Slow down in construction Zones

hhw · May 11, 2005

I was traveling north on US 15 behind a compact out of state vehicle. I noticed it was traveling around 55, but weaving dangerously./forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I remained behind the vehicle as we entered 581 ( the beltway around Harrisburg, very heavily traveled). As I passed the vehicle, because it slowed to 45, I noticed the driver, an older gentleman, had a platform built on the center console and was operating a laptop computer while driving. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

JTC · May 11, 2005

I encounter my fair share of idiot brain dead drives every day who don't think twice about cutting you off, but from the information in the article, one can not conclude that the driver was at fault. They likely are but there is also not an insignificant chance that the worker was at fault.

I've always had a thing against drawing conclusions from incomplete data.

Jim

Dachshund · May 11, 2005

I used to work for the Kansas Dept of Transportation. During one summer, we had one of the Maintenance workers in my district get clipped by a camper-type pickup mirror. Turns out the kid driving had had his licence pulled due to a DUI where he had nearly killed another state worker in Iowa. Bad enough to kill a guy, but when you factor in the fact that he SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, it makes you just want to burst. I've witnessed dozens of near misses and several "hits" (for lack of a better term) on the highways. One of the most dangerous jobs around is flagging in a consrtuction zone. I'm a FIRM believer that every time someone takes ahold of one of those traffic flags, they are taking a huge risk. STAY ALERT!

Gatorboy · May 11, 2005

This all happened at 5:30 in the morning there is no reason other than just driving too D*mn fast and not paying attention. 

It was a terrible thing that happened, but I read the article, and it doesn't say anything about speed being the issue. It could have been foggy, rainy, etc. that morning, I'm not sure.

However, your point about speeds in construction zones is a problem. I drive I-95 and there are some areas under construction with the Speed Limit Posted at 50 mph, and folks are flying by me going 65+ as if the construction zone is something that can be ignored unless you "see" someone working. Many times once you see someone, it could be too late.

Taylortractornut · May 11, 2005

Alot of times operating equipment Ive been near the road side and seen alot of scary things peopledoing in cars. I had a friend set his 44 oz coke on a marker barrel that was 2 feet off the shoulder. I was running a 580 Case backhoe cleaning out a RR right of way and about 4 seconds later I had a 44oz coke explode on me. Mark had just set it down and barely moved his hand when a lady in a Miata ran off the road and plowed into the barrel. She told us in a ditzi manor tha she was on the phone talking to her best friend a didnt see the barrel. Cant under stan why she didnt know she was offroad with the gravel sound the car was making on the shoulder. I gave a very good classic construction worker chewing. @ days later when we had all the material windrowed up on the road side I was loading it into dump trucks and we had about 1/2 mile sections of 4 lane marked off with cones barrels and a flashing sign. U had my back to the traffic (as i was too scared to work heading them, Id rather my demise be a surprise than to see it coming) Gettin a few scoops and dumping into the 10 wheelers on the coned off road side. we were in the middle of the halfmile with all the markers and even a flagman and all I heard on my radio was one blew Pass about that tim the empty truck behind me got smashed by another driver that was on the cell phone passing another car doing the speed limit. He passed into our cone barriers and we had the cones ever 10 feet apart He took out several when he started to pass. Some folks complain about the doubled fines in work zones and the usualy hidden trooper but Ive been in too many close calls.

johnday · May 11, 2005

Cellphones? One of my pet peeves. Do I have one? Yup. But I don't try to yap on the thing and aim my truck at the same time. A number of times beyond count, I've had a fool behind me so close I didn't even know they were there, look in the mirror, [suicide side of course], see nothing, flip on the signal look again, still nothing and start moving over. Next thing you know there is a stereo on wheels sliding out from behind the trailer on the right side! All the time never missing a word on the phone. They don't even notice a trailer making swaying movements getting back over to keep from flattening them.

I drove to Massachusetts last year on the New York thruway. What a great roadtrip! Good roads, beautiful scenery, and no cell phones! Except for one. That was by a kid from Michigan. Smokey jumped him and gave him a nice ticket. 30 miles down the road, he got stopped for the same thing. The kid tweren't too sharp I guess. He was in the same wedding party as myself, so I know this really did happen.

I really have to appreciate the fathers of NY. Amid all the heat they took from banning cellphones during driving, they still put their feet down, and even enforce the law. I can only wish Michigan could have half as much nerve! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Junkman · May 11, 2005

( .............I really have to appreciate the fathers of NY. Amid all the heat they took from banning cellphones during driving, they still put their feet down, and even enforce the law. I can only wish Michigan could have half as much nerve! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )

No doubt about it..... especially the way that they have worded the new point system law. Get one too many violations, and it will cost you big $$$ for the next 3 years. I agree with violations and fines, but this one is just another tax...... plain and simple.. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Soundguy · May 12, 2005

That's why i like those hands free kits. Me and my wife both have them. We don't make a habit of talking ont he phone in the car, but if it has to be done.. it's hands free.

I also have seen those close calls. I work for a GC during the day, and a while back, we had a SCHOOL BUS hit one of our cat 623 scraper pans that was parked along side the road. For those that don't know what a pan is.. ours was a 23cy machine that is longer and wider than a school bus.. etc.

He wad cones and baricades, and a flagman. The flagman up the road was waving for the bus to slow down, and the flagman at the entrance to the job site had to do one of those A-Team type dives into the ditch right before the bus hit the pan.... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Soundguy

Junkman · May 12, 2005

Were there any children on the bus???? Around these parts, if a school bus is involved in any type of accident, no matter how insignificant, the State Police Accident Reconstruction Team will immediately respond and determine the cause of the accident. Most times, the school bus is considered to be in the right, and the other driver in the wrong. I believe that the outcome has more to do with the possibility of dealing with 30 or 40 law suits vs. what the real truth is. When I see a school bus approaching me, I consider it like a fire truck... give it the right of way no matter what. I usually pull as far to the right as I safely can till it passes. If it is directly in front of me, then I will take the next right turn to get away from it. All I can think about is if I were rear ended and pushed into that bus, I would hung out to dry. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

bczoom · May 12, 2005

( I really have to appreciate the fathers of NY. Amid all the heat they took from banning cellphones during driving, they still put their feet down, and even enforce the law. I can only wish Michigan could have half as much nerve!)

Johnday,

To my knowledge, NY hasn't banned them. I thought they just required a hands-free setup if you are going to talk. Am I wrong?

As a kid, I was involved in a school bus accident. Over 120 of us kids got hurt (3 fully loaded buses were involved). You wouldn't believe the emergency response that occurred. I believe every emergency vehicle within 50 miles showed up.