Loss of Situational Awareness

[Isaac-1]

This is a great point, and one thing I don't like about Class C's particularly if you are a person that often drives smaller vans, as it is easy to forget how much bigger you are. Though having said that they would have been cutting it way too close even if they were in a standard length van.

 

[John From Detroit]

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.

There may be more that the Dash Cam did not capture. Other than spike the brakes and risk a jacknife and rollover what could the truck driver have done? Was there a car to his left?
And did he have time to react? I mean the RV bumping his rig was rather sudden.

I always waited till the vehicle "Beside me" was fully in my rear view camera That way I knew I was past him.

 

[Onyrlef]

There may be more that the Dash Cam did not capture. Other than spike the brakes and risk a jacknife and rollover what could the truck driver have done? Was there a car to his left?
And did he have time to react? I mean the RV bumping his rig was rather sudden.

I always waited till the vehicle "Beside me" was fully in my rear view camera That way I knew I was past him.

Imo, there were a lot of things the truck driver could have done. He could clearly see what the RV was going to attempt, the prudent thing for him to have done would be to back off. Does that absolve the RV driver or mitigate his liability for the accident? Not even, but there's a difference in right of way and right. There are many times out on my bike where I've had the right of way, but that's a long inscription for a headstone.

 

[Larry N.]

He could clearly see what the RV was going to attempt, the prudent thing for him to have done would be to back off.

Could he? Certainly he could see the RV coming up on the right, but I've seen that (usually a car) and the upcoming vehicle would realize he wouldn't make it and slowed down. From what's in the video that's what I'd have thought until the last moment when the idiot started moving into the left lane. So reaction time, disbelief, could have caused a slight delay in the truck's reaction.

And the truck driver WAS slowing before contact was made, as well as pulling over to the shoulder to try to avoid the idiot. Had he gone any further to the left he'd have been the one jackknifing, flipping over or worse.

Note that the extreme wide angle lenses on those dash cams distort the perspective and sense of motion -- pay attention to the time after the RV hit the truck until the truck was stopped -- when do you first realize the truck is slowing rapidly?

 

[Octodad]

Could the truck driver also have had someone tailing too close on his rear keeping him from being able to slow any faster than he did, and/or keeping him at speed to get move ahead and eventually get out of the way?

 

[Martian]

Only one comment from me: as a commercial truck driver you will see many idiots on any given day. If you start trying to drive your rig to account for them you will be in many more accidents than if you ignore all but the most dangerous idiots. Any actions to avoid an accident can come with unintended consequences. Many trucking schools stress the importance of staying in your lane instead of trying to avoid an accident due to the increased risk of taking out innocent people with a sudden move that may go wrong.

 

[Tulecreeper]

There may be more that the Dash Cam did not capture. Other than spike the brakes and risk a jacknife and rollover what could the truck driver have done? Was there a car to his left?
And did he have time to react? I mean the RV bumping his rig was rather sudden.

I always waited till the vehicle "Beside me" was fully in my rear view camera That way I knew I was past him.

There was no car to his left, he was in the fast lane.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Keep in mind, just because we are sitting here for an entire minute concentrating on the camera the truck driver doesn't stay glued to it the whole time. He could have been looking at something across the freeway when the RV made it's move.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I had the exact same type of accident happen to me right after I bought the MH. I was passing the on ramp in lane one and had looked at the on ramp for merging traffic, for which there was none.

By the time I reached the end of the merge a young lady in an SUV ran out of merge and pit-maneuvered herself against my front right bumper. I seriously thought I was going to roll her.

I knew a jerk reaction to the steering would be bad. It's not so much the initial swerve it's the counter swerve to stay on the pavement. As it was I checked my left mirror and thank god there was light traffic. I ended up making a huge parabola to the 4th lane and then back to the curb.

The young lady over corrected and ended up in the ditch.

1 - In this threads video lots of second guessing on the truck driver. It's quite possible he did not see the RV in his mirror until late, or if he did assumed the RV driver would slow down - a lot of these lane pirates zoom up and then hit the brakes when they realize they are out of room.

2 - Although some do, there is no way the truck driver was impeding as the closure rate on the other lane 1 vehicle was clear.

3 - The truck driver had no obligation to and probably was safer not to swerve. If you've ever seen a truck driver swerve the trailer makes a crack the whip motion and more often than not they end up capsized in a ditch. I used to travel Cinci-Louisville 4 times a month and at least on 3 time a month there is a truck upside down in a ditch on I-75.

The young lady had actually stolen the vehicle from her sister, had no insurance and tried to flee. Barny Fife ended up hooking her up...

 

[Onyrlef]

Could he? Certainly he could see the RV coming up on the right, but I've seen that (usually a car) and the upcoming vehicle would realize he wouldn't make it and slowed down. From what's in the video that's what I'd have thought until the last moment when the idiot started moving into the left lane. So reaction time, disbelief, could have caused a slight delay in the truck's reaction.

And the truck driver WAS slowing before contact was made, as well as pulling over to the shoulder to try to avoid the idiot. Had he gone any further to the left he'd have been the one jackknifing, flipping over or worse.

Note that the extreme wide angle lenses on those dash cams distort the perspective and sense of motion -- pay attention to the time after the RV hit the truck until the truck was stopped -- when do you first realize the truck is slowing rapidly?

