Forum Discussion
troubledwaters wrote:
If you're saying you are not smart enough not to kill someone, then I guess my prayers for you are in vain. Generally big rig drivers are a pretty smart, responsible, and safe lot. Your statements depict something less. Do you really fear you'll lose the load by stopping for a red light?
I'LL match my education/smarts against most.
Over 20 yrs, couple million miles...never in a chargeable accident.
Lose a load stopping...probably not.
Lose a load under hard deceleration...could happen.
The current load I have on weighs 47,000. Eight feet tall with 14 straps holding multiple pieces to the deck. I sure hope I don't have to slam on the brakes.
I stand by my statement. Unpredictable lights, at highway speeds, scare me. That is why, if you read my original comments on the subject, I stated that I approach them slowly and cautiously.
Enjoy the upcoming camping season. Thanks for the prayers. I know that God hears them, that education I briefly mentioned is a degree in Ministry.- PA 300-1949 is rather lengthy. Google found it on the first try Michigan law traffic control device
Specifically
257.612(1)(b) - I don't care what the manufacturer"s number say, I don't believe any of the SRW 3/4 ton trucks are up to the job for any 14k trailers.
That is my opinion. GordonThree wrote:
Exactly the same in Michigan, yellow means STOP unless unsafe to do so. Michigan public act 300 of 1949
I'll concede that you are likely correct as well, but googling that term reveals this...
AN ACT to provide for the registration, titling, sale, transfer, and regulation of certain vehicles operated upon the public highways of this state or any other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles and distressed vehicles; to provide for the licensing of dealers; to provide for the examination, licensing, and control of operators and chauffeurs; to provide for the giving of proof of financial responsibility and security by owners and operators of vehicles; to provide for the imposition, levy, and collection of specific taxes on vehicles, and the levy and collection of sales and use taxes, license fees, and permit fees; to provide for the regulation and use of streets and highways; to create certain funds; to provide penalties and sanctions for a violation of this act; to provide for civil liability of manufacturers, the manufacturers of certain devices, the manufacturers of automated technology, upfitters, owners, and operators of vehicles and service of process on residents and nonresidents; to regulate the introduction and use of certain evidence; to regulate and certify the manufacturers of certain devices; to provide for approval and certification of installers and servicers of certain devices; to provide for the levy of certain assessments; to provide for the enforcement of this act; to provide for the creation of and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies; to impose liability upon the state or local agencies; to provide appropriations for certain purposes; to repeal all other acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act or contrary to this act; and to repeal certain parts of this act on a specific date.
I would be curious to read the language of Michigan's law, as I am curious what define's "unsafe" to stop. If I'm 200 feet from an intersection at 55 mph, in theory I should be able to slam on my brakes and bring my vehicle to a stop before the stop line and then sit stopped at the yellow light for an additional 5 or 6 seconds... but it seems to me that a sudden stop is more likely to cause an issue than simply continuing on and passing through the intersection while under the yellow light.wnjj wrote:
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/811.260
Now you’ve seen one. Wait, you said “rule” so I agree with you. This is a law. Stop at yellow, unless it’s not safe to do so. Oregon law doesn’t address being partially in the intersection during red but the yellow duration is generally set so that you can get all the way through the intersection before red, with the exception of suddenly slowing traffic as you travel through or a long rig. In most cases you could have stopped safely. That all said, traffic lights have turned into “suggestions” around here the past few years and there’s far too many offenders for police to have any impact.
Point taken, you are right that the law does state to stop at the yellow light, which is incredibly stupid. The law then goes on to state that you don't have to stop at the signal. I've never seen a law that DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS ITSELF like this one...
Steady circular yellow signal. A driver facing a steady circular yellow signal light is thereby warned that the related right of way is being terminated and that a red or flashing red light will be shown immediately. A driver facing the light shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, shall stop before entering the marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if there is no marked crosswalk, then before entering the intersection. If a driver cannot stop in safety, the driver may drive cautiously through the intersection.
