Another RV tragedy

[NW22]

near Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada.
Read here.

[Oaklevel]

Very Tragic........... sometimes accidents occur & one ends up in the middle of it anyway................even as safe as we can be........
581 in Roanoke VA 3 lane interstate road two tractor trailer drivers were killed instantly.............when at 5:15 PM Rush hour a Ford Taurus decides to cross all 3 lanes hits the 1 st tractor trailer in the front the tractor trailer looses control crosses the median & hits another tractor trailer head on..... several other vehicles involved they survived...... had a major fire ..... The Ford Taurus driver lives but .........at 5:15 PM is now charged with DUI & two counts of involuntary manslaughter (may be upgraded)..........

[rhagfo]

Well interesting twist on the OP!
Very tragic loss for the DH!
I was taught years ago don't tailgate, and be looking as far down the road as possible. I do tend to stay in the right lanes, but tend to go with the flow on two lane secondary roads. My truck is equipped with an exhaust brake So it starts slowing (braking) as soon as I lift the throttle!

[I_am_still_wayn]

wny_pat wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
Freightliner makes the chassis.. I know because I shared breakfast at a hotel with an owner of such a rig when both his and mine were in the shop (Mine was minor compared to his).

They also make a cab and chassis which some builders use for the Super C type motorhomes. And unlike a diesel pusher, those Super C motorhomes have Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth, or Volvo marked all over the cabs.

The Sprinter chassis had been rebadged with "Freightliner" for a short period of time.

[Bumpyroad]

or people in a big hurry can do what I discovered was done, or was wanted to be done in Texas. they indicated that I should pull my $130,000 worth of stuff over and drive down the shoulder so they could pass in their $3400 POS. incredible. I'm not talking about pulling over and letting them go by, they expected one to actually drive at 55-65 down the shoulder. :s
bumpy

[Greydog_1]

Everyone wants to drive close up to two seconds. That's hardly enough time to brake. What is wrong with getting back 5 seconds. So- others fill in the needed space in front of you. I have no problem getting adjusted to five seconds, and it works for me. Yes I am slower than they are, but I am not running a contest to see who can beat me to the next exit. I don't need to view their back bumpers up close for any reason. Quit making excuses and do it. You will relax much better, so will your passengers.

[wny_pat1]

wa8yxm wrote:
Freightliner makes the chassis.. I know because I shared breakfast at a hotel with an owner of such a rig when both his and mine were in the shop (Mine was minor compared to his).

They also make a cab and chassis which some builders use for the Super C type motorhomes. And unlike a diesel pusher, those Super C motorhomes have Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth, or Volvo marked all over the cabs.

[noe-place]

I drive our MH between 60-65 when the road is long, straight and clear as far as I can see. I too watch the other guys brake lights constantly and watch traffic way ahdead of me down the highway. When I have to slow or stop I pump the pedal a few times so the flashing will get the attention of the driver directly behind me; provided I have time. I wish I had a dollar for every vehicle that's passed me on the interstates over the years.

[drsolo]

Tom&Dee wrote:

drsolo wrote:
But I keep an eagle eye on the brake lights ahead. They so much as touch them I am on mine. I dont wait to "see" what is happening.

That is also a cause of crashes on a highway. One person uses the brake pedal as a foot rest and then someone behind them step on the brakes and the next one needs to apply the brakes a little harder and the next one is not paying as much attention as they should and has to dynamite the brakes. The next one (who is following to close anyway) has no time to react...... You may consider yourself safe in your driving, but the ones behind you see things a lot differently.

And if people stay on their brakes and there is adequate room between vehicles, then everyone comes to a safe if not hurried stop. Of course, this kind of brake riding is more common in the city rather than out on the interstate. Most common cause of brake "flashing" or sudden braking is spotting a "bear" and the person is speeding.

[Jim_Shoe]

In the great big scheme of things, all I can do is control what I do. Since I'm in no hurry, I drive expressways between 10AM and 3PM when most of the people in a hurry are off the road. I drive a little over the minimum speed if there is one, and about 5 MPH below the max if there isn't, so I rarely need to pass anybody. Lights on, on the MH and toad and in the right hand lane. I drive around any city with more than a half million people. On occasion, somebody passes me while indicating that I'm number 1, but they use a different finger.
I just smile, but they usually don't smile back. 🙂

[Tom_Dee]

drsolo wrote:
But I keep an eagle eye on the brake lights ahead. They so much as touch them I am on mine. I dont wait to "see" what is happening.

That is also a cause of crashes on a highway. One person uses the brake pedal as a foot rest and then someone behind them step on the brakes and the next one needs to apply the brakes a little harder and the next one is not paying as much attention as they should and has to dynamite the brakes. The next one (who is following to close anyway) has no time to react...... You may consider yourself safe in your driving, but the ones behind you see things a lot differently.
By the way, JJBIRISH, I copied your post and put it on my site!

[Bumpyroad]

drsolo wrote:

JJBIRISH wrote:

8. The seat striking the driver does not bother him because he is already dead... The last three-tenths of the second mean nothing to the driver…

A friend of mine (she is a horrible driver, BTW, I wont drive with her) was looking down checking her day planner and plowed her Toyota into the back end of a jeep. She was doing 50-55 on a country road. She hobbled away. Her car after crash

Modern vehicles with air bags in general protect people. It is best to not disconnect those air bags. Modern vehicles crush to absorb the kinetic energy of the forward movement. It is best not to hit immovable objects.

I bet that jeep swooped and squatted. :s
bumpy

[drsolo]

JJBIRISH wrote:

8. The seat striking the driver does not bother him because he is already dead... The last three-tenths of the second mean nothing to the driver…

A friend of mine (she is a horrible driver, BTW, I wont drive with her) was looking down checking her day planner and plowed her Toyota into the back end of a jeep. She was doing 50-55 on a country road. She hobbled away. Her car after crash

Modern vehicles with air bags in general protect people. It is best to not disconnect those air bags. Modern vehicles crush to absorb the kinetic energy of the forward movement. It is best not to hit immovable objects.

[drsolo]

I always drive under the limit, let everyone else pass me, never more than 60 mph w/cruise. I stay in the right lane and am always checking for "get me off the road" places. But I keep an eagle eye on the brake lights ahead. They so much as touch them I am on mine. I dont wait to "see" what is happening. And all I drive is a 17 ft conversion van I fitted as an RV that has excellent stopping ability. When I want "bat out of hell" I drive my Miata. In my RV I am not in a hurry to "get" somewhere, I only drive 4-5 hours per day. That is my luxury.

[Targa]

JaxDad wrote:

mlts22 wrote:
Swoop/squats are pretty common, so I would not be surprised in the last. If it was this, I hope they catch the person driving the car ahead and charge them with murder, or at least negligent homicide.

Where does that come from? :h

The report said they came up on a 'set of slow moving vehicles', likely in that area, a group of vehicles lined up behind a slow-moving farm vehicle.

Exactly what I was thinking. This happens everyday, not always with the same tragic results. A lot of crashes are caused by people cruising along and just looking past the hood of there vehicle and not down the road, all of a sudden traffic is stopped or you have slow moving vehicles and now you are swerving or standing on the binders as you are sucking seat upholstery up your rear end. I have certainly been there but by the grace of God it turned out ok.
And please always, always wear your seatbelts.