Jackknifed!

[bhskittykatt]

I didn't have the pleasure of seeing this; it was relayed to me by Other MOD.

Other MOD was at work having a smoke break by the break room and talking to Boss Man about how slow traffic was on the Interstate. (They've been closing lanes just south of us to do rock-removal on some of the cliffsides.)

Apparently, a semi driver wasn't paying attention as he came up on the slow spot. He'd been cruising in the fast lane when he came up on the jam. Other MOD heard him hit the airbrakes. He hit the median, and then jackknifed, blocking both southbound lanes. Other MOD thought he had hit a car, but apparently he missed the other drivers somehow.

Other MOD sent Boss Man to call the state patrol. She said it took about 45 minutes to clear the semi from the road. The trucker probably got a nice, big ticket to go with the towing bill.

[dbuzman]

And if his companies safety department takes safety seriously, he could be on his last chance or even fired for almost hitting other vehicles due to inattention. Speaking as a former truck driver, it would serve him right.

[wolfie]

Saw a few incidents near Knoxville TN this week. Southbound on I75, traffic was slowed because of rubberneckers looking at TWO collisions on the northbound side. First was a wreck involving an RV, a pickup, and a semi. A few miles past that (for me - it was a few miles before that for those involved), there was a multiple rear-ender - probably people who overdrove their stopping distance, and then encountered stopped traffic from the other crash. At least half a dozen cars involved, and two semis (one had stopped in time, the other hit him). No big surprise which company was involved - it'll take a lot of orange paint to fix the bodywork on his tractor.

Coming back, I stopped at the Petro for fuel and a meal. When I was leaving, NOBODY could get to the fuel islands - someone had misjudged a curve in that driveway, and had put a couple wheels in the ditch.

[Shalom]

. No big surprise which company was involved -

I was once stuck in non-moving traffic, at about 1 in the morning, on I81 a few miles north of Binghamton. Apparently, someone had managed to tip over an 18-wheeler, on a straight piece of road if I remember correctly. He'd landed on the shoulder, but his wheels were blocking one lane, and the tow trucks that were trying to pull him back upright were blocking the other, so nobody was moving. All this was reported by another trucker over the CB, who apparently had a front-row seat witnessing this.

Another trucker hollers over the radio, "Hey, was it a [redacted] truck?" (think white paint with a yellow sign)

First trucker drawls, "They don't print the name of the company on the bottom of the goddam trailer, driver...!"

[wolfie]

Another trucker hollers over the radio, "Hey, was it a [redacted] truck?" (think white paint with a yellow sign)

2 initials followed by a last name reminiscent of Elmer Fudd's hobby? That's another one with a bad reputation, as is "small bird/fast" - when I was at the Petro, there was a call over the CB "Warning - a [redacted] truck has been seen in the Petro parking lot".

Generally, the companies that hire people right out of driving school tend to have bad reputations among drivers.

[Javarod]

2 initials followed by a last name reminiscent of Elmer Fudd's hobby? That's another one with a bad reputation, as is "small bird/fast" - when I was at the Petro, there was a call over the CB "Warning - a [redacted] truck has been seen in the Petro parking lot".

Generally, the companies that hire people right out of driving school tend to have bad reputations among drivers.

Worse when they're driver mills (i think JB is out of that business, but Swift and Schneider still do it, and at Schneider the instructors are pushed to graduate students and get them into the fleet so they can pay them less).

[protege]

Apparently, someone had managed to tip over an 18-wheeler, on a straight piece of road if I remember correctly.

How the hell is that possible? I've seen trucks flip on the south junction of I70/I79 near Washington PA...mainly because they come roaring down the hill, and can't make the 25mph 270-dgree curve at the bottom. For years, what usually happened, is that the trucks would enter that curve too fast, and would flip over the 3-foot wall on the outside of the curve..and would end up in oncoming traffic on the other side of the wall After several deadly accidents, the wall's height was raised to 8 feet. Now, instead of flipping over the wall, the trucks would plow right into it Several years back though, several rumble strips were put in, and flashing warnings about the curve were installed.

