Truck Carnage is it ....acceptable?

I have the utmost respect for the people who drive Heavy and not so heavy truck rigs for a living, the amount of concentration and self management to safely navigate the pressures and hurdles of this very demanding profession is very high indeed.
And having said this it is no surprise that it is self evident through verifiable statistical data that many people who undertake this task are sadly unfit to be behind the wheel of multi tonned rolling masses of metal.
In Australia not a week nor in many instances a day goes by without a fatality being reported involving a Truck.
More often than not despite the nedia initially only reporting an accident as a collision between a car and a truck..... investigations reveal it was the fault of an overtired or underskilled truckie.
I will let other ATS members reveal the worldwide carnage stats, they are truly frightening and sickening.
In Australia more people are killed by truck drivers on average than any other means (excluding natural causes)
including terrorism , murder,war ,ect.
I have witnessed B double rigs on flat highways tailgating small sedans doing the legal maximum speed, they are so close to the poor car drivers bumper that any touch of the brakes by the quivering driver would have seen instant carnage.
WE are continually told by the trucking owner magnates that trucks need a lot of distance to stop and the bothersome cars change lanes in front of them causing the deaths, but how come almost all of us have seen the heaviest of rigs and lighter tailgate cars?
Is this not as bad as someone holding a gun to someones neck with the safety off on a bumpy footpath?
It is sickening to hear the silence whilst people drive by an hour after the police have supervised the efficient mopping up of body parts and blood on a daily basis.
In Australia the relatives of killed plant white wooden crosses on the side of the road as poignant memorials and warning to others, but the truck driver Physcopaths(as opposed to the professionals) still tailgate the speed respecting motorists in SMALLER vehicles who then thru panic swereve dangerously baclk into the left lane (in Australia) which causes a ripple of sudden braking in vehicles behind)
Not long ago haeavy trucks were required by law to drive at below the legal speed limit and remain in the left slow lane (the conspiracy is this law was changed and truck engines souped up by manufactures to exceed any sane speed any sane truckie would consuder on a public road.
Why?????? money money money money.
Some may mock, try picking up body parts from a road as many have to do then being hurried to finish so the road can be opened then watch a truck fly by ready to kill further up the highway.
Google if you doubt the figures, then goggle at the excuses.

Some truck drivers are completely insane and still get a fine instead of a life long ban.

This guy will get his license back eventually.

Any kind of carnage is probably unacceptable. I live in Australia too, and yeah this is a huge and ongoing problem. Wow, ongoing...what a "political" word.
Anyhow, there's no doubt that some of the penalties handed out to those at the wheel of these huge mechanical draft horses are ridiculous, and that there are still a large number of dangerous drivers doing foolish and highly dangerous things. But what you might not consider is that these guys/girls are doing a job revolving around deadlines...a horrifying pun but truth nevertheless. They have to be at certain places by certain times or else face termination and another tedious job search.
I think the problem lies with the whole culture of the job...the stringent, rigid rules about being where and when, regardless of how you keep yourself truckin'.

There is no doubt some of these drivers are lunatics, but give a thought to those above them and the obligations placed on their shoulders.

Originally posted by Grey Magic
Some truck drivers are completely insane and still get a fine instead of a life long ban.

This guy will get his license back eventually.

The really scary insane thing is unless there are witnesses a truck car accident is reported as a car colliding with a truck, and lone cars found incinerated wedged into a tree or upturned in a paddock are put down to driver fatigue, I have myself been tailgated doing well above the speed limit(by intimidation doing over the speed limit trying to get a truck off my tail.
I once was forced to swerve over to the opposite lane whilst approaching a signal lit train crossing because as I approached the crossing I slowed down at night time.
The truck tailgating me was a petrol tanker.
He managed to brake in time just for the level crossing, he never got out and apolgised to me as I pulled up behind him, I didnt get out and paly Clint Eastwood , cause I knew he knew what he was doing!!!!

speed limits are for all the road users including trucks of any size, 100kmh in some and 90 still in other states of australia. Also the log book regulations, rest stop breaks and overloading laws, these all still apply.

yes, time is money to truck drivers and their parent companies but not all these accidents are caused by truckdrivers themselves. there are as many other road users that are the cause to these as are the drivers of these big rigs.

Originally posted by Milleresque
Any kind of carnage is probably unacceptable. I live in Australia too, and yeah this is a huge and ongoing problem. Wow, ongoing...what a "political" word.
Anyhow, there's no doubt that some of the penalties handed out to those at the wheel of these huge mechanical draft horses are ridiculous, and that there are still a large number of dangerous drivers doing foolish and highly dangerous things. But what you might not consider is that these guys/girls are doing a job revolving around deadlines...a horrifying pun but truth nevertheless. They have to be at certain places by certain times or else face termination and another tedious job search.
I think the problem lies with the whole culture of the job...the stringent, rigid rules about being where and when, regardless of how you keep yourself truckin'.

