Highway Thru Hell

[Cock Throppled]

Anyone ever seen this Discovery Network show?

I recently "discovered" it (apparently been airing for 7 years!). It is a reality show that follows tow truck operators on the Coquihalla.

Some of the things they deal with are quite harrowing, and the logistics of retrieving bent metal can be interesting, although, as with any reality show, the music, narration and editing hype up a lot of things.

But the one thing that stands out to me is almost every accident they attend is due to the unpreparedness of the drivers - and that goes for amateurs and professionals. It's amazing how many so-called professional drivers don't have a clue about conditions, putting on chains or even where things are located on their own vehicles. Then there's the bad driving itself - too fast for conditions, following too close, taking the wrong angle into curves, etc.

Are the standards in the trucking industry that low, now?

 

[sybian]

Anyone ever seen this Discovery Network show?

I recently "discovered" it (apparently been airing for 7 years!). It is a reality show that follows tow truck operators on the Coquihalla.

Some of the things they deal with are quite harrowing, and the logistics of retrieving bent metal can be interesting, although, as with any reality show, the music, narration and editing hype up a lot of things.

But the one thing that stands out to me is almost every accident they attend is due to the unpreparedness of the drivers - and that goes for amateurs and professionals. It's amazing how many so-called professional drivers don't have a clue about conditions, putting on chains or even where things are located on their own vehicles. Then there's the bad driving itself - too fast for conditions, following too close, taking the wrong angle into curves, etc.

Are the standards in the trucking industry that low, now?

YES!......there are some " professional " drivers out there that have no idea how to chain up their trucks.
I once came around a blind corner and there was a driver chaining his truck in the middle of the highway, blocking both lanes.
He had spun out, and lost traction after a perfectly good chain up area.....I helped him through the process...through his broken new Canadian English, he informed me that he had no idea how to install the chains.
I drive that highway once or twice a month, and I've seen some ridiculous things...I've now come to the conclusion when hauling cattle, that I'll take the #1 as a means of self preservation in the winter ,and deal with the extra hour of travel time.

 

[Lo-ki]

Awesome show....and those guys got trough HELL to re-open the highway after dumb ass drivers have no clue what they are doing.
My hat is off to them.
BTW the government is pondering on disallowing trucks to pass. I hope they do it.
On HI 5 trucks are not allowed and they must travel 10 mph slower then the posted speed.

 

[hedgeman]

Anyone ever seen this Discovery Network show?

I recently "discovered" it (apparently been airing for 7 years!). It is a reality show that follows tow truck operators on the Coquihalla.

Some of the things they deal with are quite harrowing, and the logistics of retrieving bent metal can be interesting, although, as with any reality show, the music, narration and editing hype up a lot of things.

But the one thing that stands out to me is almost every accident they attend is due to the unpreparedness of the drivers - and that goes for amateurs and professionals. It's amazing how many so-called professional drivers don't have a clue about conditions, putting on chains or even where things are located on their own vehicles. Then there's the bad driving itself - too fast for conditions, following too close, taking the wrong angle into curves, etc.

Are the standards in the trucking industry that low, now?

One of my fav shows, have seen Al Quiring and Jamie and Colin on the roads around out in the valley

 

[masterblaster]

Watched it a couple years ago. Got tired of it so don't bother anymore.

 

[jgg]

There was an investigative report recently on professional driving schools in Canada. It essentially came down to if you could fog a mirror you got your licence and were turned lose. Many don't even know how to dress for the weather let alone handle over 63,500 kg or 140,000 lbs. I include new and old Canadians.

 

[Cock Throppled]

There was an investigative report recently on professional driving schools in Canada. It essentially came down to if you could fog a mirror you got your licence and were turned lose. Many don't even know how to dress for the weather let alone handle over 63,500 kg or 140,000 lbs. I include new and old Canadians.

I see drivers every day, in perfect conditions who can't figure out how to reverse, merge properly, do a 180 turn to match angles to get into a parking spot, etc etc.

The complete lack of even basic ability to drive is scary, and is a major cause of the accident levels we have. It may cost a lot more to fix vehicles, but not having accidents in the first place would be the most cost-effective way to cut down ICBC costs by cracking down on unqualified drivers.

And suspensions are a joke. I've never heard of a suspended driver not continuing to drive. Suspensions have to be accompanied by clamping vehicles for the duration of a suspension. With the suspended driver paying a daily fee for the clamp.

 

[80watts]

Not just truck drivers, but car drivers as well.

In the 70s when I was a kid, the malls/parking lots were meant for bigger vehicles. Go to any mall today and the parking spaces are smaller. They are meant for mid-sized vehicles only. I see people driving big ass trucks trying to park in small places... they should be parking farther away. probally why you see trucks parked over 2 stalls...

Not only that but the aisle for driving down needs to be wider too.

As for driving over mountainous roads like the #5 (BC) and the Malahat (#1 on Van Island), you should carry chains, spare blanket, candles, hand warmers (heat), shovel, first aid kit and a cell phone. Have a set of winter gear to wear over your other gear. Watch the weather channel (hwy conditions)/check internet if taking a long trip.

If you are driving in slick conditions reduce speed. If you drive over black ice, good luck. Winter rated tires are good and in BC I believe that it is law to have them on for high mountain passes (law passed because of dumbasses that had summer tires in the winter, driving badly)

I personnally disagree with that law, cause I used to drive over the #5 every Christmas and never had a problem with radial tires... I watched for the road conditions and drove accordingly. I have seen cars pass me and later on see them on the side of the road. The biggest thing on a highway is to let people pass. Even if you have to slow down and get over more. The worst thing for you to do on a 2 lane divided highway is to follow that 1 track and not allow other people to pass. When passing I would try to pass on the uphill, trucks got over to far right, usually 3 lanes so there is lots of room. Unfortunately you have the passers that go 5km/h to pass other vehicles on the road. They are slow and very dangerous. They pass when going downhill (steep highway), one wrong move and gravity is there to assist you...

The other thing I hate is the ignorance of drivers on a divided highway. On a freshly snow covered road they tend to follow the path of the vehicles in front of them, that a 2 lane is now a one lane and there is no place to pass. They go the speed limit, and don't pull over and let other people pass. They have to slow down and should move over into the the proper right hand lane (and/or the shoulder) in order to let people pass.