

This isn't about lane discipline as much as it is being aware of one's surroundings on the part of both drivers. The driver of the Neon should have begun to pull to the shoulder as soon as the trouble started. The driver of the truck should have noticed that he was getting closer and closer to the Neon and taken some measure to slow down (and if possible) change lanes.

DOT will pull over trucks and inspect them on the spot finding deficiencies and problems and ordering the vehicle off the road until the needed repair is facilitated.

I am betting that something was wrong with the truck (mediocre brakes?) and the driver was distracted (cell phone, texting) as well as possibly dealing with sun glare.

[rocafeller05]

70 MPH with a 5' spacing between cars is a recipe for disaster, wherever you are.

[hotkarl]

I'm just wondering if the truck driver was just barreling along at an excessive rate of speed and began tailgating this woman while yelling out loud in the cab of his truck to himself "Are you kidding me?!!! what the hell are you doing moron get out of my way!! holy *bleep* you *bleep-ing* idiot!!!" and then...blam!!!
Road rage. Gotta love it.

[zulu400]

Originally Posted by hotkarl

I'm just wondering if the truck driver was just barreling along at an excessive rate of speed and began tailgating this woman while yelling out loud in the cab of his truck to himself "Are you kidding me?!!! what the hell are you doing moron get out of my way!! holy *bleep* you *bleep-ing* idiot!!!" and then...blam!!!
Road rage. Gotta love it.

I tend to agree with you, I know the real story might be different, but this is so normal on LIE.... Its just the way of life on Long Island, I know we are all expert drivers and we can put on the indicator and change the lane to get into a wedge in a quarter of a sec, but its a nightmare for the newbie, one who just started to drive.... no one gives way to a person wanting to change a lane, in fact I see the opposite.... as soon as you see someone who wants to change a lane, I see cars speed up to make sure they can't with a "let the guy behind me worry about it" attitude.... ** shaking my head ** ridiculous !!

The best entertainment (or nightmare) is entering one of those tunnels in NYC at peak hour... LOL that will knock a few years from your life if you do it everyday.

So many times I've seen people tailgate me while I'm doing 65 mph on the right most lane on LIE.... ultimately they change lanes to overtake me, or they have to slow down as their exit is coming up soon, but WTF !!

[PhotoTakr]

How many of us have ever been tailgated by these big rigs? I know I have, and they actually tend to get closer than regular passenger cars. They use their size to intimidate you into moving over. I don't move, and I slow down usually. Sometimes I'll even brake. I heard once that these drivers don't like to brake, because it causes them to have to downshift the truck.

[Old Spice]

Originally Posted by captne76

Dodge Neon = please recycle me at the nearest junkyard ASAP before I blow up in your face.

speaking of which, i don't know about you, but almost everytime i see a Neon the paint has been partially peeled off. What is that about?

[Gpsma]

I wouldn't be braking in front of a big rig unless you have a death wish. Perhaps just slowing down enough to make him downshift will get the point across..but braking???...good way to go up in a fireball.

[zulu400]

Originally Posted by Old Spice

speaking of which, i don't know about you, but almost everytime i see a Neon the paint has been partially peeled off. What is that about?

They all move so fast that the paint starts to peel off at that velocity !

[captne76]

Dodge Neon, I think the paint rejects the car, as much as all the rest of the parts on that car do the same.

And as far as barreling down the road, I'm not a truck driver although I do have a "grandfathered" CDL license to drive one, but I would tend to do the same "outamyway".

[knh39]

I understand what someone had said earlier about the LIE being a low speed limit road compared to many other interstates. However, lets look at Texas for example. In many spots in TX the speed limit is 85. However, the roads are flat, at the same grade, and the number of cars on the road are FAR fewer than on the LIE. The LIE is packed with some of the most aggressive drivers in the country, has a bunch of bends, uphills, downhills, limited sight distance areas, etc. I have to say though, I'm guilty of usually cruising at about 75. Things like this make you really think twice though.