I-40 trucker had clean record

Mike McWilliams * [e-mail] * published July 4, 2008 12:15 am Comments on Topix forums : ASHEVILLE The driver of a tractor-trailer that set off a fatal chain-reaction crash on Interstate 40 ...

[Keith retired Gun-bunny]

And there you have it. He had a clean driving record. Gone to hell in a handbasket now. Never needs to be behind the wheel of a big truck again. I'm sure though the perp didn't mean for this to happen and he has got to deal with the outcome of the tragide and live with it knowing that innocent life was lost.

[the AntiChrist]

give the guy a break... where you there ???

have you ever driven a big truck and had the dumba88 4 wheelers cut you off, crowd you in, or not let you out ???

how many times have you watched the 4 wheelers RACE to the front and then find out they've run out of toad, locking the btakes up and creating a bottle neck ???

how many fender benders do you see at these lane reductions per day ??? quite a few...

[Keith retired Gun-bunny]

the AntiChrist wrote:

give the guy a break... where you there ???
have you ever driven a big truck and had the dumba88 4 wheelers cut you off, crowd you in, or not let you out ???
how many times have you watched the 4 wheelers RACE to the front and then find out they've run out of toad, locking the btakes up and creating a bottle neck ???
how many fender benders do you see at these lane reductions per day ??? quite a few...

I still love ya, Larry. LOL

[Skeptic]

It doesn't matter that he had a clean record. He screwed up and folks got hurt and died.

There is no excuse (other than mechanical failure) for this. I drive through there several times a week - the signs and warnings were posted.

[fastsam]

Skeptic wrote:

It doesn't matter that he had a clean record. He screwed up and folks got hurt and died.
There is no excuse (other than mechanical failure) for this. I drive through there several times a week - the signs and warnings were posted.

There is an excuse. It was a terrible accident. They happen everyday. They have not released everything yet.

[Lee]

the AntiChrist wrote:

give the guy a break... where you there ???
have you ever driven a big truck and had the dumba88 4 wheelers cut you off, crowd you in, or not let you out ???
how many times have you watched the 4 wheelers RACE to the front and then find out they've run out of toad, locking the btakes up and creating a bottle neck ???
how many fender benders do you see at these lane reductions per day ??? quite a few...

Yes, of course, you are right. That poor child deserved it, didn't he?

/sarcasm

I'm sick of people who blame every wreck involving 18 wheelers on cars. There are bad drivers of big rigs just as there are bad drivers of automobiles. This accident was caused by a driver who ignored warning signs for over a mile and slammed full force into the back of a line of vehicles that were stopped in a work zone. This is in no way the fault of the people who were in those cars ahead of the speeding, inattentive truck driver. He should be charged with murder, in my opinion. That might cause the drivers of the big rigs to think twice before they use their rigs as weapons.

[Haywood County native]

What a tragic thing to happen to these families and my heart goes out to all of them.

But we must remember that we all make mistakes while driving, small ones, big ones, and in between. Think about the last time you drove I-40, or even our two lane roads. At some point in time, all of us have driven too fast, got in a hurry, didn't concentrate on our driving, and did stupid things behind the wheel. The truck driver has undoubtedly made a huge mistake, but nobody here knows the real circumstances and events that took place that morning on that stretch of I-40. But something just tells me that the truck driver did not set out in his rig to injure or kill someone. Obviously he has driven safely for a number of years- probably as safe as many of us. He could very well be a good, hard-working person, loves his wife, proud of his children, and has grandchildren that he cherishes and adores. Can you imagine what torment he will live with for the rest of his life? If I sound like I am taking up for the truck driver, I am just trying to look at it realistically before shouting "murderer". Just as Fatsam said, it was an accident. Accidents happen every day. That is why we should all cherish each day as our last, because it could very well be.

[Wow]

Just because he has no reported problems does not mean he is a good driver, just means he hasn't been caught yet

[Haywood County native]

Wow wrote:

Just because he has no reported problems does not mean he is a good driver, just means he hasn't been caught yet

And that goes for everyone on the highways.

[okaay]

It is just an all around tragedy for everyone.

[ladder truck idiot]

Skeptic wrote:

It doesn't matter that he had a clean record. He screwed up and folks got hurt and died.
There is no excuse (other than mechanical failure) for this. I drive through there several times a week - the signs and warnings were posted.

you can make a mistake to kill and injure someone just as easy as this man,sure his driving career is over and he will probably face involuntary manslaughter charges.the probably start with dot contractors mowing, could care less if the grass is 10 feet high . i have seen flag men doing poor jobs.all this reminds me of the mimi paige thing a few years ago ,wlos tried,convicted and hanged the truck driver.when they said her car was out gas,in the hammer lane on a foggy morning .all these are tragedies and preventable,sadly people pass, i can not understand what these people are feeling cause i have never lost a child,we are never should out live our children.the family of this child my prays our with you to find forgiveness for the trucker then the healing can start,and just remember that little angel in heaven so send up some balloons for her to play with.

[chimps]

put him in jail forever.

The whole trucking industry places profit over public safety.

Traffic tickets should have sliding monetary scale where tickets are based on the vehicles weight.

[fastsam]

chimps wrote:

put him in jail forever.
The whole trucking industry places profit over public safety.
Traffic tickets should have sliding monetary scale where tickets are based on the vehicles weight.

Real bright.
I wish they would do away with trucking all together so you people that moan and groan about everything would have to make everything on your own. Like it was when we did not have access to everything at our finger tips. Let you live in the past trying to survive on what you can make or grow. Most would not make it a month.

