Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

soooooooooo

you're the guy who pays no attention to the road conditions or the weather?

If the speed limit is 80 kph, you'll drive 60 kph even if the weather and road conditions are bloomin' terrible?

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

I will have my lights on and the windows clear, I am paying attention to the conditions. I even have winter tyres. I just won't dither.

Today, for example, there is an ice storm with accumulated ice pellets a couple of inches deep on the roads. I was able to sustain 60 for the ten miles or so to the grocery store. I passed someone on the way back, a pick up with a trailer that was going slowly, perhaps 40mph. I did so on a long straight stretch whereas, in better conditions, I would have passed sooner; the conditions dictated that I not accelerate violently and so I waited for the long straight. Safe and slow are not synonymous.

Do we know, btw, what the cause of the bus crash was? Maybe none of this is relevant.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

Then you would be a bit of a twit. It's an 80 kph road that I normally drive at 100kph and on that day I drove at 75 to 80 - which was just about ok for the conditions. It's in rolling hills so it's tricky to see what's pulling out onto the road and I didn't want to go too fast in case I rear ended a car with no rear lights. Oh and there was a farm tractor and trailer pootling along without lights.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

In fog, I am constantly concerned about running up the back of some unlit greige blob but that would be a concern at any speed. Recently there was one that was barely moving, collision was avoided only by fortuitous break in the mist.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

No, we do not know the cause.

The RCMP says it could take weeks for them to determine the cause.

It is hard to comprehend how 2 vehicles could meet, seemingly in the middle of an intersection on the Prairies where you can see for miles and miles, roads are straight, and the weather was apparently "good". I'm always amazed when we have driven there, and when we are on the train, just how far you can see ........ nothing in the way except windbreaks around farm buildings.

But, we don't know ................. and that is why I find some of the theorising on this thread more than a little disturbing.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

The coach had the right of way, the truck had a stop sign.
For whatever reason, the truck ran the stop sign and the coach t-boned the truck.
The front 5-6ft of that coach has been ripped off.
This crash happened with both vehicles travelling and colliding at a fair pace, otherwise that carnage would not have spread so far from the road.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

And braking/stopping times, dont drive faster than you can see to stop and don't overtake on blind hills. Risk your own life if you want to but not other people's.

I like speed, I like driving fast, but there's no opportunity for fun driving here so now I drive an automatic and rein in my thoughts of rally driving.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

Intersections on long straight roads are a problem when the main road vehicles are at a fair speed and the drivers bored/inattentive with the long straight road. Stop signs just aren't enough. Highway 28 north of Port Hope has an intersection with lights and before the lights there are additional flashing lights warning you that you need to prepare to stop.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

I've lived in Canada for a little less than five years. In that time this has happened twice to me personally. What is going on?

The first time I was forced to squeal around a truck who'd fortunately slowed a little when he saw me and I narrowly avoided the car-in-a-ditch problem. Fortunately there was nothing coming the other way.

I now approach junctions where I see cars approaching with some anticipation.

The second happened a few weeks ago. A woman in a car simply didn't stop and crossed in front of me . Simply staring ahead and just didn't stop at the stop sign. I was forced to brake and shake my head. I just knew it was going to happen.

A smallish crossover can, with luck, cope with issues like this. I wouldn't have been able to avoid these potential collisions in a coach.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

I just assume when approaching an intersection that the other car/s are not going to stop and slow a bit, I don't trust other drivers, and since going to a scooter I really don't trust other drivers who seem intent on killing anyone on 2 wheels.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

I've often thought that you need to have ridden a motor cycle in order to appreciate road dangers and learn to anticipate other driver's reactions and understand road conditions. I stopped riding motor cycles more than 20 years ago but the lessons learned have served me well.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

It has certainly opened up my eyes.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

I agree whole heartedly with this.

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

The stop sign had a flashing red light above it ...... the flashing light added about 20 years ago when 6 people were killed in a similar accident.

I read where they are thinking of adding rumble strips before the intersection to warn there is a stop sign ahead.

But there is also this problem of the trees along part of the minor road that could have blocked sight lines for both drivers.

I heard the young man who has the broken back interviewed on CBC radio on Friday. He said he heard the coach driver shout "Whoa", try to stop, and then everything went black for him until he woke to find himself on the road having been thrown out of the coach. From that, it sounded as if the coach driver had little warning.


Should these hockey coaches have seat belts??????????

Re: Humboldt tragedy
 

I disagree that there's no opportunity. There are rolling hills and roads with bends, they're not usual, England's better, but you can find them. I think the American maxim "it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow" applies. In the Healey 70 mph feels rocket fast, in the Mustang 100mph doesn't. One has to bear in mind that the Healey has drum brakes, more go than woah as they say. The key thing is that 70mph is a small fine, 100mph is a much bigger hassle.

Driving today wasn't fun. Ice build up on the wheels gave the car the shakes so I stuck to 80 in an 80. You know how, when there are bands of snow across the road, the car rises and falls like a sailing boat? We had that today but it wasn't snow, it was ice pellet drifts. I would welcome a move to a temperate climate, going where the weather suits my cars, almost like Nilsson.