2 killed, 9 injured in rash of I-81 wrecks Friday

A rash of wrecks along a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 81 in the northern Shenandoah Valley killed two people, injured nine others and shut down the northbound lanes for hours.

[Cassidy]

i bet its because the truckers were sleeping. bc of the rest stops closing. its sad to here. i hope they open the rest stops back up. OR we will be seen alot more wrecks like this happen around this area.

[Danny]

True, Cassidy, although a lot of tractor trailor wrecks are caused by cars cutting them off. Not saying this is the case (clearly it wasn't in the 2nd crash), but that's also a big problem. Those trucks can't stop on a dime & if people cut them off, they can't slow down quick enough.

[lord]

This is the result of subsidizing the truck industry's right of way and neglecting railroads. Compared to transport by rail car, trucks not only represent a danger on the road but also use eight times as much fuel. The weight of trucks causes the need for highway and bridge repair that we pay for in taxes, so any cost savings is illusionary. Further, it is more effective to hold railroad companies to a high standard of safety than it is to try to regulate thousands of independent operators driving on used tires, worn out brakes, and poorly maintained worn out engines, not to mention the meth fueled drivers.
We have caused this problem by neglecting the railroads. This is an infrastructure need that has been neglected for too long, and in the long term there will be a great payoff for making the investment in railways. Besides energy independence and cleaner air, Is there anyone who doesn't know someone maimed or killed in a collision with a large truck?

[no where va]

lord wrote:

This is the result of subsidizing the truck industry's right of way and neglecting railroads. Compared to transport by rail car, trucks not only represent a danger on the road but also use eight times as much fuel. The weight of trucks causes the need for highway and bridge repair that we pay for in taxes, so any cost savings is illusionary. Further, it is more effective to hold railroad companies to a high standard of safety than it is to try to regulate thousands of independent operators driving on used tires, worn out brakes, and poorly maintained worn out engines, not to mention the meth fueled drivers.
We have caused this problem by neglecting the railroads. This is an infrastructure need that has been neglected for too long, and in the long term there will be a great payoff for making the investment in railways. Besides energy independence and cleaner air, Is there anyone who doesn't know someone maimed or killed in a collision with a large truck?

the frist thing ppl want to do when a truck is in a crash is to start pointing the finger to the driver of a rig, and most of the time the crash is due to the dumb ass driver of the car that cuts off the truck or the one that thinks its funny to stop a truck from changing lanes.my husband has been a truck driver for 15 yrs and has never been in a crash.nor has caused one.u ppl want to say rail road cars are better but how many rail roads run behind walmart or any other place u shop.and as far as the poorly maintained trucks ill take that as u dont own one or know anything about them,cause the trucks go though fed dot insp. i know this cause we own our truck... and by the way not all drivers are meth fueled.....

[Bob]

lord wrote:

This is the result of subsidizing the truck industry's right of way and neglecting railroads. Compared to transport by rail car, trucks not only represent a danger on the road but also use eight times as much fuel. The weight of trucks causes the need for highway and bridge repair that we pay for in taxes, so any cost savings is illusionary. Further, it is more effective to hold railroad companies to a high standard of safety than it is to try to regulate thousands of independent operators driving on used tires, worn out brakes, and poorly maintained worn out engines, not to mention the meth fueled drivers.
We have caused this problem by neglecting the railroads. This is an infrastructure need that has been neglected for too long, and in the long term there will be a great payoff for making the investment in railways. Besides energy independence and cleaner air, Is there anyone who doesn't know someone maimed or killed in a collision with a large truck?

I for one do not know anyone maimed or killed in a collision with a large truck. Perhaps the wrong course was taken when our transport was directed toward the highways rather than rail, but what's done is done. Do you seriously think railroads, in today's world, will ever be able to have enough tracks and rail sidings to replace the heavy trucks?

[Mom2Jake]

no where va wrote:

<quoted text>the frist thing ppl want to do when a truck is in a crash is to start pointing the finger to the driver of a rig, and most of the time the crash is due to the dumb **** driver of the car that cuts off the truck or the one that thinks its funny to stop a truck from changing lanes.my husband has been a truck driver for 15 yrs and has never been in a crash.nor has caused one.u ppl want to say rail road cars are better but how many rail roads run behind walmart or any other place u shop.and as far as the poorly maintained trucks ill take that as u dont own one or know anything about them,cause the trucks go though fed dot insp. i know this cause we own our truck... and by the way not all drivers are meth fueled.....

Well let me tell you something!! I WAS hit by an idiot tractor trailer driver who was leaving a truck stop! He lied his hiney off at the scene, was charged too! Then he lied to the company he worked for, and it took me months to get things straightened out! MY insurance took him and his company to court-and won! So get off that high horse of tractor trailer drivers do not wrong! And no, I was not in a dinky little car either. I was in a full sized truck, sitting still!!

[Good times]

Accidents happen people, thats why their called accidents. Trucker don't hit the road hopeing to crash into a car and kill people, just like Police Officer don't go to work hoping to shot someone. There are thousands and thousands of vehicle accidents daily and hundreds of people die daily from them. Our society is driven by get me everything I want now and I can't wait. That type of mentality causes carelessness from all people. Rail is safe and effective to move goods ,but those goods still need to be driven to the stores. It would impossible to have enough rail and depots to eliminate the trucking industry. So slow down before you start blaming whole groups of people. Most truckers are hard working men and women with out whom the stores in your communities would be empty.