[local]

ladder truck idiot wrote:

<quoted text>you can make a mistake to kill and injure someone just as easy as this man,sure his driving career is over and he will probably face involuntary manslaughter charges.the probably start with dot contractors mowing, could care less if the grass is 10 feet high . i have seen flag men doing poor jobs.all this reminds me of the mimi paige thing a few years ago ,wlos tried,convicted and hanged the truck driver.when they said her car was out gas,in the hammer lane on a foggy morning .all these are tragedies and preventable,sadly people pass, i can not understand what these people are feeling cause i have never lost a child,we are never should out live our children.the family of this child my prays our with you to find forgiveness for the trucker then the healing can start,and just remember that little angel in heaven so send up some balloons for her to play with.

They should have but DIDN'T hang the guy. He plowed into her and killed her because he was ASLEEP/wasn't paying attention.

This man plowed into this crowd and killed at least one baby because he obviously wasn't paying attention.

His 'clean driving record' is totally irrelevant.

Truckers who are not familliar with our hills and curves need to SLOW DOWN. We should make it mandatory.

The poor -driving tourists make these roads hazardous, as well.

And hand-held cell phones should be restricted and it should be illegal for the drivers to eat or smoke while driving in this area.

The lives we are losing to protect the bad drivers''rights' are too precious.

I hope the driver does 'heal' but my real concern is for MY grandbabies who travel on these roads with the truckers and toruists who don't care enough to drive carefully around here.

[Jim Greenwood]

fastsam wrote:

<quoted text>Real bright.
I wish they would do away with trucking all together so you people that moan and groan about everything would have to make everything on your own. Like it was when we did not have access to everything at our finger tips. Let you live in the past trying to survive on what you can make or grow. Most would not make it a month.

Let's see how much your perspective changes whenever you destroy your transmission oil-pan account of running over an "alligator" (re-tread carcass) lying in the road! Re-treads shouldn't be allowed on trucks, anywhere. The trucking industry and the railroads are virtually unregulated.

[ladder truck idiot]

local wrote:

<quoted text>
They should have but DIDN'T hang the guy. He plowed into her and killed her because he was ASLEEP/wasn't paying attention.
This man plowed into this crowd and killed at least one baby because he obviously wasn't paying attention.
His 'clean driving record' is totally irrelevant.
Truckers who are not familliar with our hills and curves need to SLOW DOWN. We should make it mandatory.
The poor -driving tourists make these roads hazardous, as well.
And hand-held cell phones should be restricted and it should be illegal for the drivers to eat or smoke while driving in this area.
The lives we are losing to protect the bad drivers''rights' are too precious.
I hope the driver does 'heal' but my real concern is for MY grandbabies who travel on these roads with the truckers and toruists who don't care enough to drive carefully around here.

if your so protective of your grand babies keep them at home and out of a motor vehicle ,on the other hand lots of accidents happen at home,my point is they are preventable,but none of us are safe from death unless we are live in a bubble.i hadn't heard the trucker was asleep,i was referring to the trucker from a couple years ago.i was setting in tears writing the post about the baby that lost its life and most of my post don't require any thought just bs. it truly saddens about this baby and i only hope to give the family of this child comfort and encouragement,and not to argue with a troll.

[Joel Bond Gunn]

Tree trimming at that time of the day with the heavy traffic may not have been a good idea. But worse, several drivers say that there was inadequate notice so that drivers did not have time to slow down. One truck driver who went through the area just before the pile-up said he thought to himself as some cars laid down rubber and almost skidded out of control, "This road work comes up too sudden, and there's going to be a wreck." I have seen that before, many a time. I noticed the highway patrolman on TV huffing and puffing and straining to justify the notice put up to change the two lanes to one and give motorists plenty of time to slow down and merge into one lane. Did you notice it? It was like he protested the state's innocence a little too much.

[Granny]

IMO, I don't know why DOT would be having road work done during one of the most traveled times of the year.

[local]

ladder truck idiot wrote:

<quoted text>...if your so protective of your grand babies keep them at home and out of a motor vehicle ,on the other hand lots of accidents happen at home,my point is they are preventable,but none of us are safe from death unless we are live in a bubble.i hadn't heard the trucker was asleep,i was referring to the trucker from a couple years ago.i was setting in tears writing the post about the baby that lost its life and most of my post don't require any thought just bs. it truly saddens about this baby and i only hope to give the family of this child comfort and encouragement,and not to argue with a troll.

I WAS referring to he guy who killed Mimi Page.

I guess you can call me troll if that makes you feel better.

I have seen first- hand what horrible damage careless drivers can cause and I am pleading for a way to make these roads safer around here, because so many people who aren't from around here drive like maniacs on these hilly and curvy roads.

And the sad thing is, it will probably get worse instead of better. Everyone will holler for their 'rights'(to drive while one hand is on the phone or CB radio or holding a cigarette or food or a map), and truckers will be driving taking more and more risks trying to make a little profit with gas prices climbing out of sight.

The healing begins when these injuries and deaths that have happened are not in vain. Perhaps we need lower speed limits or lane restrictions or better enoforcement or fewer daytime work crews...

I am guessing that BETTER ENFORCEMENT and lower speed limits are the best solution. I don't know, though.

But there has to be a lesson and positive change in there somewhere.

[NCbigmouth]

So what? His clean driving record didn't prevent him from driving like a moron, killing one, injuring many, and causing thousands of dollars in damage.

Let him keep his record with only one infraction on it, but he should never climb in a cab again!