First test of Legacy Parkway a success
September 19th, 2008 @ 5:05pm
By Courtney Orton and Mary Richards
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To Bush Fan: the truckers should cover "their" loads;
To empty-handed: the truckers don't cover their loads because "they're" lazy.
If you think about it, you should thank a truck driver. You need food it is transported by truck drivers. You want clothing hauled by truck drivers.
You want roads to drive your cars on or you want topsoil or gravel products for your home, all transported by truck drivers. Don't even get me started. You are so quick to judge. If it WAS NOT FOR TRUCK DRIVERS AND TRUCKS YOU WOULD NOT HAVE YOUR COMPUTER< because a truck driver delivered it to the store you bought it from. WITHOUT TRUCK DRIVERS AMERICA STOPS.
As for tarping the load it is NOT A LAW TO tarp
unless it is above the side boards. if it is 12 inches below the top of the end gate it is NOT REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE TARPED!!! FYI
As for him being lazy, once again you are very fast to get your opinion read on ksl or to judge somone.
So in your face Rocky!
I also see how well reguarded drivers in Utah are, I have to drive with them daily.
I personally started driving in Idaho at age 14 and consider myself a better driver than "most" Utah drivers. Granted I have been in utah for 20 years.
http://www.iii.org/media/facts/statsbyissue/auto/
Bottom line: Insurance companies don't have to spend as much to fix those cars and tractors. For 2 reasons:
1. Tractors don't go fast enough to cause a lot of damage, and
2. The tractor drivers don't drive any faster in their cars. They drive like they're still in their tractors. And therefore, the cars don't go any faster than the tractors, so they don't cause a lot of damage.
Just think about this .... heaven forbid you need to move over lanes and actually use your turn signal, as the person 4 car lengths behind you in that lane will speed up and try to close the gap so you can't move over.
At least I know when capitalizations hould be used.
Then let it snow, we don't even want to go there. At least Idaho drivers know how to drive in the snow and inclimate weather conditions. Given your posts about liking to speed and such, I envision you as a the dude in the big 4x4 screaming by on slick roads, that I pass later down the road and just honk wave and laugh to myself.
The freeway is not a speedway for your convienence as you so like to think.
sorry typo
Unfortunatly, I see more of them in the #3 lane than in either of the two right lanes.
That is wrong IMO!!! They create a hazard in that lane. They sling rocks and dirt all over the place and force everyone else to move around them. I don't care what taxes they pay, or what rights you say they have. Common sense and courtesy should dictate they drive in the right two lanes.
A large percentage of the time I see it the two right lanes are as open as the two left lanes are. These drivers should be over in the RIGHT TWO LANES! AND they should NOT be exceeding the speed limit, even though they might get one or even two more loads in that day.
These jerkhoffs are risking the safety of all on the road, including themselves.
These are the drivers who SUCK.
Not enough brain cells to formulate I response I guess.
but I agree, most trucks of that size are ordered to move to the right. Some cops will even force them to move over, saw it happen to a Wal-Mart semi driving in the lane next to the carpool.
Trucks are not allowed in the carpool lane OR the lane next to it. Neither are they allowed in the far left lane of any highway with 3 or more lanes traveling in the same direction, Bangerter included.
But other than that, trucks are allowed in ANY other lane. If you don't like it, then move to another lane.
Get real man, there are more accidents with smaller vehicles than the big ones. How often do you reserve the right lane for the big guys. Yet you expect that the big guys need to reserve the left lane for your butt. Imagine little terds zooming around and hanging out in your office, and telling you how to do your work, ALL DAY!! And when you screw up they should paste it on the news so that those same terds can complaine whine about it.
It is too bad that this accident happened, and that people got hurt. But don't blame an intire industry for your bad day.
They're called MANAGERS!
Do you truck haters ever stop to consider why a truck does what it does BEFORE you criticize them for doing it?
Let's take your example of trucks running in the #3 lane, as you call it. Why do they create a hazard? First, if they were in the far right lane, they'd have to constantly speed up, slow down, speed up, etc. for merging traffic. The second lane is just as hazardous for the big trucks because the "right lane" usually disappears and reappears depending on where you are on the interstate.
The HOV lane is obviously off limits for trucks AND ANYONE HAULING TRAILERS, and so is the "fast lane" or the lane next to the HOV lane. Trucks CANNOT use either of those lanes.
Think about it:
1. The far right lane is not a continuous lane. It starts and stops all along the Wasatch front, becomes exit only, then starts again, and
2. The 2nd lane is the farthest right "continuous" lane, which at times has cars merging into and out of to enter and exit the highway, and
3. It's dangerous to fellow road users to slow down and speed up to merge with those cars, or to change lanes to avoid those cars.
With that in mind, can you think of which lane might be safest for the trucks to travel in? Can you tell me which lane might be legal for the truck to travel in?
