Motorhome driver sentenced in fatal accident

Desert Captain wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

The situation that worries me the most is going into dense fog (all of a sudden) and slowing way down so maybe you can see what's in front in time, but not so much that the guy behind does not hit you. If the traffic stops in this situation I'm going to park as far off the shoulder as I can get...

Dessert areas can also get zero visibility dust storms - lights off, foot off the brake so they don't follow your lights.

:h

Sure don't understand that logic "Lights off?" That is a sure way to get rear ended! We drive headlights on anytime we are on the road day or night rain, snow, fog, sand, or sunshine! Makes you far more visable! Been doing this for over 48 years, yes has cost a battery or two, but I know I should be seen.

You don't drive with lights off but when caught in a sandstorm you absolutely want to get as far off the road as possible, stop and turn off your lights and do not touch the brake. This is to keep others from driving into the rear of your vehicle. In blind/brownout conditions folks tend to drive towards any lights they see thinking that is where they should be. This is also the reason you are advised to stay in your vehicle with seat belts on. Wandering around in a sandstorm is quick way to get killed.

We have these very serious events, "Haboobs" every year here in southern Arizona. They rarely last more than a few minutes and waiting them out in the safest (closest), possible location is the recommended procedure.

:C

Same situation when in heavy fog. People tend to follow the lights in front of them. If you stop on the side of the road and leave your lights on, someone very well could run in to you. It's kind of a dilemna really. I would rather not stop.

Desert Captain wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

The situation that worries me the most is going into dense fog (all of a sudden) and slowing way down so maybe you can see what's in front in time, but not so much that the guy behind does not hit you. If the traffic stops in this situation I'm going to park as far off the shoulder as I can get...

Dessert areas can also get zero visibility dust storms - lights off, foot off the brake so they don't follow your lights.

:h

Sure don't understand that logic "Lights off?" That is a sure way to get rear ended! We drive headlights on anytime we are on the road day or night rain, snow, fog, sand, or sunshine! Makes you far more visable! Been doing this for over 48 years, yes has cost a battery or two, but I know I should be seen.

You don't drive with lights off but when caught in a sandstorm you absolutely want to get as far off the road as possible, stop and turn off your lights and do not touch the brake. This is to keep others from driving into the rear of your vehicle. In blind/brownout conditions folks tend to drive towards any lights they see thinking that is where they should be. This is also the reason you are advised to stay in your vehicle with seat belts on. Wandering around in a sandstorm is quick way to get killed.

We have these very serious events, "Haboobs" every year here in southern Arizona. They rarely last more than a few minutes and waiting them out in the safest (closest), possible location is the recommended procedure.

:C

Got it!
That makes sense!

X2 Desert Captain. We've been in a couple of those sand storms around Casa Grande, AZ. Definitely scary as they come up so fast and you cannot see beyond your windshield!

rhagfo wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

The situation that worries me the most is going into dense fog (all of a sudden) and slowing way down so maybe you can see what's in front in time, but not so much that the guy behind does not hit you. If the traffic stops in this situation I'm going to park as far off the shoulder as I can get...

Dessert areas can also get zero visibility dust storms - lights off, foot off the brake so they don't follow your lights.

:h

Sure don't understand that logic "Lights off?" That is a sure way to get rear ended! We drive headlights on anytime we are on the road day or night rain, snow, fog, sand, or sunshine! Makes you far more visable! Been doing this for over 48 years, yes has cost a battery or two, but I know I should be seen.

You don't drive with lights off but when caught in a sandstorm you absolutely want to get as far off the road as possible, stop and turn off your lights and do not touch the brake. This is to keep others from driving into the rear of your vehicle. In blind/brownout conditions folks tend to drive towards any lights they see thinking that is where they should be. This is also the reason you are advised to stay in your vehicle with seat belts on. Wandering around in a sandstorm is quick way to get killed.

We have these very serious events, "Haboobs" every year here in southern Arizona. They rarely last more than a few minutes and waiting them out in the safest (closest), possible location is the recommended procedure.

:C

I can't believe they charged him unless he was drunk or high, texting, or going 80. He couldn't have been going that fast, because he got it hauled down pretty quick.

