Carnage on Coquihalla

[motokelowna1]

Just read the article about Highway To Hell yeah the driver said that the limit should be lower. Well how about responsible driver's driving to road conditions. It's upsetting to blame every one else when you have the pedal.

[Hurtlander]

Just read the article about Highway To Hell yeah the driver said that the limit should be lower. Well how about responsible driver's driving to road conditions. It's upsetting to blame every one else when you have the pedal.

Exactly....
Far too many highway drivers haven’t the first clue, especially those that somehow acquired their class ones in the lower mainland.
I remember years ago running loader way up Thunder River, 12 percent grade with nothing but switchbacks all the way up...the logging trucks pulling into the landing had triple’s on the drive axels, one steering tire chained and couple trailer tires chained. Too many highway drivers don’t know how or when to use chains. The only way the logging truck drivers can pay their bills, and more importantly stay alive, is to keep the truck out of the ditches. Though at times accidents will happen, but it’s usually always caused by human error.

[TreeGuy]

Here we go, another accident. And once again involving tractor trailers. Too many inexperienced/reckless drivers.

Slow the down.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-220039-3-.htm#220039

[Urbane]

Here we go, another accident. And once again involving tractor trailers. Too many inexperienced/reckless drivers.

Slow the down.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-220039-3-.htm#220039

It seems to have been a particularly bad year for accidents on the Coq and many of them have involved tractor trailers. All of these things come to mind: Lower speed limits during winter weather, more plowing/sand/salt, pro-active closing of the highway before the accidents happen, and perhaps most importantly better judgment from some drivers.

[Glacier]

It seems to have been a particularly bad year for accidents on the Coq and many of them have involved tractor trailers. All of these things come to mind: Lower speed limits during winter weather, more plowing/sand/salt, pro-active closing of the highway before the accidents happen, and perhaps most importantly better judgment from some drivers.

No one drives the speed limit in the winter during these conditions. I've been the fastest car on the road on the Coq, and I was going half the speed limit. Changing the limit will do nothing to reduce accidents. There's been 20 feet of snow this year on Coq, so that's the reason for higher accident rate, not the speed limit. Plus, they've installed more concrete barriers on edge of the road in many spots so instead of a single truck going in the ditch, it hits the barrier and stays on the road. Then everyone behind it careens into that truck.

[jiva]

See trucker on news blaming accident on no salt or sand. Road had just been plowed. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the vast majority of people involved in these accidents are very simply overdriving the conditions. The proof is when they are unable to stop. Most should be charged and they should have to go through enlightened training again at their expense. Also there should be a surcharge on their licence for a few years to offset us ICBC policy holders from footing the insurance bills. Large number of trucks and buses SHOULD have had chains on when driving these extremely hazardous roads. Enforcement these days on all traffic issues is at about zero. Electronic speed signs should be installed at many more locations on the Coq. and speed limits adjusted to conditions AND enforced. Accidents would drop accordingly. Don't blame on lack of salt and sand. Drive according to conditions. Da!!!

[dirtybiker]

As pointed out by previous posters, Transport trucks involvement.
Involvement does not translate to cause.
That Highway was built for big rigs, more often than not,
it will be a passenger vehicle that starts the issue.

If passenger vehicles were banned from the Coq. the instances
of issues would drop an astounding amount.

Agreed, lining both edges of the roadways works much like shuffleboard.
It also gives no where for what lands on the road a 'blow out' effect.
More of a vortex of swirling (snow,water, etc,) contained in the path
of travel.

The quality of licence recipients, straight across the board, no matter
what class, has been on decline.

Technology overload and entitlement, with poor work ethics and even
lower attention spans, is what I view, in part, as a problem.

I'll also add, getting into Trucking for the need of a job rather than
for the love of trucks/trucking breeds a huge attitude issue towards
honing of the Craft that it is. (this goes for all class licence recipients)

[Hurtlander]

A round trip in a semi takes 13 hours. Every time a chainup situation occurs,add at least 1.5 hours each time.We don't get paid by the hour and we don't get any overtime. Another thing...I invite anyone to chain up a bus since it's so easy.

Most old truckers can chain up much quicker than 1.5 hours, that’s rookie speed..Regardless, the time it takes to chain up is always going to be more time efficient than waiting for a tow truck.

[Jflem1983]

Any time i dealt with truckers. Chain ups were an issue. Oil companies never want to pay it. U think. 30 trucks a day x an hr thats 30 hrs a day paid for putting on and taking off chains. The truckers know when they need to chain up. I dont understand how its an issue. Used to beat up a lot of equipment trying to get truckers off location

[dirtybiker]

Most old truckers can chain up much quicker than 1.5 hours, that’s rookie speed..Regardless, the time it takes to chain up is always going to be more time efficient than waiting for a tow truck.

You didn't go deep enough, chain-up, drastically reduced road speed, find safe place to chain off,
chain off. Factor in possibility of a repaet performance and 1.5 hrs could easily be eaten up,
if not more...unpaid time and efforts.
Then the risk of Hours Of Service issues.

[blueliner]

Most old truckers can chain up much quicker than 1.5 hours, that’s rookie speed..Regardless, the time it takes to chain up is always going to be more time efficient than waiting for a tow truck.

You didn't go deep enough, chain-up, drastically reduced road speed, find safe place to chain off,
chain off. Factor in possibility of a repaet performance and 1.5 hrs could easily be eaten up,
if not more...unpaid time and efforts.
Then the risk of Hours Of Service issues.

Not to rain on your parade , but isn't that winter truck driving in BC over any mountain pass ??? Winter driving isn't the Indy 500 , tho some truck driver seem to think that way .
Maybe we need to go back to when a 400hp Cat or Cummins was a big motor in a semi .

[GordonH]

Correct me if I'm wrong, truckers get paid by the load.
So the more loads = more $$$..... of course they all run the risk of taking chances.

[dirtybiker]

Correct me if I'm wrong, truckers get paid by the load.
So the more loads = more $$$..... of course they all run the risk of taking chances.

Try pulling off a paid by hour, home base to home base scenario that would not
be abused to no end though.

You either end up with people out there when it is not ideal,
to parked and paid when they could be rolling.

Not an easy solution.

[LTD]

[quote="Old Techie"]

Oh get off your high horse.
There's a very good likelihood that I drive far more than you do,

there would have to be a steering wheel attached to your keyboard for this to be true

[Urban Cowboy]

Just like Glacier said, it's not the speed limit. Unless a person has a class 1 and drives truck, their opinion ,well....
oldtechie-If a person gets their licence on a auto,they are not able to drive a 18 speed or a 15 or whatever...auto only.

I know that oldtrucker, I was simply pointing out some of the dumber aspects of how the system currently works.

Guy goes out in lower mainland, or prairies, and spends a few thousand dollars to take a course, to get Class 1 and air ticket, and can automatically drive across our mountains, despite never having any hands on training in driving mountain passes in the winter.

My examples of Class 5 automobile was simply that it seems backwards to allow people testing on automatics, to drive standards when so many have no clue how to do it, whereas if they did it the other way around and tested on standards, it makes more sense as any fool can drive an automatic.