There is no doubt some of these drivers are lunatics, but give a thought to those above them and the obligations placed on their shoulders.

I respect totally your insight ,it is indeed the culture dictated by employers and condoned by Governments that contributes to innocent motorists being dismembered, beheaded, splattered, maimed , brain damaged, killed by shock, due to whipped truck drivers, who after all have to pay th eir bills.
Th efacts are that any regular road goer will testiify is trucks speed and tailgate and the consequences are multiplied due to their sheer mass.
Cars drivers kill others too, but study the percentage ratios per vehicle and you will be gobsmacked at the number of severe injuries and deaths caused by truck drivers who negligently pursue their profession.
I have encountered the most caring and professional truck drivers who have sat back from my tail, because they as pros know there is a reason iam sticking to the speed limit or just under.
Similarly a caring motor car driver hangs back from a fellowmotorist who is going slow instead of tailgating them until they hit a tree.
They may be old they may be sick or vey tired who knows?
Is it worth it to run them off the road?
So you can pay the rent?
If it is then I guess this thread is irrelevant.
We remember the war dead , but many many many many many more die horrific deaths and suffer life changing injuries by encountering trucks whilst going to work or returning home.
Lest we forget.

I've been driving heavy vehicles for around 8 years now. These are 3 experiences I have had to deal with, all only local truck drivers:

1. Loss of a workmate due to a rollover.

I was one of 5 cement tanker drivers for an large company, and so was this guy. He was carting flyash when this happened, not cement. Flyash is very unstable to transport during the first 15 minutes because the product is airated during loading. While there is still air trapped in the product, it moves easily. This accident happened around 10-15 minutes after loading. To be honest, it is the worst bend in Adelaide, and I've almost rolled it twice there myself, and many trucks do. He was only 20 years old, so it is fair experience may be a factor.

This was actually my truck for around 2 years, until the company bought a new one. My daughter (who was 11 at the time) saw this article and asked if it was the truck I took her out in a few times. I had to admit to her it was.

Warning: this article contains a photo of the scene that some may find disturbing.

article

2. Witnessing a b-double kill two young people.

This was not the fault of the truck driver. I was in the truck behind this one. There was a nasty intersection around 100 metres over a crest. The young girl who was driving had come out from the truck's left and failed to stop at a stop sign. I actually posted about it on here that day.

article

3. Loss of a second workmate.

This was also not the fault of the truck driver. The accident happened on a 100km\h dip in a large valley, that is also on a constant bend. I didn't even meet this guy in person, he was a subcontractor who drove his semi tipper for the company I worked for, and had only been with us for 3 days. I went to work friday morning to find out he died near the end of the previous day.

Again, there is a graphic photo in this article.

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I was sent home after hearing this. They didn't want me to drive that day. I quit a few days later. 6 days a week of long hours and early starts was getting too much. Nothing gives you a fright more than waking up behind the wheel of a rig, and I'd done it more than once. The russian roulette had to stop.

Now I drive a tandem tipper with only basic hours five days a week for around half the money. Best thing I ever did.

Most truck drivers these days are very sensible drivers. Those who are reckless (we call them cowboys) regularly get blasted on the UHF by all the other drivers, and I've even heard an instance where a driver actually rang the police over another driver's reckless behaviour. And no one abused him for dobbing.

With roadside and workplace drug testing, the days of drivers gearing off their heads is pretty much over. Sure, there are still a few, but they will eventually get caught, and they know it.

Angry drivers are also very dangerous too. That's what sparks tailgating and and other aggressive driving. Fatigue is the worst though. Rather a driver coming at me intoxicated than one asleep anyday.

But honestly on the average day, I see more reckless and inexperienced car drivers than heavy truck drivers.

Originally posted by Milleresque
But what you might not consider is that these guys/girls are doing a job revolving around deadlines...a horrifying pun but truth nevertheless. They have to be at certain places by certain times or else face termination and another tedious job search.

Very true. But it's not just termination that worries the long haulers. Being held up, sometimes for many hours means less sleep.

The ones that fire you for following the law are not worth working for. It's incredibly easy to get a good job here if you are a good, experienced driver with good references. But no experience, and you have to take what you can get, and there ary many employers that know that and take advantage of it.

