OT- Close call

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:51 pm

This morning at 04:30 AM on highway I-4 between Lakeland and Orlando there was a massive pileup due to heavy fog in the area. The pileup had 10 separate accidents involving 70 vehicles, three were killed.
The accident happened at about the 44 mile marker, the exit I take to get back to our warehouse I work for is at mile marker 38, so we were pretty close.
I write this as a warning... please slow down in reduced visibility conditions! I left our warehouse 10 minutes before this started this morning.

Rusty <><

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:58 pm

There but for the grace of God I go.

Makes you stop and think doesn't it?

Joe

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:06 pm

Sound advice Rusty.
I am the motorcyle safety rep for my unit and as such I have to provide a brief as part of the unit safety briefs for holliday weekends and such. One of the things I always tell the Marines is to use their heads, know their driving limits, and dont underestimate mother nature.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:12 pm

Praise the Lord Rusty, my wife saw that on Fox this morning we prayed for you ,thot you might be in that area.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:26 pm

I have to tell you that sitting here watching it on TV I got the jitters myself.

One deputy said it was the hardest thing he had ever been in. To be there on the scene and have to watch a man burn to death before his eyes and not be able to help him. His patrol car was hit three times by drivers who drove blindly into the fog.

Rusty <><

bsaride · Post by **bsaride** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:28 pm

Told my 21 yo daughter that you have to slow down in reduced visibility situations whether it's fog, rain, etc. (we were watching "The Fog" movie) and it showed a truck plowing into a car and another scene where a truck then plowed into a boat on trailer crossing the road.

I remember when at about 22yo I was doing 85 in pouring rain when a cop pulled next to me and told me to slow down. About 2 miles down the road was a 4 car accident.

I like to think I'm here today because I changed my driving habits.

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:46 pm

I learned a rule over 30 years ago when I started to ride motorcycles, and the same rule still applies to cars:

If ya can't stop in what you can see, you're going too fast.

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:50 pm

I have been in some nasty "tule fog" in California's central valley, and it's the stuff I hate to drive in most. Give me snow, rain, sleet, whatever, I hate the fog. Plus everyone seems to see better than me, only reason I can figure for them flying by me when I can't see the front of my own car. Idiots.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:25 pm

Jazman

I couldn't agree more. I wish the LEOs would stop those drivers and I wish the penalties were about 10 times a simple speeding ticket.

I don't think a day goes by that I have a safe commute...

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:35 pm

Glad to hear you are okay Rusty. Sorry to hear about the three that didn't make it.

dkmlever · Post by **dkmlever** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:37 pm

This winter here in CO we seem to have lots of cars/trucks off the road upside down that slide on ice/snow. Same warning applies, SLOW DOWN!

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:06 am

I'm glad you're ok, Sir.....One or two stupid (inexperienced) dolts can screw a hundred people on occasion....

Marlin .35 · Post by **Marlin .35** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:05 pm

Rusty, glad that you avaided that mess. Guess the Lord was riding with you!!! Art

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:07 pm

Last week the Madison Run in Wisconsin had over 100 vehicles involved with (IIRC) 2 fatalities and over 50 injured...

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:04 am

From what I hear, it was a little more than fog.

I saw an early report that the state was doing a controlled grass burn in the area, which added to the fog - but the SP "didn't think" it was bad enough to close the road.

A few years ago, I was travelling on I-4 from Tampa to Orlando, and the heavy smoke from one of those burn-offs blew across the road as I was approaching the area.
I drove through, before it got too thick, but a look in my rearview mirror saw the following traffic's headlights dim and go out - and I soon heard on the radio that the road got closed for four hours after that.
Whatever they burn off sure makes some heavy black smoke - almost as bad as burning tires.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:23 am

Driving fast in bad conditions is something I never could understand. I have been known to throw items out the window at cars who are riding my bumper. Tissues work great! In my younger years, it was lug bolts, rocks, old automobile parts, cinder blocks, etc. (NOT REALLY

)

Here in the East, it just keeps getting worse. People don't care if visibility is 2 feet or if ice is on the road--------gotta go fast!----gotta get the kids to soccer practice,------goota go here---there! Disgusts me the way our culture is turning. -------------------Sixgun