So you absolutely HAVE to stop at a yellow light... but if you can't then you can drive through. Now sure how you can legally interpret that law.
But I humbly concede that both you and valhalla are right, such laws exist!wnjj wrote:
spoon059 wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
In most but not all states, the rule is you must stop on Yellow unless it's unsafe to do otherwise.
What? I have driven in 14 of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. I also enforce traffic law in one of those states. Never once seen a "rule" that you must stop on yellow.
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/811.260
Now you’ve seen one.
Exactly the same in Michigan, yellow means STOP unless unsafe to do so. Michigan public act 300 of 1949ShinerBock wrote:
Okay, I gotta hear this. How does it being a Ford diesel have anything to do with the reason why the truck flipped? And how would a SRW GM or RAM would have kept it from flipping?
It doesn't. Just thought this thread might need another ridiculous comment.:)spoon059 wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
In most but not all states, the rule is you must stop on Yellow unless it's unsafe to do otherwise.
What? I have driven in 14 of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. I also enforce traffic law in one of those states. Never once seen a "rule" that you must stop on yellow.
You are required by law (not "rule") to stop at a red light. The purpose of the yellow light is to warn you that the light is about to change to red, thus giving you time to decide whether you are able to stop in time or if you have sufficient speed to cover the distance between you and the stop line.
Something that most people DON'T know... If *ANY* part of your vehicle crosses the stop line before the light turns red, you have not run the red light. If you are driving a 70 foot long rig down the highway, as long as the front portion of your vehicle has entered the intersection, you are legal. You don't have to get the entire 70 foot rig through the intersection before the light turns red, just the very front portion.
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/811.260
Now you’ve seen one. Wait, you said “rule” so I agree with you. This is a law. Stop at yellow, unless it’s not safe to do so. Oregon law doesn’t address being partially in the intersection during red but the yellow duration is generally set so that you can get all the way through the intersection before red, with the exception of suddenly slowing traffic as you travel through or a long rig. In most cases you could have stopped safely. That all said, traffic lights have turned into “suggestions” around here the past few years and there’s far too many offenders for police to have any impact.goducks10 wrote:
This is why I won't own a Ford diesel.
Please do enlighten us.BurbMan wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
The yellow time is typically set to account for perception/reaction time plus the time to come to a stop.
The issue is that many yellow light times are set too short...compounded by the fact that many roads regularly run faster than the speed limit.
It's not uncommon for the traffic on a 45 mph-limit road to run 55-60 on a regular basis. Cars today, even the cheap ones, perform so much better than the cars we drove when speed limits were set on these roads, it's no issue for a car to run 60 in a 45 and stop with ease, even in sub-par road conditions (rain, snow). The big rig guys (semis and RVs) run with the traffic and now don't have sufficient time to stop on yellow.
Not sure why state DOTs are determined to set yellow times at the minimum calculated times instead of making them a little longer and a little safer.
FYI, *TECHNICALLY* the speed limit is technically the maximum allowable speed in optimal conditions. Anything that makes it less than optimal conditions (snow, rain, heavy traffic, fog, etc) requires the driver to reduce speed. I'm not disagreeing that most cars are more than capable of exceeding those limits, even in less than ideal situations, just pointing out that from a DOT standpoint, the speed limit is only for optimal conditions.
And why they set yellow lights for a shorter, rather than longer, period of time is simply for traffic flow. If you allow a longer yellow light then you have set the standard for at least 2 negative outcomes. #1 is that you will still have people slamming on their brakes for a yellow light, thus creating a longer period for stopped traffic. #2 is that longer yellow lights will directly or indirectly result in longer periods of time to clear a certain amount of cars per cycle, thus creating more traffic.
Believe it or not, DOT's are supposed to try to create steady flowing traffic conditions. In Maryland all the lights seem perfectly timed to make you stop at each intersection... I'm almost convinced that the supervisors at Marylands DOT all own stock in brake pad and scrap metal companies. In Maryland you are almost always in a constant state of slowing or stopping for traffic control devices...