Originally posted by redgy
speed limits are for all the road users including trucks of any size, 100kmh in some and 90 still in other states of australia.

I'm not aware of a 90km\h limit in other states, but it's been a while since I've been around. Generally, it's 100km\h for semis and b-doubles, and the prime mover must be speed limited (this does not limit the speed when going downhill). Road trains must not exceed 90km\h, and must have full headlights on at all times.

I've also seen single fuel tankers with a "speed limited to 90" sticker on the back of the tanker. Not sure if this is law or not for carting fuel, but please dont believe in speed limited trailers. They don't exist.



[edit on 28/4/10 by NuclearPaul]

Originally posted by Dr Conspire
Not long ago haeavy trucks were required by law to drive at below the legal speed limit and remain in the left slow lane (the conspiracy is this law was changed and truck engines souped up by manufactures to exceed any sane speed any sane truckie would consuder on a public road.

I'm not aware aware of any of this. And the more power, the better.

The law as I know it regarding lanes is "keep left unless overtaking" which applies to any zone 80km\h or above, and applies to all vehicles. Any zone under 80, and you can drive in whichever lane you please. But if you are not doing near the speed limit, it's polite to use the left lane. But bear in mind, most dual roads have cars parked in the left lane, and it is safer for us to use the right lane because we occasionally don't fit in the left, where as the cars usually do.

These vehicles also use engine power to slow down, so the more power, the better they slow down, meaning less use of the brakes and the chance of them overheating. By law, it should have a speed limiter set to 100km\h.


[edit on 28/4/10 by NuclearPaul]

Originally posted by Grey Magic
Some truck drivers are completely insane and still get a fine instead of a life long ban.

This guy will get his license back eventually.

I couldnt stop laughing at that guy.

About 35 years ago, I approached a hill, and met one truck w/trailer passing another. Had no choice but to go off the road and ended up driving my little Vega through a telephone pole and breaking another.

This wasn't a new phenomenon then, and it's not new now. There are safe truckers and those who are less so, but what drives all this is US, the consumer, who won't pay more than X for shipped goods.

I'd also guess that as various countries have to tighten their belts, that the competition and long runs for truckers will become more fierce. As a trucker, a person consigns to take a load to a location and the terms of that load are dependent upon the delivery time -- it's not always about the trucker making more money, but the trucker making anything at all.

Loosing a life on the road is awful. It's a preventable death. People make mistakes, and yes, there are horrible and negligent drivers and truckers.

Thought I'd be fair and link an article showing this accident where the truck driver was entirely at fault. A woman died when a truck hit her parked car on a 100km\k road. It's a two lane freeway and she was in the emergency lane with a flat tyre.

Warning again about the photo in article.

article

Originally posted by Grey Magic
Some truck drivers are completely insane and still get a fine instead of a life long ban.

This guy will get his license back eventually.

He's the sort of idiot that would cause an accident like the above. At 0.55s, he is half in the emergency lane. Notice how he calms down a bit when he sees the other truck passing him. That other driver would be furious if he saw what he was just doing.

BTW, he is gearing off his head. Badly.

[edit on 28/4/10 by NuclearPaul]

When I was driving through a Midwestern state, the truck drivers were going way over the speed limit. They even stayed in lanes they were supposed to only use for passing. I wouldn't speed, so what did they do, they called the state trooper on the CB. He pulled me over and I was angry. I told him those truck drivers are like bullies. They think they own the road. He didn't even give me a ticket. He agreed with me. Here in my home state they're required to go 55 mph. They aren't that bad here. And if they break the law here, they'll quickly lose their license. Businesses simply won't hire them to begin with if they have a bad record. Some states let them get away with anything, and that's why there's so many deaths. They should all be going 55 in the slow lane.

reply to post by Dr Conspire


As a former over the road, 48 State Authority Semi Truck driver (7 years) I think I can speak from experience. The Professional Truckers I have had the pleasure to meet are true professionals. The truck is their office, the trip is their mission for the day. The cars, up to at least 90%, are a nuisance to trucks. For instance, A semi pulls into a big city, such as Chicago. The trucks have a lane they are supposed to run in, and for the most part, when at all possible, they do. It is the "middle" lane, in that the truck doesn't have to slow down for cars comping up the feeder ramps, and do not have to mess with cars slowing down to exits.
Chicago has Express lanes too, not all that way, but they are there. Cars sweep back and forth from all lanes, trying to get in the "fastest lane" which doesn't really exist.During rush hour, there are no "faster lanes."

