[NBF823]

Originally Posted by Simple Man

So you would speed up, and start waving, or yelling, or something. Even though the bridges are CLEARLY marked, and the truck driver is supposed to know what he's doing. You are supposed to try and stop other people's stupidity? Interesting....

I feel somewhat responsible as I had the post before him stating the guy with the camera was kind of a... He coulda tried. There's a 90% chance the truck driver wouldn't have stopped, particularly in New York - but still coulda tried. But the guy following clearly knew what was gonna happen - camera up and ready.

My friend drives truck; has a cb in his car aswell - someone like him maybe would have been more help. When trouble is occurring, there is no telling if one can think what to do - I could say I woulda got his attention and saved the day, but clearly I wasn't there, and I don't know what I woulda actually done. But I think I wouldn't have been after the poor truck drivers fifteen minutes of fame with camera ready.

[GT182]

Not many 4 wheelers these days have CB radios in their vehicles, let alone own one. I myself have 2 CBs but rarely have one with me. Only when I travel a long distance will I have one with me and have it on. 90% of vehicles out there on the highways these days only have that freekin cellphone with them. Most are too busy yacking on it, or too busy texting on it to pay attention to what's going on around them to give a warning to anyone, let alone a trucker.

I remember when a trucker passed another trucker, the one passed would flash their headlights so the one that passed would know it's clear to pull back in the lane. Then the one that passed would flash their tail lights saying thank you. Or they'd do it on the CB. And if a car or pickup flashed their lights, then you'd know they were a trucker, or probably were at one time. Or at least knew what truckers did to help each other out. I now see very very little of this help these days.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by NBF823

I feel somewhat responsible as I had the post before him stating the guy with the camera was kind of a... He coulda tried. There's a 90% chance the truck driver wouldn't have stopped, particularly in New York - but still coulda tried. But the guy following clearly knew what was gonna happen - camera up and ready.

My friend drives truck; has a cb in his car aswell - someone like him maybe would have been more help. When trouble is occurring, there is no telling if one can think what to do - I could say I woulda got his attention and saved the day, but clearly I wasn't there, and I don't know what I woulda actually done. But I think I wouldn't have been after the poor truck drivers fifteen minutes of fame with camera ready.

Lots of trucks have CB's, but because of all the BS on the CB these days, it's turned off, or turned down. Might not have done any good.
I don't know anything about the truck and driver. Maybe he has a 13' high trailer, maybe he's run this route before, and knows of the low clearances. He obviously cleared a few bridges before the last one. Why would the average person think that a problem is going to occur?
If he was loosing cargo, had a door open, or dragging a strap, or a chain was loose, I would try to inform him. I can't speak for what the car driver was thinking, or doing. But to say the 4 wheeler driver deserves a beatdown, because they did nothing, is wrong.

[71SportRagtop]

It doesn't matter what height the trailer is. I've been on Long Island in a tractor trailer. The main route out onto the Island is the LIE (Long Island Expressway) I've been on the LIE dozens of times and it's CLEARLY marked all over the LIE that commercial trucks are forbidden on Parkways. Some of the bridges on the parkways are only 10' in height.

Driving a tractor trailer is a challenging job. It requires your utmost attention at all times. The NY area is no place for a rookie driver or one with no experience. There are way too many challenges and distractions.

The simple fact is that this driver had no business being on this road. He ignored certain warnings and after hitting that bridge he most likely lost his CDL which is probably for the best.

[tekheavy]

The real problem, as I see it, is a lot of people are now totally dependent on their GPS to get around. The GPS doesn't tell you whether the highway you're about to get on is made for just passenger cars or both commercial and passenger vehicles. It's default is to give you the fastest route which sometimes puts you on a passenger only route.

[1beautifuldaughter]

Originally Posted by 71SportRagtop

I drive a tractor trailer for a living. I have experience driving in the 4 of the 5 boroughs of NY and let me tell you it's a nightmare. I've pulled a 53' trailer in Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Long Island. It sucks. Thankfully my company refused to make deliveries in Manhattan. For starters the bridges are NOT clearly or correctly marked. The truck "routes" aren't marked well either and on occasion a truck route puts you right up against a 12' bridge....WTF. Everything is tight and the people up there drive like complete and total A-holes. I've had to blind side back into a super tight dock from the street with wing nuts flying by and not even watching me. Every time I went up there I drove around with my you know what puckered.

Just watch the video. You can see that the first bridge the truck goes under is marked 13'3" and he clears it. Tractor trailers sit 13'6" high. This is part of the reason NY driving is a nightmare.

That being said, it is CLEARLY marked that all trucks must stay off the Parkways. Most expressways are OK but Parkways are strictly forbidden.

Thankfully now that I have a new position at work, I am no longer required to go to NY.

I am always a courteous to other drivers and with the way they treat me, often wonder why, I live and drive in NY and even the nicest people become complete A-holes behind the wheel. I am specially kind to truck drivers knowing they have a difficult job and deadlines.
Once I was driving under the L train in Woodside Queens, A large 18 wheel truck was attempting to make a wide left onto broadway. I stopped to allow him the room to do it and horns started blowing behind me immediately. As if the people didn't realize that nobody could go anywhere until this truck managed to complete his turn, I think to say generally speaking people drive like A-holes around here is a fair statement.
Also in the city you will find everyone expects you to enter a blocked intersection, if you don't they start beeping and yelling. If I had to drive there often I think would become a very special person to be around.
My dad drove a big old mach flatbed through the city every day way back, I don't know how he did it.

