[BanditsCousin]

I think I read what you are referring to (about the driver in the road).

Nonetheless, the mother ran into the truck because she wasn't watching where she was going. Could have driven off the road for all we know, but I do remember the report/article saying there weren't even skidmarks. If It was a pedestrian, the person would have been killed instantly :shock:

[yellowcabbill]

This is really sad. But points to people not watching what is going on. I have investigated accidents for more then 20 years in my taxicab business with 90 plus vehicles and in California when you rear end the vehicle in front of you, hardly ever is the vehicle you rear ended at fault for the accident. The trucker was wrong for stopping in an area not authorized for stopping, but poor minivan mom was more wrong for hitting a stationary vehicle with its four ways on. To add another demension-- what if that truck was stopped there, with four ways on because of a break down?? Who the blame be clear in that situation?

[rcso]

Originally Posted by yellowcabbill

This is really sad. But points to people not watching what is going on. I have investigated accidents for more then 20 years in my taxicab business with 90 plus vehicles and in California when you rear end the vehicle in front of you, hardly ever is the vehicle you rear ended at fault for the accident. The trucker was wrong for stopping in an area not authorized for stopping, but poor minivan mom was more wrong for hitting a stationary vehicle with its four ways on. To add another demension-- what if that truck was stopped there, with four ways on because of a break down?? Who the blame be clear in that situation?

If they guy isn't being charged with anything serious, then my guess would be nothing would have happened to him if his triangles were out. I know we wouldn't have faulted him for it, and since he isn't being charged with the more serious crime I can only guess all his logs are ok.

[Fozzy]

I'm pretty sure that the "ten minutes" rule applies to vehicles on the shoulder, not vehicles stopped/PARKED mysteriously in the traffic lanes. The driver was a dummy for doing this, now he's a dummy who basically killed some people because he was to much in a hurry to look at a freakin map? This is one of those cases where the driver is wrong because had he not been doing something so predictable stupid, the accident would never have happened to him, the woman and his company. Companies are closed down over accidents like this.

[Lunker]

Originally Posted by Fozzy

This is one of those cases where the driver is wrong because had he not been doing something so predictable stupid, the accident would never have happened to him, the woman and his company.

And let's just suppose that truck wasn't there, she would have continued off the road and killed everyone in the vehicle anyway? Or she would have drifted off into the burm and over corrected and take out some other cars? Or rear end another vehicle slowing down for traffic ahead?
For this lady to rear end a STOPPED big rig, only points to one fact period - she was not paying attention. To blame the truck driver for someone else's inability to maintain the number one rule in driving of "watching ahead" is really absurd.

And then I realize this post is over a month old - geez, not a very active forum!

[Cluggy619]

Here is the problem. He was in a truck, it was his fault. That's it. As the story read:

Thomas Lattimore, 37, of Ohio, was driving north on Mike Padgett Highway and had picked up a load from Federal Paperboard when he pulled over to the right in what Capt. Griffin called an "acceleration lane" to look at a map.

Hmmm...pulls over to the right, and that's where the "acceleration lane" is? On the right hand side? Where in this country is this?

Bull$hit. The cop blamed him because he was in a rig. The driver pulled over on what he thought was a shoulder...who in the heck puts a "acceleration lane" on the right hand side of the road?

The only thing he did was to stop, but their was no attempt involved...he didn't drive the mini van, he didn't kill the people inside.

There were no skid marks on the ground that would indicate that Mrs. Dorn-George had time to apply the brakes, the captain said.

Hey, what if she did see the truck? Suicide, perhaps? Her death is clearly her fault, she hit him.

I hope he gets a good lawyer.

[rcso]

Hmm, I'll help you out there. See the lane right above the word 'Washington Road' on the bottom right hand corner of the following diagram, that is an acceleration lane. "On Ramps" and "Off Ramps" are acceleration lanes, That little lane that says merge left or right when you turn from one road onto another, hey boss guess what you just went through an acceleration lane. Maybe you are just confused on what is being talked about, I hope so and I hope I helped explain this to you; I'd hate to think what the alternative is.

[Cluggy619]

thanks. for clearing it up......however, if a car was parked their, and a truck hit it, it would still be the truck drivers fault.....

:evil:

[cdltpx]

There are so many lives that can be saved by having a little technology in your possession there are expenses involved but well worth it just to know where you are at all times. Some of you will say you’re a professional you are suppose to keep track of your position at all times, true but in heavy fog/rain I use GPS to keep track of regularly used curvy roads. What about areas where tornado, hurricane or vandals blow signs away directions that were accurate for years are now wrong? If you are like me you do a lot of night driving when most of the drivers are in bed no amount of light can help in some cases. There are good Garmin GPS units for less than $200 wal mart right now fully loaded map of USA units less than $300.Shop around you can get cheaper but have found my older hand held garmin to stand up to truck tourture.
You have to think of the worse case scenario at all times you are the professional and YOU will be held ultimately responsible. The thing is this is this short cut worth another’s life or me becoming a felon just because of poor planning.

One day we will get coordinates for a location along with directions to get a best picture of where to go. My business is going to well established locations and we will be compiling a database of tank locations along with GPS coordinates my hope is that sales men/customers will get coordinates and share them with us along with their directions the day of a trucker getting lost should be long gone but stupidity prevails over ignorance until we cure the stupidity we will never prevent ignorance. Stupid is knowing what to do and doing otherwise ignorance is not knowing of the facts get the facts please.