Another reason NOT to tailgate semis

[drjonah]

http://www.kboi2.com/news/national/9...287988891.html

Family driving in white out conditions at TWO AM in Michigan rear ends a semi and gets stuck under the semi's tailgate. Semi driver has no idea he was rear ended and keeps driving while dragging this minivan close to 16 miles.

Of course this will probably be the semi's fault and not the oh so innocent family that was driving in white out conditions and probably tailgating the semi

[Raveni]

They said the truck was "hardly moving" and "without hazard lights on", but at 16 miles in 23 minutes, that's pretty good speed for snowy conditions, and you don't turn hazard lights on when you are moving.

[prjkt]

Any excuse to avoid blame....

Idiots

Either they were tailgating or driving at unsafe speeds and didn't notice the truck in time

[EricKei]

I'm glad nobody got hurt o_O

One of the comments is, of course, "How could the truck driver not know?" --- It's simple. If the minivan was that close, it would likely be in the fairly huge blind spot the18-wheeler has. Remember,if you can't see the driver's face in his side mirrors, chances are that he can't see you, either.

[wolfie]

They said the truck was "hardly moving" and "without hazard lights on", but at 16 miles in 23 minutes, that's pretty good speed for snowy conditions, and you don't turn hazard lights on when you are moving.

Sounds like he was doing around 40 MPH. We DO turn our hazard lights on when we're moving if we're going slowly (cutoff is usually around 40 MPH on an Interstate) and/or if visibility is bad (e.g. fog) in order to make the truck more visible. Also, we turn them on when we're backing up - there are NO backup lights on trailers.

One of the comments is, of course, "How could the truck driver not know?" --- It's simple. If the minivan was that close, it would likely be in the fairly huge blind spot the18-wheeler has. Remember,if you can't see the driver's face in his side mirrors, chances are that he definitely can't see you, either.

Fixed that for you. Also, if someone's in the rear blind area, they can't see what's going on ahead of the truck, so their first indication that the truck is slowing down or stopping is the truck's brake lights. Someone who's too close could easily spend the rest of their life trying to get their foot from the accelerator onto the brake. Or, as I like to say, "Is there enough salt on my rear guard? If I have to stop suddenly, you're going to eat it."

[Gilhelmi]

"He was hardly moving"

Translation

"He was going a safe and reasonable speed for the conditions. We are crazier then Gil and like to drive too fast." (because there is no way I would drive over 40 mph in those conditions)

[Marmalady]

In this country, as far as I'm aware (I stand to be corrected) if you drive into the back of someone else, then that is immediately classed as 'driving without due care and attention' The idea is that you don't get up so close to the vehicle in front that you have no time to react to any manoeuvre they might make.

[EricKei]

wolfie - thanks! I wasn't 100% sure, so I hedged my bets on that one.

[rvdammit]

In this country, as far as I'm aware (I stand to be corrected) if you drive into the back of someone else, then that is immediately classed as 'driving without due care and attention' The idea is that you don't get up so close to the vehicle in front that you have no time to react to any manoeuvre they might make.

I think 'crash for cash' scams' have changed this in the UK, at least for two vehicle collisions.

[Gilhelmi]

Those 'crash for cash' scams are one of the 20 reasons I am buying a dash cam for my car. After I get exterior cameras for my house.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Those 'crash for cash' scams are one of the 20 reasons I am buying a dash cam for my car. After I get exterior cameras for my house.

I wonder how many dash cam owners also have a rear facing cam?

[EricKei]

IA - And how many truckers would have one that they can easily move from trailer to trailer? Would suck if you forgot to remove it, even once...

[wolfie]

Would be great to have one where the trailer camera could "sync up" to the recording unit on the tractor automatically, so a fleet could have them mounted on all their trailers, and on hooking up with a properly equipped tractor you'd be getting the rear feed recorded.

[Gilhelmi]

I wonder how many dash cam owners also have a rear facing cam?

I know the one I am looking at has a front and rear cam with a Microphone.

[dalesys]

I know the one I am looking at has a front and rear cam with a Microphone.

Pornopalooza!