Community Forums

**JohnRR** · 02-08-2014, 09:22 AM

Can you post a link to the vedio?

lappir · 02-08-2014, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRR

Can you post a link to the vedio?

There are links to video in the very first post. If you would like them repeated again. I will do that.

Rod

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...60983673,d.aWc

**JohnRR** · 02-08-2014, 04:14 PM

Thank you I don't know how I missed it.

Daveinet · 02-08-2014, 06:38 PM

While I don't want to accuse the tow truck driver of fault, common sense says you look out for your own safety. I've had mishaps and been stuck on the side of the road. I have always considered that no car could avoid me if I stepped out into the lane of traffic. You are always looking back and making sure you are not walking or standing in the lane of traffic. Since the tow truck was actually right at the edge of the lane, any activity on the left hand side of the tuck would have been in the lane of traffic. I find it surprising anyone would not be watching for traffic in that lane.

lappir · 02-10-2014, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveinet

While I don't want to accuse the tow truck driver of fault, common sense says you look out for your own safety. I've had mishaps and been stuck on the side of the road. I have always considered that no car could avoid me if I stepped out into the lane of traffic. You are always looking back and making sure you are not walking or standing in the lane of traffic. Since the tow truck was actually right at the edge of the lane, any activity on the left hand side of the tuck would have been in the lane of traffic. I find it surprising anyone would not be watching for traffic in that lane.

It's possible the people before the truck had pulled over giving room and the assumption was the truck would do the same. I was not there. The passenger in the truck reported he tried to get the driver to pull over multiple times without success, so it's not like the truck on the side of the road couldn't be seen.

It's just a terrible situation and I hope you will support the

https://www.facebook.com/MoveOverForBlake/info

page on Facebook. If you don't happen to be a Facebook person send the link to someone you know that is.

Rod

Daveinet · 02-10-2014, 06:43 AM

Watching the video is why I have the reaction I do. You have a sweeping corner with limited visibility. With the traffic density shown in the video, moving over was not an option for the short time that he could have even seen the truck on the side of the road. I would suggest next time you are in traffic of similar density with your RV, mark an artificial spot on the road and see how much distance you travel before you can change lanes.

Put yourself in the camera vehicle spot. Count out the reaction time you have from when you see the vehicle, to being able to do anything about it. You would hardly have time to glance in your mirror, let alone change lanes. You may get your foot out the gas, but that is about it. Even so, in the video, you can see by the measure of the speed of the traffic next to them, the truck is already going considerably slower than the rest of the traffic, but that did not help the situation. I've watched this video a dozen times. As tragic as the death is, the move over law is an impractical solution to the problem.

Daveinet · 02-10-2014, 11:13 AM

I should also add that if one is really looking were fault lies, it lies almost completely with the traffic engineers. You have a sweeping corner, and you have a grade change. Both limit distance where a vehicle on the side of the road becomes visible. The berm is not wide enough to even completely fit the tow truck off the side of the road. Traffic engineers get paid to figure that kind of stuff out and compensate for it. The berm should have been another 2 feet wider in that area to compensate for the limited site distance. Seems the local politicians should have spent their money on a wider berm, rather than that fancy architectural bridge.

TdogKing · 02-10-2014, 05:12 PM

That's sad that happened but it appears he wasn't properly taught how to work safely on the shoulder of the road. You dont rely on laws to save your own life. You must use common sense and do what it takes to make sure you don't get in harms way. If can't safely do your job then you call the Highway Patrol for assistance.

**JohnRR** · 02-10-2014, 05:50 PM

And who protects the Higway Patrol? The law was originally introduced to protect police!

When you got a whole gaggle of us in the middle of the highway with police, fire and who knows how many other lights flashing away and some drunk or out of it for any reason comes barreling through at better than highway speed with no attempt to stop or evade for the situation then maybe some of you all may have a better idea.

Wheter the young operator contributed or not the topic is no charges filed, per the video the driver had room to move a foot or so to the left, maybe even slow down a bit, I always thought that's want juries were for.

TdogKing · 02-10-2014, 09:01 PM

The Highway Patrol does a serving maneuver with its lights on and brings the traffic to a stop allowing the Tow Truck to safely complete it's job. You can't argue that if the Tow Truck Operator wasn't standing where he was that we wouldn't be discussing this.

lappir · 02-11-2014, 03:48 AM

Most likely not pictured in the video but I would wager a large sum of money that there were people hanging in the left lane at less than the average speed for the area and they had been there since they got on the "Freeway".

There are so many reasons why this happened. I know we cannot undo what was done, we cannot force the legal system to do what they should have done before this happened we cannot re-engineer the highway systems all at once. What we can do is continue the conversations about how in the future we can all make an affect.

My youngest daughter is turning 17 in a month I had the opportunity to teach her to drive when she was 15. I took 2 months off work and every chance I got we headed out in my old Jeep pickup. Full size truck with a 4 speed transmission. We spend a lot of time on the gravel roads in Iowa. It was not her most favorite summer vacation idea but we were able to discuss a lot of the issues she would face when she really started driving in South Florida.

While it was not an issue in Iowa I insisted that she would:

1. Keep right unless passing a slower vehicle.
2. Pass with a purpose. Don't pull up beside someone and just stay there.
3. Absolutely no talking on or using your phone while on the traveled portion of the road.

We discussed many more things about driving, but these were the ones that were said daily. Especially when we started driving in Florida later that year. I can't say for sure if she is following all the rules I set but I know I did my best. If you have the opportunity to teach your children or grandchildren how to drive please take the time to do so. The drivers education system has too little time and no resources to really get the young ready for the road.

The topic may have changed a bit but you can still support the cause. Google Move Over for Blake.

Thank you for your continued comments and discussions.

Rod