Even all that didn't stop the accidents. There have been a couple of instances (one of which I saw), where the truck took the curve too sharply, and ended up on its side on the *inside* of the circle. Luckily, nobody got hurt, but it made a mess of traffic--products and wreckage all over the place.

Most truckers that I share the road with...are responsible, courteous drivers. Not these idiots though.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

2 initials followed by a last name reminiscent of Elmer Fudd's hobby? That's another one with a bad reputation, as is "small bird/fast" - when I was at the Petro, there was a call over the CB "Warning - a [redacted] truck has been seen in the Petro parking lot".

Generally, the companies that hire people right out of driving school tend to have bad reputations among drivers.

I think that one you're referring to is still around . . . they do have a website. And I've seen some of their trucks around here on occasion.

There are some companies who won't hire without at least x years of driving experience. The company DaddyDG drives for (the big yellow E) is apparently particular about whom they hire to drive their rigs.

One of my coworker's said her hubby had applied with them - but was turned down b/c he had not been driving enough years. Can't recall the name of the outfit he's working for but he's currently doing long distance hauls (sometimes cross country.)

And I've heard about the solid orange company that does long distance . . . they don't have a good rep either.

Only accident I recall DaddyDG having was several years ago - the same week he'd went back into a truck after spending a few years inside as a dispatcher. He was heading back to the terminal and was at the traffic light at Wendover at Church St (yellow E terminal was just a few miles up the road off Church, not too far from the Litter Box)

Daddy was waiting to make a left turn when he felt something hit the side of the rear section of his trailer . . . turned out it was a guy in a big Cadillac who apparently thought he was in the right turn lane (right turn lane is 3 lanes over for cryin' out loud. )

Needless to say, my daddy ain't moving his truck outta the way. He cut the truck off, called 911 and then radioed back to Dispatch at the terminal to let them know what happened. Cop came, took Daddy's statement, then talked with the guy who hit him - who kept insisting he was trying to make a right turn. IIRC Daddy and the officer both came to the conclusion the guy was clearly confused (he was an older guy.)

It's not just the driver of other vehicles that have to watch out for the big semis . . . the semi drivers have to watch for the other morons on the road.

[wolfie]

I've seen trucks flip on the south junction of I70/I79 near Washington PA...mainly because they come roaring down the hill, and can't make the 25mph 270-dgree curve at the bottom. For years, what usually happened, is that the trucks would enter that curve too fast, and would flip over the 3-foot wall on the outside of the curve..and would end up in oncoming traffic on the other side of the wall After several deadly accidents, the wall's height was raised to 8 feet.

I go through that junction every time I get a load to the Carolinas - the wall is badly scarred by vehicles running into it. Every time, people honk at me for being slow going into that curve, but I figure getting to the bottom of the hill on the pavement, nose-first, and greasy side down is more important than getting there fast.

[Shalom]

How the hell is that possible?

No idea myself. Maybe someone cut him off, or he jerked the wheel to avoid running over a raccoon or something. It didn't occur to me to wonder about it at the time, but he must have done something really imaginative to achieve that result.

I can't actually remember the precise location, as it was quite late at night and about 13 years ago, but I do remember that he landed on his right side on the right shoulder, just before an overpass. I was looking at google Satellite view tonight trying to pinpoint it, and there don't seem to be that many overpasses on 81 north of Bingo, but there aren't a heck of a lot of curves either. Hills, that's another story...

[wraiths_crono]

Semi-off topic, but I once heard a swift driving trainer say on the radio interview "Yes a lot of people are learning to drive trucks now with the economy this way, but I don't understand why: I get bored driving to the corner grocery store!" That kinda scares me about the training they are receiving and the people they just let get behind those wheels.