Yesterday's big rig wreck on I-10 out side of Phoenix

[Peg Fife-Bell]

Originally Posted by kdog

Yeah, all those are familiar problem areas, as is the entire stretch of I40 to Flagstaff.

What's the fix? I say somebody (anybody, doesn't have to be a trucker) who's going less than the speed limit has 30 seconds to pass the vehicle next to them and pull back into a slower lane. Else, they get a ticket for blocking traffic. AND enforce it. That's my fix.

Good idea, how are we gonna pay for the extra man power to enforce it? ADOT has just closed all but 5 rest areas in the state, delayed road projects, do I really need to go there? The DPS budget has been cut too. But I like your idea of enfocing the 'the 30 second passing thing'.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by Peg Fife-Bell

I gotta go here and vent, so bare with me. I just finished reading an article and comments about the big rig accident on I-10 west of the valley yesterday....I'm sorry for the family of the driver's loss, and I'm sorry the people who live in the house were injured, although not seriously. I wish them speedy recovery.

Some of you know I was an 'over the road' truck driver for a number of years...Every time I see something like what happened yesterday, it makes my heart ache. Fortunately, I was very lucky, (knock on wood), but that doesn't mean I couldn't have found myself in a similar situation.

The job 'big rig drivers' do is lonely and hard. They are away from their families for weeks at a time. They are bound by regulations that sometimes seem ridiculous, but are in place for the safety of not only the driver of that rig, but for all the motoring public as well.

We are expected to be alert and functional at all times when we are behind the wheel. I can't say that of the motoring public, as I have witnessed many many drivers distracted from watching what's going on in front of them as they drive along the roads (this includes big rig drivers, too).

Not only is being away from family stressful, the driver is also on a 'time schedule', his freight has to go no matter what. If it doesn't get where it's going in a timely manner, you and I, (John Q Public) might not have what we need when we go to the store for goods and services. Pretty much everything goes by truck across this nation and drivers of big rigs get a bad rap.

The motoring public doesn't like us because we go too fast, or we go too slow, or we can't get out of the way fast enough, the rags are numberous. Would learning how to share the road be too much for the general public to learn?

'Nuf said.

For those of us who don't know the details, would you fill us in?

I am judging by your post that it was *not* the truck driver's fault that this happened. Having put a lot of miles on my car in the past, I can tell you that the truckers I have come into contact with (many thousands), are probably the best drivers on the road. I have seen many "near misses" by idiots in automobiles who take stupid chances and feel that they are some how entitled to do what they want to do regardless of how it endangers themselves an others on the road.

I stand behind truck drivers 100 percent. Yes, there is the occasional idiot out there driving a truck, but overwhelmingly, it is not the big rigs that I take issue with.

Please post a link, or tell me what happened, my curiosity is killing me. LOL

20yrsinBranson

[Peg Fife-Bell]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

For those of us who don't know the details, would you fill us in?

I am judging by your post that it was *not* the truck driver's fault that this happened. Having put a lot of miles on my car in the past, I can tell you that the truckers I have come into contact with (many thousands), are probably the best drivers on the road. I have seen many "near misses" by idiots in automobiles who take stupid chances and feel that they are some how entitled to do what they want to do regardless of how it endangers themselves an others on the road.

I stand behind truck drivers 100 percent. Yes, there is the occasional idiot out there driving a truck, but overwhelmingly, it is not the big rigs that I take issue with.

Please post a link, or tell me what happened, my curiosity is killing me. LOL

20yrsinBranson

In this incident, the rig crossed the median going west bound on I-10, crossed the eastbound lanes without hitting oncoming traffic and his rig plowed into a house just outside the rest area, which I think is for the care takers of the rest area property. It was daylight, bright sun, dry roads. I can only speculate what happened that caused that driver to crash. From the pictures I have seen, the rig went in a straight line and did not wobble. you can visit our local TV station for the story and pix. www.abc15.com.

Thank you for the cudos, I appreciate the flowers on behalf of other drivers out there who are professional.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Peg Fife-Bell

Good idea, how are we gonna pay for the extra man power to enforce it? ADOT has just closed all but 5 rest areas in the state, delayed road projects, do I really need to go there? The DPS budget has been cut too. But I like your idea of enfocing the 'the 30 second passing thing'.

Maybe those drug-profiling DPS guys hiding in the medium strip eating donuts and watching traffic should be made to do some actual work for a change. I notice they didn't get rid of those guys. Anyway, I believe there are so many drivers blocking lanes like this that it could be a highly profitable endeavor for DPS if they pursued it.

[Peg Fife-Bell]

Originally Posted by kdog

Maybe those drug-profiling DPS guys hiding in the medium strip eating donuts and watching traffic should be made to do some actual work for a change. I notice they didn't get rid of those guys. Anyway, I believe there are so many drivers blocking lanes like this that it could be a highly profitable endeavor for DPS if they pursued it.

You're probably right and for the State of AZ, too. What else can we think of?

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Originally Posted by Peg Fife-Bell

In this incident, the rig crossed the median going west bound on I-10, crossed the eastbound lanes without hitting oncoming traffic and his rig plowed into a house just outside the rest area, which I think is for the care takers of the rest area property. It was daylight, bright sun, dry roads. I can only speculate what happened that caused that driver to crash. From the pictures I have seen, the rig went in a straight line and did not wobble. you can visit our local TV station for the story and pix. www.abc15.com.

Thank you for the cudos, I appreciate the flowers on behalf of other drivers out there who are professional.

Peg, you are always a good source of info! If the truck went in a straight line, then most likely they will find the driver had a heart attack or a stroke. Those can happen to anyone at any age.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by Peg Fife-Bell

What else can we think of?

Surgical air-strikes?

[Peg Fife-Bell]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Peg, you are always a good source of info! If the truck went in a straight line, then most likely they will find the driver had a heart attack or a stroke. Those can happen to anyone at any age.

I suspect that was the cause since the rig did go in a straight line. I also suspect the driver had some control at the end and chose where he ended up. It's unlikely we'll ever know what caused this tragic accident.

I just had to go there, since this kind of thing pulls at my heart strings. On the flip side, I did enjoy the comments and the general concesus about truck drivers is positive based on the comments and posts I received from the OP.

Thanks for commenting.
Peg