[Guilty]

First of all…………. There are big signs and flashing lights warning Commercial Trucks to stay off Parkways. Secondly, the bridges in New York State are marked a foot lower than actual height. This is because they were measured from the curb back in the day. You will see signs, usually in white with black letters that say Actual Height, if the bridge is actually 13'6".
I drive in all 5 boroughs of the city and out on long Island and also all over the USA. It sucks when you come across a situation like this, but the driver wasn't paying attention and he paid the price for it. He probably was relying on his GPS and they don't let you know if it's a marked Truck Route, unless it's a Truck GPS. That's why I always call my customers and ask them the best way to get to their location, telling them I'm 13'6" high and 76" in length. Carry On!!!!

[PonchoV8]

If he'd been in the center lane it probably wouldn't have happened.

[GT182]

As Guilty says is true. It's posted no Commercial Trucks on the Parkways in NY. I'd say this guy ignored the warning and was trying to take a shortcut.

[sleepy]

Are you sure that was a parkway? 3 lanes one each side looks more like a freeway. and BOTH arched bridges were marked 10'5". NYC marks ALL their bridges low to cover their ass. If it's marked 13.6 and up and a trailer gets topped. The city is responsible for the damage.
Just love it when doorknobs who never drive anything bigger than a pickup think they know everything about driving a truck.
I've had times when shippers and receivers sent me on roads trucks were NOT to be on to get in and out of their facilities.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by sleepy

I've had times when shippers and receivers sent me on roads trucks were NOT to be on to get in and out of their facilities.

I've had the same thing happen to me. But... sometimes ya gotta do it to get in to them and out again.

I would ask someone where I was making the call from...close to where I was going... just to get a better answer than the shippers or receivers gave. Most of the time that worked better and was safer too.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by GT182

I remember when a trucker passed another trucker, the one passed would flash their headlights so the one that passed would know it's clear to pull back in the lane. Then the one that passed would flash their tail lights saying thank you. And if a car or pickup flashed their lights, then you'd know they were a trucker, or probably were at one time. Or at least knew what truckers did to help each other out. I now see very very little of this help these days.

I remember those days. Now when I flash the lights on and off to let a truck in, I never get a response any more. I guess they left that instruction out of the CDL schools in recent years (decades).

I remember chasing down a tanker truck in our town to tell him he had the rear valve open in his trailer and a liquid was dribbling out. He absolutely refused to make eye contact with me as I drove along his driver's side. I then called 911 and told the dispatcher about it. He seemed to know abut this guy already. It turned out that was how he would "clean out" his tank - by draining it as he was driving and not giving a S%#t about what toxins he was delivering to everyone he passed. Eventually the police got to him and last I saw they were cuffing him and dragging him away. Then came the DOT/EPA cleanup crew. Turned it it was some seriously toxic stuff he was dumping for miles and miles.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by GT182

I've had the same thing happen to me. But... sometimes ya gotta do it to get in to them and out again.

I would ask someone where I was making the call from...close to where I was going... just to get a better answer than the shippers or receivers gave. Most of the time that worked better and was safer too.

Been driving commercially for about 20 years now, a lot of it in Chicago. Sometimes asking for directions from the receiver doesn't work, because you get the ditz that answers the phone telling you how to get there. But they drive a car, so they don't worry about overpasses!

[KO]

no hable english more than likely

[2002Z4CSS]

The second video the driver keeps touching his head. His two brain cells must have been sore.

[PonchoV8]

Originally Posted by Icefan71

Thats where I grew up. Its either the Meadowbrook or the Wantagh Parkway. No commercial vehicles allowed on the parkways. I remember that happening once in a while in the 35 years I lived on LI.

PonchoV8, I'm not totally offended by what you said. But, you have to understand. Most people do drive like a-holes in NYC and LI. If you don't do the same, you'll never get anywhere. You put your turn signal on and people want to close up the spot you want to move into. So if you're not aggressive, they'll eat you alive. Its just the way it is.

I should have used a grin. It's similar here on the West side of town. The people with a little income drive like they think they are entitled to more than the next guy. To the point where they won't signal a turn if you're waiting in an oncoming lane to see if they're going straight or turing, so they can get in front of you.

[JLHarper]

At least he's working...probably happy to have a job, though probably for not much longer after that incident follows him on his resume IF he can keep his license.........

Crooked companies/truckers used to run Eastern NC with valves open spewing PCBs on shoulder of the roads......they used to have signs warning people not to get in the dirt on shoulders of these NC roads....

Excerpt from NC PCB website;
PCBs Dumped Along Roadsides

*1978: June: PCBs are dumped along 11 miles of roadsides at the North Carolina Ft. Bragg Army Base.

*1978: July 27 through August 10: Midnight dumpers deliberately drip PCBs in fourteen counties along approximately 242 miles of highway shoulders. In response, the state puts up large, permanent warning signs about every quarter of a mile saying: “WARNING: CHEMICAL SPILL ALONG HIGHWAY SHOULDERS.”

1978: August 2: The Toxic Substance Control Act goes into affect. Legally, now, PCB spills must be picked up.

[JLHarper]

The infamous Durham, NC 11'8" RR Bridge Video Compilation.....guy has office nearby and set up vide cam 24/7....to much $ to raise bridge since RR owns it so they put up flashing signs and other warning signs way up the approach.....to no avail for some.

* I know its been posted....for those who haven't seen;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzkWTcDZFH0

[Chris65LeMans]

Wow - that was some carnage.

As for the U-turn guy - was that his first day driving a truck, or what? It was pretty obvious that wouldn't work. (a U-turn is very tight on a road with 2 extra lanes.)

[KO]

If you can't raise the bridge, lower the road