We must have watched different dash cam videos, in the one I watched the truck never slowed and the only course alteration came when the RV pushed the cab over on impact. Also looked to me like he was pushed all the way over onto the shoulder and came to a full stop in a matter of a few seconds without jackknifing or flipping over.

 

[uchu]

Only one comment from me: as a commercial truck driver you will see many idiots on any given day. If you start trying to drive your rig to account for them you will be in many more accidents than if you ignore all but the most dangerous idiots. Any actions to avoid an accident can come with unintended consequences. Many trucking schools stress the importance of staying in your lane instead of trying to avoid an accident due to the increased risk of taking out innocent people with a sudden move that may go wrong.

I agree. But in this case, slowing down does not qualify as a "sudden move".

 

[Onyrlef]

Keep in mind, just because we are sitting here for an entire minute concentrating on the camera the truck driver doesn't stay glued to it the whole time. He could have been looking at something across the freeway when the RV made it's move.

What camera? That's a dash cam video. He's supposed to be looking ahead and behind, not at his phone, not across the freeway, not peeing in a bottle. Besides I think the truck driver himself must not be very bright posting that dash cam video. Any ambulance chaser worth his weight might jump all over that. Proportional liability is a thing, if McDonald's can be found liable for serving hot coffee? Put that video in front of a jury and anything could happen, likely a settlement.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I had the exact same type of accident happen to me right after I bought the MH. I was passing the on ramp in lane one and had looked at the on ramp for merging traffic, for which there was none.

By the time I reached the end of the merge a young lady in an SUV ran out of merge and pit-maneuvered herself against my front right bumper. I seriously thought I was going to roll her.

I knew a jerk reaction to the steering would be bad. It's not so much the initial swerve it's the counter swerve to stay on the pavement. As it was I checked my left mirror and thank god there was light traffic. I ended up making a huge parabola to the 4th lane and then back to the curb.

The young lady over corrected and ended up in the ditch.

1 - In this threads video lots of second guessing on the truck driver. It's quite possible he did not see the RV in his mirror until late, or if he did assumed the RV driver would slow down - a lot of these lane pirates zoom up and then hit the brakes when they realize they are out of room.

2 - Although some do, there is no way the truck driver was impeding as the closure rate on the other lane 1 vehicle was clear.

3 - The truck driver had no obligation to and probably was safer not to swerve. If you've ever seen a truck driver swerve the trailer makes a crack the whip motion and more often than not they end up capsized in a ditch. I used to travel Cinci-Louisville 4 times a month and at least on 3 time a month there is a truck upside down in a ditch on I-75.

The young lady had actually stolen the vehicle from her sister, had no insurance and tried to flee. Barny Fife ended up hooking her up...

Orange is the new black.

 

[Tulecreeper]

What camera? That's a dash cam video. He's supposed to be looking ahead and behind, not at his phone, not across the freeway, not peeing in a bottle.

I'm assuming he has a display on his dash panel. Do you mean you keep your eyes glued to the road 100% of the time and never let your attention get diverted by say, an accident across the freeway, or a low-flying plane coming in over traffic? No one can drive like that, it leads to highway hypnosis.

 

[Onyrlef]

I'm assuming he has a display on his dash panel. Do you mean you keep your eyes glued to the road 100% of the time and never let your attention get diverted by say, an accident across the freeway, or a low-flying plane coming in over traffic? No one can drive like that, it leads to highway hypnosis.

Not sure why anyone would need a display of what's in front of them. Otherwise, if you're driving a rig weighing 80,000 lbs. and need a diversion from what's going on around you it's breaktime. I'm no Alan Dershowitz but my advice would be if one is ever on the stand being cross examined by the guy in the neck brace's lawyer, I'd lose the "my attention was diverted to avoid highway hypnosis" defense.

 

[gwinger]

The RV'er is definitely at fault. Passing on the right is illegal in most states. The video does not show the speed of the truck, but still no reason to pass without enough clearance. Did the RV'er ASSUME the truck would slow down?

 

[gwinger]

There may be more that the Dash Cam did not capture. Other than spike the brakes and risk a jacknife and rollover what could the truck driver have done? Was there a car to his left?
And did he have time to react? I mean the RV bumping his rig was rather sudden.

I always waited till the vehicle "Beside me" was fully in my rear view camera That way I knew I was past him.

Thats' one reason I have an observation camera on the rear of my TT. When I can see the front of the vehicle, I am at least 15 feet in front on them.

 

[Tulecreeper]

The RV'er is definitely at fault. Passing on the right is illegal in most states. The video does not show the speed of the truck, but still no reason to pass without enough clearance. Did the RV'er ASSUME the truck would slow down?

That would not be considered "passing on the right", as the RV is in a legal lane but just happens to be going faster than the truck. Passing on the right entails pulling onto the right shoulder to pass another vehicle.

 

[Onyrlef]

Our interstates have signs which say left lane for passing only. If you're not passing on the left and you're passing, then you're passing on the ______.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Our interstates have signs which say left lane for passing only. If you're not passing on the left and you're passing, then you're passing on the ______.

We have those on our state highways. If you are in the right lane, and you are going faster than the traffic in the left lane, it is not considered "passing on the right" in the illegal sense. I have 28 years in LE, this is my wheelhouse.