Trucker who hit Stillwater Lift Bridge ticketed for inattentive driving

Big Al wrote:

Make him pay for the repairs.

You should be out on the river instead of replying here!:))

Didn't know the height of his rig or didn't pay attention to the posted bridge height; somehow failed to hear or feel his truck hitting a dozen bridge supports...yep, I'd call it "inattentive".

His employer's insurance company will be paying for the repairs as was reported in an earlier story.

I would like to give this man a medal. He helped clean up the St. Croix River area by getting rid of the carbon-emitting large trucks faster than any legislature has been able to do in the last 10 years! This man is a de facto hero!

He should have to pay more including paying for all of the extra gas everyone has to buy now for his "inattentive driving".

Anyone here want to try and explain how this guy was NOT inattentive?

RED ALERT! The all knowing Mrs. R has posted on this story. DO NOT respond to her (we know she is a he) maybe it will go away.

Because they can't fine him for being stupid.

Miner wrote:

RED ALERT! The all knowing Mrs. R has posted on this story. DO NOT respond to her (we know she is a he) maybe it will go away.

I couldn't hear her over my lawnmower.

$168 !!!!! Let's break this down....forget about the cost of repairs which supposedly will be charged to Lampert's insurance company...

14,000 people per day
14 mile detour each way
-------
392,000 miles per day

20 mpg average
-------
19,600 gallons per day

$4 per gallon
--------
$78,400 daily cost to commuters

20 number of planned days closure
---------
$1,568,000 total cost to commuters or $112 each

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So then, what is your time worth?

90 minutes estimated time for two way detour on a good day
20 number of planned days closure
---------
1,800 minutes or 30 hours wasted per commuter

14,000 commuters
----------
25,200,000 minutes or 420,000 hours

For the sake of arguement, let's say I consider my time to be worth $100 per hour

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The way I see it, Lamperts and their driver owe me and perhaps each of my fellow commuters $3,112.00...just for commuting, not to mention evenings and weekends, so let's make it a nice even $3,500.00. I even won't count the $1,000 of under-utilized marina fees for this month.
All because someone was too blind to read the signs and to deaf to notice the impact. Oh and not one word out of Lamperts....nice.
$168!

There we go with Miner making anti-gay remarks again. It's not too hard to figure out he's from St. Cloud, the most backward, redneck, uneducated town in the state. He doesn't hide his bigotry and ignorance very well.

Commuter from St Joe wrote:

$168 !!!!! Let's break this down....forget about the cost of repairs which supposedly will be charged to Lampert's insurance company...
14,000 people per day
14 mile detour each way
-------
392,000 miles per day
20 mpg average
-------
19,600 gallons per day
$4 per gallon
--------
$78,400 daily cost to commuters
20 number of planned days closure
---------
$1,568,000 total cost to commuters or $112 each
----------
So then, what is your time worth?
90 minutes estimated time for two way detour on a good day
20 number of planned days closure
---------
1,800 minutes or 30 hours wasted per commuter
14,000 commuters
----------
25,200,000 minutes or 420,000 hours
For the sake of arguement, let's say I consider my time to be worth $100 per hour
----------
The way I see it, Lamperts and their driver owe me and perhaps each of my fellow commuters $3,112.00...just for commuting, not to mention evenings and weekends, so let's make it a nice even $3,500.00. I even won't count the $1,000 of under-utilized marina fees for this month.
All because someone was too blind to read the signs and to deaf to notice the impact. Oh and not one word out of Lamperts....nice.
$168!

It's funny that the people of Stillwater bash truckers when they post these same type of numbers.

P.S.$168 is the same amount that they fined that kid who accidentally burnt down that apartment building. Maybe that is the MN standard slap on the wrist amount.

I happen to be a commuter from Somerset to Minneapolis and this detour will add twenty miles each way and half an hour or better each way. With gas at the price it is, it is not fair that this has to be absorbed by the commuters. Lampert's should be responsible for the repairs to the bridge as well as the extra expense we must incur.

I can maybe see hitting one... or two cross beams if you're not paying attention, but geeze, I thought I remember hearing he hit 14! I'd say that's worse than being "inattentive."