Hotrod log-truck driver

[Tom]

Last Wednesday evening a 29 year old, hot-rod, log truck driver was cruising along Georgia 94, a long straight, 2 lane with never any traffic.   He was yakking on his cell phone as he spun along, empty, at a high rate of speed.  His tractor made it across the railroad tracks and the train hit the trailer just behind the drive wheels.  The trailer was cut in two and the tractor spun around several times before overturning in a roadside ditch full of water.  It's not known yet whether it was the impact that killed him or if he drowned.  He was found hanging from his belt, upside down with his head under water

His boss had tried to get him to slow down.  The local police had had tried to get him to slow down.  His father had tried to get him to slow down.  His friends had tried to get him to slow down. He lived on the edge.  Nobody knew anything but him.  Any confrontation had him in your face except for the police, who he would beg not to give him a ticket.  A week earlier he was ticketed.  Now it's over.  It's his family that hurts the most.

[PawNature]

Thats tragic Tom, I have know a few people like that. They usualy end up in jail or taking some else life before they grow up.

[Ron Scott]

Was he the owner of the log truck?? I'm surprised that he was allowed to continue driving such a rig in a reckless manner by both his boss and the DOT. :-\

[Tom]

No, he was a hired driver.  He had been turned down by several truck owners who knew his reputation.  If he hadn't run out of time, I'm sure the DOT would have eventually pulled his license.  Sometimes it takes time to be caught by the right people.   Some times the right people can't catch you in time.

[DanG]

I feel sad for his family, but at least he won't kill or maim anyone else.  Some of'em just refuse to wise up.

[rebocardo]

Also note that in GA, many places do not have bars and lights at RR crossings. If you do not stop before crossing, the train just might stop you instead.

[Tom]

This crossing is well lit, but alone on a long, straight lonesome road.  When driving here, one must pay attention.

[Sprucegum]

One of the scariest moments of my life was sitting at a railroad crossing. I had 2 miles of train passing in front of me and in my rear-view mirror I could see a big 18-wheeler fish tailing all over the road, trying to stop on the ice. He finally took it off-road and made a circle out in the field.

[Tom]

Yep!  That would tighten me up too.

[DanG]

 

That sort of thing will get your pucker factor up into the red zone!

[Frickman]

A long-time hay customer of mine got hurt pretty bad that way. He was sitting at a rail crossing in his truck, waiting for the train to pass. A couple of drunks rear ended him and pushed his truck into the train. It messed him up pretty good and it was no fault of his.

The log truck drivers in our area behave themselves pretty well. The triaxle dump guys hauling stome and coal are another story. A local stone quarry contracts out alot of their hauling to owner/operators. Some of these guys/gals are real cowboys/cowgirls and think that a red light means you step on the gas.

[sawguy21]

Those rock haulers are still waiting for someone to invent the radio. I got run off a logging road by one of them clowns on a Saturday. My radio was on and I was using it.

[floyd]

Just remember,  trucks are usually bigger than you. This does not make it right but dead is dead.

[sawguy21]

If he had slowed down and used the radio like he was supposed to, I would have pulled into a turn out in plenty of time for him to go by. As a "loaded" he had the right of way but I still needed to know where he was.

[Murf]

One of my ex-wife's uncles was a railway conductor.

He jumped at the opportunity to get off the main line runs and take a job as a shunt train conductor at a big mine site, hauling the cars full of ore out to the m ain line and pulling the empties back in.

When I asked why he would want to do endless circles instead of line hauls his answer was simple, "There isn't a single level crossing in the whole place, I've had enough of rolling up on crossings, powerless to do anything but pray and honk when someone gets in front of me.".

Smart man.  ;)

[Striker]

A few years back when I was hauling coal, about everyhill and curve had a name. You hollered on the radio as you made your approach to let trucks coming the other direction know you were there.  It is easy to get reckless without realising it. After three speeding tickets in three months, I took a look at the way I was driving and decide to make a career change.

Jeff

[Murf]

Our problem around here lately is sand & gravel haulers. We sit on a huge glacial moraine (a mega aggregate deposit) and Toronto is experiencing an unprecedented construction boom.

Unfortunately, the haulage companies don't pay very well, and the only drivers thay can get are real newbies, mostly uneducated recent immigrants who only understand that they get paid by the mile. They are mostly brokers driving tired out old scows that are barely (if that) roadworthy.

There have been many nasty accidents and way too many close calls. The Gubermint is tryin ta crack down on em', but for every one they pull off the road there are three lined up ta take it's place.  :

[sawguy21]

That has been a real problem here. A small group bought up gravel trucks then lowballed the rates. Once the others went broke and disappeared, the newbies banded together and went for a raise by parking their trucks and picketing. It got ugly but the trucks are moving again. Pretty tough for an outsider to break in to a lucrative market without connections now.