Slow down in construction Zones

Tollster · May 17, 2005

I feel its unfortunate and a very preventable accident. I am a motorcycle rider and have seen my fairshare of near misses particularly with cell phones. I also stay well away of all minivan users as my experience says these people tend to be soccer moms on cell phones. One issue I have about construction zones in Pennsylvania is they almost always open the zone before any holiday weekend, and in areas of high accident rates they continue to do work during high traffic rather than at night. Its very unfortunate but with some careful planning I am sure it would help to reduce the accident rate. Also something you may want to mention in the morning saftey briefing is to ensure the area is safe before attempting to aid another worker. I have to enter confined spaces from time to time, and the first thing you must learn and remember is to ensure you can safely aid another worker before helping. I realize this goes against your natural human nature, but it may just save a life, yours! Seems like it may apply in your line of work as well. Something to think about and share.

Bird · May 17, 2005

( in areas of high accident rates they continue to do work during high traffic rather than at night )

I assume you think they should do that construction work at night? That sounds to me, and a lot of other people, like a very logical thing to do, but Texas tried that several years ago. I don't have the statistics anymore, but they found that they had too many construction workers run over at night. Less traffic at night meant more speed, more drunks out at night, etc., so they went back to working in the daytime.

( I have to enter confined spaces from time to time, and the first thing you must learn and remember is to ensure you can safely aid another worker before helping. )

Story in The Dallas Morning News today about two workers overcome and killed by methane gas when they went down through a manhole to work on telephone lines.

Soundguy · May 17, 2005

( get plowed in the rear by some )

Glad to hear you are ok.

I'm not sure if it is a law everywhere.. but i think Florida has one now that you are suposed to try to clear a lane if there is an emergency ( police too ) vehicle occupying a shoulder or part of a lane, parked. Nothing worse than the 'responders' having to watch out about getting hit as well as the original parties involved.

Soundguy

Bob_Hoehn · May 18, 2005

Missouri does have a law that says your are supposed to move over on a multi lane highway and at least slow down on two lane roads. The problem is, as stated earlier, most of the time you are already occupied on the side of the road and are unable to go after these people who won't give us a little bit of space. I was pretty lucky, two years ago one of our troopers was rear ended and his car caught fire and he burned up. So all in all, I came out ok.

Bird · May 18, 2005

Bob, that happened to officers in several places around the country, including Dallas, and resulted in a lot of lawsuits against Ford, including Dallas again. Dallas quit buying Fords, but now a lot of officers are wanting the City to go back to the Fords.

Incidentally, did you ever know a Missouri State Trooper by the name of Joe Bacon? He was a classmate of mine at the Northwestern University Traffic Institute in 1971-72.

penokee · May 18, 2005

Sad case in the UP of Michigan where a female Civil Engineer was struck and killed by a driver with a restricted liscense. I seem to recall that she was hit in a constructon zone by the driver who was doing 80 mph driving on the shoulder - far as I know, the driver got off without any punishment she should have been sent to jail.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

http://www.detnews.com/2003/macomb/0304/20/d05-140600.htm

Bob_Hoehn · May 19, 2005

Sorry, I don't now him. Just a little before my time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif We have tried some other cruisers, but we always go back to the Fords. There have been lots of problems with them, but like I said, we always go back.

Adirondaks · May 20, 2005

New York has just recently passed a similar law and to introduce it the SP were doing traps for the speeders. They would have a car(unmarked) pulled over a mile befor a exit, if you sped passed there was another trooppeer ready to get you at the on ramp as you went by. Cell phones are not banned you can use a hands free.

LBrown59 · May 25, 2005

( I'm still trying to figure out under what circumstances I'd find myself on my tractor driving through a construction zone...at any speed. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

P.S.
Safety Forum - For the general discussion of tractor safety. )

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How bout this one ?
Trailering your tractor.