Let me help you...the #3 lane.
I have to agree with a lot of the posters here that dirt haulers CAN BE a menace on the roads. Check with Highway Patrol. Most of the trucks that they have problems with, most of the trucks that have safety issues with are the dump trucks or the "dirt haulers".
Are they all like that? No. I personally know a dump truck driver who owns his own truck. He has NEVER received a ticket or an out-of-service citation on his equipment. Why? BECAUSE HE TAKES PRIDE IN WHAT HE DOES AND IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THOSE AROUND HIM.
May we all see a lesson in that.
As for your comment, you're wrong, you're inconsiderate, you're uninformed, and your naivete regarding the safe driving of trucks is more than obvious.
Learn to drive around trucks. If you see a truck doing something you wonder about, rather than quickly jumping to stupid conclusions, think about what he's doing and why. It may open your eyes a little bit.
Your truck owner friend is a saint on the road I'm sure.
As for your response: You're wrong, inconsiderate and uninformed. Your defensiveness and inability to understand what someone says speaks volumes of your overall intellegence.
Rather than jumping to irrational, STUPID responses to what others say, perhaps you should learn to read before you flap your jaw.
You're still a dork.
I wish you guys would get your stories straight before you start bashing the trucks.
One day you're saying slow down, the next you're saying speed up. One day you're saying no trucks, the next you're crying because your grocery bill is going up.
You truck haters need to get together and come up with a clear plan. You're confusing us "inbred" "uneducated" "inconsiderate" "unbathed" "toothless" truck drivers. (Did I miss any descriptors?)
Take the trucks off the roads and you have nothing! No groceries, gas, clothing, building supplies, etc. You name it, it is more than likely it is delivered by big rigs. Get off their case! They provide an essential service for all of us. And I guarantee you complainers aren't perfect drivers yourselves!!! I seen the way you drive!!!
Quit yer belly achin'!
On the flip side, I have a CDL and have hauled dirt and rocks, and there is nothing that irritates me more then when a truck driver is being reckless.
I commute to and from work via the 201 highway/freeway. I drive from 8400 west over to 3200 west. 8400 West has become 'The Dirt Hauler Express'. (Only there is NOTHING express about it when you find yourself stuck behind one of those obnoxious beasts and cannot get around them!)
8400 west, along with the 201 highway is usually a constant barrage of dirt haulers from sun up until sun down. I think the reason they sometimes drive in such a [no swearing please]ly fashion on the freeway is to make up for all the time they sit in traffic. It takes those stupid trucks what seems like forever to get up to speed if they have stopped at a red light. This is probably why so many of them love to barrell right thru a stop light, because they know how p__ed the drivers are going to be who are behind them if they have to wait to get back up to speed. There are a couple of lights on the 201; One at 8400 west, and another a few blocks east. These are major bottlenecks as they are, but throw a dirt hauler (Usually 4 or 5 of them) in the mix, and it turns the 201 into a parking lot. I wish they could find another route. (or put more lanes on the 201!)
Yes, construction requires dirt haulters sometimes, but sheesh, how many do we need on the highway all at once? Why do they insist on clogging up the roads during the morning or afternoon rush hour?
Diesel fuel costs won't stop the truckers. They just take other measures to counter act the costs.
There is no access to I-80 until 5600 W what other road should they take 3500 S HA HA HA.
And don't know too much about big trucks "It takes those stupid trucks what seems like forever to get up to speed if they have stopped at a red light"
Duh thousands of tons doesn't move that fast plus all the gears they have to shift through. Be a little more patient.
The reason why 201 is always backs up has little to do with trucks but more that the population in Tooele and the west side of SLC has more than doubled in 10 years and all they did to that road is add lights, it needs to be widened.
(If you are Huh'ing check the weather page)
The blessing out of the experience of the object coming at me - at least it didn't bounce into my windshield.
If so, I'm envyous!
It is illegal for those trucks to be in the fast lane but they are human like the rest of us law breakers. So next time you see them doing this think about the bonehead moves you have made in the past.
I was driving around the bend there before the Beck Street overpass when I saw a cloud of dust and everyone started slamming on their brakes. Looking down the lane all I could see was dirt and rocks; at first I thought maybe UDOT had torn up the road or something like that.
There were a few cars in the left lane that looked like they had hit each other. A black (infiniti?) looked like it had taken the brunt of it as it hit the wall and I think the car behind it T-Boned it.
As I passed the mess I noticed the semi truck on the right. It was a 2-trailer belly dumper and both belly doors were open. Oops..?
There was a good 2-3 inches of dirt on the road and some of the rocks were fairly large, maybe 4-5 inches in diameter.
The rest of the way was nice driving, though :)
Hope everyone's OK.
Judas Priest - give this moron a broom and make him clean it up!
