Heard on the radio this guy has a conviction for burglary and heroin possession, but this was 11 years ago. Nothing since and a clean driving record. Passed background check and TSA clearance. Has been a tanker yanker for 18 months and hauled produce before that.
A trucker called in and said not only is the curve pretty sharp but the pavement is uneven going from very rough to smooth while making the turn. Given this notorious section of the bridge he had no business exceeding the 50mph speed limit.

 

I also thought this.

 

It just amazes me that people think they car drive a tanker like a sports can and get away with it. How STUPID can you be? That posted speed limit its for CARS, not TRUCKS!!! If I drive a tanker one day, I'm going to go SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. If that sign said 50 I would have been going 40. You have no business behind behind that wheel if you have no respect for what you are hauling. Just amazes me that there are some stupid a** people out there.

 

Wow- sure did a lot of damage to that overpass/underpass- cannot believe he wasnt killed :shock:

 

It really has nothing to do with stupid. It has to do with lack of attention or just one of those moments, or a even a little fatigue. Tanker works is a 24-7 event and everyone (except BBRs of course) can have this happen to them. One moment of inattention and you can be sitting upside down or be killed somewhere. The driver sure must be thankful that this lack of attention didn't kill him or someone else.

 

Granted that those things can and do happen, but if he was going above the posted speed limit, that is a deliberate and STUPID action, whether it was intentional or not. It's a miracle no one was killed. And what is BBR?

 

Billy or Betty Big Rigger...it's a designation typically used for those select O/O's with fast trucks, loud radios, and no respect for their fellow drivers or profession.

 

There's never been an overpass that has collapsed because of tanker exploding in the the history of the interstate system. How does gasoline melt an overpass!?

This overpass must have been demolished, a controlled demolition. But why? Who could have rigged the overpass with exposives and get a patsy tanker truck driver?

The CA overpass disaster might be linked directly to the oil companies. Think.... having those freeways gridlocked, all those cars, trucks idling, burning fuel. Mmmmmmm. Burn that oil. And it gives an excuse to increase fuel prices.

 

gasoline burns hot. Heat weakens(notice I did NOT SAY MELT) steel. Steel is holding weight, steel collapses.

 

The overpass fell and nobody was killed, let's leave it at that