I drove most every day of the year, and saw an accident most every day. Not trucks, though. Lots of cars, local delivery trucks, but few semis are wrecked that I saw. Oh, I did come across semis wrecked, and they are all bad, but the percentile compared to cars involved in wrecks is small, or at least was in my day. (1980-87)

I do see that drivers are much more aggressive now days, I make regular trips into Columbus, Ohio, and on some days there, people lose their minds, I think. Everyone is in such a big hurry now. And using a cell phone while driving is a big mistake in any instance.
Also, I see old people driving great big vehicles, (some things never change) that they cannot control. I see that the car companies have an SUV that will park itself now.

In 1969, I went tot he Detroit Auto show. Robert Stemple was CEO of GM then, and he gave a speech that I have never forgotten. He said that by the year 2000, we would all have a flying car in our driveway. I happen the think this may be possible right now, with a few improvements to anti-gravity technology and green propulsion systems. The highways would have magnetic strips buried in them, for guidance. Semi Trucks, and large buses would have the lower section, large vehicles such as SUVs, local delivery trucks, commercial vehicles and like that would have the next highest section, and personal cars would have the next section up. The top would be reserved for emergency vehicles. All this would be controlled by computers, and cars would be programmed to go to work or shopping, or where ever, and it would travel to the destination automatically. Upon getting next to your destination, an alarm would go off, and the car would come into manual control. Fail safes would have to be in place, and accident preventive measures would be built in. Possible? I think so.

I can only comment on Australia, that is where I live and drive.
But anyone in Queensland who drives the M1 between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, and is sane to any degree will tell you B doubles, semi trailers, heavy trucks , petrol tankers, ect ect tailgate anyone in the right hand or slow lane who is in their God Given way.
You sit on the speed limit? See the heavys do their stuff.
Dead, maimed, and the blood spattered highways, dont worry the Governments have quick mop up tecniques in place "you will never know ".

The most evil thing is no one gives a fig.
Not until it is them .
That is the eternal truth.

Just another sad update.
A persons body was found on a major Australian Highway , it had been run over several times by truck drivers overnight.
How ? could an alert Truckie not know he ran over a human being?
Several trucks did this the media reported, the Police were reported to be questioning at least two Truck drivers.
This is so sad.
I see trucks serving in front of cars every day I see them tailgate law abiding motorists , I see B doubles going so quick on sub standard higways the trailer fish tails.
The duty of care is zero, both by the cowboy sociopathic Truckies(some of the profession not all) and the Government who turn a blind eye to the slaughter.
Truck driver error /negligence and wose has killed more Aussies than all the wars combined multiplied by some.
I see a Pro Truck driver I recognise him...how?
He dos not tailgate, he does not change lanes with no regard to those behind him.
He does not speed up an d push someone from the overtaking lane because he wants to build up spped for a hill.
He knows he has run over a human being.
I know there are caring Truckies out there I have encountered them, but if I said they are the majority I would be lying.
We need courageous people to say enough is enough.
It is so sad to see the road toll and the evil excuses for it the "oh but cars are to blame for hogging the fast lane "
" we truckies are making a living " the cars are freeloaders on the highways ectect.
The technology is available right now to monitor every trucks speed and driving habits via remote computer, but they wont do it because it will cost the trucking magnates mulah.
One hundred thousand Aussies killed by trucks is not worth mentioning, this is one sob world.

reply to post by Dr Conspire


The great Oz star Jimmy Barnes was a truck driver - then he became a rock star - thank you Lord for saving him from killing anyone!

I am not making fun of this - these huge rigs behave in a way a lot of drivers do not know how to handle.

Originally posted by catwhoknows
reply to post by Dr Conspire

 

The great Oz star Jimmy Barnes was a truck driver - then he became a rock star - thank you Lord for saving him from killing anyone!

I am not making fun of this - these huge rigs behave in a way a lot of drivers do not know how to handle.

The crux perhaps is the decisions made by some truckies are in any sane persons mind criminal.
I have met a truck driver who killed someone by his own admission due to his recklessness, he was a guilt ridden human being, and I hope he has now found peace, he would tell all cowboy truckies" slow down , get straight, go bankrupt if need be but dont do what I did.
It is something hidden beneath a civilised world just as the concentration deaths were hidden.
Be safe on Australian roads because some dont care ....Fair Dinkum.

I know exactly what the OP means.
Railroads are a much better alternative.
Here in the Netherlands there were many routes but since the automobile came, many of them were closed. If they would still be open, there would be at least 50% trucks on the road.
I also have the opinion that most food should be consumed in the region it is grown. It was reduces traffic even more.
They drive live stock from the Netherlands to Italy to slaughter it and gets packed in Spain before it goes back to the Netherlands.