Loss of Situational Awareness

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I sure am glad that nobody got killed, but I am sure that they are going to have to sweep up the remains of that Class C. Did you note the way it popped like a melon as it rolled over?
Matt_C
 
Does anyone else, from an armchair perspective, think the truck driver could have done a little more to avoid the incident? I agree the MH driver was fully in the wrong, but, being right probably cost that truck driver a lot.
 
As I said in the other thread posted here about this, this RV driver got exactly what he deserved. I have no sympathy for him whatsoever. He was not paying attention and attempted a very aggressive maneuver.

To try and blame the truck driver here is just nuts.
 
Skookum said:
Does anyone else, from an armchair perspective, think the truck driver could have done a little more to avoid the incident?
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I also considered the truck drivers actions and think he made the correct moves. Due to the speeds by not jerking the rig left he was able to maintain control. I think the truck driver was also slowing down but not panic breaking.

I agree the MH driver is totally at fault. He just continued the lane change and did not even attempt to return to the right lane.

Jennifer
 
Ease, not jerk, the wheel. That Highway had a fairly wide shoulder and the speed differential didn’t seem to change much in relation to the other truck. Trucks do slow down fairly fast when getting on the brakes.

When I drove a truck, regardless of fault, the last thing you want as a driver is injury or having to file accident reports or be without your truck while it’s getting repaired.

I can see the justification for holding course—but it doesn’t look good on camera. There was lots of time to create a margin of safety. On camera you can see the RV approach on the right side in the hood mirrors, drive alongside and attempt to pass.
 
We are seeing the last page of this story. While I agree that the RV placed a bet and lost, we don't know:

1. Has the semi driver been entertaining himself by hogging the passing lane for the last 10 miles and blocking the RV?

2. Did the semi speed up when the RV tried to pass on the right?

3. Why didn't the semi yield to faster traffic when he saw the RV coming up on his right in the mirror
 
Wild attempt to pass on the right, but the trucker surely didn't drive safely either. Both are equally responsible, in my opinion.
 
Skookum said:
Does anyone else, from an armchair perspective, think the truck driver could have done a little more to avoid the incident? I agree the MH driver was fully in the wrong, but, being right probably cost that truck driver a lot.
Click to expand...
First thing occurring to me was the RV driver is an idiot, second was the truck should have seen the RV merging on him a used his brakes. It was clearly the RV drivers fault but didn't have to happen.
 
tlmgcamp said:
We are seeing the last page of this story. While I agree that the RV placed a bet and lost, we don't know:

1. Has the semi driver been entertaining himself by hogging the passing lane for the last 10 miles and blocking the RV?

2. Did the semi speed up when the RV tried to pass on the right?

3. Why didn't the semi yield to faster traffic when he saw the RV coming up on his right in the mirror
Click to expand...
Looked like the truck was gaining pretty fast on the vehicle ahead of him in the right lane, that's why the RV was in such a hurry to get over.
 
Skookum said:
Ease, not jerk, the wheel.
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That is what I said: Truck driver did not jerk the wheel thus implying he control or ease the wheel. :confused:

Looking at the video time stamp the whole thing took <3 seconds.

At .15 the MH is still in the right lane. The MH crossed the line at ~ 15.5 sec. The MH back makes contact with the truck at ~16.5 sec. The MH is pushing the truck until beginning .18 and MH is past the truck. Note that both are in or mostly in the shoulder. IMHO the only option the truck driver had was to control his rig.

The above is my opinion based on the physics and time line. Since I am not a 18 wheeler truck driver I do not know if the truck driver could have moved quicker into the shoulder and stilled maintained control. I agree, no one wants an accident and esp. a commercial driver.

Jennifer
 
ferfer said:
That is what I said: Truck driver did not jerk the wheel thus implying he control or ease the wheel. :confused:

Looking at the video time stamp the whole thing took <3 seconds.

At .15 the MH is still in the right lane. The MH crossed the line at ~ 15.5 sec. The MH back makes contact with the truck at ~16.5 sec. The MH is pushing the truck until beginning .18 and MH is past the truck. Note that both are in or mostly in the shoulder. IMHO the only option the truck driver had was to control his rig.

The above is my opinion based on the physics and time line. Since I am not a 18 wheeler truck driver I do not know if the truck driver could have moved quicker into the shoulder and stilled maintained control. I agree, no one wants an accident and esp. a commercial driver.

Jennifer
Click to expand...

It's just armchair analysis, you're not wrong. But I would argue the incident actually starts when the MH becomes visible in the hood mirror, and that's a lot more than 3 seconds to analyze the situation and react safely. This happens A LOT. But it's usually cars.

No disagreement from me that the MH driver is 100% in the legal wrong and caused the accident, is at-fault. I would say a bad/angry truck driver would do nothing and/or try to speed up to close that gap (slam the door). I looked at the comments section on the various news sites where this video has been posted and a good handful of people are picking up on this too. It may be just the video, but it makes me go hmmm....
 
Trucker is obviously passing the truck ahead of him. While we can see the RV approaching in the truckers mirror, we don't know whether or not the trucker saw him. Even if he did, given the distance between him and the truck he was about to pass, it's hard to believe he thought the RVer would attempt to pass. This is totally on the RVer.
 
As I see it this is mostly the fault of the RV driver, however the Trucker should have seen what was about to happen and slow down. Of course that goes against the modern trucker never back down attitude.
 
tlmgcamp said:
We are seeing the last page of this story. While I agree that the RV placed a bet and lost, we don't know:

1. Has the semi driver been entertaining himself by hogging the passing lane for the last 10 miles and blocking the RV?

2. Did the semi speed up when the RV tried to pass on the right?

3. Why didn't the semi yield to faster traffic when he saw the RV coming up on his right in the mirror
Click to expand...
Not all states consider the far left lane the "passing lane". A lot allow faster traffic, big rig or otherwise, to stay in that lane if they are traveling as fast or faster than the normal flow of traffic.
 
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Ultimately we don't know the whole story and can only make assumptions.

Think they both could potentially have done things differently to avoid this.

The RVer is the one with the major loss to deal with and is very lucky his family survived but potentially they will be traumatised by the event.

He should not have made that manoeuvre without sufficient space. I think sometimes you could easily forget what vehicle you are actually driving.

Just happy they survived.
 
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