GPS Causing Truckers to Crash Into Bridges
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state wants to crack down on truckers who rely on satellite devices to direct them onto faster but prohibited routes and end up crashing into overpasses that are too low for their rigs.
Gov. David Paterson on Wednesday proposed penalties including jail time and confiscation of trucks to come down on drivers who use GPS — global positioning systems — to take more hazardous routes and end up striking bridges. "To our knowledge, no other state has similar legislation," said Clayton Boyce of the American Trucking Associations, an industry trade group based in Washington. "Most trucking companies rely on GPS services that are specifically for trucks and route them away from restricted roads," he said. "Most of our members also use dispatching and fleet management systems that direct and track the vehicles by truck GPS services." In New York, a truckers' group called the proposal unfair and unwarranted. "We understand that bridge strikes have become an increasing problem for Westchester County and the New York metropolitan area," said Karin Kennett of the New York State Motor Truck Association. Requiring all trucks in the state that are using GPS to buy an enhanced device goes too far, she said "It places an unfair and unwarranted financial burden on every law-abiding trucking company doing business anywhere in New York at a time when our state claims to be trying to improve our business climate," Kennett said. A safety group said trucks taking restricted routes is a scary fact of life on the nation's highways and parkways and something other states will need to consider as more drivers turn to GPS. Gerald Donaldson, senior research director of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said GPS adds to the list of electronics that also distract truckers, including radios, cell phones and a computer keyboard to communicate with companies and other drivers. "GPS is the heart of it," Donaldson said. "Absolutely ... other states will be looking at Gov. Paterson's issue." GPS can direct truckers, many of them carrying hazardous material, to restricted roads with overpass clearances too low for the rigs. Hauling on restricted or residential routes also pounds the life out of roads because the trucks are over weight limits and clog traffic. "GPS for some truckers are crucial, and it also is part of a much larger array of electronic devices," he said. "You get paid by the mile, so it's your to your incentive to get as many miles and routes as you can in your tour of duty." New York state alone has seen more than 1,400 bridge strikes in the past 15 years, including 46 so far this year in suburban Westchester County, testing many old bridges already in need of repair, said County Executive Andrew J. Spano. One bridge in his county was hit nine times this year. "This sort of culture of just following the GPS and almost ignoring the road signs has created this public hazard," Paterson told reporters. "Every week we hear of another truck striking a bridge on our parkways," said Spano, standing with Paterson at the bill's announcement. "It's only a matter of time before someone is killed or a truck carrying chemicals or explosives hits a bridge," he said. The bill would increase penalties for illegally using parkways and require all large commercial trucks to use GPS devices that route them away from restricted roads. It would also stick trucking companies or their insurance carriers with the bill for repairs and cleanup after bridge strikes. The bill could hit the Legislature as early as January. GPS Causing Truckers to Crash Into Bridges - Auto - FOXNews.com |
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Not to mention that if these idiots did a modicum of research, they would soon find out that there are no GPS devices on the planet that does truck routing good enough to be relied upon. Thus requiring truck drivers to use so-called truck specific GPS devices that do truck routing will just have the inevitable effect of outlawing all GPS devices in trucks, even though GPS technology when used properly is a very valuable time saving and excellent navigation tool, especially in bad weather. Indeed, I would argue that more drivers would be hitting bridges, taking restricted parkways, and getting into more accidents because inexorably you will have more drivers that are getting lost. This a classic example of politicians exploiting and taking advantage of the public’s ignorance in order to pass needless regulations that do far more harm than good! Anyway lets take an informal survey…how many of you GPS users are unaware that these devices can’t be relied upon to do truck routing and how many of you GPS users don’t follow road signs when using these devices and instead blindly follow those devices wherever it leads you? Come on don't be bashful!:lol: |
deja voodo?? I could swear there was already a thread on this topic. :confused:
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So...it's a different article and they are about to vote for it. Not to mention that this could lead to the outlawing of all GPS devices in the country if it isn't nipped in the bud and so for I see no one standing up to these leftwing shysters and educating the public. Indeed, these morons are counting on the ignorance of the public to get their bill passed through, but in the long run it will destroy the use of a very useful new technology and it ultimately will be the public that will end up covering the cost for this senseless regulation both in higher cost for goods and services and also because more low overheads will be hit by lost drivers than otherwise!
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I don't know Hobo, but I just saw this on the news today.
Paterson is blind in more than one way I think. :roll: |
Hobo must agree with the good governor that GPS devices cause drivers to hit low overheads and to go down parkways, even though the majority of low overhead hits cited by the good governor clearly happened long before the advent of GPS technology and the good governor is obviously exploiting the ignorance and emotions of the masses to pass needless legislation that in the end the citizens will end up paying for as always. In other words, it’s another back door tax and a favorite technique of creative liberal politicians. It doesn’t matter because in the end it will be the ever power hungry state that will end up with more power and gobble up more revenues to fill its insatiable appetite, and us lowly drivers will end up with the shaft and having to operate as if we are still living in the dark ages to make liberals happy.
Hobo probably also agrees with the no idle rules too! We must save the planet or else global warming will get us. |
Hobo's right, there was a thread on this just recently.
Hahaha...I just looked in the archives, only went back 3 pages http://www.classadrivers.com/forum/anything-everything/38945-gps-causing-truckers-crash-into-bridges.html This is before my time. I just got released from prison lately, and haven't been around. http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...scape_plan.jpg |
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He is SO busy talking us all to death and overusing the word "inculcates" that he hasn't "tested the waters" here before imposing his opinions. If he HAD, he might know that I: (1) Don't particularly like GPS systems, but don't think they are totally useless. (2) Absolutely don't agree with "no idle" rules! and... (3) Am not a Liberal. But, like a few others here that have questioned HIS "beliefs," he has branded me the enemy just as surely as he has lumped ALL Muslims into the camp of Al Quaida. :roll3: However, considering that I have only "sparingly" debated him so far.... I can't help believing that he has made this judgement call about me based SOLELY on the fact that I pointed out that a thread already existed about this topic. Geez.... talk about a trigger finger! :hellno: I wonder if he's related to Dubya? :lol2: |
..but ...but the other thread was his thread too. http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...nocent0009.gif
I sent you an email Bro. Tried to send you a PM, and got a flashing message which said you Blocked me. http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...d10/busted.gif J/K :p |
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I don't know what message one gets, but I doubt it says I "blocked" you. My PM box is full. I don't see that changing for awhile. I've given out my email addy.... YOU certainly have it..... so, I'm not inclined to give "in" to the bastards that run this site now. You KNOW how to reach me, Bro! I haven't had time to answer your last email, I've been busy with Spring cleaning. But, I WILL! Oh, P.S: I've found that I get better response time on CAD using the explorer "thingie" since I got RoadRunner. I still use my aol, which is where your email is housed, but... sometimes not as often. I'll go check it soon as I quit finding posts I want to argue with! LOL!!! |
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