Bad roads today....

[Brian_Gladden]

Heard this wreck on the scanner at 4 AM when I got up to go to work.

Article:
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100125/NEWS/100129967

Photos:
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=BT&Dato=20100125&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=125009999&Ref=PH


It was bad. black ice everywhere. I had to drive 50 miles on secondary roads to the jobsite. Took an hour to drive one section that normally takes 20 minutes.

The State has been criticized the past few years for it's "Safe roads at a safe speed" policy. Well, it wasn't safe at any speed as the road I was on this morning was so bad that when I stopped, my work truck slid sideways slightly due to the simple crown of the road.

The killer was that it was hit or miss. one section would be wet and 50 feet later, glare ice.

Anyway, a tragedy that could have been avoided in my opinion by a little road salt and common sense. I would guess the trucks were not going overly fast. even at 35-40 mph, 60,000 pounds can do a lot of damage.

Brian

[Dain Arns]

3rd Blizzard this winter here today.
We started out for the doctor, turned around after 5 miles.
They closed the roads shortly thereafter.
Wind was supposed to be gone by evening, still going strong.
Both Interstate 90 and 29 now closed.
Temps near 0 again all week.
Yip-pee.
Seriously considering moving...



(Red means closed! Yea!) :rolleyes:

[safn1949]

Yep,I am north of Des Moines IA right now in a rest area.Interstate 35 is closed going northbound.

[Cazzie]

Worse roads conditions you can drive under Brian other than "ice fog". We had those at times in the mountains of NC, terrible stuff, after winding up in a ditch twice, I got smart. Stay at home, if your employer needs you that bad, he can come get you!

Caz

[GT182]

Brain, I've seen that up there many times, from Burlington down to Montpelier's big hill on I-89. Always seems that's the section for black ice. Sat many times out there at the bottom of that hill in the carhauler waiting for the sand trucks so we could get going again. And cringed watching cars and 18-wheelers smack the bridges going up..... and down. LOL

They need to put in a rest area with a view at the bottom, just to sit and watch the idiots play on the ice. LOL

Safn, I don't miss it at all, you can have it bud. Tho I do miss sitting behing the wheel of a big rig.... every once in awhile. ;)

[safn1949]

2 more months of it,then I take 7 months off...woo hooo:guinness:

[Brian_Gladden]

The accident happened just before that hill GT mentioned. And Cazzie.. I was the boss on that job. Since I'm a crew chief, I had to pick up my partner and head up near the Canadian border. first 20 miles were crap. The second 20, fine.


Brian

[Snuffy]

... Stay at home, if your employer needs you that bad, he can come get you! ...

And if I were him, (the employer,) I'd be there. I have 4WD and know my way through a snow storm or two ... having been born and bred in Buffalo N.Y. where we never shut down in a snow storm.

:bump: