We often discuss the short time allowed to react in auto accidents and this video illustrates the point. In this case, the accident may be part of the result of the recent black ice conditions in New Jersey where a rapid and sudden freeze led to multiple deaths in various states.
The video shows how multiple tires and a wide base will not save you if they are all spinning on ice. I recall one sudden freeze driving to Chicago where there were a dozen accidents in a few miles. Virtually every one was a SUV. People often assume that they are invincible in a four-wheel drive.
Those dammed double trailers scare me even when I’m in an SUV! Its all about greed, hooking these up like this and putting them on the road!
“Why don’t these people get off the highway?”
The highway earlier was likely fine to drive on. And, for this highway, the exits are infrequent.
Why don’t these people get off the highway? Even pulling to the side of the road doesn’t stop someone sliding into you. It looked to me like people were still driving pretty fast.
As an aside, we saw a Bekins truck go over the side of a bridge. People stopped and helped driver up to highway, he was OK. But furniture was spread all over. Having moved several times, I was so sorry for the people that lost their belongings. Another Bekins truck was there fairly quickly and two guys started picking things up. Good to see.
Thank you, Darren, for finding Part II. I’m so glad everyone was okay.
Here is part 2 of the video. Apparently everyone made it out uninjured.
RAAAACIST!!
Nick, me a racist? Nah! I used to be, but then they tore down Manzanita Speedway and I haven’t been to a race ever since. Oh, wait. You meant Trooper’s comment about black ice. Funny. I hadn’t thought of that.
Notice how the black ice causes all these accidents. Just sayn’
I was riding with a girlfriend who was driving on the interstate south of Colorado Springs one November long ago when we crossed a long bridge that had black ice on it. The car started sliding and she hit the brake, which was the worst thing she could have done. We did one complete 360° spin during the length of the bridge, was pointing the right direction at the end of it, straightened out and stopped spinning when we hit the dry highway again like nothing ever happened. Being from Phoenix and never having driven in snow and ice before, she immediately pulled over to the shoulder, shaking like a leaf in wind, and let me drive the rest of the way home.
Another time I was driving south on I-25 in Denver in the middle of winter with snow all over the place and packed on the road. I started crossing the bridge over Broadway and Santa Fe streets where the snow had melted during the day and turned into ice that night. There was a big black Buick from the 1940’s ahead of me and he started sliding and went right into the railing on the left. He bounced off that and started spinning across the other lanes, just where I would be going. I watched with great interest, and clenched teeth, as his front bumper passed within a foot of my left door. I’m sure we were only doing between 20 to 25 MPH by then, and what was only about five seconds seemed more like five minutes as he did one complete circle, hit the right side railing, and did another 360 the other direction down the length of the bridge. When we got to the snow at the end of the bridge, I saw in my rear-view mirror that he straightened out and we both went on down the highway. It didn’t appear he sustained any damage. No harm, no foul.
Those are just two of the reasons I live in Phoenix, Arizona, now.
Tyger – that car from the 40s was made of good American steel. Hard to even dent them. 🙂
The video is fascinating, but the popup ad soliciting attorneys to advertise cause me to puke a little into my mouth.
“People often assume that they are invincible in a four-wheel drive.”
YES! Four-wheel drive is only helpful in snow, not on ice. I wish drivers of those vehicles realized that so they’d drive more safely.
Oxa – here four-wheel drive vehicles are called “urban assault vehicles” or if you are Mormon, “Mormon Assault Vehicles.” 🙂
That was Sunday. I didn’t drive and could hardly walk outside, all ice. Accidents all over the place in NJ, NY, PA & CT.
Those truckers were going to fast. Even first responders and emergency vehicles were crashing.
I am sooooo glad I live in an area where this is not a problem. I hope everyone is as well as can be. I have hit ice patches before and the feeling of the car still moving and you having no control is sickening.
I’m glad the person who captured the video is okay and did not get rear-ended, but I wish we knew whether the driver of the semi and anyone else involved in the accident was okay. 🙁 I hope that as soon as the person stopped filming they called 911, too.