posted 10-20-2006 10:40 PM                    

quote: Rachel Gilardi

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Oh, and be nice, when you see a truck trying to switch lanes in front of you into the traveling lane, don't speed up and cut them off. Flash your lights and let them know they can move on over and then pass them in the passing lane.

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quote: Richard Hamilton

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So when I am driving 70mph in the passing lane, and a truck quickly gets in front of me so he can pass the truck that he is following and makes me slow down to 40mph, only to travel at 40mph for miles because both trucks can't get enough speed to get up a slight incline, sorry Rachel, I'm gonna pass them first.

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Ummm, if you read it again. I did state if you were in the traveling lane. You're on a whole different subject there. Have a nice day.

posted 10-20-2006 11:53 PM                    

quote:

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Truckers are most-likely to die in rollovers. These happen when the driver does not keep his unit in control (driving too fast on curves-particularly critical with tankers, over-correcting, letting the truck drop off the road, etc.).

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Aah!! The dreaded "Slosh Factor"! The truck goes in one direction but the 10,000 gallons of liquid inside all want to go in the OPPOSITE direction! (Paging Mister Newton! Mister Newton, please pick up the white courtessy phone!)

I've never driven a truck but I have spent lots of time on the road with them, like the others. The all-time number ONE thing I hate is when people (cars) pull up along side a truck and just ride there! OOH! That gets my goat!

Yeah, I realize it's probably because they are scared to pass but, if that's the case then what the hell are they doing along side a TRUCK in the first place?! Don't they realize they are in the worst possible place? If that truck driver changes lanes and can't see the car in his blind spot the car will be squashed like a grape!

When I have to (want to) pass a truck, I stay behind where I can see the driver's face in his mirror until the lane is clear and I can pass him in one swoop. Then I downshift and step on it so I can spend as litte time in the "crease" as possible.

I've seen a few ass hole truck drivers, too, but it makes no difference to me. He could be the best driver in the world. He could be the worst driver in the world or he could be a total greenhorn driver, hauling his first solo. I give them all a wide berth. That truck is probably loaded down with 50,000 pounds of cargo in the back. It would take an act of God to stop it before it ran over me!

posted 10-21-2006 01:29 AM                    

quote:

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Your perception is skewed. Richard, I have several hundred-thousand miles behind the wheel of a big truck,

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posted 10-21-2006 08:35 AM                    

quote: Richard Hamilton

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Tim, I have more miles behind the wheel of my car. Sorry, but my perception isn't skewed.

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posted 10-21-2006 12:39 PM                       

quote:

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the leaper and leapee will stay side by side for several miles at about 55-65mph resulting in some unecessary traffic jams!!!

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posted 10-21-2006 12:42 PM                    

quote:

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Woman killed in 121 crash

Plano: Rock hauler ran red light and hit her car, witnesses say

12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, October 19, 2006

By LAUREN D'AVOLIO / The Dallas Morning News

PLANO – At first, Amani Carter mistook the accident at State Highway 121 and Custer Road on his commute to work Wednesday as construction. But his gut gnawed: Something was tragically wrong.

He called his wife, Cynthia – a fifth-grade teacher at Ferris Intermediate School – on her cellphone.

She didn't answer. Ms. Carter never made it to work. She died in the fiery crash.

"I had a funny feeling about that accident," Mr. Carter said, sobbing, trying to compose himself to tell their three young children their mother was dead. "If she's going to be late, she usually calls. I immediately left work and called McKinney police. They told me to call Plano police, so I called Plano, and they asked me to come to the police station."

Ms. Carter, 33, who moved with her family to McKinney from Mesquite three weeks ago, died at the scene. Witnesses said a rock hauler weighing up to 80,000 pounds ran a red light at the quadrangle where Allen, Plano, Frisco and McKinney meet and hit her Ford Focus.

In the accident, which occurred just before 7 a.m., Ms. Carter's car was dragged about 150 yards beneath the truck before catching fire under the trailer, which lost part of its load of sand, Plano police traffic investigator Andrae Smith said.

Officer Smith said dental records must be used to confirm the victim's identity, which police had not released.

The truck driver was not injured in the crash. Plano police would not release his name late Wednesday but said that criminal charges could be filed because witnesses say he ran a red light.

Charges could range from a ticket for disregarding the red light to criminally negligent homicide or manslaughter, Officer Smith said.

"We know the Ford Focus struck the dump truck in the cab and rotated the vehicle and brought it under the truck," he said.

The driver of a second car involved in the crash, Laurie Worman of McKinney, was released from the hospital Wednesday.

"It was a very unfortunate accident, and I just thank God my children weren't with me this morning," she said. "I feel really bad for the other woman."

Ms. Worman said that all she remembered was debris flying and that "it happened in two seconds flat."

"I don't know what hit me, if it was the woman's car or the 18-wheeler," she said.

That stretch of Highway 121 is busy, but it doesn't have more accidents than any other stretch of roadway, said Jason Brodigan, an area engineer in the Texas Department of Transportation's Collin County office.

"There is more truck volume on that road because of construction, but not a high number of accidents on that road," Mr. Brodigan said. "There are more trucks, so there's more opportunity for something to happen regarding a truck."

The truck involved in Wednesday's accident is registered to Billy Ray Keel of Princeton, a rural town just east of McKinney. In 2002, Mr. Keel also owned Keel Recovery, which appears to have been a tow truck company.

Mr. Keel could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

A review of records found one driver for Keel Recovery with numerous traffic violations who was involved in another accident. No one was injured in that accident in McKinney in August 2002. But that driver has a criminal history and eight traffic citations in Collin County between 1999 and 2003, including tickets for having an unsecured load, brakes being out of adjustment, and a driving while intoxicated conviction.

Wednesday's accident closed the intersection and a ramp to Highway 121, causing a lengthy traffic backup.

Ms. Carter's death is the third traffic fatality in Plano this month and the seventh in 2006. Officer Smith said Plano typically sees eight to 12 traffic deaths a year.

Mr. Carter said his wife was outgoing and bubbly and was silly with their kids: Kiaundra, 13, A.J., 11, and Alicia, 8.

The family united for "the happy dance" if something good happened to them.

He said Ms. Carter ate pretzels like it was her hobby. She also was a soap opera groupie.

"She was a good teacher, a good mother and a good wife," he said. "She was simple. She went to work, she worked hard, she came home and she took care of us," he said.

Ofelia Grass, assistant superintendent in the Ferris Independent School District where Ms. Carter taught, said word of the accident spread quickly Wednesday.

"It's a small district, so we all know each other and it affects everybody," Ms. Grass said.

The Carters would have celebrated their 15th anniversary in August.

"My wife, I hope she didn't suffer, but the fact is that she's gone," Mr. Carter said. "She's gone."

Staff writers Tiara M. Ellis, Steve McGonigle, Gregg Jones, Molly Motley Blythe, Darby Tober and WFAA-TV (Channel 8) contributed to this report.

E-mail ldavolio@dallasnews.com

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