Tony D.
TONY, I really wish you had been right behind that truck. It would than at least give you a reason to say what you do.
You're an inconsiderate fool. You take pride in simply bashing the truckers and the trucking industry. How about you actually learn about them and their industry. You'll quickly learn respect for what they do.
Come to my work one day. I'll be more than happy to give you a driving lesson, or at least take you for a ride down the interstate. I guarantee that you'll come out of the ride with a new appreciation for what the truckers have to deal with.
Have some of them come up with inappropriate coping mechanisms? Perhaps. But until you have actually been in a truck, or driven one with the uninformed, inconsiderate drivers on the road, then keep your mouth shut.
The driver was indeed in the slow lane, not 3rd from the right. Gravel spread to the 3rd lane.
NOT driver error, fluke electrical failure, on a 2008 truck. The entire rig truck and trailers were given a full inspection on site by DOT, facts are DOT gave phenomenal praise that the rig, driver, company, and surrounding drivers, that performed in such a professional manner, under tough circumstances.
Let see, no pictures of the actual clean up crew and equipment that were 1st to the scene, that happen to be co-workers to the driver, and nearly had the entire mess cleaned up before State crews arrived.
The red truck which is a truck and pup NOT and end-dump, is not the truck that lost its load, it is a fellow trucker nice enough to check that the trucker and victims were okay, and yes the red trucks load is not covered because he was empty. The actual truck that accidently lost his load, by law does not have tarps, it was a belly dump no tarp required FYI loads by this company are always covered on trucks that dump from the rear.
As to the handicap and drugs comments, this driver as well as all other employees for this company has and is required to pass drug and alcohol testing monthly. OH and company policy no cell phones while driving or operating. Not your typical "CONSTRUCTION" company.
Lets go on, as for the dirt trucks comments, where would we be... no roads, no stores, no houses, no sewer (oh dear where must I pooh?), no water, must I go on? Seriously without big trucks period, the world would not go round, no gas, no food, no clothes, oh and better yet no cars for us to buy at the fancy dealership.
The real comment which was posted above and should be what every post here is about is...... HOPE EVERYONE IS OKAY!!!! Indeed everyone is, minor injuries to one alert driver that was able to avoid further injury by paying attention and not talking on his cell phone. Could have been worse and had fatalities. The Lord gives tender mercies everyday. Count your mercies and those less fortunate, that have ACCIDENTS, beyond their control.
Hey Mike I'm glad you hugged your kids today. :)
You say "It's still an end dump..." What is still an end dump? Your comment makes absolutely no sense.
Take some advice Marci: It's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
You would think they would won’t to use it in the first place
All of us have things happen in our lives that we cannot control... does that mean that we are instantly the most moronic people in the world???
To all of you who understand that ACCIDENTS HAPPEN... thank you for being able to understand that everyone has bad days.
To the people in the damaged vehicles and their families... I am so glad that there weren't any serious injuries and I hope that those of you who were injured have a swift recovery.
I was driving the VOLVO (the black one that was wrecked during this escapade) I was in the center lane
just passing over the Beck street bridge, when the Belly dump truck in the right lane let go of everything, at a speed of 55-60 mph, i was slowly passing him on the left side at about 60-65. First one rock hit, that immediately cracked the windshield. Then a foggy river of churning 55mph rocks
5 feet deep showered my car at once. I was hit with a good sized rock that penetrated the windscreen on the passenger side. I then attempted to slow down by letting off the gas, and held on for dear life. Unfortunatley the rubble going under my car was too much for the wheels to grip properly, and i started in a sideways skid, which i corrected only to find myself drifting towards the concrete barrier at 50+mph
I hit head on and the airbags deployed. I am from Cali and can tell you from much driving experience that drivers and the companies that employ them, are equally responsible for this debacle, no passing the buck or throwing each other under the bus so to speak. Someone needs to shut these guys down once and for all. Lack of safety requirments is precisely why
this accident occured and should have been prevented
period. Thanks to all those who who stopped to help me
and were witnesses to this idiocy.
The truck spilling the load did not require a tarp as you may read for yourself, because his load was nearly 8-12" below the top of his bed rails, further more a trap could not have prevented an electrial failure of the dump gates on the under side of the trailer.
I little tid bit from http://www.udot.utah.gov
What is the Tarp Law?
The Utah Highway Patrol, enforces the tarp law. This law basically states that a vehicle carrying dirt, sand, gravel, rock fragments, pebbles, crushed base, aggregate, any other similar materials or scrap metal shall have a covering over the entire load unless:
The highest point of the load does not extend above the top of any exterior wall or sideboard of the cargo compartment of the vehicle.
The outer edges of the load are at least six inches below the top inside edges of the exterior walls or sideboards of the cargo compartment of the vehicle.