tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post7718264830908985037..comments2024-03-28T07:02:04.892-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: Why runaway truck ramps are usefulPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-69934036448646993412016-09-11T12:10:09.601-05:002016-09-11T12:10:09.601-05:00It doesn't matter what high tech materials the...It doesn't matter what high tech materials the brakes are made from and how trick the design of them are if the driver and company doesn't MAINTAIN them or doesn't know how to drive a rig on steep inclines then you will have this happen as well. You would be appalled at the trash we allow across our southern border and there are some states who have no state inspections (Alabama used to be one, may still be) or just have inspections that are a joke (not Louisiana, NO, NEVER Louisiana!).HeroHoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02157411044318901668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-63188501688794191792016-09-09T17:40:21.111-05:002016-09-09T17:40:21.111-05:00If you've ever driven from Nashville to Chatta...If you've ever driven from Nashville to Chattanooga on I-24, you've crossed Monteagle Mountain, a place notorious for truck accidents. A number of years ago, TDOT reconstructed the stretch in an effort to make it safer. When it was finished, the nonparticipants who wanted glory for having done little to nothing, were there opening it up/dedicating it. The Governor's stand was set up near a runaway truck ramp and a truck had to use it about midway through his speech.<br /><br />When that made channel 4 news that evening, the anchors had a bit of a laugh in their voice.Quartermasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-26793713638615882862016-09-09T17:00:47.392-05:002016-09-09T17:00:47.392-05:00These are common in the UK where there are steep h...These are common in the UK where there are steep hills.Quentinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-64096414999771391542016-09-09T15:01:26.921-05:002016-09-09T15:01:26.921-05:00East side of Homestake pass southeast of Butte, Mo...East side of Homestake pass southeast of Butte, Montana is a long, fairly steep grade with a lot of curves. And several escape ramps for trucks. It been a long while since I've driven it, so I don't remember all of the details, but it could get scary during winter.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13296988746956477216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-22487548781227088742016-09-09T09:01:13.662-05:002016-09-09T09:01:13.662-05:00I've been a truck driver for over 27 years. Wh...I've been a truck driver for over 27 years. What usually happens is the driver doesn't pay close enough attention to his speed on the down side. Before anti-lock brakes, the rule was to come down a mountain 5-10mph slower than you went up. Also, to use light, steady pressure on the brakes and be in the proper gear. I ran for about 5 years without a jake, so this was how I always came down. Now, with anti-locks, they tell you to stab brake. Of course, sometimes brakes fade or fail. The guy was fortunate.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01519022804468205527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-40141393732248242002016-09-09T02:58:25.548-05:002016-09-09T02:58:25.548-05:00I once pulled over a semi as I headed to work sout...I once pulled over a semi as I headed to work southbound on I5 in Del Mar. He had obviously hit something very hard with the preventer over his right wheel and it was in contact with that tire. He was amenable to my signal to pull off just as we got to the race track. He didn't speak my language but I was wearing a uniform and was clearly not an absolutel idiot. I gestured him out of the cab and around to the back of his truck where he at once saw that most of his back right tire was gone. I nodded at him, went back to my car and continued on to Imperial Beach.<br /><br />I didn't have a radio. I just pulled in front of him, put on my flashers and used my left arm to suggest that we both pull over. As I think about it, I'm kind of surprised he did.HMS Defianthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10024721130102173694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-46189260627954332052016-09-08T21:45:01.340-05:002016-09-08T21:45:01.340-05:00I'll bet it takes a super human to get off the...I'll bet it takes a super human to get off the brake pedal when you hit the gravel/ brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06911036379896402069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-72576539007401930862016-09-08T20:10:06.995-05:002016-09-08T20:10:06.995-05:00https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDwshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDwsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-11108203488819518382016-09-08T16:51:05.088-05:002016-09-08T16:51:05.088-05:00Until they can afford to run the same brakes as je...Until they can afford to run the same brakes as jetliners and top racing vehicles, they can still overheat them to failure mode. WAY too expensive, though.<br /><br />That truck appeared to be lightly loaded, as it stopped rather quickly in the gravel trap. A full load would have plowed farther up the ramp.<br /><br />Driver inexperience or stupidity/arrogance can still bite you, even today.<br /><br /> Some years back, I was running a large motorhome coast to coast. On the westbound I-80 downhill from the Nevada line, I could smell something overheated/burning ahead of me. I got on the CB and tried to pass a warning/advisory to the truck ahead of me. All I got back from him and a couple other truckers was a steaming pile of abuse about "white line runners" and that I should stay off the radio. So, I turned it off. Shortly afterward, I caught up to him, and could see a light trail of smoke behind his loaded 18 wheeler flatbed, and flames underneath. I passed him, and a bit further along I passed a patrol unit sitting on the side. I figured I'd let the CHP deal with him, as he and his fellow drivers obviously didn't want any input from a "non-professional".Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722792638246578812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-45712621704661257452016-09-08T16:14:03.406-05:002016-09-08T16:14:03.406-05:00Some of the US routes through the Alleghany mounta...Some of the US routes through the Alleghany mountains (western Appalachians) in Pennsylvania still have runaway truck ramps. US 30 for a certainty. I think US 22 had some but they may have disappeared during the decades-long process of realignment and widening.TheOtherSeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07141473483312725136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-53120886570568535112016-09-08T16:09:38.500-05:002016-09-08T16:09:38.500-05:00Mechanisms are always subject to failure. Modern m...Mechanisms are always subject to failure. Modern materials don't change that.<br />Such failure normally happens under large amounts of stress. You won't often see a truck lose its brakes while on an interstate in Kansas. But it happens with some regularity on busy roadways through the mountains.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12822511906907583597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-55528595250608920502016-09-08T14:21:35.782-05:002016-09-08T14:21:35.782-05:00The grapevineThe grapevineShermhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07098953206824247173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-84543341308684577992016-09-08T12:13:13.949-05:002016-09-08T12:13:13.949-05:00OT, but... On the Hanjin Bankruptcy
http://www.da...OT, but... On the Hanjin Bankruptcy<br /><br />http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20160907/mammoth-cargo-ship-under-arrest-off-long-beach-due-to-hanjin-shutdown<br /><br />JWMJWMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-58338398336028140922016-09-08T11:29:10.088-05:002016-09-08T11:29:10.088-05:00Prevalent in the Colorado Rockies, usually with so...Prevalent in the Colorado Rockies, usually with some idiot tourist parked in the entry.Well Seasoned Foolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16670165728759453075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-34329961298069296852016-09-08T11:16:00.703-05:002016-09-08T11:16:00.703-05:00Looks like I15 between LA and Vegas. There are sev...Looks like I15 between LA and Vegas. There are several white knuckle stretches on that route. Driving Southbound through Cajon Pass will put the fear into you.<br /><br />JWMJWMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05564732483476859555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-78174390153824934812016-09-08T11:09:36.494-05:002016-09-08T11:09:36.494-05:00I always thought that between jake brakes and mode...I always thought that between jake brakes and modern materials for braking systems the runaway truck was pretty much a thing of the past. I see that it isn't, which kind of puzzles me a little. How does the truck driver get himself into this mess in the first place?WL Emeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00092583484828593165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-22020632891231827622016-09-08T10:59:12.425-05:002016-09-08T10:59:12.425-05:00Having seen the results when one of those wasn'...Having seen the results when one of those wasn't available, I'm heartily in favor of them... Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.com