Half of the jury would see that curve, the space between the 2 vehicles and not know what to do. It is not plain or obvious.

I'm sure there are standards for directing traffic on an interstate highway, and I can't say what they are, but this shouldn't meet them. It would appear obvious that the officer was physically incapable of moving his cruiser. No one would have permitted anything be moved in a crime scene.

rockhillmanor wrote:
Report states this:

Petrina had responded to the scene and

parked his squad car behind a TDOT truck

. Both vehicles had their lights flashing and there were

orange cones behind

the cruiser and the truck.

According to police, Diver tried to go

between the police car and the TDOT truck

in his large motor home.

Traveling in the 'same' direction that 2 vehicles are parked one behind the other.....
Just HOW do you drive 'between' the two?
:H
And this picture shows THIS? Cop car is NOT parked behind the IDOT truck.



IMHO = An officers police report perhaps emotional/angered involving a fellow fallen officer that just doesn't add up.

Highway policy is In an emergency lane closure the idot truck should be in the first lane and the cop in the second. You don't leave the open space as is shown in this picture. But then again the police report states he was parked 'behind' the Idot truck because where he really parked the squad was incorrect emergency policy.

Just curious here... how do you know that the officer didn't move his vehicle between when this picture was taken and the collision occurred?

Its fairly easy to determine where vehicles were based upon physical evidence. Either way, the driver of the motorhome has an obligation to slow down and interpret the road conditions. Treating the roadway and obstructions like a slalom course isn't the correct way to interpret conditions...

By the way... what exactly is "emergency policy" and what does that have to do with placement of vehicles on the scene? I worked patrol for 12 years and have had to close roadways thousands of times in my career. You do the best you can with the resources that you have. I've had to shut down 4 lane highways with nothing more than a marked cruiser and flares.

Trust me when I tell you that no matter how you close a road, some idiot will try to get through.

We had a major storm that completely flooded a major north/south artery in my district. We closed the road using marked police cruisers and DOT trucks with sign boards. We had cones and traffic barrels. We had signs marking the road was closed, do not enter, etc. Some genius decided that all those warnings didn't apply to him and tried to go through the scene. He was stopped and turned around. His solution was to turn off his lights and go the WRONG way (northbound in the southbound lanes) into the flood waters. His car became disabled. Unfortunately for him, he was swept away in the flood waters and died.

The point is that there is no way to stop a dummy from doing something dumb. The driver of this motorhome did something dumb. It sounds like hundreds, if not thousands, of other motorists on that roadway that day were able to figure out the obstruction and safely navigate around it. The driver of this motorhome didn't.

Glad you enjoyed my typo...

Report states this:

Petrina had responded to the scene and

parked his squad car behind a TDOT truck

. Both vehicles had their lights flashing and there were

orange cones behind

the cruiser and the truck.

According to police, Diver tried to go

between the police car and the TDOT truck

in his large motor home.

Traveling in the 'same' direction that 2 vehicles are parked one behind the other.....
Just HOW do you drive 'between' the two?
:H
And this picture shows THIS? Cop car is NOT parked behind the IDOT truck.



IMHO = An officers police report perhaps emotional/angered involving a fellow fallen officer that just doesn't add up.

Highway policy is In an emergency lane closure the idot truck should be in the first lane and the cop in the second. You don't leave the open space as is shown in this picture. But then again the police report states he was parked 'behind' the Idot truck because where he really parked the squad was incorrect emergency policy.

CA Traveler wrote:

The situation that worries me the most is going into dense fog (all of a sudden) and slowing way down so maybe you can see what's in front in time, but not so much that the guy behind does not hit you. If the traffic stops in this situation I'm going to park as far off the shoulder as I can get...

Dessert areas can also get zero visibility dust storms - lights off, foot off the brake so they don't follow your lights.

:h

Sure don't understand that logic "Lights off?" That is a sure way to get rear ended! We drive headlights on anytime we are on the road day or night rain, snow, fog, sand, or sunshine! Makes you far more visable! Been doing this for over 48 years, yes has cost a battery or two, but I know I should be seen.

CA Traveler wrote:
Dessert areas

Mmmmmmm... I wanna vacation where you vacation.... dessert areas.....:B