[common sense]

To "lord" fauntleroy: When is the last time you witnessed CSX delivering your goods to the local market? Like it or not trucks get it done. The railroad has its place, however it is people like you that can't see the forest for the trees. Furthermore jack@@@, trucks pay $550.00 per year Highway use tax per truck to the federal government, personal property taxes, approximately $1500.00 for liscenses and .42 cents per gallon fuel tax. Go ahead complain about the $50.00 a year you pay for tags on your car. Oh yeah, by federal mandate truck drivers are subject to random and preemployment drug testing at the company's expense as well as random DOT checks for vehicle safety. There are exorbitantly more car to car accidents than truck to car proportionately. Next time you go out for groceries stop at your nearest grocery store with a rail siding in the back. That should give you about 100,000 thousand miles or so to figure out what a idiot you really are.

[lord]

It should be obvious to anyone with common sense that mixing 80,000 lbs. trucks with commuter traffic is not a good idea. As for how I formulate my opinions, friends and family that own or drive trucks have told me a few things. As for paying your own way, 1) highway infrastructure is not damaged by two ton cars, 2)there is a cost associated with the highway congestion, 3) tell it to my friend who was burned over 70% of his body, you can't tell it to his fiance because she was incinerated.
Piggy back rail and local delivery trucking needs to be the new model for interstate transportation, and now is the time to do it. I am aware that good people drive trucks and do their best, but quite a few do represent an illegal hazard. I would like to see arrest and prosecution for reckless endangerment for the truckers going 80mph on route 29, the ones that cut into my lane because the driver is too tired or stoned to stay in their own lane, and especially those who want to get on my back bumper when I am driving at a reasonable speed. Of course, not all trucks are driven recklessly by meth heads, but it isn't hard to figure out which ones are.
Finally, there is a difference between a reasoned argument and a hateful angry diatribe, anyone with common sense can tell the difference. Any driver with common sense would know that speeding, carrying 3 log books, and tailgaiting is criminal behavior and disregard for everyone else's safety. I disagree with the term "accident" and refer to these events as "collisions", and in some cases criminal negligence. Driving a truck recklessly or under the influence of drugs is no more an accident then is reckless handling of a firearm

[gimmie a break]

Cassidy wrote:

i bet its because the truckers were sleeping. bc of the rest stops closing. its sad to here. i hope they open the rest stops back up. OR we will be seen alot more wrecks like this happen around this area.

More likely, he was talking on a cell phone or racing to get home for the weekend.

[Good times]

lord wrote:

It should be obvious to anyone with common sense that mixing 80,000 lbs. trucks with commuter traffic is not a good idea. As for how I formulate my opinions, friends and family that own or drive trucks have told me a few things. As for paying your own way, 1) highway infrastructure is not damaged by two ton cars, 2)there is a cost associated with the highway congestion, 3) tell it to my friend who was burned over 70% of his body, you can't tell it to his fiance because she was incinerated.
Piggy back rail and local delivery trucking needs to be the new model for interstate transportation, and now is the time to do it. I am aware that good people drive trucks and do their best, but quite a few do represent an illegal hazard. I would like to see arrest and prosecution for reckless endangerment for the truckers going 80mph on route 29, the ones that cut into my lane because the driver is too tired or stoned to stay in their own lane, and especially those who want to get on my back bumper when I am driving at a reasonable speed. Of course, not all trucks are driven recklessly by meth heads, but it isn't hard to figure out which ones are.
Finally, there is a difference between a reasoned argument and a hateful angry diatribe, anyone with common sense can tell the difference. Any driver with common sense would know that speeding, carrying 3 log books, and tailgaiting is criminal behavior and disregard for everyone else's safety. I disagree with the term "accident" and refer to these events as "collisions", and in some cases criminal negligence. Driving a truck recklessly or under the influence of drugs is no more an accident then is reckless handling of a firearm

Again your talking about the few as compaired to the many. Your right, those truckers should be prosecuted and examples made. In a perfect world there would be Police and DOT employees at every intersection but as you know, we live in a far from perfect world. It is up to the every day citzen to make phone calls and complain about bad driving behavior. Take down license plate numbers and go to magestriate, swear out warrants for reckless driving. Then go to the court and plead your case. The problem is most people don't want to be involved, they would rather complain and curse the bad behavior in stead of helping to elminate it.

[Hockey Mom]

I bet it was because of all those dangerous motorcycle riding criminals.

[wondering]

lord wrote:

This is the result of subsidizing the truck industry's right of way and neglecting railroads. Compared to transport by rail car, trucks not only represent a danger on the road but also use eight times as much fuel. The weight of trucks causes the need for highway and bridge repair that we pay for in taxes, so any cost savings is illusionary. Further, it is more effective to hold railroad companies to a high standard of safety than it is to try to regulate thousands of independent operators driving on used tires, worn out brakes, and poorly maintained worn out engines, not to mention the meth fueled drivers.
We have caused this problem by neglecting the railroads. This is an infrastructure need that has been neglected for too long, and in the long term there will be a great payoff for making the investment in railways. Besides energy independence and cleaner air, Is there anyone who doesn't know someone maimed or killed in a collision with a large truck?

from where do you off load a train car for delivery? A truck to carry it to the stores!

[bad]

Hockey Mom wrote:

I bet it was because of all those dangerous motorcycle riding criminals.

I find you quite amusing and arousing!!