fj12ryder wrote:
Don't be silly. You're comparing apples and oranges. Do you really think that group of vehicles is going to be controllable in a panic, or emergency situation? Like if he had to swerve to avoid something in the highway or stop very quickly. Be reasonable, some regulations are there for a reason.
And I agree with you on some points: driver's license examinations should be tougher from day one. And yes, some people have no business driving a big fifth wheel or coach. But that does not negate the fact that some things are flat out unsafe.
One of the reasons for speed limits is revenue generation and the other is an advisory of what a safe speed is for the area. And yes, you're absolutely right: "We should just be able to run as fast as we want as long as it's safe right?" that's exactly right. "As long as it's safe"!!
When the brakes are set up correctly and the operator drives accordingly to the conditions then they handle fine. Believe it or not when the tow vehicle changes lanes so does all the trailers behind it. The trailer don't know how many vehicles are in front of it it only knows it needs to follow the one it's hooked to. It's the operators job to know what the trailers are going to do in an emergency.
As far as an emergency, what would you call an emergency? If you can't stop then you are following too close for the circumstances. How well do you think a semi weighing 80,000# stops from a highway speed? What about one that weighs 120,000#? You drive according to what you are driving. Wadcutter didn't say the guy was being unsafe he said the guy was illegal. I'm saying that a lot of the vehicles that were on that road that day were probably illegal as far as the "LAW" is concerned. Why pick one over the other?
