Trucking accident

[Kevin]

Going back a couple of years there was a logging truck heading down a logging road one way and a guy and his son in their pickup truck going up the same road.
They met on a bend in the road and the big rig tractor got by ok but the trailer came over and pinned the truck killing the driver of the pickup.

[Tillaway]

I have been running without my CB for the past couple of years.  Unless you can find someone to follow, it can be a white knuckle ride.

[Bill Johnson]

We employ a variety of communications methods to try and make sure these types of accidents don't happen to us.

The forest compliance guys all have portable two way radios that have a dedicated truck channel on it.  We have tried to convince the forest companies we deal with to provide us with their radio frequencies, since not everyone monitors the truckers channels but they've refused to do so in most cases.

We also carry portable C.B. radios but unfortunately many logging contractors no longer do so.

When entering the bush we usually try to tag along behind an empty truck but its not always possible.

So far we've been lucky with no serious accidents in the past several years.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, a real "hairy" situation on a single lane seasonal road with no turn-outs with several logging jobs of different companies or producers working in the area using the same haul road with only one way in and out.

Some things to consider.

1- Use CB radios.
2- Drive with lights on.
3- Keep possible escape routes to the "woods" in mind. Clear some along the route if needed.
4- Sign the road "Caution, Logging in Progess", "Logging Trucks Ahead" etc.
5- Keep blowing the horn or use a siren while in motion.
6- Use advance scouts with an orv or smaller vehicle to advance ahead of the large haulers or have a forwarder lead the big hauler out at slow speed.
7- Coordinate to have only certain week days designated for  for log hauling.Coordinate the hauling times between the different jobbers.
8- Limit number of vehicles needed in the area at one time. Taxi rides in an out to work site.
9-Lastly, keep alert and hope for the best.

[Paul_H]

It's probably a good practice to presume there are vehicles going both ways with no radio.

10 years ago we had a bad accident involving our off-highway log truck,and a crewcab.The forest service had placed Calcium Chloride on the gravel as dust control.It worked great till it rained. :oOur driver, Bill was a cautious operator and could see the crewcab coming around the corner,fast.Bill moved over and stopped,but the crewcab slid smack into the bumper of the off highway truck.Bill radioed us to" call an ambulance,cause I think they're all dead" The driver of the crewcab was bust up,including a broken jaw.One passenger was hurt too,and the other two guys were shookup,but released.
One of the guys told us that they were telling the driver to slow down prior to seeing the log truck.When he did spot it he slammed on the brakes and kept them locked up.The passenger said he could have easily have driven past ,or in the bushes if the driver could have pried his foot off the brake pedal.
We have a lot of tourist traffic,on account of the Meager Hotsprings,so we never know who we will meet.

[Frank_Pender]

One of the things tht is done in my area sis to post a sign early upon entering a one way or narrow logging roads area.   the sign indicates what CB channel you should switch to in order to indicate your location.  Often times you will see mile post markers or other landmarks to relay to the potential on coming traffic.  This method sure works well for some of the immediate areas in my neck of the woods 8)

[Paul_H]

Good point Frank.I forgot to mention that the primary road user is required to post the radio frequency on a sign in a prominent sight.
All companies are required to post a sign with company name and frequency on any active mainlines,and branch roads off of the main Forest Service Road (FSR)

[Ron Scott]

Snowmobiles have become more of a hazard of late on the winter haul roads. I've had some close calls with some rounding sharp curves much too fast. They hit the woods, did a few barrel rolls and laid in the snow " white as ghosts" and lucky to be alive as I chewed them out for being there.

[Paul_H]

Ron,
Was one of them a Canadian guy,towing a Woodmizer LT15? :D

[Ron Scott]

I don't think there are any roads where he goes "bushwacking"  :D

[Corley5]

I remember having close calls with log trucks on the Adams Trail in the U.P.  It runs from M-77 to Munising.  We had a cabin seven miles from 77.  We've still got 35 acres there but sold the cabin and five.  Anyway it's a pretty well traveled county road but the log trucks take their half out of the middle and don't waste any time on it.  We had to get over fast on more than one occasion where there wasn't much room to get over .  I know what you're saying about snowmobiles.  They tend to think that they own roads and can go anywhere they want including private property >:(  

[Paul_H]

For the last two years,the B.C forest service have put up signs in the fall/winter, prohibiting the use of snowmobiles on a plowed FSR. They provide a turnaround at the end of the plowed portion for loading and unloading the snowmobiles.
It saves a lot of grief.

[Bill Johnson]

The guys on the ATV's are becoming as big a hazard as the snowmobiles.

[CHARLIE]

Every winter, about 70 to over 80 people die in Minnesota on snowmobiles. Usually alcohol is involved.  They slam into trees and culverts and other snowmobiles or decapitate themselves by running into barbed wire fences....or just run across a highway and let a car crunch them. The sad thing is that I'm guessing just as many die in the states that border Minnesota too. That's a bunch of people.

Up in northern Minnesota (on the Gunflint trail) not far from Canada and along the Lake Superior north shore, the logging trucks are hauling long pine trees. The whole DanG tree trunk. The front of the logs have a set of wheels and the back of the logs have a set of wheels. There really is no trailor. Anyway, about 4 or 5 years ago, One of these rigs was barreling down Gunflint trail when a Dog Sledder taking some tourist for a ride came out of the woods and across the highway. The truck didn't have a chance to stop. Killed the people and a bunch of dogs.